Reflections from our TEL Student Ambassador - Frankie
My first lecture was overcrowded with students on a motivational high, excited to learn and sharpen their academic weapons. I couldn’t keep up with the teaching. The student sat in front of me turned around at the end of it and joked “Did you guys catch any of that?” This was a different beast from secondary school. With over 200 students, your confusion becomes homogenised, and engaging with the lecturer had become a form of public speaking none of us were accustomed to.
Photo of Frankie
As the weeks went on, the lecture hall became emptier and emptier, more people began joining on Zoom (or MS Teams today). Students began braving the audience to say, “The people online can’t see” or “can’t hear you.” Technical disruptions could eat 20 minutes away from our lectures, leaving students scrolling their attention span into oblivion. Our motivation dwindled with each complication.
Working as a TEL Student Ambassador
That’s why when I saw the posting to become a TELT student ambassador, specifically to work on induction materials for new staff, I jumped at the opportunity to apply. Students and Lecturers alike want to engage with and provide a meaningful educational experience. If we could minimise these Mixed Mode Education (MME) learning curves, we could utilise the positive impact of these technologies. For instance, Dr. Sonia Wilkies at QMUL found that H5P integration enhanced student engagement and improved success.
Through this role, I learned several invaluable skills. For instance, we were tasked with creating videos that highlighted our student experience with QM’s core technologies. At each meeting we had to present our videos, receive feedback, and apply it. This activity shifted my mindset to welcome feedback rather than fear it. Not only this but honed my ability to condense and present information clearly. From the videos my fellow student ambassador and I made, we created an H5P handbook. Since technology inductions at QM are not centralised, I reached out to digital learning advisors across HSS, S&E, and Barts to share all our materials. Therefore, another skill I learned was how to coordinate teamwork within such a large department.
The best bits
Something I really enjoyed was our weekly meetings. My line managers John and Alysa were incredibly supportive and created a space where my fellow student ambassador and I felt valued. This made the environment feel very collaborative and motivated me to perform at a high standard. Another aspect of this role I enjoyed was interviewing my peers and other students about their experiences with QM technologies. It expanded my perspective and further reinforced how important our work was in bridging the communication gap between students and educators.
My advice to future TEL Student Ambassadors
For future TELT student ambassadors, I would suggest utilising this amazing team for developing your communication and collaboration skills. You’ll throw a lot of ideas out there, some will be rejected, and some will inspire your team members. Welcome redirections and additional ideas. As for staff, TELT is committed to demystifying technology. It can be an invaluable teaching tool that has helped many students like myself succeed. The TEL team is made up of incredibly passionate individuals who really want you to take advantage of the teaching and support they provide.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my time working within TELT and would highly recommend joining for any student considering this role. Your voice matters. Your voice can make a difference.
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