Improving the student experience-one year on

James Warner

“Nobody knows my name”

Imperial Medical Student 2011

The problem…

• Imperial medical faculty underperforms on student experience measures in the National Student Survey

• NSS 2011 negative comments– Assessment and feedback- 83%– Academic support- 50%– Organisation and management- 80%– Pastoral care- 72%

The method

• Series of focus groups with students and faculty– Explore themes identified in NSS in depth– Identify further themes

• Random selection of students across all years• Grouped by years• Anonymity guaranteed

Method

• Two facilitators• 90 minutes• Solutions invited• Responses categorised and coded

Results

• 5 student groups– 25 students

• 2 faculty groups– 9 teachers/course leads

Results

• Pre-Course information and induction unhelpful

• Students do not feel a sense of allegiance with the Alma Mater

• Insufficient access and poor understanding of intranet

• Significant concern with communication of last minute changes to teaching

Results

• poor understanding of course integration and learning objectives by teachers – esoteric subject matter and repetition

• Students have to access multiple sources of information (often obscure) to ensure they meet teaching commitments)

• Lack of clarity of role and accessibility of personal tutors. Lack of awareness of pastoral resources

Results

• Students believe accessing pastoral/welfare or criticizing the course will count against them

• course and exam feedback do not inform their progress/ranking within the year

Results

• SOLE does not make a difference- students have no confidence poor teaching is addressed when identified in SOLE

• Students have insufficient information about construct and content of exams

One year on…

Themes

RECOMMENDATION• Improving teaching management– Accountability structure– Recognition and career progression

Themes

RECOMMENDATION• Improving teaching management– Accountability structure– Recognition and career progression

ACTION• Money to follow delivery in Trusts and divisions• Introduction of Quality Metrics (eg Peer review)

Themes

RECOMMENDATION• Improving course cohesion and integration

Themes

RECOMMENDATION• Improving course cohesion and integration

ACTION• Appointment of Education Fellow for curriculum

mapping– innovative mechanisms to link and present structure and content – Working with course leaders, theme leaders and heads of years– map will signpost learning at each stage of the programme

• Early years review

Themes

RECOMMENDATION• Develop sense of Allegiance to institution

Themes

RECOMMENDATION• Develop sense of Allegiance to institution

ACTION• Social events– e.g. Ceremony to mark induction to clinical course

• Improved communication with student body– e.g. Town Hall events

Themes

RECOMMENDATION• Personalise student experience

Themes

RECOMMENDATION• Personalise student experience

ACTION• “customer first” approach• Improved communication with student body– More visible FEO

Themes

RECOMMENDATION• Improve feedback bi-directionally

Themes

RECOMMENDATION• Improve feedback bi-directionally

ACTION• SOLE shake-up• Feedback project– Centre-student feedback survey

Themes

RECOMMENDATION• Re-invigorate personal tutor system

Themes

RECOMMENDATION• Re-invigorate personal tutor system

ACTION• Piloting clinical tutor system year 3– Evaluation planned

Themes

RECOMMENDATION• Improve pre-admission materials

Themes

RECOMMENDATION• Improve pre-course materials

ACTION• Substantial revision of pre-course

communication

Themes

RECOMMENDATION• Improve information about exams and

increase assessments

Themes

RECOMMENDATION• Improve information about exams and

increase assessments

ACTION• Assessment strategy• Personalised exam feedback• PACES revision course

summary

• Every recommendation considered• Real commitment by College to change• Substantial cultural shift- will take time!