congrats, you’re a rep! your guide from the student union
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contents 04 05 06 your role
finding out what students think
getting the right information
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08
09
common issues
your responsibility
10 types of feedback
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do’s and don’ts
thank you! firstly, thank you for putting yourself forward to be a rep! you and your fellow reps can make such a difference to your schools. you are the essential link between students and lectureres to make sure voices are heard and change can be made. remember you are not alone; your students union is here to support you! this booklet is your one-stop-shop guide to all things rep, to help you get the most out of your role!
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what will my role involve? relay information and changes back to students report feedback from the students to lecturers
interact with students to get feedback on their course
attend union council meetings
provide a link between students and lecturers
be a part of the students’ union, working with the officers
attend rep meetings with lecturers
Your role as a student rep is versatile, engaging and active. From speaking to students in your school to collect feedback, to raising these issues in rep meetings, to letting your union officers know of any big issues... all of these things are empowering - you can create change!
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how do i find out what students think? social media
you could set up a facebook group for your school for students to give online feedback
talking
you could ask for some time at the end of a lecture to collect feedback
group meet ups
you could organise a time and place for your peers to meet and give any feedback
online surveys
you could make an online survey (surveymonkey is free!) to circulate to your peers
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how do i get the right information? collecting feedback can be a bit of a minefield! if there are lots of problems, how are you supposed to know which to prioritise? or what if everyone is happy with their course? here are our tips...
what is the issue?
identify the category of the issue (eg. feedback)
why is it an issue?
delve a little deeper; get individual stories and opinions (eg. lecturers’ feedback is too brief)
where is the issue?
find out where the problem is happening (eg. is it one particular lecturer, or the whole schools’ lecturers?)
who does it affect?
is it affecting the whole school or just sub-groups? (eg. postgrads, mature students, students taking certain modules)
no issues?
no problem! indentify what is working well and carry out the same steps as above
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what issues might i come across? staff-student communication
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return time on feedback
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resources
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quality of teaching spaces
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quality of lectures & module content
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what is my responsibility? as a rep, you may have lots of issues and problems thrown your way, but some things you will need to pass over to students’ union staff or officers...
• academic appeals:
students asking for information about appeals on their grades should be asked to contact connor (undergrad students officer) or liam (postgrad students officer).
• complaints about individual staff members:
students asking for advice on this should, as above, be directed to connor or liam.
• welfare issues:
if a student is struggling with their own well-being it is best to let them know the contact details of either the dean of students (dos@uea.ac.uk), or the students’ union’s advice service (advicecentre@uea.ac.uk) ...or anything that you are unsure of! it is always better to ask and remember that the students’ union are here to support you!
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do’s and don’ts do...
• make yourself known to students when you become a rep, in lectures, through posters or online. • remember your rep training and use what you learnt • communicate with other reps to share ideas on how to collect feedback from students • shout about any outcomes of your work - let students know what their feedback has produced • ask the student union and officers for advice if you need it • enjoy being a rep!
don’t...
• give out personal contact details such as your mobile phone number. if you want students to get in contact then your uni email is fine! • feel pressured to tackle issues or answer questions that you do not feel comfortable with • be late to meetings • act innapropriately at meetings • stick to your own opinion - make sure that you state the opinions of other students when discussing an issue.
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types of feedback There are 2 main types of data that can be used to collect research – qualitative and quantitative. Quantitative data focuses on category-based, closed-answer questions which can be easily made into visuals, like graphs or charts. Quantitative data is brilliant for showing generalised, objective opinions on a particular area to illustrate an argument, eg… How satisfied are you with your course? Totally dissatisfied • Dissatisfied • Neither • Satisfied • Totally satisfied
The answers to this could then be put into a graph which would show the information clearly…
Such information can be taken to rep meetings or given to heads of school to illustrate where good work and / or areas for improvements lie.
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Qualatitive data allows for further explanation of issues to be explored and explained. It shows not just what people think, but why they think it. This kind of information can be useful to lecturers and staff to indicate specific areas of concern or excellence. How can I collect feedback? Here are a few ideas …
QUANTATIVE Online Surveys Questionnaires ‘Show of Hands’ excercises in groups
QUALITATIVE Forums Group Meetings Emails of written explanations from students Mind-mapping
Remember, you are not alone!! Researching and gathering student opinion can be difficult – contact the student union if you want advice or help!
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key contacts connor rand
undergratuate education officer c.rand@uea.ac.uk
liam mccafferty
postgraduate education officer l.mccafferty@uea.ac.uk
josh clare
head of student engagement josh.clare@uea.ac.uk
naomi carter
research, policy and project coordinator n.carter@uea.ac.uk
Union of University of East Anglia Students (UUEAS) is a registered charity England and Wales no 1139778
If you require this booklet in a different format please contact union.info@uea.ac.uk 12 | ueastudent.com