Developing a student representation module

1. Developing a student representation module Matthew Wyman and Kylie Cross, Learning Support Division, DAA

2. Project Aims • Offer students the opportunity to undertake a module in the practice of politics to complement the predominantly theoretical current curriculum • Help develop employability-related skills • Improve operation of student representative system • Develop students’ reflective and problem-solving skills

3. The module develops… • Public speaking skills • Leadership skills • Problem-solving and critical thinking skills through reflection on case studies • Ability to apply research methods through practical experience in gathering student opinion systematically

4. The module develops… • Organisational skills through participation in meetings and reflection on the factors that make meetings function effectively • Negotiation and assertiveness skills through reflection on personal barriers to being assertive and possible solutions

5. The module develops… • Team-working skills through contributing to group decision making and through developing the ability to affirm others’ contributions • Self-critical faculties by reflection on personal effectiveness in a variety of situations

6. Module Content I • Student representation system – what are student reps for? • Effective communication I – practicalities of communicating with other students; qualities of effective public speakers • Effective communication II – obstacles to speaking effectively and possible solutions; negotiating and assertiveness; listening skills

7. Module content II 4) Meeting skills: roles of chair and secretary; agenda; constructive and destructive meeting behaviour; dealing with difficult people 5) Representing your constituency I: what are the boundaries of the role? How should you deal with difficult issues? What should be the concern of student reps but currently isn’t? 6) Representing your constituency II: methods for researching student opinion – strengths and weaknesses

8. Module Content III 7) Leadership skills: qualities of effective leaders; research on leadership styles; ways of improving personal effectiveness 8) Group working skills: qualities of effective teams; what to do when things go wrong

9. Teaching Methods • Currently taught to a group of 25-30 using small group discussion followed by whole group summary / reflection • Taught in collaboration with former / current students’ union officers

10. Assessment • By means of a reflective portfolio • Length approx 2500 words • Detailed reflection on 4-5 elements of the course, involving reflection on problematic scenarios, evaluation of current strengths and weaknesses, learning points from class and private study and action plan for improvement • Final course reflection on personal effectiveness as a student representative + self-evaluation of portfolio

11. Evaluation • The approach has been astonishingly popular • Reflective portfolios pretty good – ongoing challenge is in making reflection sufficiently high level (nb resource constraints) • Genuine development of citizenship skills • Implications for CSP programme