We – Seth Brown, Scott Phillips, and James Goring, – have just published a report titled, Mechanisms that capture and incorporate student voice into vocational education and training design: Strategies, tools and approaches – Evidence from Australia and the Wider World
The report is available here.
This Report provides a comprehensive review of the research literature on the challenges and opportunities around capturing and incorporating student voice into vocational education and training design. Student voice is about recognising students’ distinctive views about their educational experiences and affording students opportunities to engage with and influence vocational education policies and curriculum by responding to their feedback and insights (Cook-Sather, 2006). Student voice, therefore, enables students, staff and other stakeholders in the vocational education and training (VET) sector to listen to and involve students in the decision-making processes and design of the curriculum.
In this report, we examine student voice mechanisms at three levels:
- The macro-level concerns national policy commitments and arrangements in large scale states (including populations of 15 million or more people).
- The meso-level concerns policy commitments and arrangements in small to mid-level states (including populations of less than 15 million people).
- The micro-level is mainly concerned with institutional level policies and arrangements (including small regions or municipalities).
Case Studies
Case studies yield insights under several aspects: practices, mechanisms, tools and strategies; the challenges of capturing and acting upon student voice; positive impacts of working with student voice and feedback on disadvantaged students voicing concerns. The report concludes with eight insightful recommendations, and advocates for embedding learner voices as a standard practice, fostering collaboration between students, staff, and stakeholders.
As Australia’s VET sector undergoes significant reform, the report is a timely investigation of how embedding the voices of key stakeholders is integral to this transformative process.
In the report, we explore the challenges and opportunities of capturing and incorporating student voice into vocational education and training design. We highlight, in what follows, some of the strategies, tools and approaches that are being used within various VET contexts globally. The report considers the ways in which these various models might be adapted to the Australian context consistent with Australian VET policies, processes and values.
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British Council Student Voice in Vocational Education
Shaping Education since 2004! The UK VET college landscape emphasises students’ roles in design and delivery. Practices include:
- Strategic Commitments: Integrating student voices into college strategic plans.
- Empowering Partnerships: Fostering collaboration between students and staff in learning experiences.
- Dynamic Student Unions Collaborative platforms for student-led change.
- Inclusive Design Approach: Actively involving students in crafting education’s framework.
- Representative Committees: Tradition supporting well-being and equity.
Capturing Challenges & Tips: Strategies for meaningful student engagement, from dialogue to risk management.
Success Spotlight: Belfast Metropolitan College: A model embracing student voices through councils, surveys, and transparency.
Feedback & Improvement: Rethinking essays, amplifying feedback, and fostering a ‘big conversation on feedback.’ Bridging gaps between students and teachers unfolds!
Impactful Surveys & Modules: Harnessing student feedback through thoughtful surveys and dynamic module redevelopment.
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Netherlands Vocational Education: Citizenship, Critical Thinking, Bildung
Dutch vocational education systems propose a unique blend of citizenship education, critical thinking, and ‘Bildung’ (Zuurmond et al.2023). Key principles include:
- Citizenship & Tradition: Nurturing students’ awareness of societal norms, traditions, and values.
- Bildung: Balancing between disciplining within traditions and fostering personal development.
- Citizenship Perspectives: Encouraging diverse viewpoints to shape independent opinions.
- Critical Thinking: Empowering students to evaluate arguments and reflect on their actions.
Challenges & Solutions: Unveiling the challenges of a socialization perspective, Zuurmond et al. advocate for autonomy and political awareness.
Empowering Autonomy: Autonomy, defined as “self-governance in accordance with one’s own values and truths,” emerges as a key educational task. Zuurmond et al. suggest integrating citizenship education, critical thinking, and Bildung to counterbalance socialization strategies and enhance autonomy.
Principles for Teaching Materials: Explore real-world societal issues related to professions, understand the social forces impacting professions, and introduce professional ethics and related concerns.
Teacher Design Teams: Teachers collaboratively design materials, intertwining critical thinking, Bildung, citizenship education, and professional training.
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USPSA: Amplifying Pacific Voices in Higher Education
The University of the South Pacific Students’ Association (USPSA) unites over 30,000 members across 12 Pacific island nations. Their model goes beyond campus boundaries, impacting institutional governance, curriculum development, and global partnerships.
Key elements include:
- Formal USPSA Constitution and Royal Charter acknowledgment
- Motto: “One Ocean, One People, One Voice, One Journey”
- Advocating for student issues on governance, welfare, and facilities
- Representing views internationally, fostering communication, and promoting general welfare (USPSA, 2014)
Challenges: Recent governance disputes led to student protests in 2020, highlighting the need for trust, engagement, and innovative strategies for effective collaboration (Shah, 2020).
Positive Impacts: USPSA’s initiatives increase policy influence, addressing concerns related to good governance, anti-corruption, and the right to information across the Pacific. The association actively engages with regional leaders, conferences, and climate change forums.
Feedback on Disadvantaged Students: Recognizing the importance of the student voice, especially for remote campuses, is crucial for a university with dispersed student populations (Shah, 2020).
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Case Study Spotlight: Te Rito o Te Harakeke Model
Empowering student voices in Aotearoa New Zealand! The Whiria Ngā Rau framework, a collaborative effort by Te Mana Ākonga, NZ Union of Students’ Association, Tauira Pasifika, and the National Disabled Students’ Association, is transforming tertiary education.
Key Principles:
- Whakapakari – Strengthening students’ voice
- Whakawhanaungatanga – Building connections
- Akoranga – Learning with and from each other
- Mahitahi – Working together
This model, embedded in the Whiria Ngā Rau framework, places students at the heart of the education journey. It fosters collaboration, respects diversity, and shapes a learner-centric system.
Challenges & Solutions: From inconsistencies to power imbalances, the Kōrero Mātauranga project addressed key issues, promoting inclusivity, sustainability, and transparent decision-making.
Positive Impacts: Enhanced student voice led to increased accountability, structural changes, and a national centre for student voice.
Feedback on Disadvantaged Students’ Concerns: An online survey captured diverse perspectives, emphasising the need for support tailored to unique circumstances.
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ETHAZI Model: Transforming Learning!
Unlocking the potential of collaborative learning, the ETHAZI Model from the Basque Country is reshaping education globally. Key elements include:
- Intermodular, Holistic Learning: Combining technical skills with 21st-century skills to tackle real-world challenges.
- Self-Managed Teamwork: Students and teachers join forces, sharing responsibility for an immersive learning journey.
- Adaptive Learning Spaces: Tailored environments fostering collaborative teamwork.
- Ongoing Co-Design and Co-Evaluation: A continuous dialogue among learners, teachers, and industry partners.
- Voices Heard: Attuned to local skills needs, ETHAZI collaborates with businesses, ensuring students are ready for the workforce.
- Transferable Excellence: Melanie Williams sees potential in adapting ETHAZI to Australian conditions, emphasising the importance of flexible pedagogy.
Positive Impacts: Students embrace the challenge-based model, developing 21st-century skills like independence and teamwork.
Feedback Matters: Some students find that the process takes longer, but the drop in absenteeism and attrition speaks volumes. Learning isn’t just about knowledge; it’s about understanding and transforming!
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Exploring the THUAS Pyramid of Student Voice Model
The innovative Pyramid of Student Voice at The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS)!
- Base Level – Being Heard: Share your views through surveys, fostering openness and respect in the THUAS community.
- Mid-Level – Partnership: Collaborate with faculty to address challenges, ensuring equality and reciprocity in decision-making.
- Top Level – Taking the Lead: Assume control of your education, initiate projects, and make impactful decisions, celebrating autonomy and independence.
No hierarchy, just value across all levels, nurturing critical student participation at the core of the THUAS pyramid.
Challenges: From staff agendas to system constraints, hurdles exist. Yet, through open dialogues and partnerships, student voices rise above.
Positive Impacts: A thriving community, global citizenship, academic success, and improved well-being flourish as students actively engage in shaping their education.
Global Perspectives: THUAS acknowledges diverse voices, emphasising that democracy is about hearing everyone.
Student Feedback: Defining student voice in partnership ensures meaningful contributions.