Please find below the next set of scheduled dates and themes for the Moving Forward Mini CoPs.  We do hope you will be able to attend.

A third round of Mini CoP meetings has now been completed (excluding Preparation and Induction).  Please see below for a brief overview of the meetings:

• Preparation and Induction 05/10/09 (3^rd Meeting)

Content:  Sonya Campbell gave an overview presentation on the New2GCU Induction 2009

Suggestions for next meetings:  What would you like to see in an Enhanced Summer School?

•  Learning, Teaching, Assessment and Feedback 21/10/09

Content:  Stephanie McKendry and Victoria Boyd gave a presentation on some current action research being undertaken on ‘Defining an Independent Learner.

Action Plan:  Attendees to ask Departments what they mean by the ‘independent learner’.  This can be fed into the MF Blackboard for discussion, also to note any innovative independent learning examples of practice.  Julie will set up discussion board on BB and circulate to the group.

•  Peer Support and Mentoring 26/10/09

Content:  Breda Moran, Gordon Watt, Laura Hill and Kirsty Boyd, gave a presentation of the PASS system – Peer Assisted Study Support

Suggestions/Actions:  None

•  Liaison with Schools and Colleges 28/10/09

Content:  Shahid Nawaz from CBS provided an overview of his experiences of Articulation in CBS.

Suggestions/Actions:  Module choices in FE could help articulation.  Modules could be offered at GCU and FE students could opt into them.  What do colleges need to do?  How do students find out about Articulation?  Maths could be promoted more in Summer School.  More research is required on the retention rates at directly entry level. 

•  Student Empowerment and Marketing and Communications (02/11/09)

Content: Group discussion around previous action points – What do students think is the most important information they receive from GCU?

• What are we doing which is really effective and worthwhile?
• Is it possible to target information?
• Evaluation of Communication tools
• Students influence on other students coming into University
• How can we encourage students to become more engaged with the University (class reps, etc)?

Suggestions/Action points:  Youthwire could be explored/utilised further within GCU as a means of communication.  Communication with all/appropriate staff remains problematic.  An alternative/better replacement to the GCU all email is required.  This also applies to communication with staff in relation to recruitment of class reps and so on.  There were not enough GCU Diaries to meet student demand this year.