Download SSCC - Cofnodion - Minutes 26-11-2014

Adran Astudiaethau Theatr, Ffilm a Theledu
Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies
Staff Student Committee
Pwyllgor Staff a Myfyrwyr
26/11/2014
Members:
Year 1/Blwyddyn 1
Kathryn Baker ([email protected]) – Present
Danny Ryan ([email protected]) - Apologies
Year 2/Blwyddyn 2
Melissa Vagg ([email protected]) - Present
Year 3/Blwyddyn 3
Laurence Weyrich ([email protected]) - Present
Chiranjiv Wasan ([email protected]) - Present
Staff Representatives/Cynrychiolwyr Staff
Dr Andrew Filmer – Curriculum Leader, Drama and Theatre Studies (Chair)
Dr Jamie Medhurst – Curriculum Leader, Film, Television and Media - Apologies
Dr Kate Woodward – Curriculum Leader, Welsh Medium – Apologies
Subject Librarian/ Llyfrgellydd Pwnc
Ms Joy Cadwallader
Ms Catrin Davies (Academic Operations Officer) - minutes
1.0
Welcome and Apologies
1.1
Noted
That the Chair welcomed the committee to the first
forum of 2014-15.
The following apologies were noted:
Danny Ryan – Year 1
Dr Anwen Jones – Head of Department
Dr Jamie Medhurst – Curriculum Leader, Film,
Television and Media
Dr Kate Woodward – Curriculum Leader, Welsh
Medium
2.0
Joy Cadwallader (Subject
Librarian) – IT and Library
Services Issues
2.1
Raised
That Year 1 students had experienced difficulties
using Blackboard and Primo and as a result were
unable to use these to their full potential. Some
training had been given on this at the beginning of
the semester but it was suggested that it would be
useful to have a refresher training session later in the
semester when students needed to use the systems.
It was noted in response that it had been possible to
hold a session on Primo with the Film and Television
students but not for Drama and Theatre students.
Action: Chair to contact Year 1 Theatre and Drama
core module Module Co-ordinators to discuss
semester 2 session.
Action: Subject Librarian to contact the Blackboard
Team with regard to arranging a Blackboard training
session.
2.2
Raised
That while the Year 3 Dissertation module lecture on
library resources was informative that it was placed
too late in the semester as many students had
already done their research and listed their primary
and secondary sources. It was also raised that many
students did not know how to access external
materials such as journals or to set up VPN. It was
further raised that it would be useful to hold the
lecture at the end of Year 2 to give guidance for the
summer for students that had selected the
Dissertation module.
It was noted in response that it could be possible to
have a lecture at the end of Year 2 and at the
beginning of Year 3. It was suggested that this could
take place in Registration Week.
Action: Subject Librarian to contact Module Coordinator re the timing of the lecture
2.3
Raised
That there was an issue where items on reading lists
were not available in the library.
It was noted in response that where students find
that there are texts not in the library that they could
e-mail Information Services or the Subject Librarian
directly. It was also noted that where there was a
lack of depth in subject areas that books could be
ordered through the More Books Fund and that texts
under £50 were normally bought. It was further
noted that there were currently a number of ways in
which academic staff could order books for the
library and that in order to streamline this that the
University had invested in the Aspire system. It was
noted that the TFTS Admin Team were currently
uploading the department reading lists to the
system. It was reported that where texts were listed
as ‘Essential Reading’ that 1 copy would be stocked
for every 10 students registered on the module and
that regular reports to ensure that reading list texts
were in stock. It was also reported that the system
would include digitised texts and would be the main
location for reading lists following which there was a
discussion with the Academic Operations Officer
whether the correct information was being
uploaded. It was raised by the Chair that the most
accurate reading lists were in module handbooks.
Action: Academic Operations Officer to clarify
Aspire reading list content with Subject Librarian –
should this include seminar and lecture readings?
2.4
Reported
3.0
Reports from Representatives
3.1
Year 1
3.1.1
Reported
That a library stock move had taken place over the
summer.
That some students had reported a lack of response
from their Personal Tutors to their e-mail queries. It
was also reported that some students had requested
an alternative meeting time with their Personal
Tutors where the Office Hours clashed with student
lectures but had not received a response.
It was noted in response that in accordance with the
Student Charter that students should receive a
response to their e-mails to staff within 3 working
days. It was advised that where a response was not
received that a second e-mail should be sent and
that if there was no response that this should be
reported to the Head of Department (HoD). It was
raised that the Year 3 Personal Tutor meetings had
received a positive response. It was noted in
response that this had been put into place by the
HoD.
Action: Chair to raise lack of Personal Tutor
responses with HoD.
3.1.2
Reported
That some students had experienced problems with
obtaining reading list texts such as Worthen which
went out of print which meant that not all students
had copies and that they had to access the text
online or via the library.
Action: Chair to communicate with Year 1 Drama
and Theatre Module Co-ordinators
3.2
Year 2
3.2.1
Reported
That while TP21820 Directing Text had the potential
to be a good module that students had not realised
how much it would change in 2014-15 from previous
years. The concerns raised were
 That the module had been heavily theoretical
rather than balanced between theory and
practice.
 Many students were worried about the exam in
January which it was felt it would have been
better to have introduced from the beginning of
the semester rather than in week 5.
 Students were also concerned about the essay
due on 11-12-14 as they felt that they did not
know where to start.
 Many students were unhappy that they had to
select from 5 or 6 plays rather than choosing
their own as they felt that this would not allow
them to make such original work.
 It was felt that it would have been better for the
deadline for the reflective essay to have been
after rather than before the exam.
It was noted in response that although there had
been a change in Module Co-ordinator following the
departure of the longstanding co-ordinator that the
Learning Outcomes had remained the same. It was
noted that there had been some changes to the
assessment criteria. It was also noted that while the
module had previously centred on the craft of
working with actors it was now a process of taking a
concept and investigating it and realising a
performance.
Action: Chair to communicate feedback to Module
Co-ordinator
3.2.2
Reported
That TP21220 Acting Dramatic Texts and TP21820
Directing Text students had experienced problems
finding rehearsal spaces, especially following the
closure of Primary Rooms A and B in the Old College.
It was noted that students had tried to book spaces
via the online room booking system but had received
no guidance from the Department on where they
could book. It was raised whether rehearsal spaces
could be available in the evenings or at weekends? It
was reported that students had to source their own
props and costumes. It was also reported that it was
felt that the organisation and timing could be
improved to make the module more enjoyable.
It was noted in response that students should
contact Rebecca Mitchell or members of the
Technical Team for rehearsal spaces and that their email addresses were available on the staff list on the
Department’s website. It was also noted that staff
were investigating ways of enabling students to work
unsupervised until 21.00 such as through training
students in risk assessments from Year 1.
3.2.3
Reported
That Year 2 Drama and Theatre students were not
timetabled in the Parry-Williams Building during
semester 1 which was limiting as it meant that they
did not know how to use or access any equipment
for the Acting and Directing. It was noted that
students were aware that equipment was available
through open days and Year 3 productions.
It was noted in response that Year 2 students would
be timetabled in the Parry-Williams Building in
semester 2.
3.2.4
Reported
That there was concern that the Advanced
Production Project module would not be of the same
standard following its move from Year 3 to Year 2.
It was noted in response that the module was still a
level 3 module and would therefore be the same
standard. It was also noted that the module had
been moved due to the developmental arc enabling
the skills learned to be applied to the Solo and
Independent modules in Year 3 equipping students
for life after university.
3.2.5
Noted
3.3
Year 3
3.3.1
Reported
That all of the points raised related to Drama and
Theatre students as the representative had not
realised that she was the representative for the
whole of Year 2.
That it is unclear to Film and TV students what
equipment is available from the Technical Office and
which equipment is available to which year. It was
suggested that it would be useful to have a list of
what equipment can be taken out and in which year.
It was noted in response that any year can take
equipment out equipment in any year provided that
they have completed a risk assessment and
demonstrated that they can use the equipment. It
was also noted that lists of equipment were available
for Open Days and that it might be useful to have
these on the Department’s website. It was noted in
response that the lists were outdated.
3.3.2
Raised
That societies such as Bay TV were unable to obtain
equipment at short notice due to the risk assessment
procedure. It was suggested that there should be a
shorter procedure available for societies.
It was noted in response that priority for equipment
would need to be given to students who required the
equipment for their modules.
Action: Chair to raise issue with Technical Manager
3.3.3
Reported
That some students had experienced problems with
the Personal System since Year 1 with some students
only having met their tutors once. It was noted that
the Year 3 meeting had been helpful but that it was
felt that the system should be more supportive as
some students felt that with issues such as
homesickness that Personal Tutors often didn’t know
what help to offer. It was raised that PTs should also
offer support on issues such as academic progress
and that in other departments regular meetings
where held with tasks such as CVs set.
It was noted in response that the Chair would
explore with the HoD the possibility of extending the
Year Personal Tutor meetings to Years 2 and 3. It was
also noted that all academic staff were appointed
Personal Tutees and that rather than being a trained
role their role was as a point of contact and that the
role needed to be clarified to both staff and
students. It was further noted that in his role as
Personal Tutor that the Chair had contacted all of his
tutees but had received no response from some.
3.3.4
Raised
That where modules had formal lectures that it
should be general practice for these to be recorded
and uploaded to Blackboard so that they could be
referred back to you. It was raised that this would
also be useful for Year 1 students as lectures were
often held at the beginning of the week and that it
would be useful to see the lecture again before the
seminar at the end of the week.
It was noted in response that the University was
proposing to make the recording of all Year 1
lectures compulsory.
3.3.5
Reported
That students taking both TP33940 Advanced
Production Project and TP34200/40 Fiction Film
Production were finding it difficult to manage their
time and that it would be helpful for them to have
support with this.
It was noted in response that this issue would be
resolved as APP would be moving to Year 2 from
2015/16.
3.3.6
Noted
4.0
Discussion on Group Assessment
4.1
Raised
That at Institute level there was an awareness that
there were a large number of group assessments in
modules across the Institute and that as a result
clarity was being sought on how the group and
individual contributions were marked. The following
concerns and suggestions were raised:






That in modules where a group film was
submitted that all students were given the same
mark for the film but different marks for their
individual contribution. It was suggested there
should also be individual marks for the film
reflecting contribution.
It was suggested that there should be an oral
group presentation in order to ascertain
contribution rather than relying on written
feedback as it would be more difficult to make
false claims about contribution in front of the
other group members. It was noted that the
Module Co-ordinator was not present to
observe individual contribution during the
making of the films.
That on practical film modules the reflective
essay was currently marked as the individual
contribution but that the film should also be
marked individually.
That there was a lack of consistency in the
allocation of group work Year 1 Drama and
Theatre modules as in some modules groups
were formed where students had picked a
subject that interested them while in others
they were put in to groups and then asked to
pick a subject.
That a peer review would be useful for all Year 1
Drama and Theatre group presentations.
That there was confusion over the allocation of
marks for Year 1 Drama and Theatre group work
as to whether all students in the group would
receive the same mark or individual marks and
the reasons for this.
It was raised in response to the practical film issues
that it might be useful to benchmark the film with an
overall mark against which the individuals in the
group were marked according to contribution.
Action: Chair to feed back to ILLCA Director of
Undergraduate Studies and TFTS Department
Curriculum Groups.
5.0
A.O.B.
5.1
N.S.S.
5.1.1
Noted
5.2
SSCC Elections
5.2.1
Reported
That the Chair would be contacting the Year 3 reps
with regard to the NSS survey. It was noted that it
was important for the Department to attain as high a
response in order for the feedback to be as
representative of the year as possible. It was also
noted that the material from the NSS was helpful and
taken notice of and that the Department was
required to report to the University on how would
take action following the feedback.
That the election process had been unclear. The
following issues were raised:




It was noted that at the nomination stage it had
been unclear whether students should nominate
themselves or a fellow student and that as a
result students who wished to stand may have
not nominated themselves.
That the previous system of nomination by email had been easier than in person at the
Department Office.
That the previous system of an election via email had been easier than by ballot.
That it was difficult to represent a whole year as
students on Drama and Theatre study schemes
felt separate from those on Film and TV. It was
noted that it was difficult to get feedback from
students that they didn’t know.