Each year in February, students put themselves forward to run for a full-time, paid position as a Student Leader. They campaign for votes and every Essex student will have an equal chance to 'vote like a student' and choose who they want to be elected into each of the 6 roles. This is the SU Leadership Election.

Manifesto

Candidate for the position of UG Education Representative - Social sciences

TRISTAN JOCHHEIM

It is time we get a Bang for our Buck!

We pay 9k a year and get educated for not even half of it!

I believe there are three key areas that need major improvemnts. The summer term, the module structure, and the assignments - especially the feedback of essays.

For those that have no time to read a whole manifesto here is a very quick summary:

1. Improve the summer term that we pay 3k for and do not get anything out of!

2. Change module structure to be more interactive and enjoyable.

3. Change Essay feedback to a form the marker has to fill out to provide more in depth feedback for students.

Every year we are paying 9k for education, a year has 52 weeks out of those we only get taught for 20. I am aware that the summer term is meant for exams and revision but many of the modules in the social science do not even have any final exams so for many students the summer term is an absoloute waste, a waste we have to pay 3000 pounds for. I believe that it is in the best interest of both students and lecturers to improve the summer term and have it be a more meaningful time at the uni. This could include extending the modules of the spring term into the summer term to either extend the number of topics or teach each topic more in depth. Other possibilities include extra curricular work such as workshops, seminars etc. that could be aimed towards education and career development.

The structure of many modules also needs improvement, some modules only have lectures, others have a seminar and a lecture on a seperate days, some on the same day in a long 2 hour sitting, which is basically a long lecture. I believe every module should have one lecture and one seminar (maybe voluntary) a week both being on seperate days. This would prevent long two hour lectures that are often given in which most students fail to keep up their attention for most of the second half and it would give the possibility to study on a more personal level in smaller groups where we could do discussions, debates and other interactive forms of learning. On top of that pre-recorded lectures have to go! There is no reason for any module to have a pre recorded lecture from two years ago when COVID restrictions are completly lifted.

The feedback of assignments and especially essays leaves much to be desired. Short general feedback that consists of three or four sentences and points to some general problems that could be applied to any essay has to go! Instead, besides the written sentences, markers should fill out a feedback sheet, like it is already done in other departments, to give more in depth and topic specific feedback that helps student to improve for the next assignment. Another measure that could be taken to improve the feedback is the mandatory use of the comment fuction in word so students can see exactly where in the essay they made mistakes or did things exceptionally well.

These are the three main issues I will advocate for in the student parliament. I know that many feel like me, thinking that the education we get and the money we pay is not propotionate and I want to change this!