Building Community through Student Academic Partners

Stuart Brand: Director of Learning ExperienceKerry Gough and Jamie Morris: Faculty of Performance, Media

and English

EFYE – June 2014

Context

~24,000 Students8 Campuses becoming 2+ 6 Faculties becoming 4Vocational approach Multicultural and commuter population

Challenges 2008 onwards

A new philosophy - Generating the Learning Community

(NSS/SES)

Co-creation of the learning experience through students as

partners – Consumer or Partner

Partnership with the Students’ Union

Student satisfaction and metrics

New institutional vision

A state of mind….principles

• Student engagement as mainstream activity• Students at the centre of design and delivery• Students, where applicable, to be paid • Meaningful partnership, not necessarily equal

‘Student engagement is concerned with the interaction between the time, effort and other relevant resources invested by both students and their

institutions intended to optimise the student experience and enhance the learning outcomes and development of students and the performance, and

reputation of the institution’ Trowler (2010)

75 hours student work per project, ≈ 50 projects a year (219 total)Main areas of development (many within first year):

Development of new content:Learning / resources / assessment approaches / curriculum focus

Consultation:Survey / networking projects / community building

Employability:Employment / professional practice / placement

Thematic:progression / retention / social media

Student Academic Mentors2011-12: 22 projects (~65 students employed)2012-13: 23 projects (~100 students employed) 2013-14: 26 projects (~110 students employed)

£1000 per project to pay for student time

Discussion Group MentoringWorkshop MentoringOne on One Academic Assistance Mentoring/CoachingTeaching Assistant Mentoring Course Induction MentoringEmployability MentoringPlacement Mentoring

• Student engagement within FYE through What works• Better engagement of Students’ Union to support FYE within

curriculum• Built Environment; Media and English; Radiography

Key Challenges

Institutional change and buy in to new models:101 model?Expansion of mentoring?Staff development?Setting student expectations?Smaller class sizes?