Student Academic Representative (StARs) Scheme
Training 2012-13
Please sign the register and take a seat
What today’s session will cover
StARs scheme at London Met
Welcome & Ice-breaker Quality Assurance Role of a StAR? Advice and support Make yourself known Feedback Identifying & dealing with issues Course Committee meetings Campaigning and taking action Communication hints and tips Evaluation Form
Ice-breaker!
Form a circle in alphabetical order of the town or city you were born in
Introduce yourself to the group and state name, course and town/city
State why you decided to become a StAR?
StARs: Getting Started University expects faculties to have StARs for each year
of each course
During weeks 1-3 the Course Leader facilitate the election of a StARs, typically one per course per year.
StARs to attend Course Committee meetings and liaise with Course Leaders and other academics throughout the year
2-5 Faculty StARs per faculty elected to the Student Council
Benefits for YOU
Improve University – make a difference & help others Chance to improve academic standards and teaching that you experience Training and skills development Networking Potential references from University and Students’ Union CV enhancement
Benefits for the University
Courses closely linked to student input Chance to improve academic standards Chances to learn from students Find out what’s wrong before it all goes wrong Improve what we do – you said / we did
StARs
Quality Assurance Agency The QAA is a quality ‘Watchdog’ which ensures that courses
delivered in UK Universities were of an appropriate standard and that a good quality education was being offered
The Quality Enhancement Unit at London Met is there to keep the Universities Quality Framework and work to make sure the high quality of teaching
The Quality Enhancement Unit are VERY keen to work with StARs from all faculties of London Met. StARs provide some of the most useful feedback
Catherine Connor, Head of Quality Enhancement Unit [email protected]
StARs: Advice and support StARs Handbook
Students’ Union website:http://www.londonmetsu.org.uk/studentacademicreps/
NUS Connect Course Rep website:http://www.nusconnect.org.uk/campaigns/highereducation/student-
engagement/courserephub/
QAA/NUS Quality Matters website (includes on-line training)http://qualitymatters.nus.org.uk/
London Met Metranet (for faculty and University information)https://intranet.londonmet.ac.uk/
StARs: Contacts
Students’ Union faculty attached Sabbatical officers: CASS & LGIR Syed Rumman [email protected] FLSC & LMBS Wasim Javed [email protected] FSSH Adnan Pavel [email protected]
Students’ Union staff: Eddie Rowley, Liaison & Quality Coordinator [email protected] Mark Crowhurst, General Manager [email protected]
Faculty StAR staff contact points: LGIR - Alan Wilkinson [email protected] LMBS - Peter Wynarczyk [email protected] CASS - Cecile Tschirhart [email protected] FLSC - Peter Chalk [email protected] FSSH - Sheila Lodge [email protected]
1. What is the role of a StAR?Understand the role of a StAR
Session Activity
Role of a StAR
To represent students views and opinions on all matters relating to teaching and learning in an effort to continuously improve the student learning experience in partnership with the institution and Students’ Union.
Identify issues on the ground Raise issues and concerns with Faculty Notify course mates or developments and opportunities Provide feedback (positive and negative) to Faculty Build strong working-relationship with Course Leader etc
Making yourself knownHow can you make yourself know as a StAR for your course?
Making yourself known Introduce yourself to your class mates and make regular announcements in
class ‘lecture shout-outs’ Collect the names and emails of the student on your course and email them Join StARs AT LONDON MET face-book group Carry out a survey or questionnaire to find out what students think Ask in your Faculty if you can use a notice board or part of a notice board to
publicise yourself Communicate information your receive from the Students’ Union, University,
National Union of Students (NUS) and other external student focused organisations
Install a suggestions box in your Faculty office (ask first) Make friends and work in partnership with other StARs in your faculty Communicate with the StARs doing the same course as you but in different
years, work together!
Making yourself knownHow can you make yourself known as a StAR?
FeedbackWhat areas could you feedback on?
FeedbackWhat areas could you feedback on? Teaching on the course Assessments (exams and coursework) Academic feedback from lecturers Academic support Learning resources (such as the Library, Weblearn) Organisation and management of your course /
University experience Personal development Mitigating circumstances / appeals General University Services Student welfare issues
2. Identifying IssuesCriteria to identify what is an issue:1. Is it widely felt? 2. Is it strongly felt? 3. Is it winnable?
Here are a few potential issues:
Quality of lectures Issue with a specific lecturer Issue with feedback Issue with Library resources Issue with rooming
Session Activity – handout 2
3. Dealing with issuesIn each of your groups, spend 5-10 minutes discussing one
of the issues you have identified
1. What are your first steps you might you take to tackle this issue?
1. What would you do then? Work together to come up with a simple action plan to dealing with this issue
Session Activity
Other ways you can get the Uni to listen
Course Committee Meetings Module evaluation Informal discussion with senior academic staff Ask for a formal meeting Email or write a letter Petition or open letter Surveys Students’ Union NSS and other Uni surveys
Course Committee Structure Course Committees usually meet x2 a semester
2 or 3 StARs usually attend
Course Leader is the chair
Consider teaching and administrative issues surrounding the course
Should consider student issues and concerns
Library and others external to the dept may be present
Quality coordinator may attend
Minutes are included in Course Logs and should be reviewed by Faculty managers
Before the Course Committee meeting:
Meet Course Leader beforehand so they can let you know what to expect
Read the agenda
Make sure you have identified the issues you wish to raised and have feedback from your class mates to back it up
If you have an complicated issue to raise or and have research/evidence to produce e.g. survey, emails from course mates send them to the Course Leader before the committee meeting so they have a chance to digest the issue.
Liaise with other StARs who may attend (ask you Course Leader to put you in touch or look on the SU website)
Speak to your Faculty Sabbatical Officer, ask them to come along with you
Makes sure you know where the meeting is and be on time. Being late will not help your cause!
During the Course Committee meeting:
Listen Raise you issues clearly and concisely Present any evidence you have Don’t be confrontational, work in partnership Take notes, ask for clarification if you are not sure what is being
said Remembers to note down action points If you don’t understand a term used, ask! At the end of the meeting clarify the decisions taken and when they
are to be actioned (this prevents drift) Confirm the date of the next meeting. Request a follow-up meeting
to deal with a specific issues if required. Make sure the Secretary has your email
After the Course Committee meeting:
If other StARs present have a debrief straight away Write up you notes and action points right away Feedback to your course mates and the Students’ Union ASAP If you are not happy with the conduct of the meeting then speak to
another academic in your faculty and express your concern Provide any constructive criticism you have of the committee to the
Faculty
Campaigning & taking action
Sometimes you may have a widely felt, deeply felt and winnable issue which you can’t make any real progress on. In this situation you may decide to launch a campaign and take some action.
What steps you take in this situation?
Campaigning & taking actionContact and work with the Students’ Union, who have the resources to run an effective campaign.
Running campaigns and taking action is a whole topic in its own right, but here are a few hints:
Use SMART targets! Gather data. Learn the reasoning for the decision, always remain open-minded. Ask Student Reps on board of Governors, Academic Board etc to formally raise the issue Read and critique the rationale for the decision you are campaigning against. Can you
successfully challenge the (business) case Organise meetings Email campaign Use social networking: facebook, twitter etc Work with allies: Other StARs, academics, NUS, Students, other Students’ Unions, Local MPs,
Staff Unions (UNISON, UCU - is there common ground?) Press and Media Lobbies and protests
Any questions?Contact details:[email protected]
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