Engaging students: Revisiting the use of student writing for subject newsletters David Simm, Nigel Chaffey and Rebecca Schaaf School of Science, Society and Management, Bath Spa University Over time these newsletters have evolved into vehicles for showcasing student work and extra-curricular activities, which has not only enhanced the promotional value of the resource but also led to greater interest and engagement by students. The publication frequency means that the newsletters are not used as immediate up-to-the-minute news sources, but a record of activities. Although having similar objectives, the newsletters have adopted contrasting styles. Leaves and Leather (L&L) has adopted a more news-based format, whilst Development Matters! (DM!) has tended towards more articles of topical issues or placement opportunities. In addition to the regular course information, each newsletter has different content tailored to its vision and market (Table 1). Newsletters are produced twice-yearly by staff editors, and contributions are sought from staff, alumni and current students. All items are intended to be short and readable. Some are based on templates (e.g. staff and alumni profiles), but others have a ‘free-text’, discursive format. Copies are circulated at recruitment days, in course fliers to applicants, and also posted online on the course’s website (www.ssmbathspa.com/our - courses). METHODOLOGY This study appraises the range of strategies that have evolved and evaluates the motivations and experiences of student contributors and readership. Two questionnaires were devised, the first targeting the readership, circulated to current students to canvas their awareness and thoughts about their subject’s newsletter. Secondly, a questionnaire was designed for students and alumni who had contributed to the newsletters to convey their motivations and experiences of writing and submitting material to the newsletters. INTRODUCTION Competing pressures on student time and changing learning styles have resulted in shifts in how students engage with their subject. More traditional forms of student engagement, for instance attending extra-curricular activities such as research seminars or optional field days, tend to show a decline in participation, whilst other extra- curricular opportunities, particularly those that offer employability skills, CV-enhancement or paid work (e.g. assisting at University Open Days or the RGS Student Ambassador Scheme) are proving popular. Finding new ways of further engaging and enthusing students with their subject is important. This poster revisits the use of traditional department or subject newsletters as a vehicle for encouraging students to further engage with their subject. SUBJECT NEWSLETTERS Bath Spa University offers a Specialised Award in BSc (Hons) Environmental Science and a Foundation Degree in Development Geography, which recruit on average 25 and 12 students respectively. Since 2006, the department has published in-house newsletters, Leaves and Leather (for Environmental Science) and Development Matters! (for Development Geography). Originally conceived for promotional and marketing purposes, the rationales for these newsletters are primarily to: (i) market the course to prospective applicants; (ii) act as a means of communication to inform applicants in the system; (iii) provide topical information to current students about opportunities and activities, such as modules, fieldwork or research seminars; and, (iv) maintain links with alumni. STUDENT EXPERIENCES Feedback from student contributors: o “[It] was nice to feel that I was sharing some of the many positives gained through my degree.” o “Opportunity to think about my [career] position at the time was useful.” o “It was nice to be asked and to feel I had done something worth sharing.” o “It shows employers that you do other things while you at university … other than churn out essays!” o “It was great fun to write, something to add to my CV and was nice to see it in print, especially when fellow classmates noticed.” o “A nice opportunity to write about a science subject in a non-scientific way.” Feedback from student readers: o “It’s interesting to hear [sic] what others have been up to … gave me an opportunity to be nosey and read a couple of other people’s essays!” o “Would like to see reports on UK developments maybe [or] job opportunities.” o “The volunteering stories are good because they provide inspiration of opportunities available.” o “It has given me ideas as to what else I can do with my degree.” BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES Positive aspects:  Generates sense of pride and achievement  Skills provision, e.g. writing for publication, student editors  Exemplars of standards, e.g. student writing  Enhances student CVs  Generates identity and increased sense of ownership of their course  Stimulates a culture of participation  Celebration of student, alumni and staff achievements, e.g. awards  Showcases opportunities within the department, e.g. fieldwork, placements  Dissemination of experiences, e.g. placements or travel  Offers advice and guidance, e.g. mapping career pathways  Raises aspirations and providing inspiration, e.g. placements  Generates a dynamic buzz for the subject Negative aspects:  Student authors tend to be self-selecting  Invited contributions may cause misperceptions of ‘favouritism’  Co-ordination and editing can be a staff-intensive process  Patchy continuity of student sub-editors  Some students unaware of their newsletter’s existence CONCLUSIONS This poster provides examples of good practice of ways to re-vitalise an often old, staid formula for marketing and recruitment objectives, whilst facilitating a culture of engagement with and participation in a subject. Recommendations:  Consider the function and target readership  Be inclusive - circulate invitations to contribute to the entire cohort  Consider linking assessment to publication outcomes  Always seek permission of authors and your institution to publish  Dissemination of students’ achievements is a positive message EXAMPLES OF GOOD PRACTICE Example 1. Linking with opportunities The Overseas Development Experience module at Year 2 involves students undertaking a work placement and semi-supervised academic project in a developing country for one month. Students return often enthused about their travels and experiences, so they are invited to write articles. These offer a way for students to articulate their personal experiences, for instance sharing observations of inequalities and injustices of poverty or disability. Other students then become motivated to contribute articles. It also inspires the next cohort, providing positive examples and reassurance of attainable goals for a challenging module. Example 2. Integrating with curriculum A recent issue was devoted to student writing on the topic of new media and technologies in the developing world. As part of a Year 1 Development and Sustainability module, the best and most interesting submissions for a coursework assignment were published in abridged form, with permission from the student authors, in a Special Issue. This has proven both popular and effective, with contributors expressing pride in their work being more widely disseminated, creating an incentive to raise standards, acting as an exemplar of standards, and providing first-hand experience of the writing and editing process. Example 3. Linking with alumni This regular section follows a template structure of questions such as: o Who are you, and when did you graduate? o What have you done since graduation? o What does your current job involve? o What is a typical day in your job? o What’s the best/least favourite parts of your job? o How did your course help to prepare you for employment? o What’s the best memory of your course? o What tips do you have for current students? This section is designed to map the career path, and link the development and progression of the alumnus from their undergraduate studies to their current career. Example of Environmental Science subject newsletter at Bath Spa University News item Content Contributor Development Matters (DM!) Leaves and Leather (L&L) Staff Student Alumnus Course info and news • • • Staff profile • • Student prizes/ Graduation • • EcoCampus news • • • Publication news • • • Alumni news and profiles • • • • Fieldwork and research • • • Talks advert or report • • • Overseas placement • • Work placement • • Coursework samples • • Table 1. Comparison of contents of the newsletters