The Course Reps Handbook 2013

Be Life Changing.Be a Course Rep.

Thank you for becoming a Course Rep. You have the potential to improve LJMU’s courses and change students’ lives. You will be the essential link between students and ensure that student views are heard.

This handbook is here to support you during your time as a Course Rep. Use it as a point of reference, when you need inspiration or guidance on how to be successful in the role.

Also, throughout this Handbook, look out for Curtis Reid, LiverpoolSU’s President, who will be sharing his top tips to being a life changing Course Rep.

Contents04 What will I do as a Course Rep?04 How will I be life changing?05 What will I get out of being a Course Rep?07 Transferable skills to improve your employability08 How do I find out what my course mates think?09 How do I promote my role?10 Your training and development11 How do I get the right information from students?12 Trello Training13 Advance course rep training14 How will I know which issues are my responsibility?15 What issues might I face?16 Board of study meetings17 Dates for your Diary18 If you get stuck

Curtis ReidPresident

What will I do? As a Course Representative at LJMU, you will aim to improve the quality of students’ academic lives. You will do this by representing students’ views from your course and communicating these views to university staff in your department. You will be life changing.

How will I be life changing?

Be a central part of LiverpoolSU, working with Sabbatical Officers & Student Voice Co-ordinators

Provide the essential link between students and the university.

Interact with students to find out what would make their course perfect

Represent students’ views at Board of Study meetings

Create positve change helping to shape your course and solve problems

Tell students in your department what decisions are made

What will I get out of being a Course Rep? • The unique opportunity to improve your course.

• Chance to meet Course Reps and students from your department.

• Opportunity to attend the ‘Course Rep Conference’

• Gain valuable training from your Student Voice Co-ordinators.

• Online and face-to-face support.

• Possibility of being nominated for the ‘Amazing Course Rep’ award.

• Boost your C.V. with new transferable skills.

• Being life changing.

“ Complete all training and attend course rep events – this will help you in your role”

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“ Always feedback effectively to the students”

Transferable skills to improve your employabilityThroughout your time as a Course Rep you will be given the opportunity to build and develop transferable skills that will help you in your future, these skills can be added to your C.V. and can be presented to the LJMU Graduate Development Centre to support your achievements.

Skills that

impressemployers

Team Building

OrganisationalDevelopment

Campaigning to improveeducation

Experience in public speaking

Problemsolving

“It has been an absolute pleasure and honour to represent paramedic students as a course rep. I have been able to get involved in meetings that have helped change and advance our course to what it is today. The students’ voice is so important at LJMU and taking the views and opinions of the class forward to help facilitate change is a responsibility I have thoroughly enjoyed. My time at LJMU has been incredible and winning the ‘Amazing Course Rep’ award was just the icing on the cake of a wonderful two years. Thanks to LJMU and being a Student Representative I have learnt many lessons about leadership and responsibility and started my paramedic career in the most amazing way. ”

Jennifer Vasey - Third Year Student

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How do I find out what my course mates think?In order to be a life changing course rep, you first need to gather opinions from as many people off your course as possible. You are representing student views, so agree or disagree, you are their voice!

There are a variety of different ways you can communicate with students. Whether you have all the time in the world or can only spare an hour a week, collecting students’ views is easy and accessible. Every student is different so use a number of these techniques to communicate successfully with all of them.

COMMUNICATION

EMAILCreate a mailing list or

ask the programme leader to forward on

your message. Use the ready made template provided from training to introduce yourself.

FACEBOOKAn easy way to

communicate. Facebook groups allows people to share their opinions and for you to communicate

back what you have done.

GATHERINGMake the role sociable.

Organise a course social for students to get to know one

another, and introduce yourself as their rep.

GOATing (Go Out And Talk)

When you are about campus or at the end of lectures, talk to students from your course about how it could be perfect?

SURVEYMONKEY.COMIf you’re up for the task

and have the time, surveys are a free and

easy option. Post the link on facebook or email to members off your

course.

“Make sure your course mates know who you are and how to contact you”

What can I do to promote my role?As a Course Rep your role not only entails you to gather opinions from students but to also be accessible and known, so that students from your course can come to you with problems or suggestions for change. In order to achieve this, the first step is to make sure that you’re known.

In order to make yourself known you can:

The majority of these will cross over with the communication techniques mentioned previously, but additionally you can: • Get your picture and contact information on the course notice

board.

• Ask your programme leader to introduce you at the beginning of a lecture.

• Introduce yourself to the course society, or look into creating one yourself. Email the Student Voice Co-ordinators at coursereps@ljmu.ac.uk for further guidance.

Every student is different so use a number of these techniques to communicate successfully with all of them.’

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Preparing you to communicate student opinions to the University

Training to help you identify the key steps involved in GOATing

Understanding what is involved in being a Course Rep

Your training and developmentLiverpoolSU offers training and support to all Course Reps, new and continuing. We provide both face-to-face and online training to suit your preference and time commitments. The training will include the following topics:

Online support and Training:The online training can be found on blackboard under ‘Course Reps’ in the ‘Community’ section. The ‘accessing online training’ on page 5 will inform you how to set it up if it has not already been done. If you prefer face-to-face training or would like extra guidance on the online training the Student Voice Co-ordinators at LiverpoolSU will be running additional training sessions. You will be able to find the dates in the announcement section on the ‘Course reps’.

Course Rep Conference:LiverpoolSU will be running a Course Rep Conference for all new Course Reps on Saturday 12th October and Wednesday 16th October. It will be a great opportunity to meet other Course Reps, share ideas on how to be life changing in the role, as well as meeting the Student Voice Co-ordinator who will be supporting you throughout the year, along with additional training and guest speakers.

Board of Study Meeting

GOATing (Go Out And Talk)

Roles and Responsibilites

“Represent the views of your peers fairly”

How do I get the right information from students?When finding out student opinions you need to know more than just the surface problem ‘my course is rubbish’ or ‘my course is amazing’. As a Course Rep you need to find out more details about the problem so that a solution can be found. Use the following questions to clarify that you have found out all the relevant information relating to the students problem.

Identify the specific issue as simply as possible.

Find out how the issue is affecting students.

Complaints have been made, students have talked to you about it.

What is the issue?

Why is it an issue?

How do you know it’s an issue?

In one module/programme/year/the whole faculty/university.

Where is it an issue?

Different year groups, international or home students, part-time or full-time, undergraduates or postgraduates, males, females, mature students, campus based students…

Who does this issue affect?

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Advance Course Rep Training Workshops:After you’ve learnt the basics in the Course Rep Conference or have been a Course Rep previously, LiverpoolSU wants to offer you training that will build on your current knowledge and make you more effective in your role. Throughout the year LiverpoolSU will be offering the following four Advance Course Rep Workshops;

This workshop does what is says on the tin. It will teach you different techniques that will help you with your time management skills whilst at University.

This workshop session is all about building on the opinion and feedback you receive from students and making the arguments and suggestions you put forward to your Programme Leaders stronger.

This workshop focuses on the processes that ensure teaching quality is excellent at LJMU. The training is about how each course at LJMU works and how students are essential to making teaching the best it can be.

Time Management

Creating Stronger Arguments:

Teaching Quality

This workshop focuses on how you successfully present your arguments and achieve the best outcome for you and the students from your course.

Communication and Negotiation

In order to be fully prepared as a Course Rep aim to complete the training as soon as possible, so it is out the way before other commitments take priority.

“Try not to get emotionally involved in issues relating to your course”

Trello is a simple online tool which is now available for all course reps to help them communicate student issues that have been raised effectively. Trello allows Course Reps to start a discussion about their courses; what is great

about their course and what could be improved. One of the specialities

of this platform is that it allows ideas to be swapped and update all members

of certain issues that are raised which can then be prioritised. This platform allows Course Reps to work together on projects that they feel are important to them. Trello can easily be accessed through any device.Added onto the Trello page will be information that can help guide the students to what needs to be improved on their course for example NSS information that is available.Training for how to use Trello will be available throughout the first semester. We have arranged to have Sessions that will run at different times and within different locations

throughout campus. Also in addition to the training sessions we can provide course reps with simple how to use Trello guides.

Not to be

missed

New this year: Trello training

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How will I know which issues are my responsibility?As a Course Rep you will come across a variety of issues. These might affect one individual, whilst other issues might affect a number of students. Part of your role is to signpost people to the relevant staff.

As a Course Rep you are there to represent all your coursemates, so individual issues should be directed to the Advice and Wellbeing Centre located at Kingsway House. Advisors are also located in the students zones at each LRC.

This is what being a Course Rep is all about. You can discuss these issues with your Programme Leader, Student Voice Co-ordinator and raise them at Board of Study meetings.

These need to be brought to the attention of LiverpoolSU by contacting your Student Voice Co-ordinator via coursereps@ljmu.ac.uk or in person who with your help will address the issue. Students can also raise their concerns directly to the LiverpoolSU President.

Issues that are specific to an individual

Issues that affect more than one student on your course

Issues that affect all students at the university

If you are unsure at any point of where to signpost an individual too, or need clarification that it is an issue you should be taking on as a Course Rep, please do not hesitate to contact your Student Voice Co-ordinator. We are here to help and support you all year.

What issues might I face?A successful Course Rep will be viewed by their students as a problem solver, the person responsible for listening to course related problems and voicing them to appropriate university staff. This section of the handbook provides examples of common student issues reported to Course Reps.

• Quality of Lectures• Assessment & Feedback • Organisation and management of the course • Lack of communication• Lack of personal tutor support• Standard of resources• Teaching methods

Examples of previous changes brought about by Course Reps include... • Changes in lecture times for criminology students with childcare responsibilities• Timetables introduced for popular music studies students for fair use of the

recording studios in the Art and Design Academy building • Renegotiated assessment deadlines for building surveying students• An apology and alternative lectures from the Business School after cancelling a

day’s teaching for an open day at short notice• Improved facilities at IM Marsh

“Don’t be afraid to ask questions or seek advice”

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Board of Study MeetingsBoard of Study meetings are formal meetings with university staff from your department, where you will have the opportunity to raise student concerns from your course. Here are a few hints and tips to prepare you for Board of Study meetings:

Before:• Study the agenda that you will receive via email, prior to the Board of Study

meeting• Make sure you have gathered at least 20 student opinions before the meeting• If you feel there is a major issue that needs to be addressed, contact your

programme leader to request that it be put on the agenda.

After: • Discuss with other Course Reps how the meeting has gone and take

on board any agreed actions. Use Trello to give feedback to other course reps who were not present in the Board of study meeting

• Always report back the important points of the meeting to students about what is happening, using the communication techniques.

• Once you’ve reported back to students, gather feedback from them to take to the next meeting.

Achieving Success - Be Prepared

ARRIVE EARLYThis will help you ot feel

confident and settled before the meeting.

BE CONSTRUCTIVE

When raising issues, keep your criticism

constructive and offer solutions.

ASK QUESTIONSIf you have any doubts feel free to ask the chair

of the meeting for clarification.

BE OPEN TO NEW IDEAS

Problems maybe solved in ways

you had not considered, so keep an open

mind.

Course Rep Conference

The Haigh, 12th October16th October

HEA Trello Training Tithebarn 21st October

ECL Trello Training IM Marsh 22nd October

TAE Trello Training Byrom street 30th October

SCS Trello Training Byrom street 6th November

APS Trello Training The Haigh Building 5th November

Advance Training sessions:

Time management The Haigh buildingByrom Street

12th November 4th December

Creating Stronger Arguments

The Haigh buildingTBC

13th November19th November

Teaching Quality The Haigh buildingByrom Street

21st November26th November

Communication and Negotiation

The Haigh buildingTBC

27th November2nd December

Event Location Date

Dates for your diary Organising your time to ensure that you can be the best possible Course Rep is essential, below are a few important dates for your diary, you will also be informed of appointments and meetings as the year progresses.

Room Information will be confirmed closer to the time via the website and email. Look out for future emails, Blackboard announcements, Facebook posts, tweets and Trello updates from the SVC team for more details on all of the above events.

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LiverpoolSU employ two full-time Student Voice Coordinators (SVCs) that are on hand to help you;

Chelsea KeatingeFaculty of Science and the Faculty of Education Health and Community C.Keatinge@ljmu.ac.uk, 0151 231 4906

Ruksat LeacataliFaculty of Arts, Professional and Social Studies and Faculty of Technology and Environment R.d.leacatali@ljmu.ac.uk, 0151 231 4906

If you are unsure which faculty you belong to, please email coursereps@ljmu.ac.uk and your SVC will be in touch.

If you get stuckThis handbook has gone some way in explaining the huge importance of the Course Rep role, but don’t panic! There’s plenty of help and support available to you throughout the year.

Notes

Notes

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Chelsea Keatinge;

Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Education Health and Community

(C.Keatinge@ljmu.ac.uk, 0151 231 4900)

Ruksat Leacatali

Faculty of Arts, Professional and Social Studies and Faculty of Technology and Environment

(R.d.leacatali@ljmu.ac.uk, 0151 231 4906)