Warwick’s ‘Fabulous’ staff

The top ten staff nominated for their helpful feedback on student work have been announced in the Fabulous Feedback awards at the University of Warwick.

The list features Sean Hand and Cathia Jenainati from the Humanities Department, David Walker and Ross Hatton from the Natural Sciences, Toby Mottram for Engineering, Mark Rodger for Computer Science and Chemistry, Robert Carter for Sociology, Ian Tuersley and Graham Knowles from the Warwick Management Group, and Jane Medwell from the Institute of Education.

Fabulous Feedback is a competition which was established by the Communications Office and the Students’ Union (SU) late last year.

“There are many examples of good practice in the feedback process across the University, but we want to ensure that such good practice is found right across our campus.” The University communications officer Peter Dunn said. The aim of the competition is to “help highlight and spread those examples of good practice [on feedback]”.

“I don’t do anything unusual as a teacher,” Sean Hand, professor of French Studies and one of the top ten nominated staff, commented.

“[Feedback] feels personal and makes a big difference…I think the main thing is to be practical and positive. So I note what’s been done, but then suggest something more that can take the piece further.”

The Fabulous Feedback competition invites students to nominate teaching staff for the helpfulness of the feedback they received on their work.

The top three nominated staff, evaluated by the proportion students commending their feedback in relation to their department’s student population, will each be given £1000 to fund their teaching.

Meanwhile, students who nominated each of the top three staff will be entered in a draw where three students will receive a £100 top-up on their Eating at Warwick card.

When asked about whether or not the competition may be commercialising education, Professor Sean Hand answered: “There are many pressures on academics, some of them commercial, but this isn’t one of them.

“This is about encouraging us all to keep strong feedback at the heart of our work, even though the promised article, the grant application, the new lectures for the following term, the conference organisation, and the three books to review are all overdue!”

First-year Shareen Kaur said: “I think it is necessary to commercialise education. Without financial initiatives, students will not be bothered to give their opinion.”