DSEP, Personal Tutoring and Feedback in PAIS

Dr Justin GreavesDirector of Student Experience and

Progression (DSEP)Department of Politics & International

Studies

What is DSEP? • Three aspects of DSEP role: pre-

university, at university and post-university• Focus on undergraduate students on core

PAIS degree programmes• Blends administrative with the academic• Designed to take some of the pressure off

personal tutors but not a surrogate personal tutor

• Careful balance to be struck – esp. given challenge of high tutee tutor ratios

Minimum Requirements

• Certain minimum requirements University expects personal tutors to fulfil [approved by Senate Summer 2012]

• Revised Personal Tutor Guidelines (2012)

• All in the context of 2011-12 review of personal tutoring - including first major survey of student and staff opinion

Interaction with DSEP• So key point - DSEP builds on, but does not

replace the personal tutor (stability of provision)• Personal tutor remains first point of contact for

overall academic progression • Some personal tutor minimum requirements

(and pastoral support) do not fall directly under the remit of DSEP

• Therefore, an enhanced ‘student experience’ requires both DSEP and improved personal tutoring

Tailored support• But DSEP provides more specialised,

tailored support: Study SkillsAssessment methodsOption choicesEmployability/personal developmentInternshipsLinks to Student Careers and Skills

One to one meetings• DSEP offers a one to one meeting for all

students (during each academic year) on our core undergraduate degree programmes

• Attendance highly recommended• Emphasis on academic support, personal

development and employability• Personalised email, booking form, reminders• Can choose to complete a (personal

development) pro-forma beforehand

Another clarification• Departmental Senior

Tutor continues to lead in terms of pastoral support

• DUGS has a vital role as ‘the enforcer’ – rules, procedures, monitoring points, extensions, etc

Innovations in PAIS (1)• Online booking form for personal tutor

meetings (avoids queues, you know who is turning up so can prepare)

• Can save time for academics (not lots of emails going back and forth!)

• Higher response rate than a form on a door – can link to form in email

• But importance of reminders – and benefits of mail-merge for the more technically confident

Innovations in PAIS (2)• ‘Personal tutor day’ – email by personal tutor,

not DUGS; flexibility for academics in terms of time commitments

• Working hard to minimise personal tutor changes (whilst recognising the difficulties – research leave, research buyouts, academics changing institution, maternity leave etc)

• Aim of personal tutor not changing more than once during undergraduate degree

• Improved communication to students about personal tutor changes and why it occurs

Innovations in PAIS (3)• New student support and development

web portal• A useful resource for personal tutors as

well as students!• Online (mypais) reference templates• Utilising ongoing development of ‘Tabula’

software [e.g. online ‘student profiles’ for overseeing academic progression and feedback]

• Stephen Lamb will

be speaking at our Teaching Away day on personal tutoring and the student experience

Feedback

• Electronic submission and feedback system working well – students find it easier and more in keeping with their lifestyles!

• University policy of returning feedback within 20 Working Days appreciated by students – importance of timely feedback and PAIS performing well here

Feedback best practice• Importance of ensuring feedback sheets

make clear reference to parts of the essay they are referring to [or use of track changes]

• Names of markers on assessed essays and exams – oral as well as written feedback

• Encouraging students to be proactive not just reactive – e.g. feedback on essay ideas and plans in office hours

• The man who

helped get Christmas back

Serious point ...• It is about a sensible balance between

Promoting the student experience (in the context of the new fees regime)Maintaining academic standards and rigourWherever possible, not adding to the workload of already extremely busy academic and administrative staff

Sign of the times?

• Academic – ‘of course, getting academic work in on time is good preparation for the real world of work, about enhancing employability’

• Student – ‘yes, but the difference is, my employer will be paying me. At university I am paying you!’

Feedback from students• Teaching evaluation survey (our ‘Gold

Standard’ – 76 per cent response rate for undergraduates)

• SSLC/‘focus groups’• Online surveys• My DSEP meetings• NSS/Student Barometer• Managing ‘survey fatigue’?

Concluding points

• Modern technology can actually reduce workload for colleagues at the same time as promoting the student experience

• BUT getting the basics right the priority – not technological innovation for its own sake!

• Should we speak of ‘the student experience’ or ‘student engagement’?