student feedback and leadership - Office for Learning and Teaching

Part A: Developing a Distributed Leadership Model - Secton 3: Building Leadership Capacity
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the existence of the power and responsibility to take leadership
in improving student feedback at the appropriate level of the university
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student responsibility in developing leadership of their own learning
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the importance of providing adequate support (such as mentoring)
of new academics.
2. There is a need to have supportive systems and infrastructure
in which learning and teaching occurs. This was particularly illustrated
in the plenary feedback that identified obstacles to the effective use
of student feedback including university facilities and resources and staff
concern about the survey instrument. This confirmed the view emerging
from the ART analysis of data that, in addition to a multi-level leadership
approach to student feedback, there is need for multi-function leadership
engagement. It is only through such a leadership approach that shared
understanding and meaning can be developed. This led to recognition
that leadership in the use of student feedback needs to extend beyond
an exclusive focus on the relationship between the students and teacher,
to the interrelated roles of many participants across the university. This
was summarised by the DVC(A) in his concluding remarks at the Plenary
that:
the discussion reinforced the view that responding to student
feedback is to ensure that there is both a shared understanding
and congruent action across the university. It is not simply a teacher
responsibility but rather involves all sectors of the University at
multiple levels.
3. There is a need for leaders at all levels to demonstrate by the action they
take their commitment to implementing university policies and procedures
in relation to student feedback. A further issue that emerged from ART
activity was the need to ensure that leadership action is congruent with
intent if it is to develop shared understanding and meaning. This was
illustrated by the initial challenge faced by one of the ARTs in attempting
to encourage members to share student feedback about their individual
teaching practice at a time when the Head of School had announced that
there was the need to reduce the number of teaching staff in the School.
This experience suggests a particular challenge for Heads of School and
senior leaders of ensuring that using student feedback to improve learning
and teaching practice is separated from performance management
of staff.
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