Engagement Week Feedback Faculty of Science and Engineering - School of

Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences

Vice President of Academic Affairs KSS Data - Faculty of Science and Engineering - School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences 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 83 students across the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences . 95% of these students were from Moulescoomb and 45% were from Hastings Campus. Respondents were largely female, 65%, with only 34% male respondents. The students were in largely in first year (57%) and second year (29%) and first third (10%). 77 of the students were undergraduates and 6 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 Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences 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

‘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 programme design where you are critical of the repetition in some of the core modules but enjoy the practical work included in the course. Under organisation you are critical of badly communicated timetable changes and timekeeping. You appreciate the access to computer rooms and library facilities but some of you would like to see longer opening hours. You would also like to see a better spread of deadlines for assessments and coursework submission. You value StudentCentral as a resource and would like to see its use increased.

Overview

Teaching and Learning Students spoke highly of the teaching and learning with 50% having comments on what they would like the university to keep doing. However over 30% also had comments about what should stop and start. There were positive comments about lecturers seeing them as approachable, supportive, engaging and responsive to feedback. They commented on high quality teaching and valued interactive teaching methods that actively engaged them in classroom learning. Criticisms were of the overuse of PowerPoint during lectures and lectures that lacked interactivity as they were not seen as conducive to effective learning. Students would also prefer if in labs to try the work themselves rather than simply watch a lecturer during a practical session. Suggestions for improvement included greater student involvement in lectures, increased practical/professional elements to the increased use of practice questions and exercises and increased tutor time and feedback.

Programme Design Critical comments on programme design were around the common modules which featured topics covered in other modules. There were also comments on the length of the planned lectures with students finding it difficult to concentrate over a three hour period. Some students also felt there was too much assessment and examination built into the curriculum.

Students enjoyed the inclusion of practical and professional aspects of the course and the use of tutorial groups. They also commented on the fairs and events that were run for specific topics. Suggestions for improvement involved setting projects earlier so students could hear about them before the summer, an increase in practical work and more revision time built into the course.

Some more detail...

Organisation Over 30% of the students made critical comments about organisation on the course. These centred around errors with timetables on student central, poor organisation and time keeping of staff (arriving and/or finishing late), lecture cancellations, poorly communicated changes to the timetable. Suggestions for improvement included better communication of necessary changes, informing students in advance of module changes. There were also suggestions of text message communications when the university was likely to shut last minute. In general students would like to be better informed of what is happening in and around the university through communications they receive.

Learning Resources Students spoke highly of late night access to the buildings and libraries. They felt they had good access to the Huxley building and computer rooms. They valued receiving information through handouts and on StudentCentral. They found access to online journals useful. Some students found that there were not enough IT resources and were critical of the high library fines. There were also issues for some students who were unable to gain lab access for project work. Suggestions for improvement include collecting

feedback on available resources through suggestion boxes.

Assessment Students were critical of the clustering of deadlines for both examinations and hand-in dates. They were also critical of examinations that tested simply their memory rather than their knowledge of a subject. Some felt that they would prefer more coursework to examinations. There were also instances raised where no feedback on coursework was received until the end of the module when students were unable to learn from their mistakes. Students value the extra resource available during assessment times such as the library opening 24 hours. Suggestions for improvement included staggered deadlines and more phase tests. Student Central/E-Learning

Students valued student central being up to date with lecture notes and slides— ideally they would like to see this for all

lectures and for these to be online in advance of the lectures instead of afterwards. They also would like to see all lectures recorded and put on StudentCentral. They specifically mentioned in a positive light interactive learning such as texting responses during seminars. Some students found the placing of information complex and others did not like the use of online examinations.

What Happens next with the Engagement Week Data This data is already being used in the university to inform decisions that they will be making to improve the student experience. Reports from the data will be fed into university committees and any changes made as a result of your comments will be fed straight back via course reps and the Students’ Union 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 comment on. We will be passing reports to school reps and course reps to ensure they have evidence 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

Student services

Continued provision of services, such as banks, SU and gym. PABS school is very good, organised and good structure

Angela McAdam is a brilliant lecturer interesting modules

Student union NUS card

Practicals. Updating student central.

Good explanations

Interactive lectures with learning checks and approachable lecturers . Guided extra reading. Personalised feedback, more detailed

NUS card

Keep promoting cheap entertainment Discount information work experience placements

Get a lot of support from tutors Information is readily available Most of work submitted back on time

oh yes...

Late opening hours at the library

Opening the library 24 hours

Refreshers day

provide a lot support on the courses

Providing free Wi-fi and PASS sessions

keep up course rep elections but make sure they happen, we don't have a course rep this year because no elections happened, despite several reminders Modules and course is good, (albeit) very (challenging) need more cabs (interim) report is good but could do with more guidance (as in how to structure properly)

Helping to facilitate the settling us international students like myself by organising orientation activities

Keep extracurricular activities organise socials keep the transport services organised by the university

Teaching the courses and helping the student as the teachers are very helpful

Keep taking student feedback at the end of the modules and changing things based on feedback Dr.Caroline Hodges and Dr. Elsom are brilliant at doing this!!

Student reps.

Being environmentally friendly and improving the buildings.

Keep good availability of facilities i.e.: gym, Huxley building, computer rooms, etc... Encouraging range of societies

Modular teaching through student interaction. For instance texting responses to scenarios during class sessions

having engaging lecturers that make lectures more interesting

Providing information through handouts in lectures and use of student central

Love the way student central works

Put slides up

Keep student central and library and library books available for free

Opening the library 24 hours during the exam period. Having international student organisations

Providing lecture notes online, for easy accessibility

Teaching me

Support - student gym us

Keeping me posted in my unimail for student services

Uploading lecture presentations to student central It is easy to revise when all the content is in one place

Good receptionists of school offices. Cheap food at canteen. Having societies

Library opening hours Wi-Fi

Practicals and experiment

The experiments and practicals

putting all lectures on student central

reverse learning chemistry listening to feedback - Dr Hodges

Phase Lecture slides Reverse learning

Reverse learning Listening to feedback Teach like C. Hodges

Good lessons/lecturers

exams throughout the year rather than just at the end

Ask for student feedback and opinions

having tutorial groups with tutors

No feedback

No feedback

Socialising, getting into more clubs

Interesting modules, lectures engage with student. PASS

The English Language Support Program is helpful for those whose English-speaking is not good so keep doing this

Keep Comments

24/7 library hours during exams. Small group sessions with a personal tutor and individual feedback on essays and labs. employing students as much as possible.

The quality and standard of teaching

The quality of teaching

rumbling tum - good food NUS card

3pm Monday Lectures

Socials (with free pizza :) + quizzes

Practical classes

Providing an amazing atmosphere to work in

Lecturers being hospitable to students questions

Great lecturers

Practicals and experiments

Reverse learning Interactive lectures phase tests

providing handouts in classes and on student central

Updating student central on a very regular basis

support the students with disabilities and difficulties

Keeping library open 24 hours during exam times. Sending reminders for due date of books

Keep me interested in the course

Fairs and events for specific topics. Seminars for modules regarding certain topics

Listening to feedback (C Hodges) Reverse learning

Giving handouts in presentations/ lectures. Uploading them all on student central after

Practical classes

Putting slides and notes up

Providing easy access to books and wi-fi and journals

Student discount with NUS

Uploading all lectures PASS

Dr. Guard, keep up engaging lectures

Keeping the common areas clean

24hr library opening Keep the friendly doctors surgery receptionists

Put slides on student central

Keep Comments

Stop Comments

Wasting paper

Increasing tuition fees

Not putting notes on student central

Stop messing around timetables on student central

Long lectures of just reading PowerPoint's. Not using the microphones

No feedback

Not enough IT resources More copies of recommended textbooks. Messing up the timetables

badly organised timetables

Poor organisation and time keeping Not following up student complaints of uncontactable lecturers/tutors

More personal tutor time More feedback on assignment More prep work for upcoming assignments (sometimes lost as what to do)

9.00a start

3 hour lecture blocks

Making the course hard Not putting all our deadlines together Irrelevant labs and lectures

Holding classes and lab sessions by 9am

communicate better with students

No feedback!

make sure coursework are organised properly before sending

NA

Closing the library. It should be available for use 24hrs everyday

Stop charging for hot water in café

Having many deadlines together and overloading work.

Molecular cell pathobiology is poorly taught. Lecturers obviously have fantastic subject knowledge however the topics covered are very complex and listening to someone simply talk for hours is very difficult to follow. Perhaps it could be delivered in a more varied way? Quizzes, worksheets and activities. Personal tutors NEED to reply to e-mails and offer more support!

Being so disorganized regarding meetings especially ones involving student reps.

Not fixing certain things or not adding things that are obviously needed. Expensive meals for students. Not using the foyer in Huxley building.

Special topics that are solely theory based rather include topics that have direct relevance for pharmacy practice of hospital pharmacy or community pharmacy practice; the role of the pharmacist

making last minute changes to the timetable/admin could use a little work

Presentations and large class sizes

Being late. Cancelling lectures last minute. Having a stupid lecture on Monday morning and then having 3 hours till the next one

Reading through PowerPoint's word for word and actually teach the concept

Making the course so difficult (mariang) Clustering deadlines. Irrelevant labs and lectures

Nothing

Changing our timetable all the time. It gets confusing

Increasing tuition fees

Stop breaking the lifts! Library fines when the books has not been reserved by somebody else

Changing rooms and times of lectures from the timetable or at least produce an updated timetable

Charging for replacement student cards. Charging so much for late book returns

Library fines. In the first week of uni I was charged £8 for 7 day loan books that were not reserved by anyone

Online tests (too may of them)

online tests

opening school offices at random hours

Pathos exam was a memory test not knowledge Tutor said we were going to fail on the 1st lecture

Bulk revision tests lecturers not caring if you understand giving low % of the grade for long and hard piece of work Massive gaps between lectures

Pathobiology is poorly taught and the exam was a memory test rather than a display of understanding the content

Non-biology based joint honours

not having it as a JHP, as just Biology as that there aren't general core modules

5 exams in one week. No feedback from lecturers on coursework until the end of the module. Lecturers with no interaction with student at all

not have as heavily weighted exams; have more coursework throughout

Notes not all on student central before lectures

I have begun my project, but I can't get the key to the lab in my free time. It is said we should wait for the message, but now is wasting time. In the following months, I have lots of exams, course work and paper to hand. I just want to start project early (in fact it has begun) but I can't use the lab when I need it. So I hope the Uni can stop this, just do some suitable arrangement for different student

restricting free gym membership to students who live in halls should be open to all of first year, first come first served basis if limited capacity

Closing the library early

Closing the library early

Changing timetables getting rid of NUS card

Biology JHP, should be made into individual course

Common modules: we cover this in lectures anyway!

Getting me up early

Cramming us in the new Cockcroft room

Two many online tools

exams (then) straight away a massive numbers of deadlines massive lectures - really long & massive (assessments) at me (evu) Bulk revision tests Massive breaks between lectures Short deadlines Deadlines crammed together

Testing/scoring by doing presentation, people suffer in grades due to lack of confidence

Scheduling lectures and either starting half hour late or over-running by three-quarters of an hour

Stop Comments

A place where all university students can have parties

A proper SU, maybe some kind of bar

ALL notes on student central before lectures

Arranging more across course activities/nights out! Making our timetables clearer Student union bars/pubs Reaffiliate your-self with NUS. More healthy eating places on campus

Be more interesting! Involve us more in the lectures

Be on time

Better organisational skills of uni. More assistance when requested

Better transport between halls and uni Healthy food places to eat

build a union bar that is cheap and local to Moulsecoomb campus

By having better relationship with students one on one feedback meetings on big assignments

change student central! Get a new internet site! Give lecturers their own personal entrance music

Clearer information on how to get jobs/careers help and better help

Deadline spread out No random exams

Events for students that don't have to be pub crawl

Free mini bus to varley

Getting students more involved in sports

Give projects (MMGS coramgast rough) before summer so have time to (work) and research need Brighton science careers advice/resources Have working computers at uni (i.e. library especially) Put pressure - petition/campaign - on issues and how to solve them so all are actually involved Become a student ambassador for staff - staff can talk to them for studd and C.R. can (relay) to course Can course reps use it for any (accreditation)? Would be a big (science) point. Also, emphasize CU and certificate more, ESP to (old on) years who care more.

Give the teachers their own entrance music

Have a training programme to help students demonstrate the se of computers especially with regards to student central and essay writing and referencing

Having a wider variety of extracurricular activities, i.e.. a tackwondo class at Moulsecoomb campus Improve transport service between Varley Halls of residence and the university campuses Install a microwave, for students to use

Having online lectures when it is not possible to make it into uni

If it is possible offering tutorials would be fantastic!!

If start provided more advice rather than remarks. More fun stuff available for student reps rather than just meeting after meeting.

Improve the library facilities, i.e. colour photocopier machine. Cafe in library. More variety in cafe facilities - i.e. fill the empty shop that used to be Blackwell's. Better communication with students - do we even have a university newspaper?

Improving student services, specifically of academic misconduct More social interactions between students and lectures

Start Comments

Stop Comments

improve on general communication skills across departments, especially regarding timetabling!

Library fines if t has not been reserved by another person.

Setting so many exams

Assigning unhelpful/useless reading when it does not relate to or help for assigned task especially mcq tests in labs. Having practical sessions where you have to just watch a lecturer do it. This can be done in a lecture hall not a lab required.

Pathos exams was not fairly done. Not properly prepared for a 30 page exam!!! Tutor said we would fail from the start

Presentations! They are traumatic!!!

Long 3 hour lectures of long PowerPoint's

Cancelling lectures last minute. Having hours off between lectures

stop

Putting information in obscure places on student central Stop messing with timetables

3hour lectures Six o'clock lectures Unorganised lecturers

Microbiology, more time between practicals and work for previous practicals. Guided study, more relevant

Overcharging for late library loans

Pointless lab sessions where we sit and watch someone do an injection Putting lectures away from our main building assigning useless reading that bears no relevance to UCQ lectures. Lab technicians who offend those with medical conditions

Being late and cancelling last minute.

Incorporate more practical/professional aspects of the course i.e. experimental learning and situations. Place suggestion boxes in every classroom where students can express their ideas and suggestions

Lecturers use the announcements section in student central to announce upcoming deadlines/labs/other things

Lots of practise questions and exercises

make a university pub/club. They should have a game zone where students would chill and play pool, darts, chess, foosball, etc... make more social events

Make sure slides on student central before the lecture instead of a week after

making microwaves available to use to heat lunches so then we don't have to buy lunches everyday

Making modules more relevant to the course. Deadlines spread out

Making stationary and food cheaper at the SU shops, i.e. student discounts

making student central easier to use. All subjects put things in the same folder rather than having to search them all. Seminar groups to give more revision time. More practise exam questions and past papers. Print out lecture notes for students. I cant afford a printer :(

Making SU services more visible and aware to others Interaction with the SU president and vice presidents would be nice. Regular SU activities, bars, etc New bookshop

Making the computers in the pool room more user friendly. More integration cross-school socials

Marking and handing out results from practicals, coursework and tests in an acceptable amount of time

More computers in the library

more computers in the poolroom

More integration of students

more integration of students on the course

more lectures with Dawn Scott Start recording lectures and putting them on student central

more phase test in (pathobiology)

More phase tests Lecturers to be more approachable More books for specific modules in library Actually putting what is taught in the exams

More phase tests. SEMINARS

More practical lab work

more practicals so we can practice the biology we are taught! gives us more of an idea of how working in a lab would be more experience

More seminars and lectures with guest lecturers coming from different backgrounds. Check regularly the effectiveness of lec-turers and their work. Install a help system linking each 1st year with a 3rd year in the same course. The 1st year student needs help with 1st exam; the 3rd year student needs help for fieldwork and 7 opinion

more social events

Notes up before lectures

Offer more help to those international students who cannot speak English very well. Especially for those are doing very difficult course, like me on pharmacy which involves lots of special terms, words and hard to understand notions. And also some stuff and teacher speak too fast on lecture to follow, so I think the Uni should start to offer more helps.

open a union bar at the Moulsecoomb site upgrade the computers run more activities and events which include students from other course e.g. all PABS students visit a lab or have a night out. Doctors surgery needs some later pm sessions

Open the library for longer hours

Opening the library for longer times

Organise student union pubs Organise lecture theatres better - so you know what one you're in Organise student central bet-ter

practical lessons, only had two in semester 1

-Provide transport to Brighton regularly to help us get involved with activities/societies (etc) at different campuses -We need to do practicals in labs, take us to Brighton until the labs are finished please.

Providing food

Providing materials for Arts students Teach them how to use machines available to them

Put a search bar on student central, it's impossible to find anything. Lecturers talk to you as if you are stupid if you cant find something, but every module is different and takes a long time to travel through it

putting dates on student central under the calendar or announcement tabs

Putting lecture slides on before lectures

Reading week - less Xmas hols - i.e.: after seem 1 exams More phase tests more regular assessments bigger word counts con-stant assessment more tutorials seminars more regular tutor meetings Better (tutors) More eBooks/journals Better access to journals

Start Comments

Recap in 5 mins of last lectures important points

Recording lectures on video and streaming them online so we can watch them back or catch-up if you're unwell. Be like Sky+ for university

reducing the prices of the offered refreshments and shop items, we are students after all, and why get the items from Sains-bury's when its offered at uni!

providing more computes in the pool rooms as it gets crowded. Keeping school office open longer. Lifts in Cockcroft moving faster and better maintenance

Run a shuttle bus to varley halls

Seating area in Huxley building. Cafe in Huxley. Being more organised with timetable slots Prompting students before hand in of certain important changes within modules. Improving watts building especially the lecture halls

Seminars More Contact with personal tutor

Seminars. Make student central clearer. Give handouts in ALL lectures because its hard to follow the lecturer when your just rushing to get the information on the slides written down

Shorter lectures that have more involved learning

Slides on SC before class

Start making intersubject sports

Student union bar Healthier foods available

SU bar Bigger lecture halls for big classes

Texts on snow days/ lecture cancellations

Turn the heating on a bit more

Uni-bar. Seating area in Huxley/cafe area (area behind H300) Unisex again! Longer doctors surgery opening hours More aware-ness of activities such as active pharmacy

We have on Mondays a lecture at 9 then a 4 hr break before the 2nd half of the first lecture, put them together!

Start Comments