Office of the DVC (S&E)

1. Students as Change Agents Dr Cassandra Saunders Student Evaluation, Review and Reporting Unit (SERRU) Students Matter Forum 2013 Hobart, 23rd September http://www.utas.edu.au/student-evaluation-review-and-reporting-unit/ Office of the DVC (S&E)

2. Overview • Drivers: • Integrating students into educational change • UTAS Student Experience Plan (2013-2015) • Students as Change Agents: • What is it? • Where did it originate from? • What’s involved? • How can you get involved? Student Evaluation, Review and Reporting Unit (SERRU)

3. Integrating Students into Educational Change EMPHASIS ON THE STUDENT VOICE Students as evaluators of their HE experience (the Student Voice) Students as participants in decision-making processes Integrating students into educational change EMPHASIS ON THE UNIVERSITY AS DRIVER EMPHASIS ON THE STUDENT AS DRIVER Students as partners, co- creators and experts Students as agents for change EMPHASIS ON STUDENT ACTION (Dunne and Zandstra, 2011)

4. The Student Experience Plan (2013-2015) • Institution-wide strategy • UTAS students provided with opportunities and support on all aspects of their university experience • 5 broad goals: • Provide students with opportunities to have a strong voice through representation and active engagement in university life; • Provide an inclusive and welcoming experience for all students in their transition into, through and out of university; • Provide timely administrative, academic, cultural and learning support for current and prospective students; • Respond to student and stakeholder feedback to improve the overall quality of the student experience; • Facilitate inclusive and accessible learning in a community environment

5. Goal 1 • 5 key strategies: • Provide opportunities for students to be active contributors to improvements at the University; • Develop students as change agents in researching and presenting solutions with fellow students; • Provide opportunities to participate in conversations and debates; • Enact a comprehensive and effective approach to student representations; and • Provide opportunities for students to lead and engage their peers in learning

6. What is Students as Change Agents? • New initiative • Facilitated by SERRU • Encourage students to improve and enhance their university experience • Action research project • Topic can focus on any aspect of the university experience • MUST relate to an issue encountered at UTAS • Examples of topics: • Assessment and feedback; • Student engagement in lectures; • Seminar experiences; • Online learning and sustainability

7. Where did Students as Change Agents originate from? • University of Exeter (UK): • Highly regarded in engaging students as active partners • First established in 2008: • >100 student projects • Examples of projects include: • employability; • essay-writing guides; • language tuition; • academic assessment and feedback practices; • integrating new technology into teaching practices.

8. What is involved? • Projects will run between March and July, 2014 • 1,000 word case study: • project description and why it is important • methods uses • key research findings and any outcomes • proposed recommendations • feedback from staff and/or students about what was gained by undertaking the research • Present findings at annual Students Matter Forum • funding available

9. What will students gain from being involved? • Student voice drives the student university experience • Participation will: • support change • be valued by fellow students and impact on future students • may benefit wider university community • Personally: • research and organisational skills •  employability • Vice-Chancellor’s Leadership Award

10. Project Funding, Support and Outcomes • SERRU is available for central support and to help: • develop the research question and methods of data collection and analysis • seek out background literature • talk to staff or students • design and produce and end product • disseminate your findings • Staff representatives: • Develop/discuss research question and endorsement Staff representatives from each School are needed

11. How to get involved • Decide on a topic and research question that is of interest to you • Discuss your idea with potential team members • Discuss your idea with your School’s Staff Representative • Still to be finalised • Complete the application form • Applications due by: February 28th, 2014 • Applications will be reviewed and informed within 2 weeks

12. Further Information & Contacts • Students Matter Workshop • http://www.utas.edu.au/student-evaluation-review-and-reporting-unit/students-as-change-agents • Contact: • Dr Cassandra Saunders • Email: Cassandra.Saunders@utas.edu.au • Phone: (03) 6324 3153