Diane Collett is in charge of the Postgraduate Study Assistant Scheme . This is a system by which the SoG is attempting to support undergraduate students via its postgraduate community. As yet there is no documentation, but information will be put online in due course.
The following email address has been set up for undergraduate enquirees: geo-help@leeds.ac.uk
Victoria Robinson is co-ordinating the scheme with Diane. These notes were first drafted following a meeting with Victoria where I was briefed on the role of this scheme and its history having missed an original meeting with other volunteers from the postgraduate community.
This study scheme has been established as part of the SoG work on Widening Participation. The notion is to provide academic support by postgraduates for undergraduates. It is designed to provide a more relaxed atmosphere for students to gain support in situations where they may otherwise feel intimated to seek help.
Originally funded through widening participation funds acquired by Joseph Holden .
The original intension was to support students with special needs. Since inception the remit has broadened so that support is offered to all students.
Undergraduate students taking geography modules are made aware of the scheme (via email, posters, introductory lectures and by tutors).
Students currently email queries to the following address: geo-help@leeds.ac.uk .
Aim to generate an online FAQ resource. Perhaps best organised as a password protected wiki for editing which is openly available for viewing. The FAQ should be the first port of call for a student looking for help from the scheme. It is important to get the information and documentation online as soon as possible to save everyone involved from unnecessary duplication of effort.
An online form to collate details of queries is required.
Postgraduates students are to be paid demonstrating rates for the support that they give.
It is expected that given a query, by email, a postgraduate support person will arrange to spend up to 40 minutes in a face to face meeting with the student to diagnose the problem and provide general guidance. In a way, this will be like a tutorial.
Specific help should not be given for assessed work. Postgraduate support people need to take care not to become responsible for the content of any student work.
Specific help should not be given for assessed work.
Postgraduate support people are not obliged to deal with any particular query.
Andy to write up notes of meeting and distribute to Diane and Victoria. Andy to talk with line managers about what time to allocate to involvement in this scheme. Done!
Information about the scheme needs organising online. This needs to be set up. A meeting is scheduled 2006-02-24 at 11:15 in Diane's room. Mike Crabtree has been invited by email and asked for information about the availability of wiki software or other technology that we should contemplate using on the SoG Web Server. I have suggested we look to set up and use sakai
A useful first step would be to produce an online form to collate details of queries.