Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
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.