student feedback and leadership - Office for Learning and Teaching

Student Feedback & Leadership––The Project Reference Group played an active and invaluable role fromwhich feedback on the project was obtained on a regular basis as theproject progressed through action research cycles. Reference groupmembers were particularly helpful in identifying the sustainability andapplicability of reflection on, and outcomes from, the project acrossRMIT and the higher education sector. This included suggestions of howthe Dissemination process could be designed to reach a broad audience.The unique nature of the Reference group engagement in the projectwas demonstrated by the attendance of external members at a numberof Plenary sessions and the assistance provided by one member in theconceptualisation of the Evaluation process.––The involvement of students was particularly important in the ARTs wherefocus groups were used to expand on student feedback recorded in theCES. In addition the involvement of students in a Plenary session enabledthe viewpoint of students to be discussed across a vertical slice of theuniversity leadership.2.4.2 Project Management2.4.2.1 Role of the Manager and Project OfficerA key to the success of the project was effective project management.A Project Officer was employed (0.5) with the role of ensuring that strategicplanning and effective implementation of all aspects of the project took place.This also provided a single point of contact for queries from participantsinvolved in the project. Implementation was guided in principle by a phasedaction implementation plan which was supported by a yearly scheduledplan of meetings and project events.2.4.2.2 Stewardship of the ProjectStrategic planning of the project was the joint responsibility of the ProjectLeader DVC (Academic), the Project Manager ( Director of Learning & TeachingUnit) and the Project Officer.Regular meetings of the ART Facilitators in the first year of the project ensuredthat assistance for the ART Teams in identifying the broader pedagogicaland leadership issues was identified. The inclusion of ART Leaders in thesemeetings from the second half of the first year of the project improved thecommunication between ARTs.The multi-level aspect of the Project Team provided a unique integratingdiscussion space and became an integral part of the action researchapproach that underpinned the project.Page 26