1. Developing effective student staff partnerships Engaging Student Course Representatives in the collection and feedback to students and staff of academic and non-academic feedback
Michelle Morgan, Andrew Gibson and Denza Gonsalves
Faculty of Science, Engineering and Computing
Kingston University

2. Aims and objectives
Provide a rationale for change and the structure adopted
Explain how the scheme has increased student participation in academic and non-academic feedback, enhanced peer feedback and improved student morale through the student voice being heard at a Departmental and Faculty level
Illustrate how the scheme has enabled students to influence quality enhancement and institutional governance at a University level
Highlight the challenges of obtaining cross school and student support for the new scheme.

3. Rationale for change
Differing practice across 8 schools within the Faculty
Pulled together good practice
Student voice raising concerns
SSCC membership –staff outweigh students
Action points not followed up or fed back
Some meetings cancelled
Effectively build the student voice into core activities at Faculty level (e.g. meetings, early module feedback etc)
Raising the profile and status of the course representative scheme
Enhancing the ‘feedback’ cycle- academic and non-academic.

4. Responses to the feedback
Important for Course Representatives and Staff :
to let the student body know what happened to their academic and non-academic issues raised at Meetings and in Early Module Feedback
Essential that:
Students see that their voice is being HEARD
Staff engage in continuous development.

5. Rationale for change
Differing practice across 8 schools within the Faculty
Pulled together good practice
Student voice raising concerns
SSCC membership –staff outweigh students
Action points not followed up or fed back
Some meetings cancelled
Effectively build the student voice into core activities at Faculty level (e.g. meetings, early module feedback etc)
Raising the profile and status of the course representative scheme
Enhancing the ‘feedback’ process- academic and non-academic
New Students Union member of staff with remit for course representation
Giving ‘added value’ to students who participate (for PDP).

6. Added Value Provide CRs with the opportunity to engage in:
Faculty Course Representative Certificate
Required to undertake specific activities to support Faculty quality enhancement strategy
Semester 1 and 2 workshops run by the Engagement Unit
Employability and career sessions
Student Course Representative and Ambassador Conference (SU led)
Skill sessions run by the Students Union and Engagement Unit
Senior Course Representative Scheme run by Students Union.

7. Added Value Develop/enhance skills through the CR role
Organisation
Report writing
Diplomacy
Negotiation
Research
Time management / prioritisation.
Communication
Listening
Networking
Relationship building
Reflection
Presentation
Important to identify and record skills obtained through course and extra curricula activities
Supports and extends employability activities

8. Course Representative structure adopted
2- 5 course representatives per course per year
To get diverse and wide coverage of opinions and concerns
To encourage team work
Self nomination
Widen interest
Encourage positive rather than negative recruitment (e.g. Student feeling forced into the role)
Provide ‘open’ opportunities
No elections
Encourage inclusivity not exclusivity
Increase ‘atypical’ students who would not normally apply
Encourage existing CRs to continue for continuity and support of new CRs
Call goes out end of the academic year
Summer vacation to consider participation and get key dates in the diary
Course Directors involved in advertising and recruitment of new incoming students as CRs
Mid Year recruitment opportunity
Engage and coordinate activities with key university units (e.g. Careers, SU).

9. Activities to increase student participation in academic and non-academic ‘Feedback’
Components of the SEC Course
Representative Certificate
CRs awarded a SEC Certificate showing
participation and successful completion
of all of the following components:
Completion of the formal CR induction run by the Faculty and Kingston University’s Students Union (KUSU) (compulsory) **
Participation and feedback in the Student Staff Consultative Committee (SSCC) or Board of Study (BoS) (at least one a year)
Participation in the Faculty Forum (FF) meeting or relevant BoS (at least one a year)
Support the Early Module Feedback process
All activities designed to feed into and influence QE
** If not completed, cannot participate as a CR

10. Students Union CR Certificate
All SEC and Student Union activities listed on a Students Union Certificate
Enables students unable to complete the SEC CR Certificate to have their activities formally recorded for their PDP or CPD log.

11. ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR?

12. Gathering and providing Feedback
Speak to friends on course
Seek positive and less positive feedback
Consult peers in core lectures/labs/seminars
Post its
Nominal group technique
Study space/ /Facebook/One community
Module review group meetings.
Gather constructive ideas for improvements
Be professional
Factual not emotional

13. Feedback to meetings
SSCC (academic issues) and Faculty Forum (non-academic issues)
Gather feedback with other Course Representatives on same course and level issues raised by fellow course peers
Collect comments on the Pre-SSCC or Pre-FF Meeting Feedback form and take this form to the meeting (in semester 1 completed form sent to clerk 1 week in advance)
Complete the meeting blog with the collected comments (piloted for FF in semester 2)
All course representatives, who have contributed to the Pre-SSCC or FF Meeting comments, will jointly present the issues at the meeting if they can attend
Issues will be looked at by Staff /Student Chair in advance to problem solve pre-meeting ***
Provide feedback to course peers within a week of the meeting.
***CRs have the opportunity to chair the meeting

14. Early-module feedback (EMF)
Reasons
Faculty initiative
Enable feedback to support existing cohort
Enable specific comments not transferable to another module cohort
Continuing Quality Improvement (CQI) in L&T
Feedback initiative to improve NSS.

15. Collection of Early Module Feedback
CRs register their modules via Survey Monkey
CRs allocated either the main collector or helper role (aim is to get each CR to do both)
Final allocations and final instructions
are sent 2 weeks before collection

16. The Early Module Feedback Process
Module leader uploads link to Early Module Template on front page of the Black Board Module site
Module Leader communicates with Course Reps and Lecturer who is teaching the week of collection to confirm collection and process
Feedback collected in lecture at start or middle with lecturer absent
Feedback collected on hard copy template available from the School Offices
Identify 3 good things and up to 3 things (if any) that could be improved
Transfer comments onto the Early Module Feedback template on Black Board for the module
Module leader responds with 2 weeks of the collection.

17. Advantages of CRs collecting EMF
‘I think students feel they can be completely honest when they talk to their CR especially when lecturers aren't present during the feedback. Taking feedback this year motivated so many students to actually come forward with other problems during the year whereas previously I'm not sure students actually thought of seeing a CR for advice’.
‘Students won't be able to voice out their opinion or be completely honest regarding the module if the module leader is the collector of the feedback’.
‘I feel that students are more willing to talk to fellow class mates about their issues because they too might agree. Where as if the student talked directly to the module leaders, they may not raise exactly the same points because they may feel intimidated and awkward. Some students are very proactive and are able to speak to the module leaders, which they can do on their own accord. However for those students who are less confident, I feel it is more appropriate for the CRs to continue doing the collection’.

18. Construct solutions to issues
When you raise or are addressing an issue, come prepared
with a solution
Think about:
What would be the solution?
What resources do staff have access too?
How realistic is your solution?
How creative is your solution?.

19. Challenges Staff perception of student ability and professionalism
Student perception that their voice will be ignored
Accessing affordable resources to enable student participation
Achieving active student and staff participation
Utilising and piloting technology to support the scheme
Site and discipline issues.

20. Summary
Provide effective training for Student Course Representatives in collaboration with the Students’ Union
Trust Student Course Representatives to collect feedback and to report staff responses to students
Provide a transparent rapid response to the feedback collected by Student Course Representatives
Change what is possible and reasonable
Explain why immediate changes are not feasible.

21. Conclusion
Course Representatives are generally rational and fair especially if well trained
Want reasonable improvements
Ongoing process
Build year on year
Communication is key!

22. Thank you for listening Any questions for Michelle, Andy or Denza?