Introductory Level Course Rep Training

Introductory Level Course Rep Training Emma Fraser associate trainer | sparqs

sparqs • student participation in quality scotland. • Aim: to improve student engagement in quality enhancement. • Over 1430 reps trained last year. • 91% found the training useful or very useful. • Funded by the Scottish Funding Council since 2003.

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.

Exercise 1- Your course of study… Task • 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?

Exercise 2- Your rep role Task • 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?

The rep role Purpose • 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 learningandteaching. • To provide both positive and negativefeedback to staff. • To act as a communication channel between staff and students.

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. The rep role

Skills developed Communication. Listening. Networking. Relationship building. Reflection. Presentation. Organisation. Report writing. Diplomacy. Negotiation. Research. Time management / prioritisation. The rep role

The rep role Benefits to you • 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.

Student views Improved learning experience Dialogue with staff Why is representation important? YOU ARE THE EXPERT!

The Student Learning Experience

Short break

Identify the issue Feedback Develop & implement the solution The Course Rep Cycle

Exercise 3- Gathering student opinion Task • Think back to Exercise 1 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.

Hands up before/after class. Emails. Face to face chats. Online spaces: Facebook. Twitter. Virtual Learning Environments. Surveys. Post it notes in tutorials. Comment boxes. Gathering student opinion

Accurate Effective Depersonalised Balanced Constructive The A,B,C,D of Effective Feedback

Exercise 4- Developing solutions Task 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 to. How realistic your solution is. How creative your solution is. How you plan on getting your solution implemented. What is the time frame for implementation? Who are you going to speak to? How are you going to use the A,B,C,D?

Exercise 5- Attending student-staff meetings Task • Think about what you would do: • Before you to go to the meeting? • During the meeting? • After the meeting?

Student-staff meetings Before • 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. • Run your solution past those that attend the meeting. • Speak to other course reps.

Student-staff meetings During • 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.

Student-staff meetings After • 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?

Identify the issue Feedback Develop & implement the solution Closing the loop Don’t forget to FEEDBACK what you have achieved!!

Closing the loop • Stand up before/after class. • Emails. • Face to face chats. • Surveys. • Online spaces: • Facebook. • Twitter. • Virtual Learning Environments.

Support available to you • Your student association/institution. • Additional training for courses 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.

Your future rep career • You may be interested in other opportunities, speak to your student association/institution for more information. • If you’re interested in becoming a sparqs Associate Trainer, more information will be released on the sparqs website late February. • For further information contact the sparqs team at admin@sparqs.ac.uk or phone 0131 622 6599.

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?

Thank you for attending Introductory Level Course Rep Training!Please fill in your evaluation forms and hand them in. Emma Fraser (emma.fraser@sparqs.ac.uk) associate trainer | sparqs

Introductory Level Course Rep Training