Introductory Level Course Rep Training

Emma Fraserassociate 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 learning and teaching.

To provide both positive and negative feedback to staff.

To act as a communication channel between staff and students.

The rep role

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

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.

Why is representation important?

Studentviews

Dialogue with staff

Improved learning experience

YOU ARE THE

EXPERT!

The Student Learning Experience

Short break

The Course Rep Cycle

Identify the issue

Develop & implement the solution

Feedback

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.

Gathering student opinion

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.

The A,B,C,D of Effective Feedback

Accurate

Balanced

Constructive

Depersonalised Effective

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?

Closing the loop

Identify the issue

Develop & implement the solution

FeedbackDon’t forget

to FEEDBACKwhat 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