Thanks to the Bath Insights Internship Scheme, I had the opportunity to spend two months this summer working within the Centre for Learning and Teaching (CLT), specifically in the Curriculum and Academic Development team focusing on assessment and feedback.
Before starting the internship, despite having completed two years of study at the university, I wasn’t very familiar with the CLT. As students we rarely notice the significant amount of work that happens behind the scenes to support learning, teaching and assessment across the University and we often experience the end result without realising how many people, ideas and processes contribute to shaping that experience.
One of the main projects I worked on focused on actionable feedback. This involved collecting data from students, facilitating a focus group and analysing the findings to better understand students' experiences of assessment and feedback. I then produced a report that I hope will contribute to the ongoing work to enhance assessment practices across the University. It was particularly interesting to occupy the space between the roles of a current student and someone who had gained insight into the University's work on assessment and feedback. While my own experiences as a student helped me relate to and understand the perspectives being shared, my role as an intern encouraged me to step back and think more critically about the wider systems that affect student experiences. Balancing these perspectives gave me a unique insight into how student voices can inform change, and it was rewarding to see how those perspectives could directly contribute to conversations about teaching and learning.
I also contributed to student-facing communications for the Inclusive Education Procedure. The challenge was to communicate the new procedure in a way that was welcoming and encouraging for students whilst also including all the crucial information. This experience gave me valuable insight into the importance of accessible communication and the care required to ensure policies are both understandable and supportive. It also highlighted how thoughtful communication can shape students' experiences and encourage them to engage confidently with the support available to them.
Across all these projects, one theme stood out to me: the importance of student voice. Throughout the internship I saw how much value colleagues place on listening to students and using those insights to inform enhancement work. At the same time, I developed a much greater appreciation of the practical considerations involved in implementing change.
Looking back, this internship has completely changed my understanding of what happens behind the scenes at the University. It has given me a newfound appreciation for the people who work so hard to support learning and teaching. I am incredibly grateful to everyone in the CLT for welcoming me into the team, trusting me with meaningful projects and giving me the opportunity to contribute to work that has the potential to make a real difference to students' experiences.
