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Introductory Level Course Rep Training

name of trainerassociate trainer | sparqs

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sparqs• student participation in quality scotland.

• Aim: to improve student engagement in quality enhancement.

• 2896 reps trained in the academic year 2013-14.

• 92% found the training useful or very useful.

• Funded by the Scottish Funding Council since 2003.

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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.

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Exercise 1 - Your course of study…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?

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Exercise 2 - Your rep role

• 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?

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Purpose of a rep • 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.

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Rep 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.

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Rep skills

• Communication.• Listening.• Networking.• Relationship building.• Reflection. • Presentation.

• Organisation.• Report writing.• Diplomacy.• Negotiation. • Research.• Time management /

prioritisation.

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Benefits of being a rep

• 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.

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Why is representation important?

Studentviews

Dialogue with staff

Improved learning experienc

e

YOU ARE THE

EXPERT!

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The Student Learning Experience

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Short break

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The Course Rep Cycle

Identify the issue

Develop & implement the solution

Feedback

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Exercise 3 – Gathering student opinion• Think back to exercise one 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.

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Gathering student opinion

• Hands up before/after class.

• Emails.• Face to face chats.• Online spaces:

– Facebook.– Twitter.– Virtual Learning

Environments (VLE).

• Surveys.• Post it notes in

tutorials.• Comment boxes.

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The A,B,C,D of Effective Feedback

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Exercise 4 - Developing solutions• 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 too. – How realistic your solution is.– How creative your solution is. – How you go about getting your solution

implemented.– What your time scale is for the implementation.

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Exercise 5 - Attending student-staff meetingsThink about what you would do:

• Before you to go to the meeting?• During the meeting?• After the meeting?

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Before a meeting• 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. • Speak to other course reps.

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During a meeting• 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.

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After a meeting

• 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?

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Closing the loop

Identify the issue

Develop & implement the solution

FeedbackDon’t forget to

FEEDBACKwhat you have

achieved!!

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Closing the loop

• Stand up before/after class.• Emails.• Face to face chats.• Surveys.• Online spaces:– Facebook.– Twitter.– Virtual Learning Environments.

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Support available to you• Your students’ association/institution. • Additional training for course 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.

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Your future rep career• Additional training courses are available for students

engaged in quality enhancement include:– Intermediate Course Rep Training.

• Online training resources are available via www.sparqs.ac.uk

• If you’re interested in becoming a sparqs Associate Trainer, recruitment days will be held in March/April 2012.

• For further info about any of these opportunities, contact Stephanie Millar at stephanie.millar@sparqs.ac.uk or phone 0131 622 6599.

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NUS Scottish Executive CommitteePresident: Gordon Maloney                Vice-Pres (Education): Robert Foster        Vice-Pres (Community): Kirsty HaighWomen’s Officer: Vonnie SandlanBlack Students Officer: Sanjay LagoDisabled Students Officer: tbcLGBT Officer: Lani Baird            International Officer: Roza SalihMature Students Officer: Neill Clark  Priority Campaign: Julia Fitzgerald & Alan MacDonaldEducation Campaign: James Moohan & Rob HenthornCommunity Campaign Gary Paterson & Jeroen Van HerkContact them by emailing: firstname.secondname@nus-scotland.org.uk

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Learning outcomes for todayReflecting 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?

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Thank you for attending Introductory Level Course Rep Training!Please fill in your evaluation forms and hand them in.

name of trainer (firstname.secondname@sparqs.ac.uk)associate trainer | sparqs