4. a) Student ambassador for learning and teaching (SALTs): The student perspective (Discovery Room 1)

Student Ambassadors for Learning and Teaching (SALTs): The student perspective

Amber Mayo, SALT (Nursing and Midwifery)

What is this about?

This session will focus on real student experiences of skills development and acquisition outside of the academic programme. As a student led project, the SALT scheme gives students the opportunity to work with other students from across their faculty. Encouraging creativeness, multi-disciplinary learning, project management and team work; the SALT initiative gives students the chance to apply the skills they have gained through their academic study into different contexts, whilst acquiring new abilities that are transferrable back into their studies and therefore enhancing the learning experience.

During the session we will look at the skills acquired through this scheme and demonstrate how they make students more effective learners. We will also look at how the skills developed through a scheme such as the SALT initiative could be gained during a programme of study.

How will colleagues benefit?

While University staff are aware of the existence of the SALT scheme and the projects it has delivered in the past, this session will demonstrate the personal and professional development a student experiences whilst taking part in an extra-curricular project. This could encourage staff to help students to develop extra skills both in the learning environment and through outside projects such as SALT. It could also help colleagues see how skills development could be embedded in programmes of study. Also, as this session will be planned and delivered by students, colleagues will hear first-hand about the skills students wish to gain throughout their studies.