Assessment, Learning & Teaching Reflections |
Monday 14 November
Course Leaders have a vital contribution to make in recruiting, supporting and retaining students, as well as in exceeding their expectations regarding staff interactions with them. They are in an excellent position to make a difference – to the course, to colleagues and to the students.
The course leaders’ position grants us a unique overview of the course, enabling us to evaluate its effectiveness and implement changes, leading to improvements to the students’ or course team’s experience. One example of this is the setting up of folders on the shared computer drive so colleagues can share good practice and materials. In the School of Languages, monthly course leader meetings provide a forum for discussing implementation issues and academic regulations. Course leader mentoring saves new course leaders from reinventing the wheel. For students, course leaders act as an ‘ear’ when they have academic, personal or welfare problems. This personal interaction with students as individuals, helping them to rebuild their confidence or solve a practical problem gives me the greatest satisfaction of all, whether by email or face-to-face. As one student wrote to me recently, “thank you very much for your time yesterday… most of being strong is knowing you are not alone.”
Dawn Leggott
Course Leader
International PreMasters
http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/lsif/sol/prema.htm
