Strand Three
Module Assistant Scheme
This is a scheme whereby students help leaders of the largest modules in the Business School with the administration of their modules. In 09-10, ASKe has employed 20 module assistants.
This popular scheme has helped ease the administrative burden for academic staff as well as helping students and staff forge stronger relationships through working together closely. Those module leaders who have had a module assistant have been very keen to have a module assistant again in following years, and have also recommended the scheme to their colleagues. Likewise, students have been keen to continue their roles in subsequent years.
Meet a module leader who uses one of our module assistants:
Paul was a senior lecturer at the Business School and worked with ASKe’s Module Assistants between 2008-10.
Name: Paul Reynier
Job Title: Senior Lecturer in Accounting, Governance and Information Management Dept
Why did you become involved with the Module Assistant scheme?
Because my module has 460 students on it.
What duties do you give to your module assistant and how often do you see them?
One person has helped drawing up the class list from PIP for the 8 seminar leaders.
Another assistant helps each week in the seminars, collecting in the coursework and doing the marking of half the students after appropriate training. He has offered to help setting up the computer-based in-class end of semester tests.
What benefits does this scheme have for you and your module assistant?
Couldn’t run the module without them!
Would you like to see this initiative rolled out more extensively at the Business School and in the wider University?
Yes, It provides an invaluable help to the module leaders AND gives the student an opportunity to see what it is like being a teacher/trainer.
The benefit to the student who switches to this role is invaluable in their future career as a manager.
What is your overall opinion of this scheme?
Excellent, AND it helps to pay their bills!
Meet a module assistant:
Ishbel was a fourth year Business Management student working for ASKe as a Module Assistant in 2009/10.
Tell us about yourself – what are your hobbies and what projects are you involved with in or outside the University?
I am a fourth year student studying Business and Management having returned from a placement year. At University I am Module Assistant and a Student Rep and these have both been fantastic experiences. Outside of University, I try to make the most of my last year at University by spending my spare time catching up with friends, going out, shopping as well as going running.
What attracted you to become a Module Assistant and how has it benefitted you?
I choose to become a Module Assistant for the opportunity to gain further work experience to enhance my CV and to earn some extra money with a job with limited hours so that it did not interfere with my university work. Being a module assistant has benefitted me as I have been able to forge relationships with several members of the staff which has made me feel more part of the University community. I have also gained an insight into what is involved in running a module.
What is it like being a Module Assistant and what kind of duties do you typically do? Would you recommend this scheme to other students?
The tasks I carry out for my role are to complete weekly attendance sheets monitoring in particular any low attendance from students, sorting out handouts for the seminar classes, helping organise any last minute class room changes as well as any other ad hoc activities the module leader asks me to help with. I would definitely recommend this scheme to other students as the work is very flexible so I can, on the whole, fit it around my workload and it is a great opportunity to network with other members of staff which can be hard when you are part of a very large course like Business Management.
