Engagement Week Feedback Faculty of Education and Sport—School of Education

Vice President of Academic Affairs Engagement Week Data— Faulty of Education and Sport School of Education Hi everyone, We’ve been busy coding and analysing your comments from Engagement Week, now on a School by School basis. The sheer amount of data we have collected is amazing! From teaching to transport, assessment to accommodation and canteens to Camtasia you clearly have an opinion on all areas of academic life and are not scared to let us know about it. Demographics We collected qualitative feedback from 88 students across the School of Education. 78 of these students were from Falmer Campus and 7 of these were from Hastings. Respondents were largely female, 64, with only 23 male respondents. The were in first year (86%) and second year (5%) and fourth year (9%). 47 of the students were undergraduates and 41 of the students were post-graduate taught students. This summary includes an overview of comments on the top six comment subject areas with comparison to the university comment trends. The full Keep, Start, Stop commentary from students in the School of Architecture and Design is included at the end of the document. Thanks again for all of your feedback—we look forward to closing the feedback loop and reporting the changes very soon! Amy Rutland | VP Academic Affairs E: bsuvpa@brighton.ac.uk Facebook: VP AcademicAffairs Brighton-su Twitter: bsuacademic Blog: Brighton SU Academic

‘I MY EDUCATION’ A Few Words on the Data Analysis

We have now coded the data under a number of categories coving academic issues, organisational issues an d other facilities and activities at the University of Brighton. We collected data from 1126 students and often each ‘Keep’, ‘Stop’ and ‘Start’ comment box had multiple comments addressing a number of areas of concern, delight and suggested improvements. Comments ranged from brief and specific to long and detailed and we would like to thank all students that took part for the consideration put into the responses given. This research now forms a rich database of student opinion across the university and will be a valuable source of input for not only the upcoming institutional review but also decision making process at the university. A detailed discourse analysis of the comments will be available soon with a school by school breakdown. Keep an eye on the new research area on the Students’ Union website for updates! http://www.ubsu.net/research

What have you said? Most of your comments have been about Teaching and Learning, with a large amount indicating a positive experience. However, there are also a large amount of statements on what needs to stop and what you would like to see start. Following this are your comments on learning resources where you speak positively about the Open Learning Centre. Under library facilities you are generally happy with the books and online resources but would like to see longer opening hours. Under the category of organisation you would like to see better communication of room and timetable chances but feel that the information you receive on university events is good. While you enjoy the catering there are concerns over costs. You would also like to see a new students’ union bar in place and more SU events.

Overview

Teaching and Learning Student feedback about teaching staff was very positive citing them as passionate about their subject and supportive in their roles. Students were fond of their lessons which they found to be both informal and interactive. There were also positive comments on the support received from staff while students were on placement. Negative comments mainly focussed upon the teaching in ASA Briggs which students received long lectures in and did not find the learning environment to be suitable for taking notes.

Learning Resources Students spoke positively of the Open Learning Centre in their feedback citing excellent resources on teaching and activities. Lessons uploaded onto Student Central were also held in high esteem. The wide range of resources available was also well received by students.

Some students found accessing resources from Hastings difficult and suggestions for improvement included giving more instructional talks on the resources available.

Some more detail...

Library Facilities

Positive comments on the library focussed on the availability of a variety of books, study environment and online library resources offered. Some students at Hastings felt that many of their books ended up being transferred to Falmer library and suggested that some were reserved for keeping at the Hastings Library. Other students commented on the high library fines that were imposed for late return of books. Suggested improvements were to increase the number of online journals and to open the library all day on a Saturday.

Organisation Students poke positively about course communications about university events.

They felt there could be an improvement on timetabling so lessons were not so spread out and would like to see less last minute changes to timetables and rooms. There was also a feeling that more activities could be Hastings based. In general they would like to receive information on essays and placements sooner.

Catering Students gave positive feedback about the cost of tea and the soup of the day option in the canteen. All of the ‘Stop’ comments were about the expense of the food in the canteen and how they would like to see this lowered. Suggestions for improvement included providing microwaves so students could heat their own food, providing more water coolers and being able to pay by card at the canteen.

Students’ Union

Positive comments about the Students’ Union focussed o the course rep meetings and forums and the discounted newspaper on sale in the shops. Criticisms were about the lack of cheaper brand products in SU shops and the early closing hours. In general students would like to see more SU events, an SU bar and longer opening hours.

What Happens next with the Engagement Week Data This data is already being used in the university to inform de-cisions that they will be making to improve the student expe-rience. Reports from the data will be fed into university com-mittees and any changes made as a result of your comments will be fed straight back via course reps and the Students’ Un-ion website. The data will also be feeding into the Student Written Submission which we are due to submit to the QAA as part of the Institutional Review in November 2012. The first draft of this document will

be available late June for you to pass com-ment on. We will be passing reports to school reps and course reps to ensure they have evi-dence to help them make changes in their own areas. If you would like any further information please don’t hesitate to get in touch: h.mcknight@brighton.ac.uk

sending lecturers to Hastings rather than students to Falmer!

Cheap tea free ping-pong

Give us good feedback.

I feel that my lecturers are passionate about teaching and my learning.

Providing opportunities to communicate effectively.

Installing ATMs.

Being so supportive with assignments and being so understanding of students individual issues.

Providing lessons that are hands on practical resourceful and teaching that is confident and helpful

Good resources in library but especially OLC, with regards to teaching and activities. lectures are insightful and worthwhile.

Great communication through student central and email. Resources good. Career advice.

Communication via email course rep

Give away free stuff

Selling coffee Having brilliant tutors.

Informal lectures Good resources Informative speakers

Good interactive seminars. Tim Rose science is great!

Teaching standards

Providing all the services

Provide a wide range of services. maintain positive and stimulating environment.

Providing all their different services. Good access to books. Provide an motivating environment.

Free Ping-Pong

Open learning centre is amazing

Everything else. I love Brighton Uni.

Providing excellent tutors and learning opportunities. Taking our ideas on board. Providing quality resources. Using interactive equipment. Placing lessons on student central. Handouts.

Cheap cups of tea free table-tennis student central is good

Communication with us. Keep a good working atmosphere in library.

having lectures at good times and at Falmer.

Working hard. Going to library straight after lectures to get work done.

Updating student central regularly.

Good interactive lectures

Updating student central regularly.

Because I am on my first year of the course, at the moment we are being provided with a huge amount of assignment guidance. This means that 1. we can settle into the course well. 2. we can achieve our full potential and 3. we can get a good idea of how the course will be. The amount of time we are given guidance and the quantities are perfect.

Knocking down the old buildings. Building new buildings.

Student central and posting lecture notes etc online. Regular course briefings. Turn it in online submission. Course reps.

Bringing in authors/illustrators to talk about their work. Turnutin essay submission.

Responding quickly to emails and providing support even whilst on placement and not on campus. Making lessons really helpful and giving lots of ideas throughout lessons that we can use e.g.. sheeria with lollipop sticks and magic fairy wand.

Keep me updated with events and support available continue to expand the Hastings Campus

Keeping the university clean and tidy.

providing everything on student central

Course rep meetings and student forums. Very good in school of education.

Available to speak to, email.

Good communication. Lots of books

Keeping us up to date with event etc via student central

Keeping us well informed and up to date on student central. Employing Kevin Fossey!

Placements etc timing.

Assessment guidance is always very helpful. Tutors that I've had all been excellent teachers and interesting. Open learning centre's help - always full of useful information and a good place to learn.

Good communication between students and lecturers and lots of support for written work.

Supportive

Keep Comments

Soup of the day. Love life.

Support. Placements

Everything good.

Good communication. They always post lecture slides on student central.

Very supportive in every aspect.

Organisation. Fun

Library books / resources. Student central good.

Putting lecture notes on SC after the lecture

Your student services system is great. I'm really glad to have access to extra support when studying at Brighton.

Providing free minibuses between Falmer and Moulsecoomb campus. Putting people with free stuff in the atrium.

Lecturer positivity, encouragement and helpfulness.

Keep the good canteen

The chairs in Checkland area.

OLC is good.

Student central, library online account and emails, as long as you link it to your original account, which can be a little confusing, are really good

Putting things on student central. The Checkland building clean. Email me when books are due back at library.

Supporting students by providing the high level of services they already provide.

Running the mini bus between Cockcroft and Falmer

I can't fault the Uni at all. Tutors are supportive and encouraging.

Giving advice about research i.e. journal workshop. Investing in new and improved facilities. developing student central accessibility. Serving soup Support for students.

Soup of the day Student support Developing student central

providing inspirational learning experiences. positive engaging tutors.

Having areas to study with choices. OCR, Library study rooms. Could the key boards and mice be cleaned more often though please!

Excellent teaching in most cases.

Keeping Checkland and areas around campus clean and litter free.

Good facilities

Having a range of resources available and to also put all the lecture or seminar notes on student central for future reference.

putting lesson PowerPoint's and resources up on student central.

Programs with residence halls Discounted newspapers.

Resourcing the Open Resource Centre as well as you do, it's great!

Great teachers primary based. Lots of experience.

Having enthusiastic teachers, which are generally very supportive.

Supportive teachers Student central Good library

Keep Comments

sending Hastings books to Falmer-have some that can only be taken out in Hastings library or by Hastings students

allowing Falmer students to take out all of the books from Hastings short course briefings at calmer- 3 hour journey for a 2 hour briefing

9-5 lectures.

Forcing Hastings based students to travel to Falmer campus.

Stop the bus going all the way around Sussex before it gets to Brighton. Have a separate bus that goes straight to Brighton.

Putting long lectures with good opportunities and information on ASA Briggs where there are no pull out desks.

providing rushed seminars with unclear (printed) handouts.

Timetable can be irritation, having one lecture at 3-5. Better transport 25 - long for Brighton for Brighton uni students.

Rooms double booked.

Sessions not relevant to course. e.g. careers not relevant to PGCE

3 hour seminars

Charging so much for healthy food.

Raising fees!

Lectures in ASA Briggs too long.

a (number) of books should only be loaned for the specific library they are in access to more online journals!

4 hour gap between lectures.

9am lectures

Expensive food in the canteen.

allowing students at Falmer to have Hastings books sent over from the library. Keep at least 1 or 2 for Hastings only

Food prices too high

Having clubs/sport facilities miles from Brighton.

Stop myself going out so much. Procrastinating.

Leaving lights on when not needed during day light hours, particularly in Checkland atrium.

Putting lecture slides in docx.

Keeping lots of lights on in the Checkland building. Its made of windows.

Understandably, the timetable in Uni changes a lot. However due to last minute changes, I have missed a few important lectures. When the timetable has to be changed last minute, is there any possibility a universal email could be sent out, to aware people that something has changed. Stop making last minute changes!

Emailing me career emails.

Dripping' information - prefer to know everything. Big gaps between lectures. Teaching pool application briefing too close to deadline.

Teaching Fayre's whilst on placement/too early in the evening.

Mixed messages on what to write on personal statement for pool.

letting Falmer students order education books from the Hastings campus-it is only a small library anyway!

Bring back funding for post grad

Keeping the lights on when its day light. Setting an example to us of energy saving.

3 hour lectures

Sending so many 'Level M' emails that seem so irrelevant to me.

Food prices

Charging too much for tea! Taking too long on assignment feedback

Taking too long on assignment feedback especially in first year when need it for next assignment.

Not timetable lunch.

Canteen's high prices. Car park spaces being limited.

Giving us so much paper work to fill in.

cannot think of any

Closing shops and cafes when normal routine is not happening. Keep it open for PGCE students

Giving limited parking on Falmer.

Less assignments/too close together

Spreading out lessons

ASA Briggs. Have to write on laps. Should have pull out tables like (CZIG).

Library fines

Expensive healthy food.

Moving rooms at the very start of lectures without giving us prior warning.

Not letting Falmer students park on campus. Some of us have to travel from far away and start early! Parking spaces

Stop Comments

would really help. Or let people (other than parents) get permits!

Sending doubles of emails.

Stop shutting off the main door.

stop shutting the main door

Stop shutting off the main entrance.

Food is too expensive.

Food is quite expensive

Food is expensive

Nothing.

Sending PGCE students to schools that are over an hour away.

Having such extreme fines for overdue books. Charging too much for healthy food.

Giving limited parking on Falmer

providing inadequate rooms for size of class.

Locking us out of the library before 9am! Some of us do arrive before then and want access to return books / study them.

Changes to timetables and expect student to conform.

Free shuttle bus

Fining in the car park without warning.

Don't know yet.

Charging money for sports clubs

Only stocking premium brand stuff in the shop e.g. Red Bull £1.69 v Happy Shopper 35p

Excessive library fines!

Over charge so much for food/drinks.

Raising tuition fees Stopping bursaries

Stop Comments

allowing course briefings to be done in Hastings-we don't feel like heart of the cohort-we like our group! open library on Sunday

as well as desk loans @Hastings, certain popular books that are suggested for assignments should have at least 1 book available for just Hastings students. we can then share them outside of uni! more accessible journals

Assignments back quicker.

Bar!

Base all the education books in a library where Education in not taught. This way all students studying education will have equal access to the books i.e. by requesting them to their campus. Perhaps introduce 24hour books with much higher late fees. This may already exist in Falmer but is not in Hastings.

Be able to pay with card at the cafeteria and union shop.

Be more supportive of students on placement. It feels like we don't have a say and the school can treat us how they like. Have more schools for education courses!

Being punctual with assignments hand backs.

Better social / entertainment facility. SU bar.

Better SU. More entertainment. Alcohol.

Better timetabling.

Bigger SU

buy more journals! Giving out discounted football tickets. Cleaning toilets more often.

Campus parking Microwaves on site

Career advice that is accessible and better timetabled Placement info given sooner. Graduation celebration party or-ganised!

Cheaper energy drink! Bar on campus. Parking.

Clearer assignment feedback. Comments that would help all assignments and not just that subject.

clearer assignment guidance/feedback.

Clearer assignment results/guidance. Provide cheaper resources.

course briefings in Hastings

Free hats.

Get a proper SU on Falmer Campus

Get a SU bar - no where to go when you first arrive if you don't know the area. Provide parking. More info for financial support.

Get more access to online journals! almost all of the articles on the British education index are inaccessible to UoB

Getting a student bar

Have a bar on campus.

Have a student union bar on Falmer to meet up with other students instead. Have a bigger student shop with a bigger variety of food so not have to go so far into town. Have more get together / activities on campus to meet new pupils or others on Falmer.

have an info talk about resources in the library, I have no idea about how to find resources, use journals. More books in library core assignment books.

Have better supplies to SU shop and open on weekends

Have career seminars that everyone can attend. Find out earlier about placements

Have more milk in the union shop because there is never any.

I know the situation is difficult, but many of my friends and sometimes myself have great problems with parking. First thing in the morning it is very difficult to attend lecturers on time. Admittedly, parking permits are very hard to get. Is there any possibility some spaces can be allocated for students. Or wardens could not check spaces early in the morn-ing. Sorry to moan!

imams in all computer labs. ipads for everyone.

Information about essays etc more in advance. More preparation for initial placement.

Information provided in advance regarding the essays.

Information provided further in advance for essays etc.

keeping Hastings books in our library! providing financial aid to PGCE students who have to travel to Falmer emailing when timetables change!

Let us park on campus. Bar or pub.

Make Checkland more accessible from the first floor, rather than walking down 2 flights of stairs.

more active workshops

More campus facilities at Falmer. Bar, card payments, better stocked shop.

Start Comments

more career advice.

More events

More lesson planning

more lesson planning!!!

More library books.

More parking places. Give more information on nights out for those in houses - we don't ever get any chance to find out about student union events.

More support systems in place for students on placements. Emotional support as well as helping to prepare students.

Music therapy Art therapy

Need more support during teaching placement. Move schools if you are having a bad experience to begin with.

No library fines. More fun stuff

Open library before 9. More organised timetables. School placements longer notice.

Open the cafe before 8:30

Open the cafeteria earlier! I hate missing out on lunch and you can't get any decent food anywhere but Westlain.

Open the Library earlier and at weekends. More than 12-4!

Open the library on Saturday all day.

Open the library on Saturday all day. Lower prices of food.

Open the library on Saturday and Sunday before 12 and close at 4.

Opening the library OLC for longer hours and at weekends. More copies of books in library.

Parking permits

Parking! Let me change course. Make over the dark, dull library.

Provide a central point for socialising. Sussex University Bars reap the profits of Brighton Students!

Provide affordable student housing, with a post-graduate quieter block!

Provide more books. Open learning centre - be nice to be able to borrow the resources.

Provide parking in the stadium car park. Open library earlier.

Provide parking on Falmer

Provide separate halls accommodation for teaching students to support them while on work placement.

Publish the times the uni bus runs. As a PG I travel before 'term starts' and have had issues about where to park on the park and ride. Plus snow days/match days changes can help with planning with travel etc.

Putting clocks in each room More one to one tutorials. Offer support for assignments one to one.

Saving more energy. Turning off lights in Checkland when large window let in plenty of light. Better union shop.

Security

Set up a student Union bar/hang out for students instead of Brighton students using Sussex - would provide more jobs for financially struggling students.

Some sort of student union bar at Falmer.

Some way to inform international exchange students when they get here about what the SU does exactly.

Somewhere for students to prepare their own lunches i.e. microwaves And more water coolers.

Take credit cards. Open the library and computer room 24 hours like Sussex

Tell us more about placement!

Trying to improve students time tables. E.g. at the moment I am at Uni 4/5 days a week just for 1 lesson a day. Improve student central site, which is confusing and very hard to use.

Union bar. Microwaves

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