STUDENT VOICE

A new direction in the voice of students: a historical perspective.

Working Title1

Context1

Aims6

Research Method6

Reflections9

Conclusion11

Research Timetable12

References13

A new direction in the voice of students: a historical perspective.

Working Title

A new direction in the voice of students: a historical perspective.

Context

The notion of 'student voice' has emerged as a potential strategy in the current discourse on school improvement. This was in contrast to the earlier teacher dominated classrooms where the teacher was considered to be the sole knowledge bearer. Freire (1970) terms this concept of teacher dominated instruction as 'banking' education where the teacher deposits knowledge in the minds of the students. Hence, teachers were considered as an authoritative figure in the class. The power and dominance that teachers possessed in classrooms has been a subject of a vast amount of literature. Researchers have long been pointing out the disadvantages and outcomes of this kind of instruction and have been advocating for a shift in perspective from teacher centred to student centred. With this also comes the concept of inclusion of 'student voice' in matters that relate to them.

Research and literature in the past few years have explored the importance of student's voice and how much their voice is of significance in the school reform process and in influencing their own learning environment. Therefore, in contrast to the earlier teacher dominated classrooms where student voice was never recognised as of importance, the past few years have also seen efforts from schools to include it in decisions that specifically relate to them. This consequently results in a share of students in the construction of knowledge.

Giving students a voice does not simply mean asking them for comments and feedback during and after the lecture (Onore, 1992) although these measures also help in enhancing communication, but student voice is more than that. Researchers and practitioners have used the term student voice to refer to pupil involvement in terms of opinions for decisions that involve their learning. 'Voice' in this context is, therefore, having the power to bring a change (West, 2004). On a basic level, this means a meaningful involvement of the students in what and how they learn. This brings active participation of the students in their education and in school decisions. Fielding (2001) identifies four different types of positions that student voice can take; they can be data sources, active respondents, co-researchers or full independent researchers. This framing gives the variation in terms of approaches that the voice of students can take in a decision making situation. This means that student's influence, responsibility and role in decision making varies. From mere consultation and expression to a more included, formalized and empowered voice, it can be considered to fall on a spectrum. But in all types of voices, students are given an outlet for their perspectives and given a chance to share their opinions about something in the hope that they will be taken into consideration when decisions are taken.

Teachers play a great role in fostering or silencing the voice of ...