The establishment of a Student Experience Research Advisory (SERA) in the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia will inform planning, curriculum development processes, and activities. Our group has the following expected outcomes:
• Establishment of an on-going, embedded, sustainable, funded Student Experience Research Advisory (SERA) at the Sauder School of Business.
SERA will be led by students, with a mandate to inform student-related processes & decisions at the School.
• Enhanced student experience as a whole for all Sauder students.
Student development officers will be key stakeholders of SERA – as will representatives of both elected student bodies. Data collected through research processes will directly inform planning and development processes in both the Graduate and Undergraduate Program offices, and the Learning Commons. The data may be used by the Business Career Centre and the Library.
• Enhanced learning spaces for all students at the School.
Data collected through SERA will directly inform current design, development and planning for the new building, up-coming building renovations and the development of the new Canaccord Learning Commons.
• Enhanced selection and availability of learning technologies for all students at the School.
Data collected through SERA will directly inform decision-making processes to select web 2.0 tools, future LMS features and classroom technologies.
• Enhanced teaching practice among faculty at the School.
Sauder senior faculty have specifically requested a forum for on-going consultation with students (outside of class and student society structures) to discover what’s working well in their teaching practice and how they can increase student engagement in class.
• Enhanced learning services for all students at the School.
Data collected will inform program planning of curricular and co-curricular activities at the School, to ensure program goals and student needs are met through appropriate services (such as the Learning Commons, MBA Career Development Program or Business Career Centre).
• Enriched existing relationships between students, staff and faculty at the School.
Collecting and sharing data about student needs and responses will enhance communication and reduce misunderstanding among these groups.
• Enhanced research understanding and capabilities among SERA members and research participants.
• New opportunities for marginal or low achieving students to engage with their education, which can enhance their academic success (as identified by the National Student Survey on Engagement).
