Student Stories Simon Horrocks The Open University in

Student Stories Simon Horrocks The Open University in Wales

‘It’s very important to attend to the student’s words’ Professor Ron Barnett Future Directions keynote, 2 April 2014

What are Student Stories? ‘‘Student stories’ are positive accounts of the student experience, gathered by students with the aim of providing the academic and operational staff of universities with insights into best practice and enhancement’ Future Directions 2014 conference handbook

Why are Student Stories important? ‘HEIs in Wales must continue actively to explore new ways of interacting with learners, regardless of mode of study or personal circumstances. ’ Welsh Government Policy Statement on Higher Education (June 2013), p. 20. ‘Staff and students disseminate and jointly recognise the enhancements made to the student educational experience, and the efforts of students in achieving these successes. ’ QAA Quality Code Chapter B 5: Student Engagement (June 2012), Indicator 6, p. 11.

Student Stories @ #FDconf 14 Part of the Students as Partners workstrand A way of capturing and sharing student experience(s) Videos about the role students have played in quality enhancement Aim to develop a toolkit for HEIs to use and adapt

Precedents for Student Stories University of Hertfordshire: STROLL (2007 -9) ‘student constructed video and audio diaries to capture undergraduate reflections on their use of technology’ University of Reading: Student Stories (2009 -10) ‘a powerful insight into the real student experience’

Q 1 What are the possible ways of capturing student stories and what are the pros and cons of each methodology?

Q 2 In what areas of university life might Student Stories be useful?

Q 3 What elements would be helpful within a Student Stories toolkit?

Please keep in touch: simon. horrocks@open. ac. uk @horrocks_simon