Making student voices heard: How Areej improved the Psychology student experience
For Areej, becoming Lead Representative for the School of Allied Health and Life Sciences was an opportunity to make a real difference. By gathering feedback from Psychology and Forensic Science students and working closely with academic staff, she helped shape improvements to teaching, assessments and communication. Through the experience, Areej developed her leadership skills while helping create a more supportive and inclusive learning environment for current and future students.
Have you noticed any changes to your course that were made in response to student feedback?
As Lead Representative for the School of Allied Health and Life Sciences, I assisted in the revalidation for the Psychology and Forensic Science courses. After collating student feedback, the staff was very cooperative and open towards adaptations to the modules, assessment techniques, and delivery style to best suit the needs for the students.
Which change has had the biggest positive impact on your learning, and why?
Creating an open forum and active communication mode through Moodle, a learning platform that allows students to be in touch directly with staff and lecturers. Being able to submit queries allowed students to understand the assessment briefs better and create a closer relationship with staff and lecturers.
Can you give an example of how that change improved your experience?
Active communication with university staff has allowed students like me to be more engaged with modules and created an environment of support, allowing us to be more enthusiastic towards our education.
Did seeing feedback acted on make you feel more engaged with your course?
Seeing feedback acted on encouraged students to speak up more often and propose helpful changes for themselves and future students.