The Student Ambassadors: 2008 - 2009

Meet the SAN!

Student Ambassadors in their stylish T-shirts Here you'll find all the current Student Ambassadors employed by CILASS to promote IBL throughout the university.

If your department currently has no Student Ambassador, why not become one yourself?!

Have a look at the SAN of 2007-2008 to get an idea of what your department's ambassador was up to last year, and take a look at Why be an Ambassador? for more information.

All ambassadors can be contacted directly using the university's Find People.

Jump to your Ambassador:

	Natalie Whelan - Student Co-ordinator for the Student Ambassador Network As the Student Co-ordinator, I am responsible for organising and liaising between the Student Ambassador Network (SAN) and the Core Team. My work aims to help the Student Ambassador Network to embed IBL at the heart of the student learning experience. On a day-to-day basis I ensure that the Ambassadors efficiently facilitate their roles in their working groups and act as a point of communication, reference and support. I work alongside the Core Team by sitting on the CILASS Steering group, helping to organise events and giving student perspectives on their activities. I also represent CILASS at a national level, being involved in the CETL Student Network and attending and presenting at conferences at other institutions. I gained a lot from CILASS last year as the Student Ambassador for Geography, and am really excited to be working closer with the CILASS core team and all the Student Ambassadors on larger projects that I will be able to follow through from start to finish. Contact via UoS Find People
	Alison Bestwick – Archaeology In the Archaeology Department, the focus for IBL is mainly in second and third year modules. IBL activities range from small one-lecture projects, (such as students taking a module on Greece and Athens who used the CILASS Collaboratory in Bartolome house for one session to try and remodel the university based on Athenian democracy), to whole modules, (such as the 'Research Skills in Archaeology' module at Level 2, where students have to conduct their own archaeological study on the grave markers in Sheffield General Cemetery). Students have responded very positivly to these activities, especially since archaeology is a discipline based very much on inquiry to begin with. Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page
	Sarah Gold - Architecture I'm working with Susi Clark to raise awareness about IBL and how it can improve and shape future learning for Architecture students throughout their study. I am also involved with the Dissemination group of CILASS SAs and enjoy producing literature on activities that include IBL. Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page
	James Gould, Biblical Studies Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page Link: Last year's ambassador
	Ryan Jendoubi - East Asian Studies Thanks to the work of last year's SAN rep, SEAS has already begun to integrate IBL techniques into the core of its level 3 programmes. My aims for this year will be to assess IBL use outside of the Japanese Studies department, to encourage its use where it is beneficial to students, to encourage supportive, collaborative learning between students in different levels of study, and to raise students' awareness of introspection and awareness of the learning process. I think that this is one of the most important aspects of IBL, and that as much as departments may promote it, the final responsibility must be with students. Also, as part of the Technology group and Networked Learning Study group, I hope to learn about and spread best practices of use of technology in IBL, and imagine how new software could further streamline and enhance networked learning. Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page Link: Last year's ambassador
	Ben Parker - Economics Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page
	Post Available - Education Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page
	Ellis Marriott - English Language and Linguistics Many modules within the English Department that feature Inquiry Based Learning activities engage the students in a more unique and exciting way than the standard lecture/seminar format. For example, the 'Roots/Routes' module offers students the freedom to research their own particular areas of interest within weekly topics, discuss and debate ideas amongst themselves via webposting and then present their ideas in open group discussions. The ability to always be able to read what other people have been thinking leads to a greater variety of ideas and stimulates creativity. Students have responded very positively the freedom to pursue their individual lines of inquiry, and the nature of the open and friendly group discussions brings to light ideas that even the tutors may not have considered. Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page
	English Literature Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page
	Post Available - French Studies Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page Link: Last year's ambassador
	Lottie Needham - Germanic Studies Inquiry-Based Learning plays an integral role within Germanic Studies. Having just begun my second year I am looking forward to taking part in a project next semester on Multiculturalism in the Netherlands which allows us to collaborate with students studying at UCL using WebCT and video conferencing facilities. There is also a CILASS planned project for the year abroad which will consist of a hub of relevant information about the different options available to students within SOMLAL. I recently spoke in a first year study skills lecture, explaining the role of CILASS within the University and the advantages of IBL. Although they may not be realising it, Germanic Studies students are continuously engaging in IBL throughout the first year of their course. I am also part of the Evaluation group, where a big part of what we do is evaluate completed or near completed IBL modules through student led focus groups and a written report. Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page Link: Last year's ambassador
	Michaella Leahy - Geography Department As the Student Ambassador for Geography, I am currently working with a team of five staff within the department; together we are reviewing the use of IBL in the first year geography module 'Statistical Data Analysis in Geography' and throughout geography as a whole. The module, which is compulsory, proves to be difficult and uninteresting for many students and as such the team is trying to implement more IBL into the course through blogging and more practical work. The modules is now based around a common geography question or theme, either physical or human depending on degree choice, which will provide a focus for the data analysis with results that mean something, promoting IBL as the students begin to ask "what does this data show?" rather than "do I have the right numbers?". Further ideas for improvements to the module are also being discussed following reviews of how other departments around the country promote and use IBL. There are also plans being put in place to discuss with students how useful they thought the changes made were. Plans are also in place to run an IBL café day in the geography department, to give staff the opportunity to show and see the benefits of IBL in the morning and discuss its further use within the department in the afternoon. Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page Link: Last year's ambassador
	Tanya Murphy – Human Communication Sciences IBL has been a key feature within the Human Communication Sciences department for several years. Students are introduced to the importance of IBL right from the start of their degree. New first years take part in an Intro Week project before their first semester starts, where they are introduced to other new students within their department, meet some of the staff, and have the opportunity to work and chat with second and third year students. The aim of the week is for the students to create a poster about an aspect of speech and language, and use the time to find their way around the university before lectures start. When I started as a first year, we were the first set of students to experience the programme, and since then it has gone from strength to strength. As the student ambassador, I was able to be involved in the organisation of the Intro Week for 2008, and it was fantastic to see the positive effect that it had on the students. There is also potential for a follow-up session at some point this year, encouraging students from the different degrees to continue to work together. Within the SAN, I am part of the film group, and have had the opportunity of presenting workshop at a conference along with other student ambassadors. Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page Link: Last year's ambassador
	Rachael Forster - Hispanic Studies My name is Rachael and I am the Student Ambassador for the Hispanic department. CILASS is great to get involved with as it supports further development and innovation in IBL (Inquiry Based Learning). The Hispanic department boasts quite a large range of IBL based modules, the largest being the year abroad, which is an intrinsic part of all foreign language degrees. I am a member of the journal group and look forward to becoming more involved with it in the second semester. The journal is full of interesting first hand experiences by students that have experienced an IBL module and can be found online. I recommend a read! Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page Link: Last year's ambassador
	Georgina Lamble - History Hi, my name is Georgie and I am the new Student Ambassador for the History Department. I only joined CILASS at the beginning of this year but I have easily got involved in the vast range of opportunities that are available. One example is my membership in the evaluation group. We are responsible for conducting interviews, holding focus groups, and gaining feedback from students and students. I am also on the Staff-Student Conference Committee and we are holding an event on 26th March to 'Inquire, Engage, Challenge and Change' ideas surrounding Inquiry-based Learning. This is a really exciting project that I hope to encourage many people from my department to attend because in history we often use Inquiry-based learning through group work in seminars, extensive use of information technology and research projects from an essay to a dissertation, so this conference is a forum to talk openly about our learning. Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page Link: Last year's ambassador
	Nashrawan Tahat - Information Studies Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page
	Becca White - Journalism Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page
	Post available - Landscape Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page
	Sarah Phillips - Law When I first joined the CILASS team, I was astonished to discover the number of activities that involve IBL (Inquiry-Based Learning). Within the Law School, there are several modules which incorporate IBL into their structures (please see Barbara Webb's blog below for more information on these modules). More generally, IBL activities can range from individual research of particular areas of interest to the discussion and debate of ideas, open group discussions to interactive lectures, creative assignments to blogs and much more. I am a third year Law LLB student and have been a Student Ambassador since February 2008 though I am currently studying abroad. I am part of the Evaluation group which involves meeting with students to discuss IBL modules from their perspective, which provides an opportunity to reflect and improve upon modules for the benefit of future students. Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page Link: Last year's ambassador
	Barbara Webb - Law There are several CILASS programmes underway in the Law Department; Understanding Law I, Understanding Law II and EU Law. These all involve using CILASS principles to improve the effectiveness of student learning and have helped many students to become more independent in their studies. The Understanding Law I module familiarises students with the different sources of law, methods of researching into law (both electronic and paper-based), ways of analysing law (both doctrinal and non-doctrinal) and basic legal institutions. Following on from this Understanding Law II aims to familiarise students with the main institutional and procedural features of the English legal system, to stimulate an enquiring attitude towards the practice of law; to introduce and develop key concepts and to apply them to substantive features of the contemporary English legal system in order to develop a critical understanding of the system. Students are encouraged to work independently throughout both modules and are provided with a work book to guide them through ascertaining a range of legal study skills. In Internet Crime the internet and technology are use in a variety of ways to enhance student learning. Blogs are written by indivdual students and then a rating system is used on MOLE to gather student opinion with regard to these blogs. Students are also encouraged to research different areas and then post their findings on MOLE to broaden the scope of resources available to each student. Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page
	Neil Smith - Management School I have been exposed to IBL throughout my academic studies in Management, starting in the First Year with four IBL modules: Business Statistics; Quantitative and IT Skills; Operations Management; Information Systems Development. I am currently a second year student, with IBL modules ranging from Organisational Behaviour to Project Management. Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page
	Claire Taylor - Management School My name is Claire Taylor and I am one of the two representatives of the Management School within the CILASS Student Ambassador Network. I am a 3rd year Management Student and am due to graduate in June 2009. I am a part of the CILASS film group and spend lots of time going into different lectures filming and then hours editing to make films for different department. Last year we worked on the "Horribl History" film which can be found on You Tube on behalf of the History department. We are currently working on an Information Literacy film for Library Services which is due to be presented in a conference in April 2009. Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page
	Chloe - Music IBL plays a huge part in a music student's life (whether consciously or un-consciously!) in all areas of music from composing to performing. I work with music's Staff Ambassador, George Nicholson, to increase music students' awareness of IBL and set up activities to promote IBL in the department. On the cards for the future is the introduction of composition 'away-days' where students will have musicians on call all day to help them explore instrumental capabilities in composition. I am also a member of the Dissemination group within the SAN who work to publicise IBL throughout the university, designing posters and flyers and writing articles for newsletters such as the CrucIBL. Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page Link: Last year's ambassador
	Post Available – Philosophy (maybe Chris Cork) Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page Link: Last year's ambassador
	Gabriel Siles Brügge - Politics I am currently a PhD student in the Department looking at the European Union's external trade policy. IBL in its various forms and guises forms an intrinsic part of the Politics curriculum, not only and most obviously at the PG Research level, but also, importantly, at the MA and UG levels. The Department of Politics is particularly interested in seeing how its cohort of international students perceives IBL and this is part of a series of ongoing CILASS-funded projects in the Department. My other work as a member of the SAN includes a number of projects with the Evaluation Group (of which I am a member) and preparing a CILASS entry for the upcoming Learning and Teaching Conference in January at the University of Sheffield. Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page
	Kamal Bhana - Psychology There are a number of inquiry-based learning projects going on in the Psychology department. At level one, students are introduced to the debate of Psychology as a science. For this task, students are asked to work in small groups to find a Psychology-related newspaper article and the original scientific source using Web of Knowledge and e-journal websites. The aim is to raise awareness of the important differences between popular psychology as it is reported in the media and the psychology reported from more credible, scientific sources. New to level one this year, is the IBL activity of reflective writing. All first year students must participate in experiments and this year, they will have to write about the participants' role through their own experience. This will help them in their final year to consider other design issues when they conduct their own piece of research. During Level one and two there are statistic and research skills activities in which students have to analyse mock datasets as if they had really conducted the experiment. This is to prepare them for using statistics and research skills in their final year projects. The department also holds a Neuroscience poster conference where groups of students that have prepared a poster based on a journal article, present the findings to staff and other students. The main IBL activities in level three are the extended essay in which students must use their acquired research skills to formulate a question and write an essay on any topic that is psychology-related and the research project. The research project is worth 30 credits and is a practical Psychology experiment. Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page Link: Last year's ambassador
	Adam O’Leary - Russian and Slavonic Studies Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page Link: Last year's ambassador
	Su Arnall - Sociology In the Sociology department we have a number of IBL modules including the use of blogs in a first year social work module; peer-marked presentations on aspects of the sociology of ageing in the second year and fieldwork in a third year social research module. Working with my CILASS Champion Dave Phillips, I am also currently looking to organise a staff-student collaboration session in the department to discuss with staff and students how small changes to include IBL techniques in modules can have a huge impact on students' learning experiences throughout their degree. Looking to the future, as part of the curriculum review group in the department we are currently reviewing the current undergraduate curriculum and are in discussion as to how more IBL methods such as student-led seminars and an introductory module where students evaluate the research of members of staff can be included in the curriculum. Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page Link: Last year's ambassador
	Post available - Town and Regional Planning Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page
	Post available - The Institute of Lifelong Learning Contact via UoS Find People Link: Department project page