Widening participation in student publications

Laura Jenkins - ega05laj@shef.ac.ukSabine Little - s.little@shef.ac.uk

http://cilass-student-journal.group.shef.ac.uk/

CILASS & the SAN• HEFCE-funded CETL working with 24

departments to enhance inquiry-based learning

• Student representation from bid stage onwards

• Student Ambassador Network – 24 SAs,

60 hours/year, £7/hour,

1 student co-ordinator,

130 hours/year

• No sabbaticals

Work of the SAN

Student Ambassador

Network

Evaluation Group

Journal Group

Film Group

Information Materials

Group

Technology/ user support

Group

Staff-student Symposium

Working with departments on

planning & evaluation

Film on student perceptions of IBL

Creation of student-centred materials/guides

CILASS student journal

The CILASS Student Journal

What did we do?

How?• Student Ambassador Network (SAN)

working group – Journal

• Collaboration with CILASS core team and Learning Development Media Unit

• Whole SAN supported collection of contributions

Why?• CILASS´s aim is to embed IBL at the heart of the

learning experience and we wanted to know if this is true, to be able to show how true it is to and promote it;

• We wanted to know how IBL works in modules, what students felt they gained from it in terms of their future learning and employability.

• The format means it is accessible to any student at any time.

Key questions for contributors• Has your IBL module changed your way of

thinking about knowledge?• Have you been able to engage critically

with the work you have been presented?• Have you used different research

techniques and different formats of information e.g. digital formats, archives, datasets? Do you feel more confident in these now?

• How has new technology aided your learning?

• Have you learnt to communicate through different media, e.g. blogs, to be able to participate in inquiry-based learning with tutors and peers?

• Have you gained skills when working collaboratively?

• Have you been able to critically reflect upon the knowledge you have learnt in the module?

• Is IBL a fun way to learn? Is it engaging?

Lessons learnt…+ Collaboration between staff and students

(including support division)+ Sections in journal are flexible and offer

various entry points+ Wide-spread interest in the publication+ High-profile launch- Interest does not always translate into

contribution- Reliance on SAN to get contributions- IBL focus (language!) complicates matters

The future• Expand the intake of contributions• More pieces written for the purpose of the journal rather than

pre-written• Raise the profile of the journal• Encourage submissions from departments that have not yet

contributed• Encourage module convenors to make students aware of the

journal from the beginning and throughout that module, in the hope that students will see it as an appropriate outlet to share their experiences

• Recruit new members onto the editorial board• Ensure that there are submissions for the multimedia section• For the journal to evolve following the evolutions in teaching

at the University of Sheffield• Look at student journals from other academic institutions• Special editions?• …build on success!

Book – call for chapters!

Beyond Consultation: Developing Staff-Student

Partnerships in Learning and Teaching Development and

Research Editors: Laura Jenkins & Sabine Little