Student feedback – through course Reps, module evaluations and the Student Voice box among others – is extremely important to the School. In this blog post, we talk you through some of the changes we’ve made to improve your student experience based on valuable feedback.
New Foyer layout
While the new student hub has given our students a lot more dedicated study space, some students were asking us for a more social area. Unfortunately we don’t have the room for something this specific, but further feedback suggested that changing the foyer may help. Based on a plan from a student, we have rearranged the space to create a more welcoming and sociable area. In the last week we have also added more comfy seats and a coffee table – to help you relax and talk to your peers before, between and after lectures and labs.
Our Instagram poll suggested this was a big success – but we want to keep making improvements where we can, so please let us know your thoughts.
Student communications
Following the Away Weekend at Hever, where we discussed at length how we communicate with our students, one change we’ve bought in is to launch subject specific newsletters for each subject. We are keen to keep improve the layout, content and frequency of these – so please continue to let us know your thoughts.
Behind the scenes we are also revamping the Moodle pages, making them the home for student communications and information about life at SPS. We will be discussing both these changes this in more depth with course reps later this month, so let your course rep know your thoughts and watch this space for more changes.
Curriculum Review: Looking at what we teach and how we teach it
This year we are undertaking a curriculum review in SPS, looking to make a number of changes to the timetable and curriculum.
Thanks to everyone for engaging with the feedback routes we’ve tried, from Hever to the mid-module evaluations. They’ve been very useful, and it’s great to hear that you find us to be enthusiastic lecturers and enjoy the content.
After your comments about timetabling, we’ve reviewed all Chemistry modules in detail and produced a plan to change the course to modules which are lab or lecture only, and move to modules taught in one term only. This is a long term project but provide an enhanced learning experience by ensuring fewer days which are either jammed full or empty bar one lecture at an awkward time. It will also enable us to spread assessments more to minimise deadline clashes, and provide a more consistent experience to help students juggle their lives on and off campus. You can get more information on your specific stages through the “Meet the Reps” events we’ve set up.
We’re also looking into timetabling for Physics – again based on feedback in previous years’s NSS and UGS.We hope to streamline the timetable and ensure that lectures for each module takes place at the same time every week as much as possible.
Within Forensic Science we’ve already managed to address smaller timetabling issues. Some of our students, who had assessments in the Crime Scene House found it tough to get back to the main campus for a lecture in between. To help solve this in the short term we moved the lecture, and to help avoid future clashes changed the way that the Crime Scene House is timetabled – meaning travelling time will be considered when timetabling events there.
Extra support: Academic and Pastoral
Chemistry and Forensics Science students are now able to benefit from our new Digital Tutor – set up to help students who needed extra support in Chemistry.
We are also looking at how we can improve our network of peer support for students, including recruiting an International and BAME rep for the School – who will help build extra communities for our students. Watch this space for how you can get involved with this project.
There are a number of ways for you to give feedback throughout the year – so please make your voice heard, and help us give SPS students the best experience.
How to give feedback
