By Dr Mike Streule, Imperial StudentShapers Director, Education Office
This week sees the introduction of StudentShapers to the Imperial Community.
StudentShapers is a programme developed between Imperial College and Imperial College Union to support partnership between staff and students. The programme represents the Learning and Teaching strategy’s commitment to working closely with students during the strategy’s implementation and beyond. StudentShapers supports projects in educational development and educational research with the programme open to the entire Imperial College staff and student body.
Scheme framework
The scheme framework provides a structure and guidance for fostering effective co-creative partnerships between staff and students, with bursaries to support the student contribution. These partnerships can adopt either Curriculum Development and pedagogic enhancement and innovation (Theme 1) or Learning and Teaching Scholarship and Research (Theme 2). Within each theme there are various project streams (see image below).
Key benefits (amongst many others) for staff:
- Enhanced the relationship or trust between students and staff
- Development of new or better teaching or curriculum materials
- Increased understanding of the “other’s” experience (e.g. staff understanding student experiences or vice versa)
- Expanding a department’s capacity for educational development work
Key benefits (amongst many others) for students:
- Increased student engagement/motivation/ownership for learning
- Increased student confidence/self-efficacy
- Increased understanding of the “other’s” experience (e.g. students understanding staff experiences)
Project Funding Proposal Process
Applications submitted via the online form on the website specific to project type (guidance notes are given to help with submitting an application that will be approved); see deadlines on the website. Funding proposals for projects partnering with UG or PGT students are geared towards ‘full time’ projects taking place in the summer vacation. However long term projects with lesser levels of commitment with UG or PGT students plus projects for PGR students can be proposed throughout the year.
Web: www.imperial.ac.uk/studentshapers
Contact: studentshapers@imperial.ac.uk
Follow on Twitter: @studentshapers