programme level change to enhance student satisfaction assessment & feedback media &...
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Programme Level Change to Enhance Student Satisfaction
Assessment & Feedback
Media & CommunicationSian Rees, Programme Director
Background
Issues
1. Fragmented team
2. Low staff morale (past threat of redundancies)
3. Poor NSS results
4. Loss of key staff
5. Poor course organisation
6. Students had moved departments every August
August 2013 NSS Results
73% overall satisfaction 64% assessment & feedback 62% academic support 53% organisation and management
Students not aware of what was going on Too many last minute changes Modules not tailored to degree
Cause for Concern
The subject had to attend a ‘Cause for Concern’ meeting and respond to the NSS results
Produced an action plan Now produce this annually as
part of the Annual Programme Review to keep the focus
Was helpful: brought a level of seriousness, focus and responsibility
This was OUR problem
Subject Area Re-organisation
Brought all English-medium staff into one department; moved students into that department
Created Media & Communication Board of Studies Set up post of Media & Communication Programme
Director Replaced two members of staff who had left (later
successfully argued for these posts to be permanent)
Higher entry grade requirement
Successful way of organising the subject across different departments
Team-Building
Regular cross-departmental team meetings in addition to three Boards of Study (bi-monthly, one hour, Wednesdays)
Pre-planned agenda which focuses on teaching issues Encourage discussion about best practice, worries, student
issues, feedback and assessment Module planning brought forward (agreed by Jan 14)
No hiding!
Positive Mind-Set Change
Share work load information Encourage solution-finding
attitude to teaching issues Actively support university
initiatives Try to find solutions to
marking pressures and other pressures (eg GAMs)
Open discussion
Standardisation
Module Handbooks the same for all Media & Communication modules
Exams officer looks over module handbooks to ensure consistency
All information also goes on Blackboard Marking criteria is essential Clear assessment descriptions Standardised information across a portfolio of
very different types of assessment
Assessment Information
MSP100R ASSESSMENT 1
CAMPAIGN DOCUMENT: 2000 WORDS (60%)
DEADLINE: Wednesday 25th March 2015, 4pm
Turnitin Only, no hard copy required
Marked assignments will be available via Turnitin 20 April 2015.
You need to produce a three month campaign for a new music festival.
Marking CriteriaClear analysis of PR issues for the
campaign
Evidence of significant research
Use of theory to support
recommendations
Clear, relevant objectives
Appropriate list of stakeholders
with analysis
Appropriate categorisation of
publics
Well laid out in business like style Well written in appropriate style
Appropriate tactical
recommendations
Creative, newsworthy approach
Includes strong media relations
section
Understanding of new digital
techniques
Well written press release with a
strong news angle
Creative news image idea with a
newsworthy angle
Commitment: 3 Week Marking
Challenging for a small team with large modules
Where this wasn’t working - re-structured the teaching team to provide extra support for large modules
Do not have budget for a lot of PhD tutoring - embedded in staff workloads
Prioritised Year 3 marking
Pioneered Grademark
Three members of staff took part in the Grademark trial
Made use of Grademark a probation target for new staff
Set use of Grademark as a target for all staff a year before College deadline
Very positive response from students Used for very different assessments Pioneered its use for MA and UG
dissertations
Shared Best Practice
Module Handbook standardisation Included assessment in induction process for
new (and temporary) staff Shared specific best practice highlighted by
external examiner
Holistic Feedback
At our internal and external exam boards we introduced a ‘traffic light system’
Identified failing and succeeding students
Send individualised emails offering support / encouragement in February and July
Personal tutors also follow up Very positive response from
students
Communications & Care
Student help desk @SUMediaComm Regular email from Programme
Director List of staff and office hours Notice board area Email response (discuss with
staff) Induction: explaining staff
changes, course structure, degree grading scheme
NSS Campaign
Made an active effort to encourage more students to respond
Programme Director presented in third year lectures
Actively asked students in a computer lab to fill in survey
Twitter, emails Meetings with student reps
2013/14 NSS Action Plan
Marking criteria Early module planning Teaching posts permanent Help-desk Twitter feed E-mail bulletin Staff contact details Notice board area Workload distribution Mentoring
Programme Director Team meetings Board of Studies (x 3) Curriculum review Promoted media society Embraced Grademark Shared best practice Media personal tutors Made peer review happen Produce annual NSS plan
August 2014 NSS results
88% overall satisfaction (+15%) 88% teaching (+13%) 88% assessment & feedback (+24%) 60% organisation & management (+7%)
Still challenges: careers, time-table changes, earlier confirmation of deadlines, lack of contact time