April 11, 2013, by Teaching at Nottingham

Student experience investments in the School of Computer Science

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Dr Max Wilson: “This talk describes three key initiatives that the School of Computer Science has invested in, with the primary focus of encouraging engagement in the curriculum, but though methods beyond delivering lectures, labs, and tutorials. The three initiatives are:

1) our Guru scheme – as a peer mentoring style framework tailored to computer science
2) engagement with local, national, and international competitions, and
3} facilitating self-development groups and supporting student actions.

“The actions have sometimes been led by the initiatives of undergraduates who have considered ways in which they want to develop their own skills. However, we believe all of actions have been the result in making an active and visible inward investment (in terms of time and budget) in developing a community of practice within the student body, around becoming excellent computer scientists. These three initiatives, which began in September 2012, have been well received so far, but we are a long way from being finished in terms of learning and improving these schemes. However, this talk will review what we have learned, how we plan to continue, and where we hope to make progress over the next few years.”

Dr Max Wilson
School of Computer Science

This presentation was given at the Curriculum Review conference: creating coherent programmes. It was part of a session addressing models of curriculum coherence where colleagues offered examples of the implementation of a range of approaches to coherence, and shared their experience of the process of curriculum design at programme level. The full programme is available on the Curriculum Review conference [link] page.

The presentation was part of the section on Engaging students with their studies and each other. Integrating students from different backgrounds at the start of their studies, and creating an environment that fosters a sense of belonging to the academic community are the issues of concern to the speakers in this session.

Produced April 2013

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