The Significance of Students: Can Increasing “Student Voice” in Schools Lead to Gains in Youth Development?

Abstract

The notion of “student voice,” or a student role in the decision making and change efforts of schools, has emerged in the new millennium as a potential strategy for improving the success of school reform efforts. Yet few studies have examined this construct either theoretically or empirically. Grounded in a sociocultural perspective, this article provides some of the first empirical data on youth participation in student voice efforts by identifying how student voice opportunities appear to contribute to “youth development” outcomes in young people. The article finds that student voice activities can create meaningful experiences for youth that help to meet fundamental developmental needs—especially for students who otherwise do not find meaning in their school experiences. Specifically, this research finds a marked consistency in the growth of agency, belonging and competence—three assets that are central to youth development. While these outcomes were consistent across the students in this study, the data demonstrate how the structure of student voice efforts and nature of adult/student relations fundamentally influence the forms of youth development outcomes that emerge.

Participatory instructional redesign by students and teachers in secondary education: effects on perceptions of instruction

“…Co-designers' expectations were raised in the design meeting and this may have directed their attention to cues of successful implementation (i.e., selective attention, Olson et al 1996). Second, increases in sense of control (Seifert and O'Keefe 2001), sense of agency, belonging, and competencies (Mitra 2004), as well as a better understanding of the teacher's work and perspective (Cook-Sather 2002) can lead to increased engagement and a smaller distance to the teacher's view on instruction. Third, interpersonal and affective aspects are very important when students evaluate their teacher or the course created by their teacher (Johannessen et al 2002).…”

Experiências escolares de alunos do ensino secundário: resultados de um estudo em curso

“…O interesse em escutar a voz dos alunos não é novo (Mitra, 2004), uma vez que já nos finais dos anos de 1960 e 1970 alguns investigadores educacionais se propuseram a conhecer a sala de aula e a escola através das experiências dos alunos (Cusick, 1973;Meighan, 1977;Woods, 1980). Contudo, é importante sublinhar que, embora essa investigação fosse um espaço legítimo para os alunos envolvidos falarem da sua aprendizagem, não era frequente dar-lhes feedback, nem era garantida a oportunidade de continuarem a falar das suas experiên-cias enquanto aprendentes (Rudduck & Mclntyre, 2007).…”

“…Esta postura é irónica (e errónea), se atendermos ao facto de que, se os discentes estivessem motivados para a aprendizagem e se sentissem ouvidos, comprometer-se-iam muito mais no processo de ensino/aprendizagem. Aliás, estudos desenvolvidos por vários investigadores (Cook-Sather, 2002;Mitra, 2004;Mclntyre, Pedder & Rudduck, 2005;Flechter, 2005;Rudduck & Mclntyre, 2007) provam isso mesmo, demonstrando que a consulta aos alunos transforma a sala de aula num espaço onde o ensino e a aprendizagem se tornam mais agradáveis e efectivos, constituindo uma tarefa em que professores e alunos colaboram mutuamente (Day, 2001).…”

Working the Crevices: Granting Students Authority in Authoritarian Schools

“…Holdsworth (2000) has identified six levels: speaking out, being heard, being listened to, being seriously listened to, incorporating views into actions, and sharing decision making/implementation. The yield is enhanced agency, belonging, and competence (Mitra 2004;also Cook-Sather 2002;Holdsworth 2000;Rudduck 2007;Ruddock and Demetriou 2003).…”

“…At the next level, teachers respond to what they hear, thereby authorizing student perspectives (Cook-Sather 2002; see also Fullan 2007;Levin 2000, Mitra 2004Oyler 1996;Pekrul and Levin 2007;and Shor 1996). Agency increases further when students collaborate with adults in addressing school-determined problems and more still when students take the lead in identifying and researching issues (Cook-Sather 2006;Fielding 2001;Holdsworth 2000;Mitra 2004Mitra , 2007Rudduck and Demetriou 2003). Mitra (2007) has labeled the three levels of student voice as listening, collaboration, and leadership.…”