Student feedback and student representation
Student feedback and student representation
Lifelong Learning places strong importance on gathering feedback from students on their experiences and views, and in responding to those views, in order to improve the student learning experience. Students’ views on the quality of teaching and learning, and on their student experience more generally, are gathered in a number of ways:
Staff Student Liaison Committee (SSLC)
Each course will have the opportunity to elect a class representative. Class representatives will provide one of the channels for students to raise any issues of concern, or suggestions for improvement. Class-representatives from Lifelong Learning, together with some Lifelong Learning staff, will together form the SSLC.
Students will be asked to nominate a member of the class to join the committee, normally in the second week of class. The nominated or interested student should e-mail lifelonglearning@glasgow.ac.uk to indicate their membership or interest
Class representatives will be invited to attend SSLC meetings, which are held three times per year. The meetings are an opportunity for students to share their feedback on how their course is going, and to share their experiences with other students and with Lifelong Learning staff. Lifelong Learning may also seek your views on, for example, proposed new developments. Any issues of concern can be brought to the SSLC. Minutes of these meetings are published on Moodle and My Class Reps. Tutors and managers will aim to address any issues raised at the SSLC, by making any needed changes to their courses, including raising these issues more widely in Lifelong Learning, as appropriate.
The University’s Students’ Representative Council offers training to students volunteering to take on a student representative role, and we strongly encourage all class representatives to undertake that training; Information on the SRC training can be found on their website: https://www.glasgowstudent.net/about/representation/class-reps/
Students can have their class rep experience recorded in their HEAR (Higher Education Achievement Report) (if they meet the requirements of the role in terms of consulting fellow students and attending meetings).
Course Evaluation
The University uses a web-based course evaluation system called ‘EvaSys’ to gather students’ feedback on their experience of teaching and learning on their courses. You will be invited to complete an online evaluation form during the final two weeks of your course. Tutors will be provided with a collated summary of students’ feedback on the course (anonymised) and are asked to respond to this feedback, including identifying areas for improvement. To ‘close the loop’ on the course evaluation, the tutor’s response should also be posted on the course Moodle page, and may be discussed at a SSLC meeting.
Student Complaints
Short Courses appreciates that, at times, students may have a concern or issue about their studies that cannot be communicated through evaluations or your student representative. In which case, students may wish to use the University’s Student Complaints procedure.
A complaint relates to the quality or standard of provision in a particular area of the University (for example, advice you were given; the conduct of a member of staff; an administrative shortcoming).
Details of the University’s Student Complaints procedure can be found at the following weblink http://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/senateoffice/studentcodes/students/complaints/ The general principle underpinning the procedure is that all problems should be dealt with at the local level where possible but can be referred to higher levels within the University if necessary.
The procedure has two stages: Stage 1 ‘frontline resolution’ and Stage 2 ‘investigation’.
At Stage 1, the University will respond to complaints within 5 working days
At Stage 2, the University will respond to complaints within 20 working days
If you have any concerns or comments about the course, please try first to discuss the matter with the course tutor; they will be glad to hear your comments and discuss a way forward. You may also wish to contact the Subject Co-ordinator for your subject area. Alternatively, please contact the Lifelong Learning Admin Office at lifelonglearning@glasgow.ac.uk
You are encouraged to raise problems sooner rather than later to allow us to resolve them. If you feel that your concern has not been resolved to your satisfaction through the Stage 1 process, you have the right to make a more formal (Stage 2) complaint to the University.