Communicating Wins

COMMUNICATING WINS

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WHY ISFEEDBACK IMPORTANT?

It is essentialthat you give feedback to students about what is going on within your course and your school and what you have done to help them. Communication works both waysand it’s always good for students to know that what they’ve said has been acted on. This applies even ifyou and your fellow students did not get the answer or solution to an issue that you wanted or expected.

HOW TO FEEDBACK INFORMATION?

Feedback can be given in multiple ways. Why not ask to speakat the end or the beginning of a lecture if you feel comfortable with this? This is a good way of letting students know what you have been doing for their course and how their feedback is going to be acted upon.It is up to you to determine what is the best way of feeding back to your course.

CLOSING THE FEEDBACK LOOP

CREATIVE WAYS TO FEEDBACK TO STUDENTS

• Facebook: You can set up a Facebook group and post updates there.
• Blackboard: Create a group on Blackboard or ask your course leader to post a report from you on Blackboard.
• Hand-outs: Create a flyer and circulate it in class (You can use the photocopier in the SU Offices to do this!).
• Email: Write an email to students and ask your programme administrator to send it out.
• At a Lecture: Ask one of your lecturers to let you have five or ten minutes at the beginning or end of a lecture to feedback what happened at a course committee.
• Via the SU: the SU can share your good news stories using our platforms. We can also help you think about how to communicate with the students on your course.

DO

-Typeup the any notes you took at a committee meeting so students can read them

-Be honest

-Be objective

-Be diplomatic– you don’t know who might read what you write

-Avoidusing names; it’s better to use role titles

-Rememberif a student has approached you confidentiallyabout an issue, you should notreveal that students name or the issue unlessthey have specifically told you that you can this. If in doubt, you can suggest to the student that they speak to somebody at the SU.

DON’T

-Write about personal issues whether yours or someone else’s

-Use emotional language or swear words

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