The Inquiring Sheffield Graduate: Experiences from the CILASS Student Ambassador Network

Laura Jenkins - ega05laj@shef.ac.ukSabine Little - s.little@shef.ac.ukJamie Wood – j.wood@shef.ac.uk

http://cilass-student-journal.group.shef.ac.uk/

CILASS & the SAN• HEFCE-funded CETL working with 24

departments to enhance inquiry-based learning

• Student representation from bid stage onwards

• Student Ambassador Network – 24 SAs,

60 hours/year, £7/hour,

1 student co-ordinator,

130 hours/year

• No sabbaticals

Work of the SAN

Student Ambassador

Network

Evaluation Group

Journal Group

Film Group

Information Materials

Group

Technology/ user support

Group

Staff-student Symposium

Working with departments on

planning & evaluation

Film on student perceptions of IBL

Creation of student-centred materials/guides

CILASS student journal

The CILASS Student Journal

What did we do?

How?• Student Ambassador Network (SAN)

working group – Journal

• Collaboration with CILASS core team and Learning Development Media Unit

• Whole SAN supported collection of contributions

Why?• CILASS´s aim is to embed IBL at the heart of the

learning experience and we wanted to know if this is true, to be able to show how true it is to and promote it;

• We wanted to know how IBL works in modules, what students felt they gained from it in terms of their future learning and employability.

• The format means it is accessible to any student at any time.

Key questions for contributors• Has your IBL module changed your way of

thinking about knowledge?• Have you been able to engage critically

with the work you have been presented?• Have you used different research

techniques and different formats of information e.g. digital formats, archives, datasets? Do you feel more confident in these now?

• How has new technology aided your learning?

• Have you learnt to communicate through different media, e.g. blogs, to be able to participate in inquiry-based learning with tutors and peers?

• Have you gained skills when working collaboratively?

• Have you been able to critically reflect upon the knowledge you have learnt in the module?

• Is IBL a fun way to learn? Is it engaging?

Out Now – Issue 2

The future• Expand the intake of contributions• More pieces written for the purpose of the journal rather than

pre-written• Raise the profile of the journal• Encourage submissions from departments that have not yet

contributed• Encourage module convenors to make students aware of the

journal from the beginning and throughout that module, in the hope that students will see it as an appropriate outlet to share their experiences

• Recruit new members onto the editorial board• Ensure that there are submissions for the multimedia section• For the journal to evolve following the evolutions in teaching

at the University of Sheffield• Look at student journals from other academic institutions• Special editions?• …build on success!

Evaluation group• Trained in evaluation techniques;

running focus groups/ interviews etc. • Have conducted and written up

various evaluations for CILASS projects

• Benefits: different sort of response from student-led focus group compared to staff-led

Film group• Produce and research films on IBL

• Film on student perceptions of IBL in 2006-7

• Short films on IBL for CILASS student website

• Film for History department awayday in May 2008

Dissemination group• Have worked on various projects

• Producing resources and publicity material• an induction guide for new SAs

• writing stories and taking pictures for crubIBL, the CILASS newsletter.

Technology group• Work to support use of technology in

CILASS spaces• Running a workshop “Unlocking

Technology for IBL” in semester 1

• Work on setting up CILASS student website: http://www.shef.ac.uk/cilass/students

Small group discussion

• Any questions relating to the presentation?

• How can the SAN help you and your students in the development of the Sheffield graduate?

• Do you have any suggestions for future directions/ projects?