Representation training

Example presentation slides

Welcome and introduction

Insert photos, names and job titles of the staff running the training

Icebreaker: ‘Human Bingo’

Housekeeping

What we’ll cover today

Insert agenda

What we won’t cover today

Insert information

Ground rules

• To establish common understanding of how we work together to establish a supportive environment

• To build trust and respect

• The support the trainer to enable the delegates to get what they need from the training

Hopes & Fears

Session 1 What is a representative?

Learning objectives:

• Articulate the purpose of a representative• Identify key tasks undertaken by representative• Explore and agree the skills and qualities

required to be an effective representative

What is the purpose of a representative

To continuously improve the student learning experience in partnership with the college and students’ union 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.

Responsibilities of a representative

• 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 the college or students’ union• Contribute to college activities and processes

Key skills and attributes of a rep

Representative – the ability to gather and advocate student views The ability to analyse and report on information gathered Research skills Approachable and contactable Able to negotiate Diplomatic, impartial and supportive Critical and questioning

A strong communicator with tack including active listening and presentation skills

Knowledgeable on students concerns and priorities

Organised Proactive and solution

focused Networking and relationship

building ability Able to reflect and identify

areas for improvement in own performance

Ability to manage time and prioritise when required

Learning objectives review

• Articulate the purpose of a representative• Identify key tasks undertaken by

representative• Explore and agree the skills and qualities

required to be an effective representative

Session 2 How to represent

Learning objectives:

• Understand what feedback to gather from students

• List and discuss a range of feedback mechanisms to capture the student voice

• Identify how to be an effective communicator • Create and develop effective solutions to a

course quality issue

Capturing the student voice

As a course representative you should be one of the first people that students raise their feedback, issues or concerns with regarding their experience of their course .

It is then your responsibility to take the appropriate actions:

• Listen carefully to the student‘s feedback

• Collate the student feedback and formulate the evidence

• Decide whether you should raise the feedback promptly direct to a staff member or take the feedback to your next staff-student liaison meeting.

What do I gather feedback on?

Course Quality

Curriculum

Feedback and

assessment

Learning resources

Learning and teaching

Quality assurance &

enhancement

Student Support

Student progression

The feedback loop

Gather feedback

Build Evidence

Solution Focused

Feedback to peers

Communications methods

Lecture Shout Outs

Student poll

Course Facebook group

Virtual Learning Environment

Notice board space

Forums or focus groups

Conduct a surveyQuestion/issue box

Group email

Existing surveysSocial Media

Top tips

Questions: What is it you want to find out? Consider who your audience is, make your questions easy to understand and avoid misleading or biased questions. Does the question lead to a particular response? Is it an open question (e.g. doesn’t just have a yes/no answer)?

How should the data be collected: What information is necessary? What will you do with the information? Consider the strengths and weaknesses of collection methods, which is the best to use for what information you seek?

Top tips

Existing data: What secondary data is out there? Is the data current? How does it relate to the feedback you have collected? Does it inform or contextualise the information you have already collected from your peers or help you to form questions to ask them?

How you are going to analyse or interpret the data :Is it qualitative or quantitative feedback? How are you going to analyse the feedback? What are the main points/themes from the data and what is the most effective way to present the information?

Providing feedback to staff

Accurate: be specific, and provide evidence for what you are saying.

Balanced: present negative and positive feedback

Constructive: be solution focused

Depersonalised: do not mention staff members by name

Feedback should be widely expressed, deeply felt and achievable.

Problem tree

Consequences

Problem

Root causes

Problem tree example

Feedback from assessment always takes too long

Demotivated students

Reflects badly on the college

Students can’t improve in time for the next assessment Poor results

Deadlines all set at the same time

Staff have too much workNot enough teaching staff

Solution tree

Effects

Vision

Solutions

Solution tree example

College commit to a 4 week maximum feedback policy

Request for deadlines to be staggered

Staggered deadlines will spread out work load for staff

Students see steady improvement

Motivated students

Institution sets best practice

Learning objectives review

• Understand what feedback to gather from students

• List and discuss a range of feedback mechanisms to capture the student voice

• Identify how to be an effective communicator

• Create and develop effective solutions to a course quality issue