Importance of Theme “Running a course smoothly”
The theme “running a course smoothly” is important as it ensures that students understand the general logistics of the module or the course. Running a course smoothly improves student satisfaction and encourages students to make the most of their time at university.
Patricia Xavier talks to SALT about the importance of ensuring a course runs smoothly, sharing her personal experiences as guidance.
Dr Phil Race, Addressing Student Satisfaction – adopted from material published in Making Teaching Work by Phil Race and Ruth Pickford, London: Sage, 2007).
How to ensure that the course is well organised and runs smoothly ?
- Make your bits of the course well organised. This is at least partly about giving the impression that you are well organised yourself – for example being punctual at lectures, tutorials and other teaching-learning sessions, and always knowing where you left off at a previous session, and so on.
- Make your good organisation visible. For example, use handouts and bulletin boards to document your efforts to keep the course running smoothly.
The theme is also significant in relation to the National Student Survey and the Higher Education Academy Fellowship.
National Student Survey
The theme has been taken from the National Student Survey question “the course is well organised and running smoothly” under the category Organisation and Management.
In the recent 2014 NSS results 73% of students at Swansea University agreed that “the course is well organised and running smoothly”.
Higher Education Academy
The theme is also important in regards to the United Kingdom Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF) as “running a course smoothly” contributes to Areas of Activity A1, design and plan activities and/or programmes of study, and Core Knowledge K6, the implications of quality assurance and quality enhancement for academic and professional practice with a particular focus on teaching.
For more information on the UKPSF follow the link https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/professional-recognition/uk-professional-standards-framework-ukpsf
