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