As the leaves begin to fall and the chill of autumn sets in, our college campuses buzz with a frenetic energy. It’s just past mid-term, and students are buried under a mountain of assignments, projects, and exams. Amidst this whirlwind of academic activity, it can be easy to see students as mere consumers of their education, diligently working to meet deadlines and achieve grades. However, this is also the perfect moment to reflect on the valuable perspectives that our students bring to their learning and their education.
Reflect: In what ways do you currently include student voices or perspectives into your teaching?
Starting small and regularly seeking feedback from students about their learning, your teaching, and your courses is an excellent way to begin incorporating their perspectives. The key to ensuring that courses meet the real-time learning needs and expectations of students lies in how you use that feedback to make improvements.
The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) also offers unique opportunities to include students’ voices in shaping their classroom learning experiences. Peter Felten (2013), a well-known contributor to SoTL, highlighted five highly recognized principles of good SoTL practice. The following principles serve as a framework for conducting high-quality SoTL research and have been instrumental in guiding educators and researchers in their inquiries:
Inquiry focused on student learning
Grounded in context
Methodologically sound
Conducted in partnership with students
Appropriately public
The principle of including students as partners in SoTL is based on the belief that students bring unique perspectives and insights that are often overlooked, but that can significantly enrich research and teaching excellence. This partnership approach has evolved into a movement and field of study in post-secondary education called Students as Partners (SaP).
What are student-faculty partnerships?
SaP refers to the partnership between faculty and students as “a collaborative, reciprocal process through which all participants have the opportunity to contribute equally, although not necessarily in the same ways, to curricular or pedagogical conceptualization, decision-making, implementation, investigation, or analysis” (Cook-Sather et al., 2014, pp 6-7). SaP emphasizes the importance of mutual respect and shared responsibility in the educational process, ensuring that both students and faculty contribute their unique perspectives and expertise to enhance teaching and learning. However, student involvement as full partners, as described above, is context dependent. As Felten (2013) explains “while full partnership may not be practical or appropriate in all SoTL projects, good practice requires engaging students in the inquiry process” (p. 123).
For more information about SaP, check out these resources to start:
The SaP field asks us to reframe our perception of students as mere consumers of their education or passive recipients of knowledge, to partners in shaping their learning experiences. At Conestoga, for example, you can see remarkable applied research, including SoTL projects, where students and faculty collaborate to co-create and develop initiatives that make a significant impact. Additionally, students are gaining valuable professional and life skills through these partnerships.
So what might student “partnership” in a SoTL project look like for you?
Including Students in SoTL Projects
There are several ways to include student voices and their active participation in your SoTL inquiry, ranging from full partners to supporters to research participants. Consider some of the following approaches:
Co-Researchers: Students can act as co-researchers in SoTL projects, contributing to the design, implementation, and analysis. This involvement ensures the research addresses real student needs and concerns by incorporating their perspectives on effective teaching and learning.
Participants: Students can serve as participants in SoTL studies, providing data through surveys, interviews, and focus groups. This involvement helps researchers gather firsthand insights into student experiences and learning outcomes.
Peer Mentors and Facilitators: Students can be peer mentors or facilitators in SoTL projects, particularly those focused on peer-assisted learning and mentoring programs. This role not only supports their peers but also provides valuable data on the effectiveness of such interventions.
Consultants: Students can be engaged as consultants, offering feedback on teaching practices, curriculum design, and assessment methods. This involvement ensures that educational strategies are aligned with student needs and preferences.
Curriculum Designers: In some SoTL projects, students collaborate with faculty to design or redesign courses and curricula. This partnership can lead to more engaging and effective learning experiences.
Incorporating student voices and perspectives in SoTL work is not just beneficial—it can be transformative. When students feel valued and respected, their engagement and motivation can increase, fostering a deeper sense of ownership over their learning (Coutts, 2020). Moreover, students who participate in SoTL projects develop critical thinking, research, and communication skills that are essential for their academic and professional futures (Eady et.al, 2021).
Student’s active participation in shaping their education—be it through SoTL or through other forms of feedback— offers invaluable insights that help educators refine their teaching practices, making them more effective and responsive to learners’ needs. Collaborative SoTL projects also strengthen the bonds between students and faculty, creating more supportive and respectful learning environments.
As we reflect on our teaching and navigate the fall semester, it’s important to remember that students are more than just consumers of education. They have much to offer as active partners in shaping their learning experiences both in and out of the classroom. By collaborating with students in SoTL, we enhance the quality, equity, and relevance of their education. Who wouldn’t want to be part of that transformation?
If you are interested in exploring a SoTL project that includes student voice/perspectives but not sure where to start you can always contact us at the Centre for SoTL at Conestoga for support.
References
Cook-Sather, A., Bovill, C., & Felten, P. (2014). Engaging Students as Partners in Learning and Teaching: A Guide for Faculty. Jossey-Bass.
Coutts, R. (2020). Increasing motivation and ownership of learning through Students as Partners: The importance of transparency and belonging. International Journal for Students as Partners, 4(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.15173/ijsap.v4i1.4067
Eady, M. J., Abrahamson, E., Green, C. A., Arcellana-Panlilio, M., Hatfield, L., & Namaste, N. (2021). Re-positioning SoTL toward the T-shaped Community. Teaching and Learning Inquiry, 9(1), 262–278. https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.1.18
Felten, P. (2013). Principles of good practice in SoTL, Teaching and Learning Inquiry, 1(1), 121-125.https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.1.1.121
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Launa Gauthier
Launa Gauthier, Ph.D. (Education) has been an educator for over 20 years. Over this time, she has worked in K-12 international schools and in post-secondary contexts in several different countries. She completed her PhD at Queen’s University. Her research areas focus teaching and learning development and student-faculty partnerships in higher education/post-secondary. Launa specializes in developing and supporting Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) research initiatives.
