TUN feedback - Geography and Earth Sciences

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_{Please note: comments and responses may have been edited. Information was correct at time of response but may have been superseded. We publish the comments in the language in which they have been submitted and the University's responses bilingually.}

 23/24 Semester 2

• REF: 66-2404-4895329 - Improvements to GS11320

  Your comment: GS11320: Individual courses would benefit from a separation in the content each day of the field trip. I understand that the Environmental aspect of the trip covers both Environmental Science and Environmental Earth science. But much of the content doesn't transfer both ways and there was a large amount of disinterest to aspects which don't apply to their respective course.

  Our response:

  Thank you for your feedback on the Year 1 Environmental Earth Science and Environmental Science fieldwork. This is the first year we have run a combined residential field trip following several years of adapted activities through the pandemic. The teaching team have already reflected on the content following the trip and are planning to adjust the programme for next year to include more specific themes for each degree scheme. Whilst some themes are appropriate for both courses and these will continue to be integrated, future trips will include different themes taught at a common location, or the group will be divided for some activities.

 21/22 Semester 2

• REF:66-2203-3296830 - Assessments instead of exams

  Your comment: I am commenting on the in-person exams that are going ahead next academic year. As a second year student i and others have not received proper in person teaching at my time at university which means we are not used to the in person exam style assessments that we have not experienced in 5 years. It wouldn’t be fair to throw the students into the deep end of assessments style especially in the most important year of university. We are not familiar with the layouts and have had no practice of this style of exams. I hope you take this comment into consideration as many others feel the same way.

  Our response:

  Thank you for your comment. DGES has made use of AILOEs during the last two years in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. We continually reflect on module content and assessment. In some cases there is a shift towards AILOE type assessment, towards more coursework oriented assessment in the longer term. We do already incorporate a significant amount and diversity of coursework assessment in our module provision and this move extends that. However, for some modules it is appropriate to reintroduce examination type assessments. Where that is done, students will be supported with preparation for this type of assessment and provided with samples so that they can familiarise themselves with format. We appreciate that the prior experience of students is different due to the adaptations both school and university have made during the pandemic. I welcome your feedback and would like to assure you that we are sensitive to the need to adapt our support and preparation to respond to the different needs and circumstances.

  Thank you again for your comments, these issues are being considered within our preparations for next academic year.

• REF:66-2203-7230409 - Thanks to PhD supervisor

  Your comment: I wanted to take the opportunity to give some positive feedback on my PhD supervisor Prof. Mark Whitehead: I only began my PhD study two months ago, in January, and yet I have to say that Mark has been extremely supportive, informative and really welcoming which has been thoroughly reassuring for me, especially in view of the fact this is my first times studying at AU. From my initial conversation with Mark back in November last year on initially considering doing a PhD with AU, he has been extremely helpful and prompt in terms of getting back to me with info./ responding to email queries. I'm doing this first semester, at least, remotely and I don't for a minute feel any less connected as an AU student - on the contrary - Mark has really helped me feel part of the AU culture, in spite of the fact that I'm doing online learning for the time being (which I opted to do). His own expertise within research is very evident and despite this he is very willing to allow myself as a PhD student to "take the lead" in terms of organising myself, whilst feeding in his own valuable insight and experience with regards to timing, pace and organisation of research etc. I'm very grateful indeed to have been assigned to such a discerning supervisor, and really wanted to give some feedback to convey this.

  Our response:

  Thank you so much for taking the time to submit your very positive comments about your experience so far as a member of our DGES postgraduate community. I am delighted to hear how much you feel at home in the department despite studying remotely at present. I will share your comments with Mark, I am sure they will be very much appreciated. I am certainly very proud to work with colleagues who are dedicated to sharing their research expertise and supporting students, wherever they may be based. I hope that we will in due course be able to meet in person in DGES, but I am very glad to know that you feel connected to us.

  I would like to wish you all the very best with your research project. Please do keep in touch with us, we'll be here to help in any way we can over the course of your studies.

   

Semester 1 21/22