Developing a student representation module

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Developing a student representation module

• Matthew Wyman and Kylie Cross, Learning Support
  Division, DAA

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Project Aims

• Offer students the opportunity to undertake a
  module in the practice of politics to complement
  the predominantly theoretical current curriculum
• Help develop employability-related skills
• Improve operation of student representative
  system
• Develop students reflective and problem-solving
  skills

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The module develops

• Public speaking skills
• Leadership skills
• Problem-solving and critical thinking skills
  through reflection on case studies
• Ability to apply research methods through
  practical experience in gathering student opinion
  systematically

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The module develops

• Organisational skills through participation in
  meetings and reflection on the factors that make
  meetings function effectively
• Negotiation and assertiveness skills through
  reflection on personal barriers to being
  assertive and possible solutions

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The module develops

• Team-working skills through contributing to group
  decision making and through developing the
  ability to affirm others contributions
• Self-critical faculties by reflection on personal
  effectiveness in a variety of situations

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Module Content I

1. Student representation system what are student
   reps for?
2. Effective communication I practicalities of
   communicating with other students qualities of
   effective public speakers
3. Effective communication II obstacles to
   speaking effectively and possible solutions
   negotiating and assertiveness listening skills

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Module content II

• 4) Meeting skills roles of chair and secretary
  agenda constructive and destructive meeting
  behaviour dealing with difficult people
• 5) Representing your constituency I what are the
  boundaries of the role? How should you deal with
  difficult issues? What should be the concern of
  student reps but currently isnt?
• 6) Representing your constituency II methods for
  researching student opinion strengths and
  weaknesses

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Module Content III

• 7) Leadership skills qualities of effective
  leaders research on leadership styles ways of
  improving personal effectiveness
• 8) Group working skills qualities of effective
  teams what to do when things go wrong

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Teaching Methods

• Currently taught to a group of 25-30 using small
  group discussion followed by whole group summary
  / reflection
• Taught in collaboration with former / current
  students union officers

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Assessment

• By means of a reflective portfolio
• Length approx 2500 words
• Detailed reflection on 4-5 elements of the
  course, involving reflection on problematic
  scenarios, evaluation of current strengths and
  weaknesses, learning points from class and
  private study and action plan for improvement
• Final course reflection on personal effectiveness
  as a student representative self-evaluation of
  portfolio

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Evaluation

• The approach has been astonishingly popular
• Reflective portfolios pretty good ongoing
  challenge is in making reflection sufficiently
  high level (nb resource constraints)
• Genuine development of citizenship skills
• Implications for CSP programme