SMC STudent Focus Group First Meeting
Elaine Gilmour
On Tuesday 29th of November the first Student Focus Group met to discuss their experiences in the Foundations programme at HCT Sharjah Men’s College. The focus group session comprised of 9 student participants selected by their teachers to represent the student body across different levels, along with 6 members of staff from Sharjah Men’s College management/administration. For this inaugural meeting staff members present included: Dr Abdalla Al Suwaiji, who opened the meeting, Mokhtar Bourchak (moderator) conducted the meeting, Manal Sanquor (facilitator), Omar Alzarouni (Student Council), Hana Baroudi (Student Services Supervisor), and George Basheer (sports). Students were chosen according to different criteria: progressing students, repeating students and exceptional progressing students who met the English requirements.
Dr. Abdalla’s speech congratulated the students on being chosen to represent their peers; he gave an inspirational speech where he spoke of the high expectations of their coming generation in terms of their future contribution to the UAE; the importance of making the most of their opportunities in Higher Education by studying hard. He noted that the innovative learning style afforded by technology available in the Higher Colleges of Technology enables students to be their own tutors; while the role of the teacher has evolved into that of a mentor. And, students are best placed to benefit from the learning experiences their teachers provide. He reminded the students that the actual cost to educate them from kindergarten through college is around 3.5 million Dirhams.
Following Dr Abdalla’s speech the group of student representatives introduced themselves and the discussion began, moderated by Mokhtar Bourchak, the Chair of Foundations at SMC. The meeting agenda was based on six key questions that had been used to survey the Foundations student body prior to the focus group meeting. The first question asked students to explain their reasons for wanting to study at HCT, and where they see themselves going in the future. The second question asked students to consider how HCT was different from their high school experience, and to compare in what ways study at HCT was harder or easier than their school learning. Next, students were asked to recall their first week at HCT, any problems they might have encountered; and in what ways HCT could improve their experience in that initial week. Question four gauged student opinion on their English courses, what they liked best and what they felt could or should be done differently. Following on from that question five surveyed the student response to their Maths courses, again what was successful and what things they would like to be different. And finally, students were asked in what ways they had changed since coming to HCT, for example, if they are studying differently, what advise teachers have given them, and what advice they would give to new students entering foundations. Students were also asked to add anything about their HCT experience which they felt was relevant to the content of the discussion.
Following the focus group pilot session, a report will be submitted to the FFAC, with the aim of implementing the student focus group initiative across all HCT foundation programmes. After students had contributed their views, and the views of their fellow students, the meeting was duly concluded. It was a productive and informative session, which participants felt was beneficial from both the student and the faculty perspectives. In essence, the student focus group provides a forum for the student voice in the Foundations programme, and as such, it is a useful initiative to empower students to achieve their learning goals.
