Welcome, Reps!  An INtroduction to your forum meetings... 

This year we have been working with Coventry University Students’ Union on a project to help integrate and develop the Education Strategy into your academic experience. The Rep System exists as a partnership between the Students’ Union and Coventry University. It is a completely student led feedback system that is in place to ensure that you are getting the best out of your time here at Coventry University.

As a Student Representative you are aware of your fellow peers understanding, learning and development in order to progress academically and socially: supporting one another equally. As a new Office of Teaching & Learning, @OTLCovUni we wish to support you by working with the Students’ Union to focus on issues that may arise and target them early on. By highlighting them sooner rather than later, problems or concerns can be sorted to help improve your academic and social development.

This is Your Student Experience

For the upcoming student forum meetings this year, specific questions have been designed in order to ignite the discussion of topics and themes for 2015/16. The aim is to integrate the principles of the new education and assessment strategies in order to identify methods to enhance your student experience.

The Themes that have been introduced include the following:

  • Digital Literacy and Technology within the Classroom
  • Assesment Turnaround & Feedback
  • Employability & Industry Engagement
  • Personal Tutorials & Student Support (APT's)

These themes have been chosen to generate a focussed discussion, over and above the usual topics that have previously been discussed during the Rep Forum Meetings.

Aspiration, Inspiration & Transformation (The Student Charter 2015/16)

Imbedded in the focus of the above themes that have been selected includes the rationale of the 2015/16 Student Charter. Our Student Charter here at Coventry University includes a set number of shared values that will allow any and every student to reach their full potential. The success of the University to this point is dependent upon the success of our students. Therefore, the Charter sets out the responsibilities and expectations of student and the Student Union.

Digital Literacy and Technology in the Classroom

During the first Student Forum Meeting, you'll be actively discussing Digital Literacy & Technology in the Classroom. Therefore, you will be asking yourselves, "How is Technology used in my course?" This could include the type of information and details posted on Moodle for your lecture or mobile apps and specialist software packages such as the Adobe creative suite available to you during the lecture to enhance engagement. Here at the OTL, we want to know if technology is used in your course frequently and/ or if technology is being used to benefit your learning.

Flipped Learning:

Flipped Learning means that the valuable time you spend with your lecturers and academics can be used more effectively. You can spend time with your tutors in order to develop ideas and concepts whilst going through the preparation materials prior to teaching time. This therefore changes the traditional teaching and learning methods whilst placing more emphasis on participation and interaction during class time.

As you are a Representative of your fellow peers, your objective and major aims are to make sure no student feels marginalised in terms of their independent ability to connect with technology that the University my use for innovative learning. At the following Forum Meetings, course directors and academics will be present so its a good idea to talk openly about this to avoid students from being disadvantaged when hanging in their first University assignment.

Learning through Disruptive Media.

To find out more about Flipped Learning, you are welcome to join the DMLL Autumn Disruption Flipped Learning Workshop session at 11.15am on the 25th November - save the date and register via the above link!

Assessment Turnaround & Feedback 

During the second Student Forum Meeting, you will be discussing assessment turnaround and feedback. Here you will need to acknowledge the average time that feedback is received by students after submitting assignments, in alignment to the University's minimum standard. During this Forum Meeting, you will consider and reflect on the optimum turnaround for each level of academic study, for example, is it helpful to have feedback almost immediately? Or would you rather time to re cover your own work before the feedback from your academic tutor?

You will need to consider your fellow peers in first year who are new to Higher Education and who may gain better progress academically if the feedback for an assignment was returned quicker. The medium of your feedback is important too, how you receive your feedback on work from your academic tutor is key to your understanding of your own work. For example, is it easier for you to receive feedback via written, visual or oral methods?

Employability Preparation & Industry Engagement 

Later, at the end of semester two, you will begin to have the chance to speak to professionals in your field of study in order to enhance your learning and understanding of the career you are interested work towards at the end of your university career. However, the OTL are interested to understand if these talks by industry experts is beneficial to your active learning and engagement on your course, especially in terms of seeking your professional route.

Therefore we ask: at what stage do you think you should be focusing on employability? How important is work experience and placements in terms of professional practise and thinking ahead for your working career?

Personal Tutorials and Student Support

By the fourth Student Forum meeting, you will have had some knowledge and experience of academic personal tutorials (APTs) as this will have been integrated into your academic studies. Therefore the questions you will be asking one another will relate to changing, where necessary, how often the APT system operates, the consideration of the pro's and cons of these meetings.

Prior to this meeting, you should be asking your peers "How much do students use the central support system?" and who is aware of it? This includes support services such as careers and the Lancaster Library. As an Office of Teaching & Learning, we specifically need to hear your voices and thoughts in order to improve the quality of academic support.

Its YOUR experience - enjoy it!

Student experience is at the heart of everything we do here at CUSU, lets continue to improve and build upon the success that has been made!

For more information on research, professional projects and interactive methods of learning - get in touch with the Office of Teaching & Learning!

Created By
Esme Spurling
Appreciate
Esme Spurling, Project Officer of the Office of Teaching & Learning Contact: esme.spurling@coventry.ac.uk

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