From: Karl Rouse Sent: Sat 1/12/2008 10:05 To: BATP Performance Arts Yr 3 Cc: Jessica Bowles; Amber massie-blomfield (Alum); Simon Donger; Astles Cariad Subject: National Student Survey and third year update A really important message about the National Student Survey, please read in full and let me know if you have questions. Very shortly you will be contacted to complete the National Student Survey, this is a really important activity for the school. The results of the survey are used more and more by potential applicants as a way of judging which school they wish to apply to, and internationally it have a huge implication for our profile. Therefore a full showing of students from the programme to complete the survey is important to ensure everyone's opinion is taken into account. For example, often what can happen is only those who want to complain about something complete such surveys and this means that the results don't give an accurate picture of what life can be like in the school. When this happens it is bad for our profile, and therefore ultimately your profile, but it also means we start to make changes to the course based upon what can be inaccurate feedback which doesn't represent the whole group and their experience. I'll be talking about the survey in a seminar this term, and hope you'll all come to hear about it, and I really hope that when asked you'll all take the time to complete it accurately and in some detail so that we know how successful your time with us has been from your perspective. This is important so that the best practice can be celebrated, and the weaker areas may be improved. When completing the survey please take time to really understand each question and realise the relationship of that question to your time at CSSD (i.e. every course completes the same questionnaire, from science courses, to politics degrees, to performance arts, all students are asked the same questions and so you need to spend some time applying each question to your context to ensure the most accurate answers can be given) it only takes a short time and means so much to us at the school. It is also important to remember that we have outlets in school to let us know where problems are, such as seminars, tutorials, course committee (Joe Conner has been doing a great job on this for a few years now!) and they should be the times when we hear about concerns and problems so that we can deal with them for you while your a student with us, the survey shouldn't be the time to bring things up for the first time or to complain after the fact, I'd like to hear from you now (and have wanted to hear for the past three years) about how we can help you be the best you can be. Finally, really think about your answers. In the recent 'mock' survey that we did (last term you completed a paper copy for me as you will remember) a number of people when asked 'is feedback prompt' said 'no', yet at your last assessment in year two, feedback and grading were given the same day that you were assessed (remember the viva's with me and Henry?), receiving feedback on the same day is as prompt as it could have been, yet the results of your survey based upon the results of the Autumn would tell future students that the time for giving feedback is poor. The same could be said of 'do you have access to your tutor', a number of people said 'no', yet on average my e-mails are all answered if full within five hours, and requests for tutorials are met within three days maximum (on average). I mention these two examples as the results of the survey do contradict with the experience offered and can paint an incorrect picture, so please really think about each question and interrogate it before answering. More information can be found at http://www.thestudentsurvey.com and we'll talk about this very soon. So for now you don't need to do anything but be aware of this and if you want to research the website above, I'll talk about this again in a seminar very soon and you'll be given more information soon. Finally, please be prompt for your meetings with Henry on Monday to collect your feedback from last term, remember Henry is representation the entire assessment team and may not be able to answer all of your questions as he hasn't marked all of the folders himself. To keep the schedule as smooth as we can please arrive early (to the Hampstead) and remember to protect everyone's privacy please only approach when Henry becomes free. There is a seminar with Amber on Friday and that would be a good time to ask any questions arising from the Autumn term feedback and to explore successful (or not) strategies with the rest of the group. Very best wishes P.S. Congratulations to everyone in Liverpool, the programme was really well represented by the team who are up there! Karl Rouse BFSA, FRSA Pathway Leader for Performance Arts Senior Lecturer in Alternative Theatre and New Performance Practice The Central School of Speech and Drama The University of London http://www.cssd.ac.uk k.rouse@cssd.ac.uk Applications for the Accidental Festival 2008 open soon http://www.accidentalfestival.com Notice of Confidentiality. This e-mail and its attachment(s) are intended for the named addressee(s) only. It contains information which may be confidential. Unless you are the named addressee (or authorised to receive it for the addressee) you may not read, copy, distribute copies or take action on it (except to contact the sender), or disclose its contents or any part of its content to anyone else. 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