The pedagogical foundations of student voice practices: The role of relationships, differentiation, and choice in supporting student voice practices in high school classrooms.

Although teachers and administrators increasingly support the idea of student voice, questions remain about what "student voice" looks like in practice. This mixed methods study in two urban U.S. high schools explores what student voice practices in the classroom entail and how these practices relate to other pedagogical strategies. Findings reveal that student-teacher relationships, differentiated instruction, and choice serve as core building blocks for the use of student voice practices in the classroom. Findings also underscore the rarity of the student voice practices of seeking student feedback and input and engaging in collaborative decision-making with students.

Preparedness for dental practice in Australia: a qualitative study on the experiences of final-year students and new graduates.

BACKGROUND: Limited data exists regarding the perspectives of newly graduated dental practitioners (NGDPs) and final-year students (FYS) about their preparedness for dental practice. This information is crucial to inform developments in ongoing professional development for newly qualified dental practitioners and future reviews and development of accreditation standards, policies, and the professional competencies of newly qualified dental practitioners. Thus, the primary goal of this paper was to describe the perceptions of preparedness for dental practice of NGDPs and FYSs. METHODS: Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted between March and July 2020. All interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and analysed using a thematic analysis. RESULTS: Eighteen NGDPs and four FYS from across Australia participated in the qualitative interviews. A strong theme from the data was that respondents believed they were well prepared for common challenges in dental practice and patient care. A second prominent theme was participants' awareness of specific areas of limitation in their knowledge and specific skills including (list them). This data highlights a high level of self-awareness and potential for self-directed learning of NGDPs. It also provides specific content areas for future curriculum developers. CONCLUSIONS: Newly graduated dental practitioner and final-year student participants were satisfied with the theoretical and evidence-based information in their formal learning and teaching activities to begin practicing as dental practitioners. In some areas, NGDPs felt underprepared, mostly attributed to limited clinical treatment exposure, and other contextual elements of clinical practice, and thought transitional support may be required. The research reinforces the value of seeking and learning from students' and NGDPs' perspectives.

Medical student perspectives on substance misuse education in the medical undergraduate programme: a grounded theory approach.

BACKGROUND: Substance misuse teaching within the undergraduate medical curriculum has been underrepresented compared to more traditional medical topics. In response several national curriculum reviews such as the most recent UK department of health initiative (DOH) have identified deficiencies in substance misuse education and have suggested curriculum interventions for local faculties to implement. The student perspective however has largely been muted during this process and this study aims to explore this using a constructivist grounded theory approach. METHODS: Eleven final year and intercalating medical students across three separate focus groups participated in this study over a three-month period commencing from March 2018. Time between the audio recorded focus groups allowed for a parallel process of data collection and analysis into more focussed codes and categories to occur, consistent with the grounded theory approach. The qualitative study took place in a single medical school in the UK. RESULTS: Medical students had a common consensus that substance misuse education was an underperforming subject in their curriculum, from limited teaching hours to curriculum design and organisational problems. Students identified an alternative curriculum is required to not only prepare students for their future clinical duties but also their own personal lives. Students highlighted this proximity to a 'dangerous world' where exposure to substance misuse risks were faced daily. This exposure also provided a source of informal learning experiences which students deemed as being potentially unbalanced and even dangerous. Students also identified unique barriers to curriculum change with reference to a lack of openness due to the impacts of disclosure in substance misuse. CONCLUSION: Large scale curriculum initiatives appear to correspond to the student voice obtained in this study, providing backing for the implementation of a co-ordinated substance misuse curriculum within medical schools. The student voice however provides an alternative lens by outlining how substance misuse pervades into students' lives and how informal learning is a largely underestimated hidden source of learning with more dangers than benefits. This together with the identification of further barriers to curriculum change, provide space for medical faculties to incorporate and work with students to facilitate local level curriculum changes relating to substance misuse education.

Transformative Student Voice for Sociopolitical Development: Developing Youth of Color as Political Actors.

Although youth activism often is sparked by unexpected events, the seeds of activism are planted in learning environments that cultivate community, critical reflection, and sociopolitical action. Recent studies suggest promising outcomes from transformative student voice (TSV) programming, but more work is needed that assesses the impact of TSV participation for youth of color. We surveyed 294 students from 12 public high schools and found that students in TSV activities reported more critical reflection, sociopolitical efficacy, and participation in sociopolitical action than their non-TSV peers. Additionally, using regression analysis, we found that years of involvement in TSV activities predicted participation in sociopolitical action. These findings are significant, as they indicate how multiyear engagement in TSV activities can facilitate sociopolitical action in the youth of color.

Place-based civic science-collective environmental action and solidarity for eco-resilience.

BACKGROUND: Educating children and young people (CYP) from marginalized communities about environmental crises poses a unique dilemma as educators strive to prepare them to deal with the climate crisis without compounding the stressors and fear of an unlivable future many already face. We explored how place-based civic science (PBCS) can provide opportunities to engage youth in environmental understanding and action through teamwork in which youth feel that they belong to a group larger than themselves and gain a sense of hope from working with others toward shared goals. We argue that combining PCBS pedagogies of collective action and collaborative learning spaces can help to buffer against distress as CYP grapple with global environmental crises. METHODS: We drew from qualitative responses (student reflections and public presentations) of 486 6-12th graders (majority students of color) on what they learned from participating in PBCS projects. Projects involved egalitarian partnerships between adults from environmental organizations, teachers and student teams studying and acting together to mitigate problems and presenting their efforts in public venues. RESULTS: Students' qualitative responses revealed an identification with their team and its goal forged through the work, respect for their voice, belief in their capacity and confidence to take collective action and even enjoyment of working together to address community concerns. CONCLUSIONS: PBCS through collective learning/action in student teams and nonhierarchical intergenerational partnerships, and connections that CYP forge with organizations in the broader community, can help to build CYP's agency and efficacy while addressing "emotionally heavy" issues such as climate change.

Sociality, resilience and agency: how did young Australians experience online learning during Covid-19?

In 2020 when schooling was abruptly reconfigured by the pandemic, young people were required to demonstrate new capabilities to manage their learning and their wellbeing. This paper reports on the feelings, thoughts and experiences of eight Year 9 and 10 students in NSW and Victoria about the initial period of online learning in Australian schools that resulted from the Covid-19 pandemic. Beyond dominant narratives of vulnerability and losses in learning, our participants offered counternarratives that stressed their capacities to rise and meet the times. We trace three central themes on how they: found moments of agency that increased their confidence, reconfigured resilience as a socially responsible set of practices, deployed sociality as a resource for the benefit of themselves and others. The pandemic opened up conversations with young people about where and how learning takes place and how schools might adapt and respond to young people's growing sense of urgency about the future of schooling.

The Relationship Between Student Voice and Student Engagement in Urban High Schools.

Drawing on student self-report survey data, this study examines student engagement across 67 urban high schools in the School District of Philadelphia. Results show that schools with higher rates of affective, behavioral, and cognitive engagement differ significantly from schools with other engagement profiles in students' average reports of teacher care and student voice. Path analyses lend support for self-determination theory and corroborate qualitative research that observes that student voice can improve student engagement. By highlighting the roles of teacher care and feelings of competence and belonging, this study identifies key means by which student voice influences student engagement. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11256-022-00637-2.

Student participation in governance of medical and veterinary education: experiences and perspectives of student representatives and program directors.

Student participation in governance of education is of growing interest. However, it remains unclear what factors render this participation in institutional governance a success or a failure. Another question is: what are the perceived benefits for schools and students? We empirically explored experiences and perspectives of student representatives and program directors of all (8) medical and (1) veterinary schools in the Netherlands on factors that influence student participation in institutional governance and its values and challenges for schools and student representatives. A constructivist grounded theory study was performed. A theoretical sample of student representatives was invited to fill out an explorative, qualitative questionnaire. Next, focus groups with student representatives and interviews with all program directors were conducted. Data was analyzed using open, axial and selective coding by all authors. Experiences and perspectives of students and program directors were remarkably similar in both perceived influences and values. Four main categories of influences could be distinguished in student participation: (1) individual student characteristics, (2) individual staff characteristics, (3) the organization of student representatives and (4) the school's organization, including its culture and policy regarding student participation. A cohesive, well-organized and independent student organization has crucial impact on student participation in educational governance processes. For representatives, major benefits of participation are personal and career development. Challenges are low effectiveness and efficiency of their actions. A clear school policy on student participation and better introduction, feedback and coaching of representatives should be provided to improve student participation in governance processes.

Profiles of Adolescents' Perceptions of Democratic Classroom Climate and Students' Influence: The Effect of School and Community Contexts.

Students' learning experiences and outcomes are shaped by school and classroom contexts. Many studies have shown how an open, democratic classroom climate relates to learning in the citizenship domain and helps nurture active and engaged citizens. However, little research has been undertaken to look at how such a favorable classroom climate may work together with broader school factors. The current study examines data from 14,292 Nordic eighth graders (51% female) who had participated in the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study in 2009, as well as contextual data from 5,657 teachers and 618 principals. Latent class analysis identifies profiles of students' perceptions of school context, which are further examined with respect to the contextual correlates at the school level using two-level fixed effects multinomial regression analyses. Five distinct student profiles are identified and labeled "alienated", "indifferent", "activist", "debater", and "communitarian". Compared to indifferent students, debaters and activists appear more frequently at schools with relatively few social problems; being in the communitarian group is associated with aspects of the wider community. Furthermore, being in one of these three groups (and not in the indifferent group) is more likely when teachers act as role models by engaging in school governance. The results are discussed within the framework of ecological assets and developmental niches for emergent participatory citizenship. The implications are that adults at school could enhance multiple contexts that shape adolescents' developmental niches to nurture active and informed citizens for democracies.

Comparing Face-to-Face, Blended and Online Teaching Approaches for Practical Skill Acquisition: A Randomised Controlled Trial.

Introduction: The efficacy of blended and online teaching methods for practical skill acquisition remains ambiguous, particularly for skills requiring haptic awareness and/or sensory training. This study aims to compare three teaching methods (face-to-face, blended, online) for the acquisition of skills requiring sensory learning and haptic awareness. A secondary aim was to explore student experience of each teaching approach. Design: A post-test only randomised controlled trial. Methods: Forty-seven participants chose between learning two skills: manual measurement of blood pressure during exercise (BPM) and/or skin fold measurement using callipers (SKM). Participants were randomised to one of three learning groups: face-to-face (n = 23), blended (n = 22) and online (n = 26). Assessors determined skill competency during an in-person skill demonstration session. A survey captured student experiences. Results: For SKM, there was a statistically significant difference in skill competency between the online learning group (17% achieved competency) and both the face-to-face (75% achieved competency; p = 0.011) and blended (89% achieved competency; p = 0.001) learning groups. For BPM, the online group had the lowest percentage of participants achieve overall skill competency. Both knowledge-based and sensory-based sub-competencies were negatively affected by the online learning method. For both skills, students in the face-to-face and blended learning group were significantly more confident in their knowledge and their ability to perform the skill in a clinical setting, compared to the online learning group. Conclusion: Both face-to-face and blended teaching methods were more effective at leading to skill acquisition and were preferred by students when compared to a fully online teaching method.

Championing student participation in co-designing digital education resources: A student experience.

The aim of this contemporary piece is to discuss the student experience of co-design and the process involved in the co-creation of developing digital educational resources. A discussion of the need for digital educational resources in the era of pre-registration nursing students being digital natives is explored and the potential benefits or barriers for nursing education and practice are outlined. The need for co-design as a methodology in nurse education which is inclusive of the student-led role is discussed and a personal account of student experience will be detailed. By focusing on the student voice this article aims to provide a first-hand experience of working alongside academic and educational research teams, whilst also promoting student participation within co-design projects further than simply tokenistic involvement, highlighting the comprehensive benefits associated for all. The importance of support, knowledge sharing, and effective communication will be detailed to allow other students to gain insight and empower them to participate in a co-designed project should it arise in their university education.

Practicing voice: student voice experiences, democratic school culture and students' attitudes towards voice.

The abilities of citizens to make themselves heard and listen to each other are essential for the functioning of democratic societies. Schools are practice grounds for these citizenship competences. This study investigates whether students' experiences with voice in school are related to their attitudes towards voice (contributing and listening democratically), and how a democratic school culture affects this relation. Overall, 5297 students, from 240 classrooms, in 81 Dutch secondary schools, participated in the study. Results of multilevel analyses revealed that students' voice experiences at school, their own and those of their classmates, are positively related to students' attitudes towards contributing and listening democratically. This relation is not affected by a democratic school culture. These findings underline the relevance of opportunities to practice voice at school for all students and of the social nature of practicing voice. More generally, this study illustrates the importance of understanding schools as practice grounds for citizenship.

A Student-Centric Evaluation of a Program Addressing Prevention of Gender-Based Violence in Three African Countries.

Studies investigating the effectiveness of school-related gender-based violence prevention programs seldom report on the extent to which students themselves value and recommend such programs. Yet, along with evidence about effectiveness in relation to shifts in knowledge, attitudes, or intentions, student-valuing is a significant indicator that the programs can make a positive contribution to students' lives. This mixed-method study analyses survey and focus group data collected from ninety-two schools in three African countries (Tanzania, Zambia, and Eswatini). Students found the program contributed to improved peer relationships and identified the five most useful components as learning about gender equality and human rights, learning how to obtain help for those affected by violence, understanding and communicating about their emotions, strategies to avoid joining in with bullying and harassment, and understanding the effects of gender-based violence.

Children's technologies of the self within neoliberal governmentality at the educational transition to Gymnasium in Zurich.

Over the last two decades, research in children's geographies and governmentality studies have contributed significantly to the study of children's experiences in neoliberal educational contexts. This paper furthers this debate by examining the ways children govern and are governed within the neoliberal governmentality at the educational transition to Gymnasium: the only school that offers a direct path to university education within the state-funded school system in Switzerland. Drawing on an ethnography with eight students aged 13-15 during their preparation for the selective entrance examination to Gymnasium in Zurich, this article makes two points: Firstly, it demonstrates how Zurich's education system thrusts students into taking individual responsibility for their educational success at this transition. Secondly, the article draws on Foucault's later work to explore the particular 'technologies of the self' that children adopt coping with this individualized responsibility. This paper argues that these technologies reveal insights into the neoliberal governmentality of this educational transition. Finally, the article argues to critically examine children's technologies of the self to understand their relationships with the education systems they navigate. This line of inquiry serves as a pathway to answer and expand earlier calls to grant children an active voice in research on education.

Voices of Australian Mature-Age Bachelor of Counselling Students: Telling Stories of Learning and Teaching Transitions.

The COVID-19 pandemic imposed transformations on the higher education context of the twenty-first century that adversely impact students' learning in certain disciplines. On a mission to adopt ethics of care in research and practice, this research focuses on counselling education and its unique characteristics, by signifying counselling students' voices in such changing contexts. A qualitative exploratory multiple case study design informed by narrative inquiry was used, followed by a voice-centred relational method of analysis. Findings revealed voices, relationships, dominant narratives and power relations that influence counselling students' learning experiences. Implications for future research and practice for counselling education are highlighted.

Opening the "Black Box": Student-Generated Solutions to Improve Sexual Violence Response and Prevention Efforts for Undergraduates on College Campuses.

Campus-based sexual violence and sexual harassment (SVSH) are prevalent issues that impact students detrimentally. Guided by community-based participatory research, this qualitative study assessed undergraduate students' perceptions of available campus SVSH resources, gaps in services, and recommendations for solutions for SVSH at three universities in California via interviews and focus groups. Approximately half of participants were unaware of available SVSH services, while others had varying knowledge of service availability and experiences with services. Students want better-funded, trauma-informed, and survivor-centered services and providers who share their identities and lived experiences. We provide multi-level student-centered solutions to improve current campus-based SVSH prevention efforts.

Positive Impacts of a Sport Intervention on Male Students of Color and School Climate.

A positive school climate is strongly associated with enhanced student outcomes. With the disengagement of Black and Latinx youth living in poverty being at an all-time high, participation in sport-based youth development (SBYD) programs may enhance school climate, while capitalizing on existing interests. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a SBYD intervention on male students of color and school climate. Method: Using a mixed-methods quasi-experimental design, 32 male students of color (11 Black, 13 Latinx, 8 two or more races) participated in an SBYD intervention, twice a week for a total of 20 weeks (Ages 10-14, M = 11.46). School climate data were gathered at the beginning and the end of the school year. Student, teacher, and administrator focus groups and interviews were also conducted at the end of the year. Results: A statistically significant interaction was found between students who participated in the intervention and those who did not participate in the intervention, on school climate measures F(1,74) = 15.00, p < .01, partial η2 = .17. Overall school climate scores were statistically significantly greater in the intervention group (F(1,74) = 19.22, p < .01, partial η2 = .20) at the end of the year. Focus group data also revealed themes of improved school connectedness, peer support, the acquisition of social/civic skills, and school engagement. Conclusions: A SBYD intervention may be a viable strategy to engage disconnected students and increase school climate perceptions, particularly among male students of color living in poverty.

This School is Made for Students: Students' Perspectives on PBL.

Project-based learning (PBL) is an increasingly popular pedagogical method in K-12 settings. Students exposed to this approach have demonstrated higher academic performance than their peers who have not been exposed, as well as positive rates of self-efficacy and other non-academic skills. Using qualitative methods, including observation, artifact collection, interviews, and focus groups, this research explores biology students' perceptions of their project-based learning experiences. In particular, we leverage a student focus group to understand how students perceive their learning experience. In this focus group, students perceive project-based learning as a positive influence on their agency, self-efficacy, and learning experience as a whole. Significantly, students' accounts reveal how their positive perceptions of PBL correspond with purposefully designed elements of project-based learning. This article offers implications for teachers and educational leaders interested in how students perceive project-based learning and how they might integrate project-based learning into their classrooms.

A Day in the Life: Secondary School Students' Experiences of School-Based Physical Activity in Ireland, Finland, and the United States.

Internationally, there is an effort to have schools adopt a whole-school approach to physical activity promotion. Such a model includes physical activity opportunities throughout the whole school day, including physical education; before, during, and after school physical activity; and staff and community engagement. The purpose of this study was to describe the physical activity experiences of young people attending secondary schools in Finland, Ireland, and the United States where a whole-school approach to physical activity promotion was employed. One school in each country was identified based on its adoption of a national physical activity initiative (i.e., Finland-Finnish Schools on the Move; Ireland-Active School Flag; United States-Let's Move Active Schools). Data were collected through observation with field notes, photos, and interviews with key stakeholders. The results are presented as analytic narrative vignettes that represent a "typical" school day. The results provide a glimpse into available physical activity opportunities for young people at each school and demonstrate an emphasis on active school culture.

"This Is Not Gym": Enacting Student Voice Pedagogies to Promote Social and Emotional Learning and Meaningful Physical Education.

The purpose of this study was to explore learners' experiences enacting youth/student voice pedagogies (SVP) to promote Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and meaningful physical education (MPE) in an alternative education setting. Drawing on social constructivist learning theory in understanding and implementing a MPE approach, and a systemic framework for SEL, two research questions guided the research process: (1) How did students interpret and enact these pedagogies? (2) What contribution did the enactment of these pedagogies have in promoting SEL and MPE? This study implemented a qualitative case study design framed by a participatory action research (PAR) approach spanning 12 weeks from February to May 2021. Participants in this study included 16 ninth grade alternative high school students (eight girls/eight boys) aged 14-15 who had just returned to face-to-face learning in January 2021 for the first time following COVID-19. A range of traditional and innovative participatory qualitative research methods including focus group interviews, students' personal biographies, timelines, digital and written reflections, photovoice, and class artifacts were utilized. The Miles, Huberman, and Saldana Framework for Qualitative Data Analysis was implemented involving both deductive and inductive combinations of comparative and thematic analysis. The following themes were constructed: Making responsible decisions; unearthing and sharing mixed emotions; picturing physical activity beyond the classroom; recognizing the role of relationships; considering challenge and competence; and, pursuing meaning. Findings demonstrate how enacting SVP can lead to the development of students' SEL and MPE experiences complimenting multiple learning domains. We call for further embedding of SVP capturing students' physical activity and movement experiences inside and outside of PE in teacher education and professional development that helps teachers and their students make sense of, shape, influence, and enact more MPE and physical activity learning experiences.