The Guild of Students hosted the Big Conversation recently, looking to further understand the future of Higher Education. Students were invited to stretch their minds and offer their inspirational views on the future of the University of Birmingham.
What did our students have to say?
- Who knows how to teach better, the university or you?
- Mix – university experience isn’t all academic. Professors are experts in their fields.
- The Professors know how to teach, but only the students know how to learn
- There should be more activities in which students are left to their own devices to learn from experience.
- Depends on the individual, people learn from a diverse array of methods.
- What does Digital Education mean to you?
- Cohesive and accessible online learning platforms.
- Everything online eg. Submission, feedback, GRSZ and all of the forms.
- Everything is easier to organise.
- Should a library house physical resources, or should it just be a study space?
- There will always be some students who prefer physical resources.
- However, every student should have online access to resources.
- iPad for each student to read on?
- Physical resources work well for some people more than others.
- Should you learn how to pay your taxes in a university module?
- 100%
- Yes – if not before. University should prepare you for life.
- Does this need to be a module though?
- Should it be made compulsory?
- We should teach all financial awareness skills.
- We should run extra workshops in the Guild!
- Modules on how to setup your own business is important.
- Should not be part of course but information should be available to all students.
- You should learn in schools, pre-university (not all individuals attend university).
- Do you think there is value in lecture theatres if all lectures could be put online?
- Yes – for community and being in physical contact with people is good for mental wellbeing and development.
- Ye – I don’t think it should all be online.
- What do you expect from your course? Do you think you’d expect that in 10 years’ time?
- Sixth form is a good model.
- I disagree – we’re not creating knowledge at sixth form.
- Needs to be family-like.
- Opportunity for ideas and work across disciplines.
- Genuine experience in academic research.
- Students do not use email.
- Communications space on Canvas.
- I’m worried that no one will want to learn a language.
- Sixth form is a good model.
- How does (can) University prepare you for the ‘real’ world?
- Being ‘in charge’ of own time.
- Real life skills, eg. Mortgage, finances, credit and stuff that is grown up and scary.
- Time management, living independently.
- Careers Network: Working out what you want to do when you finish.
- Making the most out of extra-curricular activities to find out more about what you want to do when you finish university (and to be given the time to do so!)
- Open you up to controversial & different ideas.
- Make you face challenges.
- Responsible for yourself.
- Having the opportunity to get involved in a number of different activities.
- Writing Wall (for everyone’s ideas)
- Do we use blunt feedback mechanisms?
- There should be feedback based on face-to-face interactions with students
- Small Groups Representative Samples
- Asking more free text.
- Do we rely on figures too much?
- What is the worth of processes?
- Do we satisfy students or do we teach them?
- Learning is difficult!
- Learning cannot be defined by testing.
- Concerned that technology will affect the quality of education or we will be far too reliant on it.
- I don’t want to restrict free speech!
- (In regards to the Game of Thrones Module: ‘Our Modern Medieval: The Song of Ice and Fire as contemporary Medievalism’ at the University of British Columbia) What do you want to learn about? What do you want to study?
- There should be feedback based on face-to-face interactions with students
- Do we use blunt feedback mechanisms?
- Should there be a module on Kanye West? Of course.