ENroute Yearbook 2018-19
Sharing Good Practice : Influencing a Feedback Strategy Paul Barron , The Business School , Senior Fellow
I have always enjoyed my experiences as external examiner – I have found the process to be very rewarding as it not only allows me to use my experience to make a difference , but also gives me the opportunity to see how other organisations operate . I have been lucky enough to undertake this role at a number of institutions in the UK and overseas .
Recently , I have been external examiner for the University of Huddersfield ’ s BA ( Hons ) Hospitality Management that is delivered at The Institute of Hotel Management in Aurangabad ( IHM-A ), India . Starting in 2017 , I have now made two visits to the IHM-A campus and , in addition to the normal external examiner duties , such as checking and moderating student work , I have also met with both staff and students as a means of more fully understanding the operation of the programme . These meetings allowed me to consider the introduction of a number of initiatives that might improve both staff and student satisfaction . Discussions during my first visit alerted me to problems associated with assessment feedback and I recommended the introduction of a holistic student feedback strategy . Supported by IHM-A senior colleagues and via a training and development session for staff , it was agreed to trial a uniform approach that coordinated online , group and individual feedback sessions for two modules on the programme . This was introduced in session 2017 / 18 , and my second visit ( July 2018 ) allowed me to evaluate the effectiveness of this initiative through consultation with students and staff . Students highlighted the positive impact this has had on their learning experience , while academic staff explained that the combination of a common approach to feedback and the mix of online , group and individual feedback opportunities provided the standard to be adopted , had ultimately made their job easier and ultimately increased student satisfaction . We agreed that this system be adopted across all modules for session 2018 / 19 and , whilst I have had regular updates from senior staff in the Institute , I look forward to learning about the impact this initiative has had on lecturers and students .
This experience has confirmed the positive role that an external examiner can have on an organisation and also reminded me that the challenge of providing effective student feedback seems to be an international issue .
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