Where it all started 20122013 Intro to SPARQS

Where it all started • 2012/2013: Intro to SPARQS • 2014/2015: Discussions with SU & visit by SPARQS to CIT • 2015/2016: • Visit by SPARQS – further engagement with Faculty • Attendance at SPARQS Conference. • 6 sparq student consultation events: 140 staff and students. • 2016/2017: • Establishment of National Student Engagement Programme (NSt. EP) • NSt. EP training for class reps with 5 pilot institutes. • Assignment of personnel to sparq at CIT through Registrar (An. SEO). • Student Consultations within departments & faculty: 15 sparq students consultation events: over 300 staff and students. • Presentation at SPARQS conference in Edinburgh by SU President. • 2017/2018: …….

The purpose…. “To embed a culture in CIT where every student at CIT has the opportunity and support to shape their learning in partnership with the Institution”.

What is sparq at CIT? It’s a programme based on student partnership & change. It’s steeped in quality & is about empowering students to become change agents. Partnership is a culture as well as a practice.

Making change happen Involvement of staff & students working together • • Planning Student consultation/event De-brief Execution of ideas/solutions. Real opportunity: Empowerment of Class Reps to make a tangible & lasting difference in their classes.

How sparq works • An. SEO Officer : Conversations with Heads of Dept. (student engagement, retention, support) • Existing relationship: Faculty of Engineering & Science Working Group Pre event • Interest from a programme, Dept. , School…. Event • Facilitated by team from An. SEO & SU • Involvement of staff & class rep • Collation of feedback report • De-brief of core group: An. SEO, CITSU, class rep & staff • Agreement of actions arising from feedback potential from student/staff partnership projects Post event • Agreement on communication methods • Feedback to An. SEO/SU working group

Student Consultations… • What’s good about your course? • What do you find difficult? • What do you recognise as good teaching? • What’s your experience of receiving feedback here? • How do you find the assessment process here? • How did you manage the transition to 3 rd level? • What helped? • What did you need that wasn’t in place here for you?

Closing the feedback loop… Students said: We want greater links to industry & alumni with career relevant information We’re listening: • Examining the potential for Alumni visits under Transitions to CIT funding from An. SEO • Listings on website of upcoming talks/visits ----------------------------------------- Students said: We want clearer expectations of standards for assessments We’re listening: • Incorporate key messages in academic induction. • Assessment Matrix is also in development & will be circulated to students. ----------------------------------------Students said: Making friends in class in Week 1 is crucial to helping us settle. We’re listening: We’re organising a team building day in Week 1 for every first year on this programme under Transitions to CIT funding from An. SEO

Testimonials • It was great to have the opportunity to highlight issues and make suggestions for the course. • Got to hear about issues and points raised by other students and members of staff. Interesting to hear how some issues are there across all the years (staff). • Really got to give all my opinions and when I reflected on it on the whole, I realised the course offers good opportunities. • Very good positive experience. Very useful to receive feedback in such a relaxed setting (staff). • Nice to have such an open discussion and great to have a facilitator. It was nicely paced.

National Student Engagement Programme 1. Development of Class Rep Trainings. NSt. EP training for all 1 st time class reps. 2. Development of Institutional capacity for student engagement & partnership. CIT: 1 of 5 pilot Institutes. 5 National Projects; 18 months. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The Role and Recruitment of Class Representatives The Design, Review and Delivery of Programmes Student Feedback Opportunities, Data and Follow Up Students in formal system level procedures, strategy and decision making Staff Roles and Capacity Building

Is it worth it? • Change in culture. • Student voice is influencing and impacting on teaching helps inform work of Teaching & Learning Unit • Academic departments are making changes within their programme areas, responding to feedback from student consultations. § § § Academic Induction Management of transitions to 1 st year Peer support Involvement of Alumni Assessment Matrix/Rubrics • Stronger relationships and greater communication between staff, class reps and the wider student body.

Plan for 2017. 2018 1. To embed partnership activities in academic departments, schools and faculties as quality enhancement processes. 2. To engage students & staff in enhancing learning and teaching through partnership projects. 3. To support staff & students in partnership practices through clearly defined processes and relevant resources. 4. To lead on the Staff Roles & Capacity research project under NSt. EP and to support NSt. EP activities as they develop.

Useful resources People • Cathy Bovill @cathybovill • Cherie Woolmer @cheriewoolmer • Students as Partners @Inter. Journal. Sa. P • Peter Felten @pfeltennp Institutions: • Birmingham City University • University of Stirling • Robert Gordon University • Glasgow Caledonian University • Lincoln University Websites: • SPARQS http: //www. sparqs. ac. uk/ • The Student Engagement Partnership http: //tsep. org. uk/ • Jisc https: //www. jisc. ac. uk • HEA Academy https: //www. heacademy. ac. uk/