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 c.connor@londonmet.ac.uk

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 vpeducation.su@londonmet.ac.uk FLSC & LMBS Wasim Javed vpparticipation.su@londonmet.ac.uk FSSH Adnan Pavel vpmedia.su@londonmet.ac.uk

Students’ Union staff: Eddie Rowley, Liaison & Quality Coordinator e.rowley@londonmet.ac.uk Mark Crowhurst, General Manager m.crowhurst@londonmet.ac.uk

Faculty StAR staff contact points: LGIR - Alan Wilkinson a.wilkinson@londonmet.ac.uk LMBS - Peter Wynarczyk P.Wynarczyk@londonmet.ac.uk CASS - Cecile Tschirhart c.tschirhart@londonmet.ac.uk FLSC - Peter Chalk p.chalk@londonmet.ac.uk FSSH - Sheila Lodge S.Lodge@londonmet.ac.uk

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:stars.su@londonmet.ac.uk