As a Course Rep, you’ll mainly be looking to gather feedback about students’ academic experiences. We’ve listed some ideas to get you started thinking about what opinions you can gather from students, to help you start doing your research. So here are some questions or topics that you could ask about!
Learning and Teaching
- What do students think about the content, structure, and delivery of the lectures and seminars they’re sitting through?
- Do students feel that they’re enjoying the content of the course? Do they feel sufficiently challenged by what they’re learning? Are they interested in the material?
- Is there a sufficient amount of digital content provided in each module?
- Are lectures being recorded for revision or catching up due to illness or unforseen circumstances? (This is also known as Panopto Lecture Capture)
- Are there enough resources on SurreyLearn? Is the department taking initiative with how they are producing digital content? Are students being consulted on what’s being produced?
Resources and Support
- Do students feel that they have enough resources provided to them to succeed on the course?
- Do students think there is enough material in the Library to support their learning?
- Are there any practical resources for the course that need improving? Is there anything students would like to see more of?
- Do students know who they can talk to in the department for support? Do students feel welcomed and listened to in the department?
Assessment and Feedback
- Are students happy with the way they’re being assessed? Do they have any worries about deadlines clashing or timetabling issues?
- Have students been receiving their feedback for assessed work on time? Do they know how to improve for the next assessment?
Placement Experiences
- Do students feel welcomed and listened to on their placements? Do they feel that they were well-prepared to go out onto placement? Do they know what they can do if they encounter any issues whilst away from Surrey?
- Are students happy with the way they’re being assessed? Do they have any worries about completing their assessment for the year? Do students know how their placement year will benefit them?
- Do students receive good feedback from their placement tutor visits? Do students feel that their visits have been useful? Do students know the purpose of tutor visits?
- Do they feel supported and represented?
- What do they want to see more of? What do they want to see improved?
- Do they have any issues eg. funding, hidden costs, transport, wellbeing issues? Are students on unpaid placements managing financially? Are students experiencing any hidden costs on their placements, eg. from training requirements or transport
Impact of Covid
- Do students know what their rights are in relation to course changes resulting from Covid-19? (https://www.ussu.co.uk/servicez/your-rights)
- Do students know what those course changes are? (https://www.surrey.ac.uk/coronavirus/course-changes)
Other
- Do students have any other areas that they think need raising?
- Are they happy with study space, the Library, campus facilities, transport links?
- Do they feel supported and represented?
- What do they want to see more of? What do they want to see improved?