An introduction to the new Chapters: B3: Learning and Teaching B5: Student Engagement

1. An introduction to the new Chapters: B3: Learning and Teaching B5: Student Engagement Charlotte Richer Student Reviewer November 2012

2. B3: Learning and Teaching

3. B5: Student Engagement

4. Positioning students in quality • Students given ability to review, report on and request information on teaching quality: - NSS/PTES/PRES/ISB (retrospective, summative, carries perceived reputational risk to students as well as to institution) - Comparative public information (KIS) (summative, institution is driver, based on perceived student needs rather than individual student needs) - Student input into QAA processes (enabling, student engaged on equal terms in quality processes) “students are our partners in quality assurance, and are experts not only on their own learning but also on issues of governance, policy and practice” - QAA Strategy

5. Theme: partnership approach “where student representation was considered to be particularly effective it was typically based on a strong, collaborative and constructive partnership in which students felt that their views were valued and acted on.” - Outcomes of Institutional Audit 2007-9 “HE providers articulate and implement a strategic approach to learning and teaching and promote a shared understanding of this approach among their staff, students and other stakeholders” - B3: Learning and Teaching

6. Theme: involvement in full life cycle “Higher education providers accord the same importance to early engagement with the student body, for example during the design phase of a new curriculum, as it does to having student representation at the formal programme approval” – B5: Student Engagement “In fostering effective partnership working, higher education providers encourage frequent and meaningful professional conversations between students and staff” – B5: Student Engagement “The effectiveness of student engagement is monitored and reviewed at least annually, using pre-defined key performance indicators” – B5: Student Engagement

7. Theme: training and support “many ways to empower learners with the confidence to participate critically and creatively in the study of their subject” – B3 “In the case of learning and teaching, a partnership between staff and students can empower students to develop further as active and independent learners who recognise and take responsibility for their own learning” – B3 “important that higher education providers create a culture and environment where students are encouraged to take up the opportunities on offer” – B5 “All members in a partnership have legitimate, but different, perceptions and experiences” – B5

8. What does it mean for students? Students as reviewers: provides a framework and structure, helps to navigate gap in length and breadth of experience. Students as representatives: can help to empower by providing a framework to structure discussions about engagement with institution Students as students: places onus on institution to enable all students to engage with quality through formal or informal mechanisms, whilst placing responsibility with the student to make use of these A ‘back-to-front’ model of student engagement and these Chapters help to re-align.

9. What does it mean for students? Students as students: engaged in quality, knowledgeable about quality, reflective about own learning and teaching experiences Students as representatives: better informed from start of role, greater awareness of connection between role and impact on students’ life-cycle, efforts and interests more effectively captured and harnessed by institution. Students as reviewers: more confident, accurate and able to ‘add’ to teams, as increased level of involvement in all processes at institutional level.

10. What next? • Consistency across the sector: resets the base line • “protects the interests of all students, regardless of where and how they are studying” - PGR - Distance Learning - Part-time - Collaborative • Making engagement meaningful, not just frequent • Engagement not, in itself, enhancement