Cardiff student sets up forum

The site will enable students to discuss their modules and various aspects of their courses.

A service for discussing modules is already provided by the University; discussion boards can be accessed for individual modules via Learning Central. Lecturers are also able to access these, so they too can answer any questions students might have about various aspects of any given module.

Education and University Affairs Officer Beth Button said, “Admittedly, some modules, students and members of staff use the discussion board more than others, but the service is there, and students are encouraged to access it as it allows staff to answer their questions, as well as students to share ideas and discuss any questions they may have about the module.”

She added, “The discussion board on Learning Central can be made anonymous. As I understand it, the module convenor who administrates the discussion board can choose whether the board is anonymous, and as far as I am aware, they are usually happy to do so.ÔÇÖ

On the Student Core forum, in contrast to the UniversityÔÇÖs discussion boards, the advice of lecturers will not be available. This could be seen either as a disadvantage because students will lose out on valuable information, or an advantage to students who are shy about questioning lecturers.

Hence, Button has encouraged use of the UniversityÔÇÖs services, saying, “When training the student academic representatives, we encourage them to utilise the discussion boards to elicit feedback from their fellow students; it allows them greater access to all the students they are representing than just Facebook or meeting to speak in cafes, etc.

“Admittedly, some report greater usage of the discussion boards in their courses than others, but I feel it is an effective tool for communicating with other students and the staff members, overcoming difficulties, and gathering student feedback specific to that cohort.”

Eshraghi, and other students who have helped to set up the forum, have approached Beth Button in order to ask for the UnionÔÇÖs endorsement and for help funding advertising for the forum.

Button met with the Head of IT last Thursday to discuss whether they would endorse the project, or whether they thought it would be detrimental to the University and Union.