Transcript Associate Trainer Induction Day

Introductory Level
Course Rep Training
name of trainer
associate trainer | sparqs
@sparqs_scotland
sparqs
• student participation in quality scotland.
• Aim: to improve student engagement in quality
enhancement.
• 2896 reps trained in the academic year 2013-14.
• 92% found the training useful or very useful.
• Funded by the Scottish Funding Council since
2003.
@sparqs_scotland
Learning outcomes for
today
• Develop your understanding of the course rep
role.
• Discuss the student learning experience and
explore how you can use it to improve your
course’s collective experience.
• Develop some of the skills you will use as course
rep.
@sparqs_scotland
Exercise 1 - Your course of
study…
In pairs, discuss the following questions:
• What course are you studying?
• What do you hope to get out of your chosen
course of study?
• What do you like most about it?
• What would you like to change about it?
@sparqs_scotland
Exercise 2 - Your rep role
• What do you think the purpose of the student
rep is?
• What do you think some of the tasks will be?
• What skills do you think you will need and
develop as a rep?
• How do you think being a rep will benefit you?
@sparqs_scotland
Purpose of a rep
• To continuously improve the student learning
experience in partnership with the institution
and student association by helping create
solutions to problems.
• To represent your fellow classmates’ views and
opinions on all matters relating to learning and
teaching.
• To provide both positive and negative
feedback to staff.
• To act as a communication channel between
staff and students.
@sparqs_scotland
Rep tasks
• Introduce yourself to
your class.
• Gather student opinion.
• Provide feedback to
staff and students.
• Present student views at
meetings.
• Attend meetings.
• Speak to people
outside of meetings.
• Develop solutions to
issues.
• Pass issues onto
students association.
• Contribute to
institutional activities.
@sparqs_scotland
Rep skills
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Communication.
Listening.
Networking.
Relationship building.
Reflection.
Presentation.
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Organisation.
Report writing.
Diplomacy.
Negotiation.
Research.
Time management /
prioritisation.
@sparqs_scotland
Benefits of being a rep
•
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Learn new skills.
Looks good on your CV.
Networking opportunities.
Background for future representational roles.
Good experience for future employment.
Can be validated on student transcripts.
Make a difference.
@sparqs_scotland
Why is representation
important?
Improved
learning
experience
Student
views
YOU ARE
THE
EXPERT!
Dialogue
with staff
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The Student Learning Experience
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Short break
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The Course Rep Cycle
Feedback
Identify
the issue
Develop &
implement
the solution
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Exercise 3 – Gathering
student opinion
• Think back to exercise one and look at the
answers given about what you liked most about
your course and what you would like to change.
• In your groups write down how you would find
out from your fellow classmates about whether or
not they agree/disagree with these opinions.
@sparqs_scotland
Gathering student opinion
• Hands up before/after
class.
• Emails.
• Face to face chats.
• Online spaces:
– Facebook.
– Twitter.
– Virtual Learning
Environments
(VLE).
• Surveys.
• Post it notes in
tutorials.
• Comment boxes.
@sparqs_scotland
The A,B,C,D of Effective
Feedback
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Exercise 4 - Developing
solutions
• In your groups, pick something you want to change
about your course and come up with a solution.
• You need to think about:
– What resources the staff have access too.
– How realistic your solution is.
– How creative your solution is.
– How you go about getting your solution
implemented.
– What your time scale is for the implementation.
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Exercise 5 - Attending
student-staff meetings
Think about what you would do:
• Before you to go to the meeting?
• During the meeting?
• After the meeting?
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Before a meeting
• Where and when is the meeting going to take
place?
• Find out what your classmates think about their
learning experience.
• Is there anything you want to put on the agenda?
Get in touch with the Chair/Secretary.
• Read any of the papers that have been sent
round, including the previous meetings minutes.
• Speak to other course reps.
@sparqs_scotland
During a meeting
• Always be on time, if you are going to be late let
the Chair/Secretary know before the meeting.
• Take a pen and paper for notes.
• Sit where the chair can see you and raise your
hand to indicate you want to contribute.
• Remember the A, B, C and D of effective
feedback.
• Ask questions if you do not understand anything.
• Support other course reps in the meeting.
@sparqs_scotland
After a meeting
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Report back to your classmates.
Check the minutes.
Do anything you have been asked to do.
Follow up any areas of concern.
Did you achieve what you wanted to achieve? If
not what are you going to do about it?
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Closing the loop
Feedback
Identify
the issue
Don’t forget to
FEEDBACK
what you have
achieved!!
Develop &
implement
the solution
@sparqs_scotland
Closing the loop
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•
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•
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Stand up before/after class.
Emails.
Face to face chats.
Surveys.
Online spaces:
– Facebook.
– Twitter.
– Virtual Learning Environments.
@sparqs_scotland
Support available to you
• Your students’ association/institution.
• Additional training for course reps is available:
– Intermediate course rep training.
• Online training resources are available via
www.sparqs.ac.uk
• NUS Scotland, the national representative body,
can support you. Visit www.nus.org.uk for more
information.
@sparqs_scotland
Your future rep career
• Additional training courses are available for students
engaged in quality enhancement include:
– Intermediate Course Rep Training.
• Online training resources are available via
www.sparqs.ac.uk
• If you’re interested in becoming a sparqs Associate
Trainer, recruitment days will be held in March/April
2012.
• For further info about any of these opportunities, contact
Stephanie Millar at [email protected] or
phone 0131 622 6599.
@sparqs_scotland
NUS Scottish Executive
Committee
President:
Gordon Maloney
Vice-Pres (Education):
Robert Foster
Vice-Pres (Community):
Kirsty Haigh
Women’s Officer:
Vonnie Sandlan
Black Students Officer:
Sanjay Lago
Disabled Students Officer: tbc
LGBT Officer:
Lani Baird
International Officer:
Roza Salih
Mature Students Officer:
Neill Clark
Priority Campaign:
Julia Fitzgerald & Alan MacDonald
Education Campaign:
James Moohan & Rob Henthorn
Community Campaign
Gary Paterson & Jeroen Van Herk
Contact them by emailing:
[email protected]
@sparqs_scotland
Learning outcomes for
today
Reflecting on today’s training, have you..
• Explored your understanding of your role as a
course rep?
• Discussed the student learning experience and
explored how you can use it to improve your
course’s collective experience?
• Developed some of the skills you will use as
course rep?
@sparqs_scotland
Thank you for attending
Introductory Level Course
Rep Training!
Please fill in your evaluation forms
and hand them in.
name of trainer ([email protected])
associate trainer | sparqs
@sparqs_scotland