Hello from Amber
Hi everyone,
Over the past few weeks, we have been extremely busy with our respective projects to the extent that we havenât had the chance to update our blog. So over the course of the next few days, each member of the Mission Employable team will be giving you a short update on what theyâve been up to.
So what have I been up to? Given that we are fast approaching the end of our 12-week internship, James and I have spent the vast majority of our time working on the employability module so that itâs ready for the start of the academic year.
One of the tasks James and I have enjoyed most about developing the module has been selecting, sourcing and even designing resources for the Blackboard module, as it has given us the opportunity to implement Eleanorâs initial proposals, several of the customisation options brought up during our meetings with the employability tutors as well as our own ideas.
In order to ensure that the module is of the highest quality possible, we have also been having regular meetings with Career Destinations to discuss our module progress and receive valuable feedback on our developments to date.
Given that the Blackboard site is nearing completion, we are now coming to the review stage of our project. Initially we were slightly unsure as to how we would review the module and ask for feedback, but then we came across the Centre for Innovation in Technologies and Educationâs (CITE) awards categories. For those of you who donât know, every year CITE encourages students to identify the most memorable and appealing courses by nominating them for the award. Students are then asked to write a nomination based on the below categories.
- Where? First and foremost: how easy is it to find your way around? Most of the courses nominated were praised for having an organised structure and clear labelling.
- What? Students have confidence in courses they know provide access to all lecture materials and supporting information.
- When? It is easier to engage with a course that feels current and active, with students citing timely access to resources as well as the use of regular announcements.
- Why? Giving a context for the content can help students understand its relevance.
- Where next? Students value additional links and resources that support further study and revision
Although these categories were not 100% applicable to our Blackboard module at this stage, I decided to adapt them slightly so that we could email the employability tutors and fellow students asking them to provide feedback on the module using a structured framework. Hopefully if all of the employability tutors and a few fellow students get back to us in the next couple of days, we will be able to implement a few last-minute changes before the Blackboard site goes live at the start of the academic year.
In addition to the module, I have also been working on the launch of the VIP Alumni scheme. As I mentioned in my last post, I was planning a visit to the Office of Development & Alumni Relations to find out more about what they do. Before visiting ODAR, I wasnât fully aware of what they actually did and how their work related to the wider University; however it was fascinating to finally learn more about their role at the University and how they maintain communication and foster relations with alumni through social media, reunions and networking events long after alumni have graduated from the University. Not only does the ODAR team keep in regular contact with alumni, they also organise volunteering events for alumni who are interested in playing a much more active role in University. ODAR also regularly receives donations of varying amounts from alumni who are interested in improving the University experience for the better. ODAR is then charged with managing and allocating the donations appropriately to a whole range of different projects. I thought it was lovely the way in which ODAR maintains an ongoing relationship with alumni who have donated money to the university irrespective of the amount and regularly informs them of how their donation has had a worthwhile impact on the University. Similarly, ODAR doesnât just value alumni who offer monetary donations, they are also extremely grateful to alumni who voluntarily dedicate their time to the University. In short, I really enjoyed my visit to ODAR and would definitely recommend anyone who isnât already familiar with what they do to find out more!
I think thatâs all from me for now! As my internship draws to a close, I am currently trying to tie up all the loose ends that remain in the hope that the module will be ready in time for the start of the academic year.