Student Voice in Education CIDREE YEARBOOK 2019 Student Voice in Education CIDREE YEARBOOK 2019 Consortium of Institutions for Developing and Research in Education in Europe Authors Virginie Ruppin, Sina Safadi-Katouzian, Aurélien Zaragori, Mária Szabó, Lucia Kákonyi, János Eőri, Ada Holcar Brunauer, Saša Kregar, Karl Larsson, Teresa Fernández, Eva Lundgren, Jeroen Bron, Annette van der Laan, Marija Naletilić, Maja Stojkić, Danica Vasilj, Paula-Karoliina Põld, Merit Kangro, Ismet Potera, Luljeta Shala, Lirije Bytyqi-Beqiri, Christian Lamy, Mary Daly, Colm Ó Cadhain, Gerard O'Sullivan, Norman Emerson, Siv M. Gamlem, Marte Blikstad-Balas, Jenny Watson, Nick Morgan Editor: Ada Holcar Brunauer CIDREE national coordinator: Brigita Žarkovič Adlešič Graphic design and cover: Davor Grgičević Language review: Suzana Ramšak Published by: National Education Institute Slovenia For the publisher: Vinko Logaj Script editorial team: Brigita Žarkovič Adlešič, Zora Rutar Ilc, Barbara Lesničar, Zvonka Kos, Damijana Pleša, Saša Premk Layout by: Design Demšar d. o. o. Digital edition Ljubljana, 2019 Published online: https://www.zrss.si/digitalnaknjiznica/CIDREE_Yearbook_2019.pdf Kataložni zapis o publikaciji (CIP) pripravili v Narodni in univerzitetni knjižnici v Ljubljani COBISS.SI-ID=302621952 ISBN 978-961-03-0456-2 (pdf) How to cite this publication: Holcar Brunauer, A. (Ed.) (2019). Student Voice in Education. CIDREE Yearbook 2019. Ljubljana: National Education Institute Slovenia. © CIDREE: Consortium of Institutions for Development and Research in Education in Europe CIDREE is a network of educational organisations involved in curriculum development and/or educational research, set up in 1991 to establish closer working relationships at a European level. All rights reserved. No part of the publication may be reproduced, stored in an information sto-rage and retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. Contents President's Foreword, Luc Weis ............................................................................................... 5 Editorial Introduction, Ada Holcar Brunauer .......................................................................... 6 Organisation of the Articles in the Yearbook ................................................................... 13 STUDENT VOICE IN PEDAGOGY ............................................................................. 14 How to Mobilize Visual Arts as a Form of Citizen Expression Virginie Ruppin, Sina Safadi-Katouzian and Aurélien Zaragori ............................................... 15 Does Student Voice Comply with the Centralised National Core Curriculum at the Classroom Level? Mária Szabó, Lucia Kákonyi and János Eőri ............................................................................. 27 Student Voice and Formative Assessment Ada Holcar Brunauer and Saša Kregar .................................................................................... 43 Participation and Influence in the Classroom – Capacity Building for Teacher's Facilitation of Student Voice, Motivation and Learning in Sweden Karl Larsson, Teresa Fernández and Eva Lundgren ................................................................ 57 From Participation to Voice: Developing Student Voice in Dutch Education Jeroen Bron and Annette van der Laan .................................................................................... 74 3 STUDENT VOICE IN REPRESENTATIVE SPACE ............................................. 90 Student Voice Throughout Entrepreneurial Competence: How to be Entrepreneurial in School Systems in Bosnia and Herzegovina Marija Naletilić, Maja Stojkić and Danica Vasilj ....................................................................... 91 Student' Involvement in Improving School Environment in Estonia Paula-Karoliina Põld and Merit Kangro .................................................................................. 103 Addressing the Voice of Students in Official Documents and the Challenges of Implementation in School Practice in Kosovo Ismet Potera, Luljeta Shala and Lirije Bytyqi-Beqiri ............................................................... 115 Student Voice in Education Christian Lamy .......................................................................................................................... 127 STUDENT VOICE AT SYSTEM LEVEL ................................................................. 140 Learner Voice in Irish Education – Towards a Common Approach Mary Daly, Colm Ó Cadhain, Gerard O'Sullivan and Norman Emerson ................................ 141 Student Voice in Norway and the New Norwegian Curriculum Siv M. Gamlem and Marte Blikstad-Balas .............................................................................. 155 Learner Voice to Learner Participation – Scotland's Journey Jenny Watson and Nick Morgan .............................................................................................. 167 4 President's Foreword LUC WEIS, President, CIDREE 2018–2019 Director of SCRIPT Who would have guessed in September 2015 at the CIDREE expert meeting in Stockholm, where members were exchanging on pupil participation, that their discussions would not only lead to the Erasmus+-project "Student Voice – the BRIDGE to Learning", but would as well emerge into a CIDREE Yearbook and its accompanying launch conference in Ljubljana in November 2019? Yet again, the evolution of this exchange between CIDREE members – from expert meeting to project and further on to yearbook and conference – on a topic of uttermost relevance, is a vivid proof of the added value of the networking formats CIDREE offers its members. And it has led to policy decisions that contribute to educational systems throughout Europe. Who would have guessed at the time that today the voice of youth is loud and is heard? It is the voice of young people that reminds us vehemently how important it is to act in order to preserve our world. They constantly remind us that there is no alternative world we can simply switch to when the time comes. Educational systems have to react wisely but fast. Learning platforms need to be created where young people are supported to become responsible, autonomous, resilient members of a world community that needs to find solutions to problems man has created and continues creating. If we want to further develop a sustainable society model where humans and nature are central, then the young citizens need to learn how to use their voice to clearly formulate their ideas and thoughts to be convincing. They need skills that enable them to apply and generate knowledge so that they become vectors of change. Top down instruction cannot be school's answer to that challenge. The CIDREE Yearbook 2019 shows a persuading variety of good practice examples where students are given a voice and are listened to. Not only when it is about organising school events, showing guests around their school, or when students participate in first aid or peer mediation teams or run a school newspaper: Student voice also gets heard in formal learning and evaluation contexts. The contents, objectives and formats of learning are actively and rationally negotiated in and outside the classrooms and this becomes a part of the learning process. Metacognitive knowledge and skills that are key to understanding the world as it is, must be trained. The message is: We should advise policy makers to listen to student voice, to create contexts that allow student voice to resonate, to rethink evaluation systems by strengthening formative assessment and to revise curricula so that they reflect that ambition. In its 29th year of existence, this Yearbook shows that CIDREE remains an important voice in Europe and contributes to the educational discourse. It will be remembered as a strong argumentation for student voice, which 12 articles from 12 different European countries lead into. My sincerest thanks go to all the authors who have contributed to this unique book. Last but not least, and on behalf of all CIDREE members, I would like to thank colleagues from the National Education Institute from Slovenia (ZRSŠ) for the coordination and editing of the Yearbook, and especially Ada Holcar Brunauer, the Yearbook's editor. 5 Editorial Introduction Ada Holcar Brunauer THE THEME OF THE CIDREE YEARBOOK 2019 The theme of the CIDREE Yearbook 2019 is Student Voice in education. In an era of increased accountability and greater focus measuring student outcomes, student voice represents significant and growing movement in education. Instead of a top down, teacher directed approach to learning, the student voice approach encourages students to play an active role in planning, learning, as well as contributing to the development of school practices and policies. This significant philosophical shift requires all stakeholders to embrace the belief that there is something to learn from every individual regardless of age, culture, socioeconomic status, or other qualifying factors (St. John and Lori Briel, 2017). This Yearbook provides an insight into Student Voice from several European countries. Throughout the twelve articles, sets of authors from diverse backgrounds and specialisations, offer perspectives on promoting student voice in the widest of education contexts. Across many articles, there is a clear focus on pedagogy allowing students to engage and participate meaningfully in their own learning. In other articles, the focus is more on the representative space, which includes representative councils or groups encouraging students' active participation in adopting democratic principles across the schools. In the third group of articles, there is a key focus in supporting student voice at system level with a clear policy intention aimed at ensuring students' voice is heard in the classrooms and beyond. The articles explore the diverse challenges faced by educational stakeholders in different school environments preparing students for the challenging world of the twenty-first century. Student voice helps meet the objectives of developing the interdisciplinary skills which are a key aspect of the newly developed 21st century curricula. In this curriculum students are supported to take increasing responsibility for their own learning, physical, personal and social wellbeing, relationships with others as well as taking on a role in the local, national and global community (Manefield, 2007). Throughout the Yearbook, the international contributions allow us to gain insight into the perspectives of policy-makers, administrations, committed teachers and engaged learners, all actively participating in their schools, communities and the education system. They actively contribute to decision-making processes and collectively influence outcomes by putting forward their views, concerns and ideas. Student voice not only allows students to engage and participate meaningfully in their own learning, it contributes to building leadership, confidence and other skills that ensure student wellbeing. 6 LEARNER VOICE POSTER The Yearbook also includes a Learner Voice poster, which was developed by the Erasmus+ project Student Voice – the BRIDGE to Learning in which five European countries (Hungary, Ireland, Scotland, Slovenia and The Netherlands) participated. The poster presents the characteristics of a supportive learning environment in which students are more likely to develop a confident voice and a capacity to engage effectively in life-long learning. It articulates actions teachers can take to engage students as strong agents in their own learning, by including them in curriculum planning, in setting goals and in the assessment process. This partnership approach is a shift towards creating strong collective responsibility for learning progress and school improvement in which all participants – students and teachers take the role of a learner. 7 A GLIMPSE INTO THE YEARBOOK Authors of twelve European nations have contributed articles to the Yearbook 2019: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Estonia, France, Hungary, Ireland, Kosovo, Luxembourg, Norway, Scotland, Slovenia, Sweden and The Netherlands. Below you will find a short introduction to each of the articles that are included in the CIDREE Yearbook 2019: Bosnia and Herzegovina Student Voice throughout Entrepreneurial Competence: How to be Entrepreneurial in School Systems in Bosnia and Herzegovina The authors focus on student voice throughout active participation in school project activities on the topic of entrepreneurial learning. The functioning of the student council and schools has been clarified in the article, as well as the way in which students can achieve mutual support and cooperation in joint activities with teaching staff, school management and parents. Student voice is recognizable as a part of the work of the student councils in Bosnia and Herzegovina that promote the development of self-initiative and entrepreneurial competence throughout teamwork, responsible behaviour, constructive cooperation, decision-making and problem solving. Estonia Students' Involvement in Improving School Environment in Estonia The article describes national satisfaction surveys launched by Estonian Ministry of Education and Research in 2015 aimed at providing an overview of students, teachers, and parents' satisfaction with different aspects of school environment and aspects of students' motivation. The article describes the process of data collection and explains the type of feedback given to schools. The authors conclude the article by emphasizing the importance of giving students, teachers and parents a voice or a chance to express their opinions through the national surveys. France How to Mobilize Visual Arts as a Form of Citizen Expression The article highlights developments in French education to promote collective work between stakeholders and researchers in education. The article outlines the background and development of a research project in which six classes of Year 10 students have used graphic objects created on a digital map of their territory for defining a city of tomorrow, expressing some kind of political representation of the territory. The authors reflect on the importance of students developing cognitive processes through visual arts and how the principles of student voice can be taken forward as part of effective classroom practice. 8 Hungary Does Student Voice Comply with the Centralised National Core Curriculum at the Classroom Level? The authors describe a case study on a secondary vocational school in Budapest, where the project implementation resulted in strengthening student voice and increasing the learning outcomes of the engaged students. Three schools were involved in ERASMUS+ Project Student Voice – the Bridge to Learning, each trying to find their own path to student voice. The authors identify some clear recommendations for increasing students' motivation for learning and empowering them to perform at a high standard. Kosovo Addressing the Voice of Students in Official Documents and the Challenges of Implementation in School Practice in Kosovo The contribution from Kosovo gives us a national perspective on how well student voice is addressed in school policy documents and how well students' rights and consideration of their voice is respected in decision-making processes in classrooms. Analysis of educational documents and policies in Kosovo satisfactory address student voice in decision-making bodies. The authors provide initial reflections based on policy implications of their analysis – suggesting that policy makers and teachers should reflect carefully on how the implementation of laws and by-laws could be better embedded in classroom practice where school culture and the quality of school management play a crucial role. Luxembourg Student Voice in Education This article highlights some concrete examples of initiatives undertaken in Luxembourg to enhance student voice in primary and secondary schools. It starts by discussing how classroom learning and assessment provide an important place for student voice. The article also describes the class and school councils as another promising path to help students share their opinions. Student voice in the context of school and classroom management is then illustrated in the School Futures project which supports the development of 21th century skills, such as critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication skills. The article then outlines several projects and initiatives showing how students in Luxembourg schools can be supported to become fully responsible citizens, with the ability to contribute to sustainable development in the society of tomorrow. 9 Ireland Learner Voice in Irish Education – towards a Common Approach In this article, education officers from the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment set out how Ireland is taking learner voice forward in the early childhood, primary and post-primary sectors. The article reflects on how efforts are being made to move away from teacher/practitioner dominated practices to encouraging a situation where all learners are provided with the opportunity to have a voice in the learning process. The authors demonstrate how the NCCA is focusing more proactively in supporting schools/settings to review and reform their practices through the provision of greater clarity in curriculum documents and in exemplifying and sharing examples of learner-centred practices. Norway Student Voice in Norway and the New Norwegian Curriculum The contribution from Norway gives us a national perspective on how students are given voice in Norwegian schools. Norway has a long tradition of emphasising student voice in primary and elementary schools, with their first student council being established in 1919. The authors analyse the new curriculum in which empowerment of individual students is emphasized, as well as the ambition that students should be given opportunities to find solutions the development of knowledge, understanding and cooperation. The article highlights the importance of practicing skills in critical thinking and reflection as means of developing deeper learning. The authors conclude their article with number of helpful reflections on how giving students' agency can empower them to become self-directed learners. Scotland Learner Voice to Learner Participation – Scotland's Journey The article highlights developments in Scottish education in the last 20 years of promoting learners' participation in issues that affect them across the education system. The authors describe milestones that have marked key points in this journey and explore them from different perspectives within formal education and beyond. The authors describe how in the past, schools created Pupil Councils and committees to encourage the learner voice by empowering representative learners to influence curriculum activity and how this has evolved in many schools to involve all learners in school improvement as well as expanding their involvement in local, national and global issues. 10 Slovenia Student Voice and Formative Assessment This article presents some findings from Erasmus+ project Student Voice – the BRIDGE to Learning through Slovenian practice. 78 participants from nine schools joined the project. The authors describe the school culture in which student voice flourishes. Findings of the research show that involving students in curriculum development encourages them to take ownership of their learning and that open and trustful relationships enable them to freely express their views in classrooms . The authors conclude the article by presenting a model of formative assessment to enhance student voice showing the elements, which are essential for student voice to flourish in a classroom. Sweden Participation and Influence in the Classroom – Capacity Building for Teacherś Facilitation of Student Voice, Motivation and Learning in Sweden The article reflects on the ways that children and young people can be encouraged to participate more actively and meaningfully in their education – and how this can become an important driver for increasing student voice and motivation for learning. The authors draw on a review of mainly Swedish research about children and young people's participation and influence in school. Swedish education policy provides space and encouragement for learner participation – however there are a number of challenges in ensuring that this is realised. The article highlights a number of gaps and key themes in the research literature, including the need to reconsider traditional teacher-learner roles. It also highlights the impact that effective participation can have on children and young people, teachers and the whole school. The Netherlands From Participation to Voice: Developing Student Voice in Dutch Education The article reflects on the ways student voice is embedded in school practice in the Netherlands. The authors outline specific concerns about the developments in this field which seem to have been underdeveloped in the last years. The article describes the efforts made to improve the development of student voice in theory and practice in Dutch education, with an emphasis on classroom curriculum development. The authors present experiences, results and tools based on a PhD research involving six schools of lower secondary education and Erasmus+ project Student Voice – the BRIDGE to Learning and conclude the article by helpful reflection on the crucial role which teachers play in improving the quality of education. 11 CONCLUSION This introduction highlights that one of the most powerful tools available to influence academic achievement is helping students feel they have a stake in their learning. To feel motivated to do something and become engaged in its activity, students (like adults) generally need to feel they have a voice. Numerous examples from research have shown that the more educators give their students choice, control, challenge, and opportunities for collaboration, the more their motivation and engagement are likely to rise (Toshalis and Nakkula, 2012). The aspiration of the ongoing work described in this CIDREE Yearbook of 2019, and the insights shared by our contributors into their fields of expertise will hopefully provide grounds for discussion and reflection. In particular, it is hoped that all those involved in shaping education - policy makers, researchers and practitioners across Europe and beyond will find the Yearbook a useful resource to inform their thinking in taking forward developments in the area of student voice. References St. John & Lori Briel. (2017). Student Voice: A growing movement within education that benefits students and teachers Kendel. VCU Center on Transition Innovations. Retrived from https://centerontransition.org/ publications/download.cfm?id=61 Manefield, J., Collins R. & Moore J., Mahar, S. and Warne C. (2007). Student Voice. A historical perspective and new directions. Atelier Learning Solutions Pty Ltd. Retrived from https://www.researchgate.net/ publication/265173461_Student_Voice_A_Historical_Perspective_and_New_Directions Toshalis, E. & Nakkula, M., J. (2012). Motivation, engagement, and student voice. Students at the Center. Retrived from https://studentsatthecenterhub.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Exec-Toshalis- Nakkula-032312.pdf 12 Organization of the Articles Across all of the articles three clear themes emerge: STUDENT VOICE IN PEDAGOGY STUDENT VOICE IN THE REPRESENTATIVE SPACE STUDENT VOICE AT SYSTEM LEVEL While it is recognised that a number of articles cover more than one theme, it has been decided to organise each article within the theme where there is the strongest focus. It is intended that this thematic approach will enable the readers to compare articles within themes while allowing for a holistic understanding of student voice across all three themes. 13 STUDENT VOICE IN PEDAGOGY 14 How to Mobilize Visual Arts as a Form of Citizen Expression student voice FRANCE la parole des élèves 15 Authors Virginie Ruppin Virginie Ruppin, Ph.D., is a professional researcher associated at the Politics Cultures and Education ECP Laboratory (3th axis: Arts Education), a lecturer at Lyon 2 University since 2005, and an art teacher collaborating at "Léa" Prospective and Citizenship at IFE-ENS-Lyon. Her Ph.D. thesis, under the direction of Alain Kerlan, focused on Artistic and Cultural Practices in Elementary School, on the gap between teacher intentions and implementations, with a complex theoretical framework associating justification (Boltanski L.), academic form or schooling (Vincent G.), objects (Latour B.) and worlds (Derouet J.-L.). She has authored a number of scientific and professional papers on the construction of artistic teaching situations with or without intervening artists, the modes of transmission of visual arts in a socio-didactic perspective, on the use of digital technologies in the teaching of visual arts in primary and secondary schools. She has participated in scientific symposia in France, Switzerland, Canada, Belgium, and delivered workshops and conferences on interdisciplinary digital innovative approaches to artistic teaching. Sina Safadi-Katouzian Sina Safadi-Katouzian is a Ph.D. student in social anthropology at the Interdisciplinary Institute for Contemporary Anthropology at the School of Advanced Studies in Social Sciences (EHESS) in Paris. His work explores the social and political organisation of a neighbourhood in Orléans and focuses on relations between inhabitants, citizens and public space. He discusses issues of everyday practices, citizenship and political subjectivity. At the ENS-IFE, he coordinates a collaborative research project between teachers, researchers and urban planners, on geography and citizenship. 16 Aurélien Zaragori Aurélien Zaragori has a Ph.D. degree in Contemporary History and is a teacher of History and Geography in a junior high school, the Collège Paul Eluard in Vénissieux, in the Academy of Lyon. He is one of the coordinators of the collaborative research project 'LéA Prospectives – Territoire de Lyon – Réseaux d'établissements' and participates both in the research team and in the educational implementation. Abstract This contribution analyses how visual arts allow students to express themselves as citizens of their own territory while engaging themselves as actors of their learning process in geography, arts and languages. Based on a transdisciplinary approach and a stimulating collaborative research space between education stakeholders and researchers, it examines how six classes of year 10 have used graphic objects created on a digital map of their territory for defining a city of tomorrow, then expressing some kind of political representation of this territory. In this respect, visual arts are thus to students both a way to express their own vision and to confront their points of view. The verbalization that follows visual arts work leads students to explore this cognitive process and give a new sense to the whole activity. 17 Presentation of the research context territorial and urban engineering to school pedagogy. Teachers and researchers from the Lille In 2017, an associated educational centre (LéA) academy have thus undertaken a reflection was created in Lyon around the teaching of on the mobilization of the foresight approach foresight and the citizenship processes that this in their teaching. The aim was to renew the approach can generate. This LéA centre is one teaching of geography by inviting students of the thirty-four existing ones supported by the to investigate a geographical area in order French Institute of Education - Ecole Normale to consider its possible futures and position Supérieure de Lyon (IFE-ENS de Lyon). Called themselves in relation to the identified social Prospective - Lyon territory - Establishment issues. This approach places students in a Network, its aim is to create a collaborative posture of personal construction of geographical research space. Indeed, the objective of knowledge and skills. One of the persons such a system is to promote collective work in charge of this project, Natalie Malabre, between education stakeholders and a team academic and regional pedagogical inspector, of researchers on issues related to education. considers that the teaching of this approach In this particular case, urban professionals allowed "the pupils to absorb the specific (architects, model makers and urban planners) problems of the spaces and to understand the participate in the discussions to bring their territorial dynamics of the work better"(2017). particular perspective of the construction of The productions of this Léa centre can be a territory. This co-construction space aims to consulted on the Geography and Prospective study how the foresight approach can generate site. learning situations related to moral and civic education. Territorial foresight is a more or less The collaborative research featured in this article formalized tool for the analysis of spaces and continues this work, especially by extending the related social phenomena that raise the stakes reflection on how to make student voice audible. of collective participation in the evolution of a The stakeholders and actors involved in this territory (Barthes et al., 2019). The foresight three-year long research project are part of approach is composed of several steps: carrying different fields: education, research, and spatial/ out a territorial survey in order to identify specific urban planning. Presented in the following way issues, and then develop plausible scenarios for for heuristic reasons, these actors belong to the future. different spheres: The foresight approach has a history that ● From primary school teachers to university needs to be explained in a few words. Territorial staff, spanning a whole range of subjects, foresight in France was, first of all, an approach such as social studies (history, geography, mobilized by experts commissioned by state and civics are taught by the same teacher), institutions in order to build strategies at the French, foreign languages (German and national level. A recent impetus has been given Spanish) and arts (plastic arts and music); to consider this approach as an approach that allows learning, leading to a transition from 18 ● Researchers coming from various disciplinary The French school fields: geography, political science, history, educational sciences, and anthropology; curriculum ● Planners being town planners, architects, model makers or working in an urban The use of the foresight approach is now well mediation association. integrated into the secondary school curriculum. This is the case in secondary schools ( collèges) This collaborative research group currently in year 7 ( sixième, with 11-year-old pupils) brings together 35 teachers, 4 urban where it can be used in the theme "Living in professionals, and 6 researchers. 20 classes a metropolis", but also in year 10 programme are concerned, that is about 500 students, ( troisième, with 15-year-old pupils) proposing mostly from 10-year-old to 15-year-old students, to work on urban areas that can be used to all located in the Lyon region (Lyon 4, Vaulx-en- "develop territories to reduce inequalities". Other Velin, Vénissieux, Villeurbanne, Dardilly, and uses applied to the geographical approach of Artemare). local territories can also be deepened in the In the wake of this research project, which gave Sixth Form. rise to a particularly rich reflection, it gradually The experiment proposed here deals with data became obvious that by identifying "specific collected in six classes of year 10 ( troisième). social problems", such as difficulties in mobility, social or academic inequality, in the territory In visual arts, it is in the context of representing and projecting themselves into possible futures, a local space situated in the vicinity of the students found themselves in various situations secondary school: that led to challenge their own representation by ● to get students to understand that a sensitive confronting it with those of other actors of the approach of the architectural work mediated territory. Quasi-ethnographic investigation (being by the human five senses can lead them to there, observing, describing) in the immediate an authentic aesthetic experience that goes area requires a very personal experience of beyond mere vision, and brings new readings communication and interaction between the of the space; investigator and local people, giving themselves the right and freedom to speak. It appeared to ● to raise the question of the added value of a us that this survey approach allows students space lived, perceived and felt by all senses to question their daily practices and the way in more than only by the visual image of this which they themselves participate in the social space. and political organization of the territory. This From an arts teaching perspective, students activity gives rise to skills to listen to and observe understand by their practice and verbalization in the complexity of territories, the diversity of their class that: fabric (Collectif Léa de Lyon, 2018) and thus the polysemic character of citizenship (Clarke et al., ● an artwork can address all the senses and not 2014, p. 9). Thus, we focus in this article on one just the sight; strand of the research questions developed, by ● the sensations feed on the personal insisting on the richness of the transdisciplinary experience of the spectator; approach to favour the emergence of modes of expression other than the oratorical ability, ● any experience of an artwork is unique for the constituted as central in a whole piece of spectator who experiences it. political philosophy. By experiencing visual arts, it is also a question of encouraging plural artistic expressions on questions related to life in a territory. 19 Key questions and place does student voice possess in this type of a complex experimental device and what are research hypotheses its contributions in an anthropological approach favouring an artistic and linguistic approach to On the one hand, this project allows students say and report on politics? to reflect on the production of knowledge, on More specifically, in lower secondary education, the question of geographical data produced working on the concept of "local territory" in and the ways of representing them plastically, eography, on perceptual spaces in the visual in particular with the support of digital tools arts, on language spaces in foreign languages, and on the other hand, on what happens in the there are questions that question the transversal learning development when school disciplines notion of territory, the place of the mapped are linked to each other, what knowledge flows object (its norms, its possible transition to between professionals of the urban planning and the status of artistic object) and that of the digital design professions, geography teachers, digital tool. They also develop the central languages and visual arts and students who notion of active participation of the students learn from them. as main actors of their learning process. And We will be able to deepen how the oral part how can student voice, here considered in a (explication and verbalisation) requested from broad sense as students' expressions and the students and the technical part (mastery of the learning outcomes, generated by an artistic software) can be articulated to the dimension of mapping project, test the social and the political the making of the plastic practice. representation of the students. It is a question of questioning the "power Our hypotheses are that the visual of the maps". Brian Harley (1988) believes representation of an imaginary space would that the map is a graphic object that has a allow the expression of a political representation language and can therefore be considered as of the student that would not be expressed a text providing knowledge and thus becomes using only the oral or written language but also an object of power. According to the author, a visual aid to facilitate dialogue. According the abstract nature of the map tends to to Gilles Pasky (2013, p. 13), the use of the make the social dimension of the territory it participatory map, on the one hand, facilitates represents disappear. By mobilizing the map the contribution of the greatest number of as an intermediary object allowing not only to people without the usual relationships of communicate between the disciplines but also domination, which are more present in verbal between actors, the experimentation conducted communication, and on the other hand, disrupts considers the map as an object of "cultural the hierarchy of knowledge by blurring the line poaching", i.e., an unexpected reclaim of using between external and theorized knowledge the map (de Certeau, 1990), making it possible and implicit and embedded knowledge. to become a vector of democratic education: Therefore, the voice of the student heard and/ How can visual arts, geography, music education or collected in writing would thus be increased, and languages mobilize a digital tool to make the supplemented by another language dimension plurality of actors that make up a geographical – that of the expression of a reflexive creative territory co-inhabit this graphic object? How plastic practice of the student engaged in a two- can the restitution of students' territorial dimensional and digital production. Secondly, inquiry mobilize art as a modality of political it tests the possibilities that confronting expression? What does the artistic resource data, collected spatially and verbally, and concerning architectural spaces mean, what plastic representations would allow a space political discourse does it allow that a more for discussion to emerge among students "classically" scientific study does not allow? What living in the same territory, contributing to the 20 development of a situation that generates the ● "express your feelings about your experiential effort of testing their citizenship (Gayet-Viaud, space in modern languages": creation of word 2011). clouds. Thus, student voice is apprehended as a tool The team of researchers proceeded to: and considered a common ground to: ● a collection of the students' words and ● identify the major economic, societal and writings: on a paper; environmental issues of the city of tomorrow, ● class observations: with pupils working; at the neighbourhood level of the student; ● photographs of students' artistic productions; ● participate and to express oneself by the voicing, the writing and the plastic expression; ● monitoring of collective verbalizations; ● think and debate, transforming the "collège" ● a follow-up of the numerical modelling work during their last year of study there ( troisième, on computer; age 15) into a laboratory of reflection, ● a transcript and analysis of student interviews. confronting students' points of view and shedding light on the thoughts and challenges This collective contribution bears a testimony of today; especially here on a multidisciplinary research design, articulating not only geography, arts ● question teachers' practices and their own and politics but also educational sciences representations about the territory in which and anthropology. Our experimentation they teach. fundamentally apprehends the study of the relationship between art and politics from the angle of artistic intervention and its Research methodology contributions to anthropological practice and theory. The experiment presented here is part of an interdisciplinary collaborative research project and focuses on the part of this study: Field of experimentation the mobilization of a geographical reflection produced and expressed (verbally and in written The empirical data mobilized in this article come form) by secondary school students as part of from one of the experiments set up in a "collège" the foresight approach on their territory, in visual located in a "zone d'éducation prioritaire". Eight arts and languages (German and Spanish). voluntary teachers in year 10 of secondary The students were involved in different school ( troisième, 15 years old) participated pedagogical activities: in experimenting with the interdisciplinary teaching device entitled "My city and me" and ● urban ballad: in the city with the students; in gathering recordings of students' expressions ● pictures of the neighbourhood: with a camera; at each stage of the project's progress. These ● artistic representation of a future city; teachers are associated with the collection of data and share their interpretation as they ● written explanation of the artistic and are involved in the work of interpretation and architectural choices of their neighbourhood: analysis with the researchers. Their contribution on a form accompanying the drawing; is significantly relevant to the potential effects ● numerical modelling work in a computer room: of the research device on their practices while with a special software; allowing researchers to shift their understanding by confronting a different view. ● verbalization in geography; 21 Student voice: in visual arts) served as a support for oral explanations and verbal expression. We noticed a rewarding complex that sometimes the reading of the plastic analysis productions exceeded the student's capacity of expression, as if he/she was not able to fully reflect on all his/her choices. In a more positive Verbalization situations in visual arts courses are way, one could argue that the artistic practice part of the student's formative evaluation. When became a language of its own and a material a student verbally presents his or her work to in itself, completing and augmenting the the teacher, explaining it, he/she describes and languages used to express students' voices. The tells what he/she did in his/her plastic practice. technical and discipline-specific vocabulary can This verbalization is based on the methodology be a real obstacle for students to fully express developed by Pierre Vermersch (1998). Following themselves, especially for at-risk students facing those principles, the arts teacher focuses in major difficulties in school or who have recently questioning on the description of the production arrived in France. and the analysis made by the student, taking care of considering, in a secondary way, any In addition to the class observations and audio elements related to inappropriate comments or recordings of computer sessions, conducted by judgments. the group's teachers and researchers, we have synthesized diaries kept by the teachers during The teacher involved in the experimentation is the sessions in which they took part. Those initially trained in the method of collecting verbal documents record essential and sometimes data (words, key words, oral expression) from the subjective information. Their analysis will student. On the basis of this material and the be combined with the reflexive character of interaction with their teacher, the student knows teacher's focus groups on their practice analysis; if he/she has or has not met the success criteria those interviews were conducted during teacher defined by the teacher on the work requested groupings That took place at internal meetings and how it can be improved. Indeed, the teacher organized within the "collège" (secondary asks how the work was done, what types of school). buildings were drawn, what building materials were chosen and for what reasons (plastics, For the teachers of any discipline, having environmental ...), and what housing, cultural only the production (written trace or plastic and recreational goals underlie the drawing production) at their disposal, the product of project. If the student responds vaguely to a the cerebral activity of the student is generally single question among those mentioned above, insufficient to have access to the progression of one may wonder if he/she has thought about his/her thought, to the cognitive process. getting his/her product. Conversely, a student The oral explanation of the work brings the who does not fully master the architectural teacher complementary elements and uncovers, plastic codes but who describes and adequately reveals procedures most often hidden to the explains his/her work can be valued for his/ learner. her work. The place of student voice is thus central here; at the same time it can support The teacher, while developing an empathic and advice and improvement of the practice and the active listening, puts questions to students artistic production, and value a student who had without knowing in advance the answer to his/ difficulties in the realm of visual realization. her question: "How did you conceive your city of the future? What architectural references Each activity and teaching sequence offered did you summon in your work? What materials to students (production of texts in foreign did you choose? What is essential for you to languages and geography, artistic production represent in your neighbourhood of the future?" 22 The student accompanies his/her plastic ● a certain number of pre-requisites production with a written description of what (understanding the usefulness of perspective, he/she has achieved and most of the time the functions of buildings, the effects of completed verbally during the verbalization materials), phase. As indicated by Thierry Piot, "The word ● an exploration phase and a focus on artistic of the master is second compared to that of culture (imagining a city of the future, the the student. In other words, we focus less on perspective of buildings, knowing architects knowledge than on the process of building and innovative buildings), knowledge and competence of the student." ● a reinvestment phase of these concepts in the Gathering students' words allows, on the one problem of his/her own neighborhood in 2100 hand, knowing what are the knowledge and and abilities mobilized by a learner, and on the other hand, highlighting the difficulties encountered ● an extension in the computer room on the during the process of production development. digital three-dimensional modelling of their buildings inserted in their own neighbourhood, To compensate for the difficulties, teachers modelled in the "MT3D" software designed by involved in the Léa collaborative research project an Ifé-ENS engineer. tried to develop a whole pedagogical scenario in order to put the students in a position of success: ● A progressive approach, putting the student in action in the sense of Jacques Ardoino, in project pedagogy with: Figure 1, 2, 3 and 4. Examples of screenshots, student computer 23 The difficulties lay in the reinvestment of the student's own language limits. Indeed, mastering futuristic lines and shapes studied in the a narrative competence (Altet, 1996) on one's exploration stage as students had to imagine own school production requires a period of their own neighbourhood of the future. Students adaptation. seemed to have more reservations about creativity and difficulty in imagining the future of a familiar space. Taught students agreed that there would be no change, and therefore they Conclusion did not see why they needed to imagine a future neighbourhood in the future. Sometimes, students find themselves in lexical and semantic registers that are too weak and far away from the school culture, so that they do not The reflexive student voice gathered in the allow them to meet their teacher's expectations. phase of verbalization allows students to dispose of scaffolding and to enter and explore In diagnostic assessment, most students were their own cognitive process. Students, as able to draw a ruler's perspective and pencil in active participants of their learning process their notebooks; nevertheless, many students and as spect-actors of collective achievements did not capture this reminder and reinvest it (Barbozat 2007), become the authors of importantly in the phase of exploring the future cognitive dynamics. Indeed, by knowing how to city of their choice – within their project to conceptualize the school situation, the student, create their neighbourhood in 2100. A major by the description of what he/she does, opens a difficulty was to mobilize all prior knowledge, to potential space of awareness (Piaget, 1974) of solve, by the procedures learned in group, how the configuration of the school activity, leading to classify the new phase of creating their own him/her to a new sense of activity. To do this, it neighbourhood in the future. Thus, the teacher seems essential that the success of the effective was given plastic productions, sometimes and efficient taking student voice into account without any reinvestment of the notions and should be based on the mobilization of each concepts seen previously. teacher reflecting on their individual practices in The verbalization phase could be a teaching tool the classroom. used to point out the lack of reinvestment and References Altet, M. (1996). Les compétences de l'enseignant-professionel: entre savoirs, schèmes d'action et adaptation, le savoir-analyser, in Paquay, L., Altet, M., Charlier, E. et Perrenoud, Ph. (dir.), Former des enseignants professionnels. Quelles stratégies ? Quelles compétences ? Bruxelles, De Boeck, 27-40. Ardoino, J. (1984). Projet éducatif, projet de société, Pour, 94, 5-13. Barbozat, P. (2007). Fiction interactive, "métarécit" et unités intégratives, L'image actée: scénarisation numérique, L'Harmattan. 99-121. Barthes, A., Blanc-Maximin, S. & Dorier, E. (2019). "Quelles balises curriculaires en éducation à la prospective territoriale durable? Valeurs d'émancipation et finalités d'implications politiques des jeunes dans les études de cas en géographie", Éducation et socialisation. Clarcke J., Coll K., Dagnino E., & Neveu C. (2014). Disputing citizenship, Bristol University Press, 7. 24 Carrel, M. & Neveu C. (2014). Citoyennetés ordinaires. Pour une approche renouvelée des pratiques citoyennes, Paris, Karthala, Recherches internationales. Collectif Léa de Lyon (2018). La démarche prospective. Une invitation à écouter et observer les territoires, Diversité, 193. De Certeau, M. (1990). L'invention du quotidien, Arts de faire, Édition de Luce Giard, Nouvelle édition, Gallimard. Gayet-Viaud, C. (2011). Du côtoiement à l'engagement: la portée politique de la civilité, La Découverte, Mouvements, 65, 57-66. Harley, J. B. (1988). Silences and secrecy: the hidden agent of cartography in early modern Europe. Imago Mundi, 40, p. 57-76. Lahire, B. (2007). La sociologie, la didactique et leurs domaines scientifiques, Education et didactique, (1) 73-82. Malabre, N., Gack, A., Gabriel Kleszewski, G. & Saputa, D. (2018). Démarche prospective et empowerment dans le bassin minier du Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Diversité, 191: "L'expérience du territoire. Apprendre dans une société durable", 132-137. Musset, A. (1988). La cartographie préhispanique au Mexique, Mappemonde, 4. Pasky, G. (2013). Cartographie participative, cartographie indiscipliné e, L'information géographique, 77, 10-25. Piaget, J. (1974). La prise de conscience, Paris, Presse universitaires de France. Piot, T. (2005). La verbalisation de l'activité par l'élève, Quand dire c'est apprendre et s'apprendre. ERES Connaissances de la diversité. 193-208. Vermersch, P. (1998). L'entretien d'explicitation, ESF, 5e édition. Webpage of the project: work http://ife.ens-lyon.fr/geo-et-prospective/ 25 Does Student Voice Comply with the Centralised National Core Curriculum at the Classroom Level? student voice HUNGARY tanulók hangja Authors Mária Szabó Mária Szabó is a former teacher of biology and chemistry who has been working in Budapest as a research fellow at the Eszterházy Károly University Hungarian Institute for Educational Research and Development for 16 years. Her professional interests are school leadership and school development. She is the national coordinator of Student Voice – Bridge to Learning Erasmus+ project. She participated in several national and international school development projects and she is experienced in the curriculum development as well. She is involved as a lecturer and a programme developer in the training of school leaders, run by the Hungarian-Netherlands School for Educational Leadership and Management. Lucia Kákonyi Lucia Kákonyi is a secondary school teacher of English language and literature. She worked as an educational developer at Eszterházy Károly University Hungarian Institute for Educational Research and Development until 2018. Furthermore, she is the former national coordinator of Student Voice – Bridge to Learning Erasmus+ project and the Consortium of Institutions for Development and Research in Education (CIDREE). She has participated in several national and international school development projects. She also takes part in in-service teacher training programmes. Her special interest is the student voice approach in the learning process in secondary education. 28 János Eőri János Eőri is a secondary school teacher of Maths and Chemistry. Besides teaching, he participates in the researches of ELTE Siliconorganic Chemistry Laboratory. Since 2009, he has been the member of the American Chemical Society. As a teacher of Hunfalvy János Secondary School, he has developed the methodology of Stress-free Math Testing in Student Voice – Bridge to Learning Erasmus+ project. Abstract Eszterházy Károly University Hungarian Institute for Educational Research and Development has taken part in the Erasmus+ Student Voice – the Bridge to Learning Project, in collaboration with other four member institutions of CIDREE. This paper gives an overview on the student-centred education through Hungarian eyes. It is a case study on a secondary vocational school in Budapest, where the project implementation resulted in strengthening student voice and increasing the learning outcomes of the engaged students. Their active and effective participation in planning, researching, creating and assessing their own learning process motivates them to a much greater degree and empowers them to perform at a high standard. The school example shows that allowing students to shape their own learning process enhances their success and can promote higher achievement in their studies while all recommended curricular themes are treated during the process. 29 "Children learn what they live" (Nolte) Children are not reverse adults. They have their connection with the quality of education (Barber own worldview. Their childhood activities and and Mourshed, 2007). But in the 21st century experiences influence the development of their school, teachers need to become facilitators of personalities, beliefs, attitudes and skills. If they each student's effective personal learning. This live with encouragement, they learn confidence. new role of teachers requires transformation If they live with security, they learn to have faith in their working style. The quality of teachers is in themselves and in those around them. We a necessary element of the quality education, can justify Dorothy Law Nolte's poem with some though it is not enough. Any change in education evidence on the connection between learning can be sustained if it influences the daily style and learning outcomes. When students get practice of the teachers and the whole school choices in their learning, they engage in deeper, culture at the same time (Hopkins, 2001). richer learning, display more on-task behaviour and their learning environment becomes more Although changes are necessary elements collaborative. "Research shows that when of improvement, people are afraid of them students are given autonomy in their learning, since they force them to leave their comfort they are more likely to better develop their 21st zones. Keeping this fact in mind, it takes time century skills in critical thinking, problem solving, to achieve sustainable changes in education teamwork, creativity, grit, perseverance, and and a system-level change. Any changes in time management. These are some of the most education can be sustainable if the goals are sought after skills for employers." (Kaput, 2018, clear and the implementation has a balance p. 16.) of pressures and supports (Creemers et al., 2007). Market mechanisms, external evaluation Our students need to face the future, be able and accountability and external agents are the to navigate its uncertainty. They are members main elements of pressure, whereas school of the global, information-based digital society autonomy, financial maintenance, favourable while their parents and teachers root in the working conditions and local backing are typical world of the 20th century. Can these adults elements of support. prepare this young generation for an effective life in the 21st century? According to N. Emerson (Bridge expert meeting, Ireland, 2017), the biggest danger of the realization of any educational reforms is that What changes their ship of change sails purposefully across the sea, but it only ruffles the smooth surface and does not touch the bottom. So to say, the do we need in educational reforms sometimes fail to reach the classroom level, the teachers and their students education? although they should stir up the depths. Our hypotheses are that student voice at classroom level, with devoted teachers working in partnership with their students, can exist even It is no doubt that teachers are the key elements in a centralised educational system. of education, and their quality is a strong 30 rest of its content is based on local elements. The context Supporting the personalized learning and focusing on the real needs of each student is an important pedagogical paradigm. of the 'bridge' in Hungary The 'bridge' in Hungary Hungary has a three-level and two-pole content regulation of public education. The National Core Curriculum (NCC) declares principles, overall goals, development tasks and key The Erasmus + Student Voice project had three competences that should be developed by partner schools in Hungary: two primaries with the public education and the specific aims, age group of 7-14, and a secondary school learning outcomes and the learning content of with students aged 15-19. Based on their the subjects in ten different areas of cultural own understanding, the three schools gave domain. The so-called National Framework different focuses on their activities in student Curricula or syllabi ensure their implementation. voice aspects, such as to find new perceptions They give concrete guidelines for teachers, to personalized classroom management, taking into consideration the characteristics of to increase learning outcomes and support the pedagogical work phases. Schools develop personalised student development and to their own local curricula based on the framework develop student-friendly assessment. curricula. The local curriculum contains at least 70% of the framework curricula while the Input research To help the implementation of student voice principles, a small qualitative and quantitative research was carried out in the spring of 2017, trying to explore how the school leaders, the teachers and the students interpret the concept of student voice. The empirical research showed that each school was at different stage of student participation, and they had different motivations to participate in the project. The teachers preferred to strengthen the student voice mostly in out-of-lesson school situations. Student debates and decisions in classroom situations seemed to be less tolerable in the secondary school. Student voice is rather important at the individual level and in personal questions, but not in the learning process. According to the students, in order that a school functions well, it is important that teachers encourage students to express their opinions. Other important considerations took account of students' individual abilities and providing for student councils to work effectively. Interestingly, homework, teaching methods, and the shaping of lesson content by students seemed the least important for students. They do not intend to influence the process of their own studies (Imre et al., 2017, Bron et al., 2018). 31 The national conference in August 2018 made it clear that the partners put three different focuses on student voice. Although (1) learning intentions, success criteria, and learning outcomes, or (2) student-friendly assessment or (3) personalized classroom management meant different routes for different schools, they followed a complex approach at classroom level that covered all three aspects. What is student voice for the secondary school participants? In our case study, we show a story of our participating secondary vocational school, where significant changes happened due to student voice approach. We would like to share our educational experience, the pleasure we gained, the struggle we survived and the achievements we reached in partnership with our students during the period of the last two years. About the school It is specialised in economics. It has 800 students with 110 teachers and it aims to provide the students with high standard academic knowledge, language competencies and professional skills in economics. Its management supports educational culture shift and tries to focus on student-centred education. They want to improve students' personal qualities, key competencies, social skills and environmental awareness. The school activities aim at training young people to communicate, negotiate and debate both in Hungarian and in foreign languages to protect their interests and to become successful citizens in their future careers. At the beginning they used the definition of the take an active role in the process of their BRIDGE project, developed jointly by the project own learning, from goal setting and planning partners. Student voice 'is taking a collaborative, through problem solving and creation to self- inclusive approach to developing enhanced and peer assessment and testing. The active student voice in our classrooms and across student participation empowers creativity our schools. Our students and teachers feel and critical thinking, deepens knowledge and empowered, develop a range of skills, and are understanding, promotes problem solving, supported in becoming self-directed learners and teamwork, enables students to face the and active citizens. As part of this process, our continuous changes in their lives; namely, it students play a meaningful role in collaborating enhances their future awareness. with their teachers in shaping the curriculum and culture at class and whole-school level.'1 It means for us to allow learners to choose the way they want to learn. The students 1 http://voiceofstudents.eu/node/40603 32 Active student participation in defining learning intentions and success criteria Many educators in Hungary believe that the prescriptive national curriculum, centrally setting the learning goals, contents and requirements, restricts teachers to respond to their students' individual learning needs at classroom level. Many actors of education tend to understand them as unavoidable disasters which have to be completed, and fail to invite students to collaborate in designing their own learning process. It means that teachers rarely ask their students why to learn certain contents, why they are useful for them. The strongest argument to the "why" question is "because you need it for the final exams". What to learn? Although the Framework Curriculum defines the competencies and the themes through which the competencies are developed, it still offers teachers flexibility. In the case of English as a foreign language, e.g., there are four basic skills (understanding, talking, communication and writing) to improve and ten common broad topics (e.g.: Personal data and family, Human and society, Environment, School, etc.) In the subject of British-American culture there are universal topics, like geography, economy, society, etc. The universal themes give teachers flexibility of choices. For example, during the first two introductory lessons in the USA culture, US general facts can be discussed by several optional topics from which students can freely choose a topic. On the base of their choices, study groups can be formed and each of them works on a different topic. Another example for implementing the student voice idea is the local school curriculum of Hungarian Language and Literature for the first year of secondary education, which contains a drama project finishing with a drama performance. The preparation starts with choosing a play to perform. Students can suggest novels, short stories or films to stage. In our two cases, there were four plays suggested and then the students voted which one to work on. In other subjects, the curricula seem much stricter in the content area, but students can make their voices heard in 'why'- and 'how'-areas of the learning process. Why learn? To begin with, we used the Irish model (Focus on Learning, 2015) to define aims, learning intentions, success criteria and outcomes. We asked our students why learn the given contents, why improve the skills, why they are useful for their future life. When we ask our students why is it useful for them to gain knowledge and understand the given topic, we give them a chance to form their own learning goals. They forget about the final exams, and start to think about themselves, about their lives, and their motivation enhances. The learning intentions should reach all students; they should be clear, achievable and time-limited. That links to the purpose and context of learning of NCC. It focuses on what to learn by completing a certain task. 33 How to include students in co-creating learning intentions? The students decide on the learning intentions quickly and easily via simple questions and answers. Let us take some examples from English, Culture, Maths and Drama classes (Table 1). Table 1. Learning intentions and cognitive success criteria Activities based Teacher's Students' answers Success Criteria on curriculum questions Past Tenses What are To be able to speak I can read a narrative text using different (Simple, the narrative about past events, to tell types of past tenses. Continuous, tenses used a story. Perfect) for? I can do the grammar tasks in the workbook accurately. I can speak about a past event fluently, using past tenses in the right way/ with some mistakes. Give a speech on Why is it Various topics I can speak about our chosen topic food. important to mentioned, from healthy fluently, clearly and logically, using the be able to diet through the history right vocabulary. speak about of fast food to allergies food? and food intolerances. Trigonometric Why learn We can count the I remember what I have learnt before. functions trigonometric inclination angle of a functions? straight slope. I can recognise the trigonometric concepts in everyday tasks. We can interpret what 6% grade means on I can calculate the missing side length or traffic signs. angle in a rectangular triangle. I can calculate the inclination angle of a straight slope. I can interpret what 6% grade means. I can calculate the length of the journey on an incline. I can interpret the relations between the trigonometric functions. I can judge how complicated a trigonometric task is.2 Drama Why is it good Great opportunity to I can accomplish my individual task at for us to set overcome our stage high standard on the stage or in the up a play? fright, gain self- background: invitation cards, posters, confidence; to try out decoration, costumes, etc. acting while having fun together; spend a lot of time together working on the same task. 2 Trigonometric success criteria precisely coincide with the levels of deep thinking. (Bloom taxonomy) 34 How to involve students in creating success criteria? The second stage of the process is to invite students to decide what they need to do in order to achieve their learning goals, how they recognise they have achieved them, what the success criteria are besides earning good grades. The students and the teacher together define the personal goals and the success criteria using Bloom's taxonomy (Figure 1). Figure 1. Bloom's Taxonomy (https://www.shutterstock.com/hu/image-vector/blooms-pyramid-taxonomy-illustration-educational-tool-303931496?src=mp0keN-EBRJwPZUE4QYLSw-1-0) The students are responsible not only for their learning products but for the process as well. They take a journey from the lower order thinking skills to the higher order ones, from remembering to creating. They do research, find information, distinguish important pieces of information from less important ones, they describe and explain their findings; identify a problem to solve and they are able to outline the way how they plan to solve it; and finally, they create their final production in which they show the results of their learning process. Their work is not only about thinking and creating, it is also about working together as a team, which is also challenging. Therefore, the evaluation has elements of the realization of teamwork and the quality of the learning product as well. In a team, everybody takes the responsibility for their own tasks and completes them, nobody works instead of someone else; if someone needs support from others, the person gets it; the joint work is balanced and the atmosphere during the project is positive. The final product can be a presentation, a text, a poster, infographics, an interview, a video clip, a drama performance or a student-made test. 35 How to work? I. Students designed the learning process on the base of Jansen's bicycle (Figure 2.) We used the Jansen's bicycle to plan the process of learning, which takes 7 or 8 lessons of 45 minutes. The front wheel: The chain: 1 Introducing the theme, creating groups of 3 The next stage is planning the process. The 3-4, getting to know each other’s strengths, teams, involving all team members, divide the sub- assigning roles and responsibilities (leader, research topics. secretary, speaker, designer, etc.) 4 Individual learning. The students do the 2 Understanding the problem to be solved, investigation, find information, explain, compare, activating prior knowledge. analyse, prioritize and justify their subtopic. Finally, they share their knowledge with the group members and integrate their individual results to The steering wheel: create the final product. 7 Teacher reflects on students’ learning experiences, how the goals have been The back wheel: attained, and how the 5 Presentation: Each process fits into the group reports on their context of achieving the findings and activities long-term curriculum to the class. All learners goals. are involved in the process. Figure 2. Jansens' Bicycle (van der Laan and Bron, 2018.) The luggage carrier: 6 Assessment to which degree a group has reached the success criteria. The learners themselves reflect on their own personal development and the group performance, the process and the final product, what they think of the result and what they found difficult, easy or fun. The whole learning process is completed with student-made, stress-free testing. II. Student-led study groups Many hands make light work, as the proverb says, but working in groups has several risks and challenges. To begin with coordination: to coordinate group activities, to make decisions collectively, to integrate each member's contribution into the final product takes much more time than individual work. If the coordination is less efficient, the group fails the deadlines, the final work is poorly integrated and the motivation decreases. Furthermore, motivation matters considerably. Free riders and social loafers threaten the group effectivity and lower its productivity. On the other hand, due to the collective accountability, some groups tend to loaf 36 away their time and miss the deadline. Free riding and loafing can also lead to moral conflicts within the group, which might end up with breaking up. During our process, it happened only once when we failed the conflict resolution and one member left the group. The disappointed student could not keep the deadline and her group mates complained about hindering their work. The student felt the complaints were unfair as she had told her mates about her delay but they did not accept her excuses (Her peers told her: "deadline is deadline"), so she left the group and terminated the course. As she was over 18 and the subject was optional, she had the chance to give it up. The productivity of the broken group plummeted, the final presentation fell into parts and the offended student lost the knowledge and the skills she could have acquired or improved in the further phase of the course. Consequently, we have to empower our students with strong conflict resolution strategies, which also takes time and preparation. There might arise some intellectual problems as well, for example groupthink, such as the conformity of thinking, accepting the view of majority, insisting on information all members share and fail to recognise special, relevant information; enhanced commitment to their original plans and imaginations even when they are ineffective. To avoid the above-mentioned risks, we applied the following strategies: ● set up a strict time management and project schedule, ● keep the group size to 3 - 4 people, ● ask students to assign roles and responsibilities within the group (CEO/manager/leader, speaker, secretary, digital designer, etc.) and establish group norms, ● help each other and give positive reinforcement, ● communicate honestly and openly, ● try to resolve conflicts immediately Group reflection, 10th grade S1 The work was a little bit separate. This means that everyone researched their own topics. After we had done the research, we selected what to put in our presentation. Finally, we worked as a group, so there was cooperation too. S2 We did a great job and we worked together easily. It was a bit hard to get S3 to do his job, but finally we made him do it. I liked this project and the group was nice. S3 As the others have mentioned, I didn't really work with them, although I did my work just in time as they did. The others did a great job, even if S1 worried so much. III. Assessment 1 Self- and peer assessment Self- and peer assessment are as important parts of the learning process as working on the curriculum content, doing research or producing a presentation. They empower students to 37 assess independently their own and their peers' progress; their motivation and objectivity are enhanced. There are two categories of assessment in our project work in subjects English and Culture: giving feedback on the learning process (task completion, asking for help, giving help, team spirit) and on the product (main and subpoints, clear, logically built, informative, confidence in the topic, fluency, use of English). During the assessment, students justify their viewpoints. For example, if someone says the presentation was very informative, the person should mention at least two new details that he/she learnt from the presentation. Student's reflection on teacher's work, 10th grade: "Learning from you is still a wild and a bit chaotic experience. When I mean wild and chaotic, I don't think of it as something negative, but as the most positive experience I've ever got in years spent in school. The creative ways you're teaching and helping us is what I appreciate the most about you. You're helping us be a bit more open to the world, and break out of the boring everyday teaching methods other teachers are trying to force down our throats. You've made civilization a subject for me I enjoy learning and am excited about. I'm thankful." 2 Testing – Student-made, stress-free testing The learning process becomes fully completed by testing. Working with students to develop their own tests is a very powerful way to help them understand what the success criteria are, and the teacher has a strong role in guiding them to reach the final goals. Student- generated tests motivate them to work hard on question development and give feedback to the teachers how well students understand the material based on their questions and answers. Another advantage is that the students can submit their questions at an early stage of learning so that reviewing is continuous. In the case of English and Culture project work, testing has an even more significant role since the students work on different subtopics and we expect them to be familiar with the whole content in complex. Therefore, the final stage is setting up the test together with the students covering all subtopics; facilitate them to learn all the contents and personalize their own learning assessments. We use an interactive forum, an online Google Excel, which is open to the entire class, to create tests (in English and Culture). The students submit a number of questions and model answers, the classmates can comment on them, the teacher can check them and suggest the scores on the level of their complexity. The students receive all the test questions and they can make up their own tests according to the guidelines which determine the rules how to edit the test. For example, they have to answer at least three questions from each subtopic, but they cannot answer more than three questions from their own topic. The questions range from the easiest to the more complex ones, but scoring limits are designed, so that good grades can be reached answering at least one or two more complex questions. The students are familiar with the rating of the test in advance, therefore, they can count how many questions and what type of questions they should answer to reach the desired mark. On the very first occasion, simple fact-based questions (Who? What? When? Where?) were submitted, relating to the 38 lowest levels of Bloom's taxonomy. The students had to be influenced to ask more complex questions with more complex answers. By the second occasion, the students' questions had improved a lot. The number of factual questions dropped and "why" questions, contrasting and comparing mini essays, increased. In Maths assessment called Happy Maths Test the students and the teacher produced the Maths tests in collaboration. The process started in March 2017 in less successful classes. The students sent their questions with the detailed model answer to a Facebook group. The teacher checked and gave scores for each task and then the students voted whether they would like to have the task in the test or not. It showed the students' preferences and gave feedback to the teacher what problems meant difficulty for the students as well. Those problems that received very few votes needed more practice. The 13 most popular questions, with different numbers, were selected for the test. As students are familiar with the rating, they do not need to answer all the 13 questions to get the best mark, therefore, they can edit their own test. 3 The outcomes of Happy Maths Tests The students took part in two diagnostic assessments in Maths. The first one was at the beginning of their secondary school studies (grade 9), the second one the next year, when the questions aimed at the lower standard of the final examination. The 11th grade measurement called 'mock Matura examination' aims at a higher standard of the Matura exam. In the first two grades the students do Maths in whole classes (more than 30 students in a class), then in the 11th grade, the classes are divided into two groups. B class was taught Maths via student voice approach until the 11th grade, but due to the group division, only the B Group 1 continued working with the student voice approach, the other one was taught in the traditional way. Students who were learning Maths via student voice approach for the second year achieved much higher results than those who were doing Maths in the traditional way (Figure 3). Figure 3. The improvement of learning outcomes in Maths comparing student voice and traditional groups. Comparing A, B, C groups, we can conclude that those students who were taught Maths through student voice approach (B Group 1) improved more effectively while other groups improved to a lesser degree (A) or stagnated (C). (Bron et al., 2018) 39 Other significant achievements of the student voice effectiveness are shown in Figure 4. In this graph, we can see the development of the two weakest 10th grade groups when student voice approach started. They started with a very low starting point in their 10th grade and by the final exams, both groups accomplished a great improvement and according to their Math Matura results, they ended in the first place in their school. Figure 4. The improvement of learning outcomes in two student voice classes Strengths and challenges Allowing students to choose the way they want to learn means treating them equally responsible The school example shows that allowing for the success of their study, which is at the students to shape their own learning process heart of the method. enhances student success and can promote The biggest tension among teachers regarding higher achievement in their studies while all the student voice approach is that they will not recommended curricula themes are treated be able to meet the requirements of the three- during the process. Their active and effective level Hungarian curriculum content regulation. participation in planning, researching, creating Innovative, student-centred approaches and assessing motivates learners to a much such as cooperative learning, project work or greater degree, and empowers them to perform gamification are time consuming activities and at a high standard. Working in partnership with take significant time from the content coverage. students as stakeholders in their own learning The challenges of student engagement are to supports their future development and enables find the balance of student personal and social them to be effective in their adult life. Learners development with the development of core skills recognize the intellectual growth and the needs and knowledge prescribed in NCC. for further developments. The bases of the approach are open, constructive and permanent The student voice approach is a big challenge dialogues between teachers and students, and for the learners as well; most of them are used confidence that they are able to complete their to teacher-centred way of learning, permanent task without teacher's continuous supervision. control and supervision. Some of them get 40 confused by the freedom and responsibility they must cope with, but most of them enjoy being an independent learner, "being kept on a long leash", as one of them mentioned. To conclude, the case study shows that the Centralised National Core Curriculum and student voice approach are compatible if the activities are supported by the teachers and the students and are carried out in their partnership. References Nolte, D. L. (1972). Children Learn What They Live. Retrieved from http://www.empowermentresources. com/info2/childrenlearn-long_version.html Kaput, K. (2018). Evidence for Student-Centred Learning. Education Evolving. Retrieved from https://files. eric.ed.gov/fullteblooműxt/ED581111.pdf Barber, M. and Mourshed, M. (2007). How the world's best-performing school systems come out on top. Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/social-sector/our-insights/how-the-worlds-best- performing-school-systems-come-out-on-top Hopkins, D. (2001). School Improvement for Real. Routledge-Falmer London/NY. Creemers, B., Stoll, L., & Reezigt, G. (2007). Effective School Improvement — Ingredients for Success: The Results of an International Comparative Study of Best Practice Case Studies. In: International Handbook of School Effectiveness and Improvement, pp. 825–838. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/ publication/227035237_Effective_School_Improvement_-_Ingredients_for_Success_The_Results_of_an_ International_Comparative_Study_of_Best_Practice_Case_Studies Imre, A., Kalocsai, J. & Kákonyi, L. (2017). Student Voice Bridge to Learning Country Report. Manuscript. Bron, J., Emerson, N. & Kákonyi, L. (2018). Diverse student voice approaches across Europe. In: European Journal on Education. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ejed.12285 Van der Laan, A. & Bron, J. (2018). Learning, using the principle of Jansen's bicycle. SLO (Netherlands Institute for Curriculum Development), Enschede. Retrieved from http://downloads.slo.nl/Documenten/ learning-using-the-principles-of-jansens-bicycle.pdf Focus on Learning. (2015). Learning Intentions & Success Criteria. NCCA, Dublin. Retrieved from www. ncca.ie/media/1927/assessment-workshop-1_en.pdf 41 Student Voice and Formative Assessment student voice SLOVENIA glas učenca Authors Ada Holcar Brunauer Ada Holcar Brunauer is an educationalist, specialized in assessment for learning in primary and secondary subject Music. Before becoming a Senior Consultant at the National Education Institute of the Republic of Slovenia, Ada spent almost 20 years teaching music, much of that time at the IBO International School in Ljubljana. Throughout her career she has maintained an intense interest in curriculum design, implementation and assessment. She has travelled extensively during her professional life and participated internationally at various workshops and is a regular presenter at international conferences. Ada has been recently given the responsibility of leading a team of practitioners in taking forward a national programme for Assessment for Learning in Slovenia. She completed her Ph.D. studies in formative assessment at the Faculty of Education at the University of Ljubljana. Ada continues her research on the holistic assessment approach, publishing and contributing widely to research journals, magazines and academic papers. Saša Kregar Saša Kregar is a biologist, biology teacher and senior consultant at the National Education Institute of the Republic of Slovenia. Before becoming a Senior Consultant, she taught Biology in secondary school for 13 years. She was also a member of the Subject Testing Committee for the external final exam Matura (at The National Examinations Centre) appointed for the subjects biology and biotechnology, established for preparing external exams for assessing secondary students in Slovenia. She used to be assistant director of the secondary school for several years. Currently she works in the secondary education sector at the National Education Institute of the Republic of Slovenia. Her field of work is the preparation of systemic bases and work on designing, implementating and updating the secondary school curriculum. She also leads a group of consultants on the field of education for sustainable development and global education. Saša participates in various groups and projects with the common goal to introduce formative assessment into schools and to raise the pupils' voice in classrooms; she carries out numerous workshops for teachers and prepares supporting materials for enhancing formative assessment in daily teaching practice. 44 Abstract This paper presents some findings from Erasmus+ project Student Voice – the BRIDGE to Learning through Slovenian practice. Student voice is acknowledged in the literature as an opportunity to empower students to participate meaningfully and collaboratively in improving their experience of school, encouraging their engagement in learning and improving teacher-student relationships. Five agencies with the task of developing and supporting national curricula for general education from countries across Europe participated in the project: Hungary, Ireland, The Netherlands, Scotland and Slovenia. The overarching aim of the project was to increase the role of the student in their education. This article presents selected results of Slovenian practice answering the question how to promote students' participation where all students have a voice and opportunities to play an active role in classroom practice decisions which affect their learning through formative assessment. The findings of our project show that students who participate in learning as co-creators of learning processes benefit in a range of different ways: their engagement, motivation, confidence and self-esteem are increased; students take greater responsibility for their learning and relationships with students and teachers are improved. 45 Introduction Findings of the Erasmus+ project Student Voice their teachers take them seriously and when – the BRIDGE to Learning presented show that they have strong and affective bonds with their students' engagement is increased when they teachers (Crosnoe, Johnson & Elder, 2004). participate in learning as co- creators of learning Through these positive relationships, communal processes. Students' engagement in school learning environments are created, and can be seen as a disposition that allows one adherence to norms conducive to learning are to learn, work and function better in a social both promoted and strengthened (Birch & Ladd, institution (PISA, 2010). The PISA survey found 1998). that significant proportions of students have low levels of engagement at age 15, which Same findings of the Erasmus+ project Student limits their capacity to benefit from school and Voice – the BRIDGE to Learning discussed in constrains their potential in the future. One this article show that students who participate in four students feels that they do not belong in learning as co-creators of learning processes to school. The PISA findings suggested that take greater responsibility for their learning particularly the school climate can make a and relationships with students and teachers significant difference (OECD, 2003). are improved. The teacher's choice of learning strategies is extremely important to stimulate a School and classroom environment is positive classroom climate. influenced by many factors; an important one is student- teacher relationship. OECD School Australian Council for Educational Research Research (OECD, 2013) about what makes (ACER) investigated major sources of variance in schools effective found out that effective students' achievement. Hattie (2003) discusses learning requires an orderly and co-operative principals' influence on the school climate. environment, both in and outside the classroom Principals who create a school with high student (Jennings and Greenberg, 2009). In effective responsibility rather than bureaucratic control, schools, academic activities and student psychologically safe and focused on discussion performance are valued by both students and about student learning have positive influence. teachers (Scheerens & Bosker, 1997; Sammons, Teachers account for about 50% of the variance 1999; Taylor, Pressley & Pearson, 2002). The of achievement. school climate encompasses not only norms and For over 30 years Russell Quaglia (2016) and values but also the quality of teacher-student his team at the Quaglia Institute for Student relations and the general atmosphere (OECD, Aspirations have been collecting information 2013). How does the classroom climate vary, about what education stakeholders think, e.g., the degree of discipline among students, believe, and feel about their schools. The data the quality of the relationship between students from these surveys have shown that certain and their teachers, the values promoted and conditions must be present in school for shared between teacher and student and among students to reach their fullest potential. They the students themselves; and how does it affect found out that students who are meaningfully teaching and learning? Gamoran's research engaged and feel that what they are learning (1993) has found that students, particularly will benefit their future are 14 times more disadvantaged students, learn more and have academically motivated. On the other hand, fewer disciplinary problems when they feel that 46 43% of students think school is boring. mastery learning, enhanced self-efficacy, and There are many more findings, which show self-esteem as learners, that teacher's abilities in teaching and the ● provide appropriate challenging tasks and relationship between student and teacher have goals for students, huge influence on students' achievement and academic motivation. ● have positive influences on students' achievement (Hattie, 2003, p. 5–10). Hattie (2003) wrote about five major dimensions of excellent teachers. Expert teachers can: To achieve all of the listed characteristics and abilities, it is very important that every child, ● identify essential representations of their every student has a voice and every teacher subject, hears that voice. But being engaged does not ● guide learning through classroom interactions, also mean having a voice. Engagement is the ● monitor learning and provide feedback, result of teacher's activity planning. Student voice has a much greater meaning, it means ● attend to affective attributes, and building a partner relationship between student ● influence student outcomes. and teacher and teachers taking student feedback into account in planning teaching and Each of these five dimensions are even more learning activities. In recent years, the term detailed and structured. So, excellent teachers 'student voice' has been increasingly discussed are able to: in the school reform literature as a potential ● have deeper representations about teaching avenue for improving student outcomes and and learning, facilitating school change (Fielding, 2001; Mitra, 2003; Rudduck & Flutter, 2000). In practice, ● adopt a problem-solving stance to their work, student voice ranges from the most basic ● anticipate, plan, and improvise as required by level to sophisticated approaches. At the most the situation, basic level, young people share their opinions of problems and potential solutions through ● identify what decisions are important and student councils or in focus groups associated which are less important, with school strategic planning. At a more ● create an optimal classroom climate for sophisticated level, young people share their learning, 'voice' by collaborating with adults to actually ● deal with the multidimensionality of improve education outcomes, including helping classrooms, to 'improve teaching, curriculum and teacher- student relationships and leading to changes ● classify learning scenarios more dependent in student assessment and teacher training' on existing context, (Manefield, 2007). ● monitor student problems and assess their In seeking to make student voice in assessment level of understanding and progress, more meaningful, Lundy (2007) suggests a four ● provide relevant and useful feedback, elements of approach model with a rational ● develop and test hypotheses about learning chronological order: difficulties or instructional strategies, ● Space: students must be given the ● have high respect for students, opportunity to express a view. ● be passionate about teaching and learning, ● Voice: students must be facilitated to express their views. ● engage students in learning and develop their students' self-regulation, involvement in ● Audience: the view must be listened to. 47 ● Influence: the view must be acted upon, as Dylan Wiliam (2011) provides five strategies appropriate (Lundy, 2007). which are being core to successful formative assessment practice in the classroom: Student voice activities can create meaningful experiences for youth that help to meet 1. Clarifying, sharing, and understanding fundamental developmental needs, especially learning intentions and criteria for success. for students who otherwise do not find meaning in their school experiences (Mitra, 2004). 2. Engineering effective classroom Studies have found that students improved discussions, activities, and learning tasks academically when teachers construct their that elicit evidence of learning. classrooms in ways that value student voice 3. Providing feedback that moves learning especially when students are given the power to forward. work with their teachers to improve curriculum and instruction (Oldfather, 1995; Rudduck & 4. Activating learners as instructional Flutter, 2000 in Mitra 2004). resources for one another. Quaglia (2016) found out that when students 5. Activating learners as owners of their own believe that they have a voice and that teachers learning. are willing to listen and learn from them, they are seven times more academically motivated. In the If students know what they are learning, what Erasmus + project Student voice – the Bridge to they should know and be able to do to be learning we engaged student as co-creator of the successful, then student voice becomes alive in learning and teaching process in daily classroom the classroom. Students should evaluate their practice. In our project formative assessment progress and achievement, assess their peers student voice flourished because student and give them feedback. The most important in actively engaged in their learning. If the teacher student voice is what teachers do with feedback is willing to listen and hears students the full received from students. Giving students voice is potential of the student voice will be reached in not just an activity for special occasions or work the classroom and learning will become visible. groups but it means changing the whole learning and teaching process in everyday classroom Our research shows the potential of formative practice. assessment embedded in everyday classroom practice in answering the following questions: ● How to provide a safe and inclusive space for children to express their views? The study ● How to provide appropriate information and facilitate the expression of children's views? ● How to ensure that children's views are taken Of particular importance in this project was seriously and acted upon, where appropriate? the voice of the individual student by which every individual is able, with confidence, to Hattie (2003) stresses that learning and express his or her point of view, opinions, ideas, teaching become visible when teachers see suggestions, worries and concerns which relate learning through the eyes of students and help them to become their own teachers directly to learning and teaching. The question . posed by the research was how to promote At the same time student voice helps teachers to students' participation where all students have become evaluators of their own teaching. a voice and opportunities to play an active role in decisions which affect their learning through formative assessment. 48 Research method Materials for analysis In the research we wanted to explore and Throughout the time of the project teachers construct the student voice model together used a teacher's personal plan as a tool to with students and teachers, with the aim of, not direct teaching and learning process according merely obtaining generally valid rules, but to to student voice and formative assessment determine various constructed real classroom principles. Teachers selected an educational situations. Therefore, we chose qualitative problem based on the goals related to student research as the basis for this enquiry. In voice to improve their individual pedagogical addition, we used the action research method, practice. Teachers then framed a more specific, as we did not only describe and explain the personally relevant question. Then they drew situation, but we also changed it and showed on resources to advance their professional the process of change (Phelps and Hase, 2002). learning, planned how they might take up The action research stage was followed by a ideas and enacted them in practice, monitored result analysis in the form of a multiple case progress towards goals, and made adjustments study. Teachers planned and carried out four to as needed. The teacher's personal plan also six action cycles. During and at the end of each enabled teachers to record various notes, action cycle, teachers were encouraged to write findings, considerations and reflections about down their reflections in their personal plans. It the lessons and discussions with students. was expected that qualitative analysis of the results of each action cycle would lead Teachers conducted interviews with pupils as to understanding of the specific features a part of their personal plans. The interviews of assessment-related experiences, and were written down and later transcribed. The that this understanding would enable a deeper transcription was divided into units of meaning understanding of the student voice model. and openly coded (analysed, studied, compared and categorized) using the inductive approach. Each unit was marked with the consecutive number of the interview (e.g. I1), followed by Participants information about whether the statement was made by a girl or a boy (F – girl, M – boy). 78 participants (69 teachers and 9 head In the middle of the project the teachers, teachers) from eight primary schools and one students and parents were given a four-point secondary school joined the project. We started scale ( strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly with a group of willing teachers having the disagree) questionnaires to get feedback support of head teachers, on a limited agenda about how well student voice and formative of innovation. These become the foundations assessment were embedded in classroom on which we have built more challenging practice and where the classroom practice could developments and draw other colleagues into be improved in these areas. the venture. Schools had a vision of where they might be when all the stepping stones are fully in place, embedded in the culture and daily life of the school. This case study shows how Procedure schools progressively developed student voice and formative assessment over a period of three The study was carried out in two stages – an years' time (September 2016 to January 2019). action stage and a comparative stage. 49 The action stage a (multiple) case study was carried out in an attempt to develop a grounded theory. Action research enabled teachers to study and solve identified problems. The analysis of previous action cycles showed that inviting students to Comparative stage co-create success criteria, give more direct and open feedback, in the form of their evaluations After the action stage was concluded, the or suggestions, create a partnership between comparative stage followed. During this stage, the teacher and the class, or the teacher and comparison of the analyses of pedagogical the student, so that teaching-and-learning were process and cycle outcomes was carried out. The co-constructed were seldom used in classrooms, work dynamics of action cycles were analysed although this is where student voice and along the timeline. Observation of qualitative formative assessment most closely overlap. differences between the processes of the cycles was also carried out, with a focus on uncovering At the beginning teachers defined a number of answers to the research question. action cycles. Each of the planned cycles lasted on average one semester. With the first cycle concluded, teachers carried out an evaluation. It included qualitative analysis of the above Findings mentioned materials. In the analysis we used methods of qualitative coding focussing on the attribution of concepts to empirical descriptions and distributing related During the first cycles the teaching process was concepts into categories axial coding. Based mainly focused on embedding student voice on this methodology, the action measures for through aspects of formative assessment which the next cycle were established. During the first few cycles the teaching process was enabled students to play a more active role in mainly focused on embedding student their learning. In the cycles which followed the voice through aspects of formative focus was on students developing self-regulatory assessment. skills and on inviting them to provide feedback In the cycles which followed the and suggestions on how the teaching could be focus was also on inviting students to provide improved. feedback and suggestions on how the teaching could be improved. Based on this approach Involving students in curriculum development encourages them to take ownership of their learning Student voice and formative assessment have considerable impact on blurring the Photo 1. Student Voice School – where teaching and distinctness of teacher and student roles. learning are co-constructed with students Students sometimes took on a teaching 50 knowledge. This enhanced their interest in creating success criteria which they shaped together with the teacher at the beginning of each assignment. The analysis of the teachers' personal plans showed that self-assessment and peer assessment were useful for learning and understanding the learned content which is also reflected in the following comment from a teacher: "Peer assessment encouraged us to cooperate with each other. This improved Photo 2. Student Voice School – where students work our understanding of the learning. with each other – listen to one another and respect Instead of competing we started different views collaborating with each other (I 3, M)." role what was necessary if teachers Students developed positive attitudes towards were to learn about students' needs, peer assessment. The development of positive learning preferences and their strengths/ viewpoints was the result of the way feedback weaknesses. was provided: the point was not to judge the value of the work done, but to offer concrete Students were invited to co-construct all aspects suggestions as to what could be further of education – teaching, learning, curriculum improved, upgraded or changed. During action and assessment. As part of the formative cycles students were receiving formative process, students co-created learning intentions feedback and descriptive assessments, which and success criteria, designed learning and gave them the possibility to constantly improve teaching experiences, were involved in self- their learning process. However, they sensed assessment and peer assessment and received that peer assessment is a skill they would be quality feedback about what, how well and how able to use later in their lives, which is reflected much they have learned. in the following comments from students: Teachers encouraged students to take on responsibility for their own learning. This "Sincere evaluation of our work, without helped them to move forward in their learning, judging each other, was an experience I to identify what they needed to do next and have benefited from it the most and will take it on into my life (I 26, F)." to decide who could help them build up their knowledge, understanding and skills. The reorganised teaching process, based on "It was important to evaluate our formative assessment strategies and student own work and to receive descriptive voice approaches, also had a great impact on comments from our classmates who students' interest in learning. told us what to improve and how to do it (I 15, M)." By being involved in self-assessment and peer assessment, students constructed their Student voice flourishes in school culture knowledge for themselves instead of just which sustains of community of learners where accepting it from others. In this process, they teaching and learning are co-constructed and were gradually assuming responsibility for where teachers learn as well as teach. Students their learning and critically judged the received 51 give more direct and open feedback to teachers assessment were embedded in classroom and peers, mentor other students as well as practice showed that around 20% of students learn for themselves. (247 out of 1400) who answered the questions believed that they were fully involved in co- The analysis of students' questionnaires in which creation of all aspects of education – teaching, they have marked a four-point scale ( strongly learning, curriculum and assessment. agree, agree, disagree strongly, disagree) about how well student voice and formative Table 1. Students' involvement in formative assessment. Strongly Strongly Agree Disagree Together agree disagree Teacher's feedback specifies what I have achieved, 84 113 35 11 243 what I need to do and how to improve. (35%) (47%) (14%) (5%) (100%) I am willing to participate in and take responsibility for 110 104 25 4 243 my learning. (45%) (43%) (10%) (2%) (100%) We discuss learning intentions and success criteria with 69 118 48 8 243 our teacher and we agree them together. (28%) (49%) (20%) (3%) (100%) Our teacher asks questions to encourage us to think 94 110 34 5 243 and explore. (39%) (45%) (14%) (2%) (100%) Our teacher asks questions to encourage our creative 69 112 41 21 243 and critical thinking. (28%) (46%) (17%) (9%) (100%) Our teacher often encourages us to ask questions. 82 81 57 23 243 (34%) (33%) (23%) (9%) (100%) We are encouraged to give feedback to each other. 83 109 32 19 243 (34%) (45%) (13%) (8%) (100%) I take ownership of my learning and I am more engaged 83 106 36 18 243 in thinking about my own learning. (34%) (44%) (15%) (7%) (100%) We work with each other – listen to one another and 82 93 53 15 243 respect different views. (34%) (38%) (22%) (6%) (100%) Our teacher invites us to provide feedback and 89 101 40 13 243 suggestions on how her/his teaching might be (37%) (42%) (16%) (5%) (100%) improved. 52 The teaching process, based on formative the importance of students' explanations and assessment strategies and student voice how they attempted to communicate their ideas approaches had a great impact on students' rather than correct answers. interest in learning, so it is not a surprise that students marked as strongly agree areas which The following statements by students show how refer to how many questions they can ask during they appreciated their voices to be heard: the lessons, to the importance of questions encouraging creative and critical thinking, to be "My voice and the voices of my students able to work with peers, to be able to discuss are important to us. They tell us about and revisit learning intentions and success our knowledge, this way we see how much we know and what we are able to criteria with teachers and to take ownership of do (I 16, M)." their learning. "Exchanging opinions and views, Open and trustful analysing our work helps us to have more ideas and to be more creative. It relationships enable is important that teachers trust us and want to hear our ideas (I 5, F)." students to express Students were expected to be constructively their views in critical of the whole of their school experience, classrooms what changed the general culture of the school, establishing that this is the natural way in which students are treated here what shows the Students expressed points of view, opinions, following statement: ideas, suggestions, worries and concerns which related directly to learning and to teaching, on "Everyone has a right to express what matters of learning, curriculum content and how he or she thinks – this is crucial for our teaching could be improved. Teachers strived for progress (I 36, F)." student-teacher and student-student dialogue not only in relation to the learning content, These activities affected teachers by making but also about approaches to learning, the them generally more responsive to student voice development of metacognitive strategies that and its potential value, both in what it says and direct a student's planning and the organisation, in how it improves relationships. implementation and evaluation of their own work. Students felt they were valued and trusted; The analysis of students' questionnaires showed each student had a voice and was encouraged that students believed that they were valued to express him or herself in open ways. Students and trusted and that each student had a voice actively built up their knowledge, skills and and was able with confidence, to express him or attitudes, with teachers encouraging them to herself in open ways. explore and establish links between the learning Teachers provided students with tangible intentions and their own interests and involving evidence, that their voice is having a real effect them to co-create success criteria. At the and making a difference. Students offered beginning of each learning cycle students were suggestions being asked in interviews and encouraged to work in pairs or groups. Group diagrams about different ways of teaching and work stimulated the communication between organising lessons. students and encouraged problem solving and evaluation of different views. It also focused on 53 Table 2. Students' voice. Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Together I am heard and feel my views are valued in my 77 109 47 10 243 classroom. (32%) (45%) (19%) (4%) (100%) We respect each other. 52 111 55 25 243 (21%) (46%) (23%) (10%) (100%) Teachers provide opportunities for self-assessment and 93 105 33 12 243 to think how we learn. (38%) (43%) (14%) (5%) (100%) Our teacher pays attention to the needs of all pupils. 79 89 53 22 243 (33%) (37%) (22%) (9%) (100%) Conclusion about learners and learning are crucial factors in the extent to which the potenital of formative assessment can be realised (Hayward, 2014). Teachers believed that the responsibility for learning was on students, while their role was to The results of the study confirm the importance create a learning environment in which teaching- of working simultaneously on both formative and-learning were co-constructed with students. assessment and student voice which were Students felt valued and trusted by having a developed in parallel. Teachers involved in this voice and were able to express themselves in study saw how each supports and strengthens open ways. A model of formative assessment to the other. enhance student voice was created by showing The role of the teacher changes from presenting the elements which are essential for student knowledge to promoting dialogue, from an voice to flourish in a classroom as shown by the "expert" to a "facilitator". In terms of the student following Figure 1. it is important to create learning situations which encourage students' active learning, evaluation of the learning processes and allows them to search for new and different ways of learning. Within the context of formative assessment, students take responsibility for their own learning and, with the help of self-assessment, peer assessment and formative feedback, develop a self-regulative attitude towards learning. In the context of formative assessment and student voice in this research study the teachers' attitude and values towards student voice played an important role. The values teachers hold 54 Students reflects on feedback they receive from their teacher and peers. Teachers collect evidence of student learning and understanding through a variety methods. Figure 1. A model of formative assessment to enhance student voice Finally, in order to change teacher's attitude or viewpoints regarding student voice, there is a need for further training of teachers in this respect. Teachers need to engage in a process which allows them to see the value of formative assessment and student voice. Without such professional development teachers are unlikely to change their practice formed by previous training and experience. References Crosnoe, R., Johnson, M., & Elder, G. (2004). "Intergenerational Bonding in School: The Behavioural and Contextual Correlates of Student-Teacher Relationships", Sociology of Education, 77(1), 60-81. Gamoran, A. (1993). 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Retrived from: http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/apr16/vol73/num07/The-Secret-of-Effective- Feedback.aspx 56 Participation and Influence in the Classroom – Capacity Building for Teacher's Facilitation of Student Voice, Motivation and Learning in Sweden student voice SWEDEN elevinflytande Authors Karl Larsson Karl Larsson works as Director of Education at the Unit for Steering Document Development at the Swedish National Agency for Education. Karl has a long record of designing capacity building programmes for teachers within the National Programmes for School Development provided by the agency. He is currently working with policies for revision of the national curriculum (Lgr 11) for compulsory school, preschool class and leisure-time centre. Karl has a masterś degree in political science specialising in curriculum theory and the theory of democracy. His interests include curriculum theory and pedagogical practices in the intersection between educational standards and teacher professionalism. Teresa Fernández Long Teresa Fernández Long works as Director of Education at the Unit for General Didactics at the Swedish National Agency for Education. Her piece of work primarily focuses on designing capacity building programmes for teachers. She is responsible for the agency's National Programmes for School Development encompassing value systems. She is also the designer of the programme Participation and influence in teaching which is described in the Swedish chapter of the CIDREE 2019 yearbook. At the moment, she is working with policies for revision of the education of sexuality education and human relationships in the national curriculum (Lgr 11) for compulsory and secondary school, preschool class and leisure-time centre. Teresa has a master's degree in education. Her interests include subject teaching, democratic forms of pedagogical work and enactment of human rights in the classroom. 58 Eva Lundgren Eva Lundgren used to work as Director of Education at the Swedish National Agency for Education between 2009 and 2019 where she had different positions, such as coordinator of the agency's international representation, national research coordinator for TIMSS 2011, national project manager for PISA 2018 and national coordinator for CIDREE. For several years, she served as Sweden's representative in the PISA Governing Board, where she was also a member of the PISA Strategic Development Group. Since March 2019, she has been working at the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA) with the project "World Class Knowledge". Her academic background is in Social Anthropology in which she has a master's degree. Abstract This article presents an overview of how participation and inclusion have developed as ideas in steering documents and in pedagogical practices in Sweden. Attention is paid both to the historical context and to the policy level. It also presents some results and indications on the current state of participation and inclusion in Swedish schools. Issues that are discussed include effects on teaching and learning and on student attitudes. The chapter also presents a national programme for competency development that serves to raise teacher awareness and knowledge in these issues. The content and the didactical design of a module, specifically developed in order to address teachers' work with students, influence and participation in the classroom module is also presented. 59 Introduction Conceptions of democratic values, student influence and participation have had a related to their age and maturity. Pupils substantial impact on policies that govern the should always have the opportunity of schooling system and on the Swedish school taking the initiative on issues that should debate since the early 20th century. However, be treated within the framework of their these conceptions and the norms, values, influence over their education (Skolverket attitudes and competences underpinning them, 2018a, p. 13). have changed over time (Rönnlund, 2011, p. 15; Skolverket, 2016b, p. 63; Skolinspektionen 2018, p. 4). The Swedish National Agency for Education, The National Agency for Special Needs Education Student influence is a multifaceted concept. and the Swedish Schools Inspectorate have It refers to classroom practices, the working adopted a common model that serves as a environment in school and formal as well as conceptual framework. informal decision-making processes (Skolverket 1998, p. 5), and is essential for both academic The model identifies six relevant aspects: achievement and well-being (Skolverket, 2016b). Democratic forms of work also prepare pupils 1. sense of belonging: students' formal for active participation in society (Skolverket, entitlement to be part of a class or group 2018a, p. 7) and they require a school and students' informal right to feel that they climate characterized by trust, inclusion and belong to the class/community, understanding of the importance of student 2. accessibility: accessibility to environments influence and participation – both with respect and objects, as well as feasibility of content, to the preconditions and prospects for students' language and codes for social behaviour, school performance and as future citizens 3. collective action: joint activities are carried (Skolverket, 2015c, p. 19–20). out by pupils, The current national curriculum for compulsory 4. recognition: pupils are acknowledged, school, Lgr11, states that: respected and accepted, 5. commitment: refers to the pupils' desire and interest in participating in activities and The democratic principles of being able to influence, take responsibility and be 5. autonomy: pupils' influence on teaching and involved should cover all pupils. Pupils learning (Skolinspektionen 2018, p. 4). should be given influence over their The model can be used as a tool for education. They should be continuously observations and analysis on an individual, encouraged to take an active part in the group and school level, and it provides work of further developing education a framework for establishing a common and kept informed of issues that concern participatory culture. them. The information and the means by which pupils exercise influence should be Dedicated attempts to achieve comprehensive inclusion imply working methods that apply 60 to all aspects of the participation model 2018). As part of a response to meet these (Skolinspektionen 2018, p. 5). A report by challenges, the Swedish National Agency for the Swedish Schools Inspectorate shows that Education (NAE) has designed a didactic training schools vary in their capacity for realizing programme called Students' participation and this. Accessibility is the most common way influence in the classroom. The programme to carry out participatory measures, but by aims at improving student participation and itself insufficient (Skolinspektionen, 2018, influence in the classroom and forms a part in p. 5). Teachers who create good conditions one of several National school development for participation organize their teaching in a programmes that the NAE develops, administers flexible way and they are conscious of the fact and implements on commission by the that all aspects of participation are dependent government. on each other (Skolinspektionen, 2018, p. 7). Since participation is an important variable In the following section we give an overview for pupils' learning and progression, there is a of how participation and influence have been risk that an inadequate – or lack of – adaption addressed historically in the Swedish educational of participatory practices obstructs pupils' context in order to give a background to the development. The Swedish Schools Inspectorate present discourse, situation and the measures thus states, on the basis of observations and that have been taken. It also describes the interviews conducted in 23 representatively design and content in the programme Pupils' selected schools that student autonomy needs participation and influence in the classroom. to be improved. They state that teachers need to take the pupils' perspective into account more actively when preparing their lessons. Additionally, teachers also need to develop the pupils' understanding of and influence on Background/ their own learning and progression. Lessons which are organized in a way that enable History substantial pupil influence also involve the pupils in different parts of instruction; pupils' opinions are taken into account in The American pedagogue John Dewey and the the phases of preparation and evaluation, Swedish writer Ellen Key have both been very and the pupils are encouraged to influential on the debate on education and reflect upon their learning and are kept democracy in Sweden. Both advocated students' informed about goals and targets in rights and challenged the authoritarian teaching terms of new knowledge and insights methods that dominated the classrooms (Skolinspektionen, 2018, p. 8, 41, 43). in the early 20th century. Key criticized the The steering documents by themselves are of school for suppressing rather than developing course no guarantee for changes in practice. the children's natural gifts and argued for Experiences have gradually evolved into quality instruction methods based on the children's requirements and expectations shared by own observations (Selberg 2001, pp. 50–52). stakeholders such as policy makers, teachers, Dewey's philosophy of pedagogy is often principals, pupils and parents. The ambitions described as "learning by doing" and the are high and although the classroom climate base for instruction should be children's in Sweden is generally regarded as very open, interests, needs and unprompted several investigations have shown shortcomings activities, rather than objectives that (Skolverket, 2009, p. 46; Rönnlund, 2011, p. were set beforehand. Many of his ideas 22; Giota, 2013, pp. 46–47; Skolverket, 2016b; would later influence national curricula and Skolverket, 2017a, p. 64–65; Skolinspektionen, school commissions during the 1940's and 61 1960's (Selberg, 2001, p. 50–52; Giota, 2013, started with the municipalisation in 1991, which p. 20; Burman, 2014, pp. 185–191). implied a shift in responsibility from the state to the municipal level. This new regime gave more The endeavour to democratize the school grew freedom for schools to adapt to local conditions during the second half of the 1940s, boosted in order to meet the directions and goals by the traumas after the Second World War expressed in steering /governing documents. and the expansion of a modern welfare society. The underlying idea was that widening of local Democracy, equality and right to education for all responsibility would increase diversification were highly promoted. The vision was a universal of teaching methods. The national teacher- school where teaching should support individual training programmes were also reformed in development. Classes were ideally regarded as order to promote diversity in teaching methods working communities where students would learn and didactic approaches. The municipalisation how to cooperate through group work (Selberg, reform was followed one year later by the 2001, p. 56–57, Giota, 2013, pp. 22–23). school voucher system, which opened for the Civic education was introduced as a subject in establishment of private/independent schools. the 1950s in grades 4–9 in order to raise the The state retained its control by setting targets pupils' critical awareness about propaganda. and objectives that the municipalities and Students' right to exert influence was introduced independent schools were expected to meet. in the curriculum as a recommendation in the Following the 1990s, government commissions 1960s. At this point, student influence primarily showed shortcomings in the realization of aimed at serving the interests of the student student influence and participation – despite its community. Students were encouraged to legal recognition (Rönnlund, 2011). In response, engage in class- and school councils, to which the national curriculum of 2011 emphasized the national curriculum Lgr 62 also referred. The student influence and participation even more. student councils dealt with issues concerning Unlike the previous national curricula, Lpo 94 school meals, holidays, school dances, athletic for Compulsory School and Lpf 94 for Upper competitions, excursions and homework, and Secondary School, it contained few concrete were mainly considered as a student right that pieces of advice on behalf of more general would increase their engagement in association indications in order to increase teachers' activities outside the school (Rönnlund, 2011, p. autonomy and control over the classroom 22). In the 1980s, the role of class- and school (Skolverket, 1998, p. 6–7; Skolverket, 2009, p. councils expanded to a forum for students to 44; Rönnlund, 2011, p. 23; Giota 2013, pp. 10, practice democratic skills while at the same time 47). supporting their understanding of democracy (Rönnlund, 2011, p. 22). In addition, an important legal shift took place when students' rights to participate and exercise influence were prescribed by law in the School Ordinance Student from 1979, the National Curriculum Lgr 80 and the Education Act from 1985 (Giota, 2013, p. influence and 62–62). In the beginning of the 1990s, the Swedish individualization school system underwent the most comprehensive reform since the 1940s as it transformed from one of the world's most regulated school systems into one of the most Tightly intertwined with an aim for an inclusive deregulated (Giota, 2013; OECD, 2015). It democratic school with a high degree of student influence and participation, individualization has 62 also been promoted. Giota (2013) shows how their willingness to participate and a close relationship between democratization exert influence, empower their status and individualization has meant that they and in the end, improve their skills and have often been regarded as each other's knowledge (Giota, 2013, p. 46–47, 97–98). prerequisites. In the 1920s, individualization and democratization were regarded as tools to This approach is also visible in the current create a modern, universal school that utilized curriculum Lgr 11: every single student's needs. In the 1940s and 50s, individualization was considered the ideal starting point for instruction and its main Democratic forms of work should also be task was to equip the pupils with the skills applied in practice and prepare pupils required for lifelong learning, as well as to for active participation in the life of educate responsible and democratic citizens. society. This should develop their ability In the 1962 curriculum for compulsory school, to take personal responsibility. By taking individualization meant adapting to the student's part in the planning and evaluation of interests and needs, and very detailed directions their daily teaching, and being able to were given to the teachers on how to do this. choose courses, subjects, themes and Likewise, the 1980 legislation on student activities, pupils will develop their ability to influence and participation went hand in hand exercise influence and take responsibility with a stronger emphasis on individual student's (Skolverket 2018a, p. 7). needs and interests (Giota, 2013, p. 50–53). The 1994 national curricula emphasized Rönnlund (2011) interprets this shift as an responsibility and student influence (Giota, echo of a market orientation that has affected 2013). Pupils were regarded as individuals with the educational system. While the goals in a right to self-realization rather than as members previous steering documents aimed to foster of the society (Vinterek, 2006, p. 117–119). future community-building citizens (Englund, This marked a shift away from the conception 2005), the new steering documents more or less of democracy outlined in the 1980 curriculum, intentionally assume a market-oriented citizen which emphasized democracy as a collective (Rönnlund, 2011, p. 23). Researchers in the field and political concern (Skolverket, 2009, p. 46; claim that deregulation and market adaption Englund, 2005). Flexible and varied teaching reflect a political and ideological shift that is practices with a focus on the individual pupil also visible in the curricula. In other words, the would raise the general standard and improve interpretation of what student participation the results (Skolverket, 2009, p. 44). The means has moved from collective and political teachers were responsible for ensuring that all concern to an individual concern (Skolverket, students were given substantial influence on 2009, pp. 46–47). the content of education, on the applied working methods and models (Giota 2013, p. 49). Some indications suggest that learner-centered exploratory methods have become more common However, individualization not only referred on behalf of teacher-led instruction, perhaps to to students' rights, but also implied more a larger extent in Sweden when compared to responsibility on the individual student for his or other countries (Echazarra, 2016, Skolverket, her learning and participation (Vinterek, 2006, 2016a). The OECD advocates varying teaching p. 117–119). The underlying ideas stated methods adapted to the situation, the pupils' that an increased trust in students' needs and knowledge levels. Too much emphasis ability to take responsibility for their own on individual work may prevent students from learning while at the same time making training their collaborative ability, which is central them more involved, would promote for working life both today and in the future 63 (Schleicher 2018, p.63–64). It also means that fundamental values have little to do with the the pupils will benefit from teachers' competence traditional school subjects, and hence should and specific knowledge to a lesser extent be treated separately (Skolverket, 2016b). (Vinterek, 2006, p. 119–122; Rönnlund, 2011, When this is the case, they are often treated p. 21; Giota, 2013, p. 10). Many researchers in an ad-hoc fashion by committed individual claim that more responsibility on the pupils for teachers. There is thus room for improvement their own learning has increased the importance in terms of systematization and long-term of home support, which consequently has had perspective. The levels of actual influence and a negative impact on equity (Skolverket, 2009, participation held by pupils are to be improved p. 44). When student mostly surfaces in forms by hands-on training in integration of democratic of work such as essays and homework and to practices and subject knowledge. Further a lesser extent affects the content of lessons factors for success include elaboration of a and classroom practice, it may serve to restrain critical approach that explicitly highlights various rather than create room for students' desires, norms, standards, traditions and perspectives curiosity and own interests, and may accordingly that influence classroom practices as well as lead to negative effects on the learning outcomes school- and societal cultures (Skolinspektionen, (Vinterek, 2006, p. 15; Skolverket, 2009; Giota, 2012). It also requires measures to achieve a 2013). school climate characterized by trust, inclusion and understanding of the importance of student Some have brought forward the combination influence and participation – both with respect of decentralization, the voucher system and to the preconditions and prospects for students' the implementation of individualization as school performance and as future citizens a conjunction of factors that would explain (Skolverket, 2015c, p. 19–20). Sweden's decline in international large-scale student assessments such as TIMSS and PISA, The Swedish School Commission of 2015 and to the impaired equity on school- and (Skolkommissionen) noticed that Swedish student level (see for instance: Skolverket, 2009; pupils report relatively negative experiences SOU, 2014; SOU, 2017, p. 35; OECD, 2015; of the learning environment when compared Skolverket, 2018c). internationally (SOU, 2017, p. 35, 44, 248). When the 15year olds in PISA 2015 were asked about their sense of belonging in school, the majority reported high levels of belonging. But Student this sense of belonging has decreased in the OECD in general and in Sweden in particular. influence in Even if the majority of students report a good relationship with their teachers, about one fifth state recurring unfair treatment by their the classroom teachers. Boys feel more unfairly treated compared to girls in Sweden, as well as in the OECD. In addition, students with an immigrant background more often experience unfair treatment by teachers and the gap between The Swedish Schools Inspectorate states that this group and students with a non-immigrant despite the indications of a healthy state of background is larger in Sweden compared to the democracy in Swedish schools in general, OECD average (OECD, 2017; Skolverket, 2017c.) classroom activities often lack a comprehensive perspective on how democracy, subject teaching The latest attitude survey conducted by the NAE and work with norms and values are connected. (Skolverket, 2019) asked a set of questions A common misconception is that democracy and relating to the extent to which pupils wished 64 to exert influence on their education, and the equivalent with the students' individual extent to which they felt they actually could. interests (Vinterek 20016, p. 117–119). Perhaps surprisingly, the survey shows that Student participation and influence the wish for influence peaked in 2003 and the also challenge the traditional roles possibilities to exert influence peaked in 2009, of teachers and students to a certain and both have since been in weak decline. extent, which may entail the need to Pupils with an immigrant background report re-examine teacher and student roles, that they can exert influence on classroom work which in turn will have an impact on the to a higher extent than those with Swedish relations in the classroom (Skolverket, background. 2016b, p. 34). Åkerström (2014) points out three circumstances that make schools a rather In ICCS 2016, six out of ten Swedish 14year olds special arena for student participation: report that they actively participate in school council related activities, which is above the 1. when education is compulsory, children international average. Somewhat contradictory, and young people have no choice but opportunities to formal participation are not attending. Especially unprivileged students very highly regarded among Swedish students and students without academic motivation (Schulz, Ainley, Fraillon et al., 2017; p. 86; might regard compulsory schooling as Skolverket, 2017a; p. 61–62.) This discrepancy nothing more than a burden, between values and opportunities may have a 2. school is an arena for controlling and natural explanation: shaping children and young people The better the opportunities to participate in accordance with certain ideals of are, the more they might be taken for granted. citizenship as desired by the state. In Another possible explanation might be Sweden and the Nordic countries, this ideal the mandatory aspect that encompasses is to foster children and students to become participation and influence in Sweden. Since reflective, responsible and flexible citizens they are not only privileges but also obligations, of democratic societies. Some researchers they might not entirely be regarded as benefits claim there are no other arenas besides by the Swedish students. ICCS also ask the school with a larger impact on children's Swedish students to estimate their level of everyday life, and influence on schedule, regulations, changing 3. school occupies students' life. Children and class and changing school, teaching material, young people not only spend a lot of time the school council and the organization and at school, they also devote an important content of the instruction. On a scale of 1–10, part of their life outside of school to school the result on most questions varies between related work, with the consequence that 3 - 6,5. Areas that the pupils experience highest young people's activities have become influence on are: changing school, followed by increasingly separated from adults' the school council and the organization and activities. In response to this, children's and content of teaching, while they report the lowest young people's contributions to the society influence on teaching material and on the have been hidden/concealed/restricted schedule (Skolverket, 2017a; p. 63). within educational institutions (Åkerström, 2014, p. 33–34). The latest attitude survey conducted by the NAE shows that: The obstacles for student influence and participation are – at least partly – due to the school context itself. The goals and objectives in the national curriculum are not necessarily 65 Student voice The National School Although there has been a substantial debate on influence and participation in Sweden, the Development concept of "voice" as such has not been very salient. Rather, "voice" has been seen as a function of exerting influence, which in turn has Programmes been interpreted by some to mean partaking in classroom councils etc. Others have seen the choice that pupils make to the gymnasium The National School Development Programmes school (upper secondary school) as an were launched in 2016. The programmes expression of voice. organize different kinds of resources for The most elaborated educational approach teachers, head teachers, headmasters and explicitly drawing on the concept of "voice" was school leaders according to a set of overarching developed in the 1990s and drew, among other themes. Use of these resources is voluntary in things, on the political theory of deliberative principle; however, some are tied to state grants democracy as it was conceived by Jürgen and in that case, participation is mandatory. The Habermas and the methodology developed in largest bulk of resources concern competency the so-called "frame-factor theory" by curriculum development and follow a similar model which theorist Ulf P. Lundgren in the 1970s. This is based on peer learning among teachers and resulted in an approach towards education and has a strong support in research on school instruction that both presented arguments for improvement and professional development. deliberative practices in the classroom and The resources for competency development rules that could be applied in order to ensure provide the participants with learning materials that those practices matched criteria for (which form the base for peer learning through deliberation (i.e. a kind of "true" communication, group discussions), from which new insights free of asymmetrical power relations), and and working methods that later are tested and thus preconditions for exertion of student voice applied on real classroom situations are derived (Englund, 2007). The approach never resulted and finally evaluated. in actual policies or large-scale initiatives and Common for all the national school development may have had its biggest impact inside the field programmes is that they are of educational research. There are, however, empirical results suggesting positive effects of 1. based on fundamental values as expressed deliberative practices in civics, particularly in in the Education Act and the curricula Lgr11 vocational programmes (Andersson, 2012). and Gy11. Their content is based on the curricula Lgr11 and Gy11, scientific basis and proven experience. 2. Mutually, the programmes also comprise the whole range of school governance; the state represented by the NAE, the school providers, as well as the teachers and principals. 66 3. With reference to scientific evidence for a programmes and analyse the requisites strong correlation between improved skills for development, (3) The national school and a high level of student participation, development programmes are characterized all programmes should carefully consider by a holistic approach on school's mission. student participation. From this perspective, Consequently, fundamental values, reliance, one could argue that student participation participation, inclusion and respect are therefore is evident in all the national school considered as essential preconditions for a development programmes, regardless successful implementation. Finally (4), the of the topic of the actual programme national school development programmes (Skolverket, 2015b, p. 6). should empower the profession/professionals. 4. In order to facilitate the implementation The programme is built upon trust in the for the schools, all programmes are based profession and presupposes that the profession on the same design that guarantees – teachers, principals and local policy makers - consistency and clarification, which is has the capacity and the desire to improve their necessary for the facilitation and feasibility tasks. Each programme therefore contains a for schools to select programme(s) and to part that is directed towards principals and/or prepare themselves. At the same time, the school providers (Skolverket, 2015c, p. 6–7). model makes room for flexibility, regarding both content and implementation, which The didactic model makes it applicable on various topics such as mathematics, organization and leadership, science and fundamental Most of the content for competence values, by which the latter includes the development within the national school programme Students' participation and development programmes is organized in influence in the classroom. Flexibility is modules, which in turn are divided into different also required in order to adapt to eventual parts that should be followed chronologically. changes in curricula or new research Each part is divided in different steps (Moment). findings and in order to consider local In Step A, the participants take part of the conditions and needs, which requires material individually. Then the group gathers in flexibility in terms of rate and range Step B for a joint discussion and planning. After (Skolverket, 2015, p. 15). that, the participants carry out a teaching activity in Step C and finally, the group is gathered again The national school development programmes in Step D for evaluating the activities that took follow four fundamental guidelines. In order place in Step C. The estimated time is 45-60 to (1) improve equity, the programmes should minutes in Step A, 90-120 minutes in Step B be coherent, distinct and share a common and 45-60 minutes in Step D, while Step C is ground, and be easily accessed by the school included in the regular teaching. providers and schools. This is the reason why all programmes are found on a common website; https://larportalen.skolverket.se/#/. Secondly, they should strengthen schools' and school providers' work with quality assurance and quality development through long-term processes towards targeted and prioritized goals. In other words, the school provider should use the local work with quality assurance and development as a starting-point when implementing the national school development 67 5. Conversations that improve student participation; 6. Student participation in a formative process; 7. Student feedback and teaching progression; 8. Sustainable student development and influence. Figure 1. The module Student Participation and A brief summary of Influence in the Classroom the content, didactic The programme Fundamental values is divided into two semi programmes: Students' approach and methods participation and influence in the classroom and Promotion of equal treatment, by which chosen for each step in the former is in focus in this article. The target the module groups are principals, teachers and other school staff in compulsory school and upper secondary school. The objective is to empower the schools' work on student participation and influence Part 1: Participation and with focus on classroom activities, practices by influence; what is it and why is it providing teachers and other pedagogical staff, important? with scientific based material in order to improve their understanding of the importance of this The objective in this part is to introduce and work and how it can be applied (Skolverket, raise the participants' awareness of different 2015c, pp. 19–20). forms of student participation and of its The programme Students' participation and importance. In the first step, they individually influence in the classroom is based on the read two articles which they are then asked to report Participation for Learning, which was reflect upon according to some questions. In originally written in Swedish, but later translated the second step, they discuss the articles with into English when the NAE hosted the CIDREE their colleagues with the help of questions. They expert meeting on this topic in Stockholm in are also given guidance in how to map their 2015. participatory teaching practices. This activity aims to give the participants an insight into The topics of the module's eight parts (each when, where, how and for what purpose the including the aforementioned steps) are: students are given the opportunity to participate. 1. Participation and influence; What is that The mapping is conducted and put together and why is it important? in step 3 and concludes with a self-reflection on the situation and the participants' own 2. Students' view of participation and achievements in this area. In the final step 4, influence; the participants gather together for a follow- 3. How to use students' thoughts, questions up where they discuss the results from the and experiences in instruction; individually conducted mappings and discuss areas for development that can be brought into 4. Forms of work that favour student influence; the following parts. 68 Photos 1 and 2. Students co-operating with the teacher and learn from each other. Part 2: Students' view of for a student survey with the objective to gain participation and influence more information about their experiences of participation and influence in school with extra focus on instruction. This activity aims at In part 2, participants are given the opportunity extending the teacher- student perspective. to deepen their understanding of formal influence and social participation. They are also The student survey is conducted and compiled asked to investigate the pupils' understanding of in step 3 and submitted and discussed in the participation and influence in the classroom. A 4th and final step. The discussion should then better understanding of the benefits of student revolve around comparisons between the participation and influence on instruction, in students' and teachers' view of the possibilities combination with increased insights of students' for participation and exercise of influence, and experiences of participation, will facilitate around reflections on the teachers' roles and teachers' professional development and responsibilities. refinement of teaching methods. In the first step, teachers read a text that Part 3: How to use students' elaborates on the importance of participation and student influence on instruction from a thoughts, questions and student perspective. They also watch a film experiences in teaching in which teachers and students share their experiences of applying the principles of Part 3 aims at developing the participants' participation and influence in the classroom. understanding of the importance of adapting The second step is devoted to joint discussions to the students' experiences, motivations based upon the material in step 1. The and prerequisites when planning for learning discussions should revolve around questions activities, and to take the conditions at their such as: How do they as individuals and a schools into consideration. group understand the concepts of participation and influence, the roles and responsibilities of An article and a film where teachers and adults in school, how participation is divided students elaborate on the subject are presented, among students and how the staff can act in and the participant then moves on to a order to improve students' sense of belonging group discussion that is focused by means of and engagement etc. With support from each questions provided. The next sequence asks the other, the participants also prepare themselves participant to use reflections from the article, 69 the film and the discussion to plan and deliver response is the central theme. Productive a learning activity within the classroom. The feedback is seen as a continuous flow where the participant is encouraged to observe and take teacher seeks to ask productive questions which notes during the delivery. In the last sequence the students respond to and the teacher then the participants are asked to have a group acts upon. discussion where they evaluate their respective activities, provide peer feedback and exchange As before, there is an article that discusses reflections on the part as a whole. these issues and also three films that show examples on classroom dialogues in year 3, 6 and 9. Forms of dialogues that are introduced Part 4: Working forms that favour include Socratic talks, deliberative discussions student influence and philosophical problems as reflective starting points and instructional talks with metacognitive This part introduces the participants to questions. As before, the participants are efficient working methods that favour learning asked to discuss the content, plan and deliver via participation and influence. Examples on a learning activity and conclude by sharing the methods are given, grounded in research reflections and giving feedback to each other. and proven experience, and offer a repertoire of different methods, but also highlights Part 6: Student participation in challenges. a formative process An article in the first sequence presents the content described above. It is then followed Feedback is further explored in this part. It by a focused group discussion after which the introduces teachers to reflection tools, on how participants are asked to prepare a learning they can give feedback to students and how activity where they apply some variant(s) of students can be more involved in a formative participatory practice(s). Observations are made process. This part also demonstrates how during and after the delivery of the activity, and students can strengthen their self-reflection, they are then asked to have a group discussion meta-cognitive strategies and agency and thus where they evaluate their respective activities, improve their learning. The participants are provide peer feedback, elaborate on possible offered to try out methods for development of consequences on their forthcoming teaching and dialogues with students on issues such as goals learning activities and exchange reflections on and quality, concepts and models for feedback, the part as a whole. feedback starting in the students' perspective and self-assessment and self-regulation Part 5: Conversations that practices. improve student participation The format is the same as above. Part 5 focuses on collective reflection and Part 7: Student response and classroom dialogue as instruments to increase student participation and learning. The objective teacher's development of is to provide teachers with opportunities to learning activities reflect on how teaching and learning can be developed by framing and improving dialogue as Part 7 offers deepened insights into working a formative practice. methods in order to increase student response In part 5 and the following two parts, the mutual in a formative context. This part also offers exchange of teacher feedback and student opportunities for the participants to reflect upon 70 the impact of student response on learning undertaken any comprehensive evaluation of activities. Participants are also given the how the module is perceived by the participants, opportunity to collect and receive response from nor on its effects on teacher practices and students, lead discussions with students on student participation and influence. On the other their thoughts and to use the information; this hand, the didactic design and the content of the generates in planning and delivery of learning module have undergone thorough processes activities. of quality assurance, both within the NAE, by researchers in the field and among practitioners. In addition to an introductory article, there is Webpage statistics indicate well over 50.000 also a recorded conversation between students visits since it has been released. and a teacher on these issues. The classroom activity that the participants are asked to undertake stresses the importance of analysing the climate and culture within the classroom in order to ensure a productive outcome. The part Conclusion concludes as above. Part 8: Sustainable participation As shown in the overview, the adopted didactic and influence approach stresses two core factors: reflection and practice. This is very much in line with In the concluding part, the participants discuss influential ideas on what constitutes the ways in which the school work in the area knowledge base for the teaching profession ensures long term continuity and equity in the in general (Schön, 1984). Reflection is thus work with students' participation and influence supported by content and approached at two in teaching. levels, first the introductory content that is presented in articles, films etc. and which the The part also highlights how local quality participant is asked to think about and reflect development can be systematized on the upon with support from focused questions individual- (teacher), group- (a team of teachers) that come with the content. On the first level, and school level. Participants are also given the reflection is carried out individually. The opportunity to summarize and reflect on their participant then brings these reflections to learning during the semester, and to look ahead the next level where discussions among peers and plan for increased participation and student who have all carried out the same procedure influence in their forthcoming teaching. means that this discussion serves to bring new perspectives into consideration, and thus re- examination of one's own lines of thought. Evaluation In order to connect reflection with action, the next step means taking these thoughts and experiences and transforming them into practice. By this stage, it may be useful to remind the participant that this process is a There is a pay-off between the open format complex one. Not only do the ideas that the (it is free to use and easily accessible on the reflections upon the content have brought internet) of the module and the possibilities for about need to be clearly formulated and evaluation. Questionnaires, for instance, tend operationalized into manageable activities, the to be self-recruiting when administered through participant also needs insights into the specific an open webpage. The NAE has thus far neither context – the classroom – in which they are to 71 take place. The instructions to this step stress the importance of careful preparation and remind the participant to plan for observations during the delivery of the activity, something which is important for the concluding step, but otherwise easy to forget. It may also be important to remind the participant of the fact that it may be necessary to consider other factors such as well-being and social dynamics when planning the activities. The concluding step may well be the most important one, in that it gives a structure for collegial processes of peer learning that may be scaled up in the school. 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Örebro: Örebro University. 74 From Participation to Voice: Developing Student Voice in Dutch Education student voice THE NETHERLANDS de stem van de leerling Authors Jeroen Bron Dr. Jeroen Bron is a senior curriculum expert at the National Institute for Curriculum Development in The Netherlands. His field of expertise includes cross-curricular issues and themes such as Citizenship and Human Rights Education, democratic school culture, school development and the involvement of students in decision-making on their curriculum. Jeroen is involved in different international projects (Erasmus plus and Council of Europe) and has published various articles in international journals. Annette van der Laan Annette van der Laan works as an curriculum expert for primary education at the National Institute for Curriculum Development in the Netherlands. She is involved in projects for citizenship and special needs education. The focus of her activities lies in promoting citizenship education and student participation (through student voice). She has specifically developed several instruments on student voice for a European project. In addition, she leads a national project on tailored language and arithmetic programmes for students in special education. This is done in close cooperation with primary schools and their teachers. 76 Abstract Student voice encompasses the right for learners to express their opinions, access people who influence decisions and actively participate in educational decision-making processes. Interest in the role of students in their own education is an international trend (Sinnema and Aitken, 2013). In the Netherlands, student voice means working in partnership with students that will enable them to become more self-directed learners, responsible and democratic citizens. Enhancing student voice increases the development of ownership, relevance of learning and it contributes to the democratic qualities and 21st century skills. Student voice is not well developed in Dutch education. The related notion of student participation is wider known and practiced in Dutch education, but developments in this field seem to have stagnated (Bron, 2014). This article describes the efforts made to further the development of student voice in theory and practice, with an emphasis on classroom curriculum development. Experiences, results and tools presented are based on a PhD research involving six schools of lower secondary education and an Erasmus+ project Student Voice – the BRIDGE to Learning. 77 Introduction Student voice is a relatively new concept in unique perspectives on learning, teaching and Dutch education; however, student participation schooling, that their insights warrant not only is widely used. The concept of voice as the term the attention but also the responses of adults: is used in this paper is more than speaking - it and that they should be afforded opportunities is the effect embodied in the act of access to to actively shape their education (Cook-Sather, decision-making processes. Here the overlap 2006, p. 383). with the concept of student participation becomes apparent: in the student participation Thomson (2011) defines 'student voice' as the discourse influence is regarded as crucial. right for learners to express opinions, access Definitions of participation always include people who influence decisions and exercise the aspect of students' direct involvement in active participation in educational decision- decision-making processes. In this introduction, making process. Lundy (2007) uses four aspects the concepts of voice and of participation that of student voice in relation to the article 12 of we consider largely overlapping are elaborated. the Convention on the Rights of the Child: We will present arguments for student voice in ● Space: children must be given the opportunity education, providing the basis for a rationale for to express a view; the use of student voice. After that we present ● Voice: children must be facilitated to express some models for student participation that we their views; find relevant for student voice as well. In this contribution, we focus on the Dutch situations ● Audience: the view must be listened to; and the efforts made by the National Institute ● Influence: the view must be acted upon, as for Curriculum Development (SLO) to stimulate appropriate. developments in the Netherlands. Four tools for student voice that were developed and used in These definitions make it clear that 'student the BRIDGE project are described, as well as voice' is much more than simply 'speaking one's their use in the participating schools. We end voice'. There must also be somebody listening the article in section three with conclusions and and acting upon what was said: voice can have challenges we encountered in promoting and an effect. Cook-Sather (2006) tried to capture supporting student voice in the Netherlands. the central aspects of 'student voice' as sound, presence and power, indicating that students have a voice in the sense that they can speak Understanding student up and share their thoughts, opinions and experiences; that they are given a platform to voice in the Netherlands speak and be listened to and that they actually can influence their situation, in this case their learning process. The term student voice largely The concept 'student voice' is internationally overlaps with student participation. In the used to indicate a way of thinking that strives to Netherlands, the use of 'voice' is limited but repositioning students in educational research increasing, while participation is more commonly and reform. The way of thinking is premised on used, often in a more formal sense: participation the following convictions : young people have in councils for example. 78 Arguments for searching for ways to stimulate the development of democratic principles and attitudes and enhancing student voice providing opportunities for student participation. The notion that democracy is important and Young people today have greater economic should be nurtured in our society and schools power, social maturity and access to information is widespread, with the emphasis shifting and knowledge derived from the ever–increasing towards acting in the democratic process and media culture. Yet, many schools still provide practising fundamental democratic ideas, few opportunities for them to express their views such as expressing and exchanging viewpoints constructively and contribute meaningfully to based on equality, cooperation and negotiation, shaping learning and school life. For decades, participating in decision–making processes and student participation in the Netherlands has accepting decisions made collectively. had two faces. On the one hand, there is the Bron and Veugelers (2014) presented five formal student representation in school councils arguments for giving students a voice in consisting of staff, parents and students, as education. These arguments help deepening well as the opportunities offered by schools to the thinking about why we want to put time and set up a student council in school. On the other effort in realising forms of student voice. The five hand, there is the informal participation in the arguments are listed in Table 1. form of day-to-day interaction between students and teachers. This relation is less hierarchical Arguments can vary per situation and country. In and students in general have opportunities the UK, for example (Bron, 2018), the ratification to voice their thoughts and opinion. Since the of the Rights of the Child was an important introduction of citizenship education in 2006 argument for improving the student voice. In the Netherlands, like many countries, has been the Netherlands, the educational motive is Table 1. Arguments for student voice in education 1. Normative Young people are entitled to the right to have a voice in matters that argument affect them. 2. Developmental Children and young people are developmentally ready to participate, argument as they often assume more responsibility and autonomy outside school than allowed within. 3. Political Inviting students to participate in their education changes the argument power paradigm, providing opportunities for voices that are often marginalised to speak and for those who customarily hold positions of power to listen and hear. 4. Educational Participation in negotiating and decision–making processes has argument educational benefits, contributing to the development of citizenship and 21st century skills. 5. Relevance Involving students in their own education improves the relevance of argument education. 79 important in the perspective of developing ● Empower: there is ownership of decisions by democratic citizenship qualities. In addition, the learners. school is seen as a site to experiment with and practise citizenship roles and responsibilities, Another five-level model is that of Shier (2001): suitable for certain age groups. This stems from ● Children are listened to; the idea that students are citizens now and ● Children are supported in expressing their not citizens in waiting. Here the developmental views; argument is visible. The tools presented in this chapter include other arguments as well. In one ● Children's views are taken into account; tool, a ladder for student participation is used. ● Children are involved in the decision-making Here the political argument is paramount. In process; the curriculum negotiation tool, the educational argument in table 1 is combined with the ● Children share power and responsibility for relevance argument: the educational offering decision-making. becomes more relevant to students when they This model has features of a matrix because are involved in decision-making about their own each of the five levels distinguishes between education. three elements: openings, opportunities and obligations. It gives practitioners the opportunity Levels of participation to analyse their own situation and determine their present situation and what might be the desired end. This gives the model the Describing levels of participation is considered characteristics of a user- friendly flowchart. to be an interesting element in the theory of Furthermore, level two in this model: children are student voice. Distinction between levels of supported in expressing their views, suggest that participation is very helpful when choosing students are likely to need support. Yet, it also realistic forms of participation attuned to suggests that voice is something that can be particular situations. The three participation supported, developed and learned, making voice models presented in this article help to an aspect that needs a place in the curriculum. determine divisions of power and the impact participation can have on the level of student Hart's "ladder of youth participation" (1992) voice. One model in particular (the ladder is often used to indicate different levels of of Hart) has become very influential in the children's participation in decision-making Netherlands. It is translated into Dutch and has (Figure 1). The ladder starts with a minimal even led to the development of an educational engagement of students in decision-making, tool for schools (Otter, den, 2015). moving upwards towards a greater influence. It consists of eight levels, ranging from Shuttle (2007) developed a participation model non–participation (green colour), such as consisting of five levels of learner engagement. manipulation, to youth initiated shared decisions The different degrees of learner engagement with adults (yellow colour). Although the are: hierarchical aspect can be criticized, it is still ● Inform: learners are informed about decisions; helpful in creating awareness of the extent of desired student participation. ● Consult: learners are consulted to support decision-making; In the Netherlands, this ladder has been an inspiration for use in educational contexts. ● Involve: input from learners into decision- Marianne den Otter (2015) developed an making is sought; educational ladder, based on this ladder of youth ● Collaborate: decisions are shaped in participation. The educational ladder provides partnership with learners; information on the level of direct involvement by 80 Figure 1. Ladder of participation students on curriculum issues and educational level. In the Netherlands, many schools are activities. It helps teachers to decide through characterised by an informal culture where collaborative decision-making at which level students can speak their voice, with relatively student participation in the classroom or low teacher centred classrooms where teachers at school level is most effective. This tool guide the learning of subgroups working on is available in Dutch and English (http:// tasks. It is important that schools view student burgerschapindeschool.nl/student-voice). voice from a broader perspective than the informal classroom conversations. The starting point of promoting and supporting student Enhancing voice is the development of a school-specific rationale which is related to the mission and aims of the school and to the arguments of why student voice student voice is important (Table 1). Schools differ in the way they promote and support student voice, depending on their pedagogical in classroom practices, educational concepts, and social- cultural demography. Another way of enhancing situations student voice is empowering the teacher and supporting him/her in translating the school specific rationale to the practice at classroom level. The continuous professional development approach supports teachers in promoting and There are different ways that promote and implementing student voice. An example of this support student voice at school- and classroom 81 could be the use of a spider web as a tool to curriculum content. If we regard the curriculum rethink the possible role of students in different as a process and teachers and also students as aspects of education, such as assessment, actors in curriculum development at school and creating better learning environments, the use of classroom level, then teachers are professionals learning support materials. and students are participants. It requires the curriculum to be seen as an inspiring framework that gives direction and is open for further Involving students in curriculum elaboration in the local context with a certain development student population. The curriculum intentions model (Bron, 2018) An aspect of teachers' professional development provides a visualisation of the teacher and that needs more attention is curriculum student curriculum intentions and what they competence. In a qualitative research in six are based on. This model (Figure 2) takes the schools of lower secondary education (Bron, process curriculum as given and puts curriculum 2018) it became apparent that teachers lack negotiation in the centre. It requires teachers competences in curriculum development; the to be explicit about their intended curriculum sense is that they hardly reflect on the relevance and to help students become aware of their of the content of their lessons. If teachers are intentions as well. The teacher intentions regarded and regard themselves as deliverers are based on the teacher's knowledge of of the curriculum instead of actors in curriculum external curriculum requirements as well as decision-making, then textbooks decide the the professional knowledge and experience a Figure 2.The curriculum intentions model 82 teacher has developed. The third factor is the destination as the teachers': enhanced student school characteristics: what the school expects voice. Teachers and students will meet each of its teachers based on the school philosophy other at the stop in the middle, i.e., classroom on life and/or pedagogics. The student brings collaboration. prior learning experiences, both in and out of school, backgrounds and ambitions and At the teacher level, they learn how to collaborate interests. The intentions of the students and and develop a culture in classrooms where the teacher meet in a negotiation about the the shift of responsibility in learning moves curriculum. Out of the decisions made in this from the teachers to the students. In working negotiation follows the operational curriculum towards this collaborative model, teachers are leading to learning: the attained curriculum. For supported by research and opportunities to more details see the curriculum negotiation tool explore new ideas and also by sharing practices in section 2.3. with schools and experts. Especially the involvement of partners/experts in enhancing the process and implementation of student voice is very useful. In the Netherlands, there A continuous are several experts in this area, ranging from professional educational professionals, to (human) rights education experts. It also includes organisations development approach involved in fostering democratic citizenship and organising dialogue with students. Working in partnership, sharing experiences and developing One of the key features of enhancing student strategies for implementation leads to a stronger voice is the role of the teacher. In taking and more collective understanding of student this forward, its aim is to develop student voice, leading to support the implementation of voice through a shift from top–down policy student voice at school level. implementation to a more horizontal approach with a strong dimension of school collaboration At student level, right hand side of the figure, all at school and classroom level. This continuous students learn how to participate in curriculum professional development approach places development, particularly in the process of goal schools at the centre of the learning journey and setting, assessment, including self–evaluation. empowers teachers to take the student voice Their involvement leads to an increase in the forward in a way that is most useful/ appropriate development of ownership, the relevance of for their unique local context. their learning and contributes to the democratic qualities. Figure 3 shows the Dutch journey to enhanced student voice, based on this collaborative At the level of classroom collaboration, the use teaching and learning model. The journey for of tools (curriculum negotiation, participation teachers starts on the left hand side of the ladder, Jansen's bicycle) supports students figure, with the important stop at teachers' and teachers to work together and implement learning. This is a starting point in the process student voice in the classroom, in a way that is of involving students in the design of their most useful and appropriate for the classroom own education and learning process. The context. teachers' journey includes several stops, but the The spider web is a tool which is actually destination of the journey is clear: enhanced an example of a continuous professional student voice. The journey of learners starts development approach, and therefore less on the other side of the figure; their starting suitable to be used at classroom level. Using the point is student participation. Their journey also spider web helps to develop the reasoning about includes several stops, and leads to the same all kinds of aspects of schooling and education 83 Figure 3. Dutch journey to enhanced student voice at school level that are suitable to involve the key issues arising from the Dutch example students. It supports schools in formulating a is that the curriculum negotiation method can school policy and rationale on student voice. work, especially in secondary schools: students are developmentally ready and the method leads both in terms of curriculum input and in terms Tools on student voice of learning effects to better results. The success of the tool depends on whether the curriculum is regarded as something which is open for The National Institute for Curriculum discussion and improvement and if teachers Development in the Netherlands developed have a certain level of control and ownership different tools as a part of models on student over the curriculum they offer. This is a participation, providing teachers' support in prerequisite for allowing students to co-construct giving students a voice and the power to express their curriculum with their teachers. their views constructively. The tools offer ways to improve student participation in decision-making The educational ladder of student participation processes regarding their own learning process aims to create awareness on the desired level of and in experiencing democratic citizenship student participation. It helps teachers to decide practices. Although specific aims differ for each through collaborative decision-making at which tool (Table 2), the overarching aim is the same: level student participation is most effective. increasing the role of (all) students in their This tool consists of eight steps ranging education. from non-participation to full participation of students as partners in the decision-making The tool for the curriculum negotiation method process. It is designed to answer the question: is aimed towards increasing the relevance of 'Where do students stand on the educational the curriculum for the students and developing participation ladder?' Different manifestations their democratic qualities. It has been used in of student voice can be related to these levels secondary schools, and at a later stage, also of participation, depending on how the activity in primary schools in the Netherlands. One of is organised and how power is distributed. 84 Table 2. Goal description of tools on student voice. The curriculum negotiation method ● To involve students in decision making about their curriculum. ● To increase the relevance of the curriculum from a student perspective. ● To develop democratic qualities amongst students. Educational ladder of student participation ● To determine the current level of student participation in educational activities. ● To create awareness for educators on the desired level of student participation Learning, using the principle of Jansen's bicycle ● To create awareness of pedagogics of awakening prior knowledge by learners. ● To involve students in creating and shaping their own learning process. The spider web: framework for assessing student participation ● To develop school policy on student voice and participation. ● To involve students in various aspects of education. More information: http://burgerschapindeschool.nl/student-voice The levels of participation are specified to the useful if teachers want to involve students in extent students are allowed to talk about their creating and shaping their own learning process. education and what influence they have on their learning goals, pedagogy, school and social The curricular spider web is a useful tool in events or physical aspects of the school. The rethinking student involvement at different inclusion of all students is a prerequisite for levels, related to the curricular spider web of achieving the aim in this process. educational aspects. The following questions support schools in formulating a school policy 'Jansens's bicycle' is a didactic model, based on and rationale on student voice and participation: the principle that learners are curious and have ● Why is it important to give students a voice in prior knowledge on specific topics. It believes in education? the importance of awakening prior knowledge by learners as input for the involvement in their ● Toward which goals are students at your own learning process. Teachers collect this school learning through student voice? information and use it as a way of involving ● How does the school organise student voice: learners in the determination of the content of in the class, with peers ...? their own education. Jansen's bicycle consists of seven phases, each reflecting a certain step ● What is the role of the teacher in the process in the involvement of learners in the learning of enhancing student voice? Is it the task of process. The principle of Jansen's bicycle is very one specific teacher or is it the responsibility 85 of a team/the whole school? They do so by developing proposals for learning ● Which materials are used to facilitate the questions they want to address or suggest process of student voice? criteria for evaluation of group work. This requires teachers to be allowed and stimulated ● Are the learners randomly grouped? Do they to develop ownership and students to be trusted volunteer? to be involved in the shaping and reshaping ● Where (location) does student voice take of their education, including the operational place? Is it part of the regular curriculum or is curriculum. it an extra-curricular activity? Our experiences with the participating ● What is the time slot allocated to SV and/ schools have shown that student voice as or is there a specific time set aside or is it operationalised in the four tools can be integrated in the regular time schedule? workable, but was sometimes demanding ● How does the school assess learners? In a for the teacher. These demands included summative, formative way? classroom management; taking a coaching role and demanding greater thinking about the curriculum. Classroom management was demanding especially in the lessons co- Conclusions on designed with students. Often the student input did not completely correspond with the textbooks, so additional materials had to be critical issues found and selected by students and teachers. This also raised challenges for assessment and evaluation. During the lessons, teachers had or challenges to take more of a coaching role and let things develop within the groups of students. This on promoting change of roles proved difficult for some of the teachers who wanted to have control of what the students were doing and what directions student voice their thoughts were taking. Teachers must have trust in their students' abilities and develop their connoisseurship (Eisner, 1994) to know when to intervene and when to clarify. To put student voice into practice requires Most teachers did not have a clear vision of what a paradigm shift moving away from the essence of teaching a certain theme were. standardization and textbook dominance. Curriculum thinking will develop as teachers are In such a context, teachers function as challenged to think about their own curriculum professionals with well-developed curricular and more often and explicitly. The spider web tool pedagogical competencies. Teachers require and the curriculum negotiation tool both focus professional development if they are to construct on this aspect. This point certainly deserves clear goals -based on external curriculum more attention in the preparation of new requirements, professional knowledge, teachers, in-service training for current teaching experience and school context- while at the staff and forms of continuous professional same time working with these goals, creatively development. In the Netherlands, a large based on students' input. Students too need curriculum reform "Curriculum.nu" is underway, to shed their passive roles to become actors, inspired by examples from Canadian provinces negotiating and designing their own education that put teachers in the lead as opposed to and become at least partly responsible for it. experts outside of schools (Curriculum.nu, 86 2019). This is an indication that teachers consider student voice an example of developing are being seen as important stakeholders in citizenship qualities. curriculum reform. A theoretical basis about curriculum development, as well as practical Goodlad and Su (1992) mention three additional experiences are necessary to ensure this role traps when lessons are organised around the is fulfilled adequately, leading to improved interests and input of students. curriculum confidence amongst teaching staff. 1. Schools have a role in society and society has expectations of that role. The Limitations of student voice expectations are for some part described in specifications (external requirements) at the societal (macro) level of the curriculum. There are at least three limitations of student If schools do not comply with these voice in schools. The first is that students are specifications they might be criticised or only allowed to influence rather safe issues such worse. as school decorations, lunch choices or school outings. The second is that voice is limited to a 2. It is not easy to identify the depth of form of 'representation' where a few engaged students' interests. Interests might change students are invited to participate and are regularly. 3) "It is unreasonable to expect regarded as speaking the voice of all students. students to express interest in something In this situation, critical voices or marginalised they know nothing about" (Goodlad and Su, students can be left out. A third limitation is the 1992, p. 336). Therefore their perspectives risk of tokenism (see tool participation ladder): are not necessarily broadened by students are not really listened to in the sense education, and they may struggle to show that something will be done with their input or interest in unfamiliar content. suggestions or no clear feedback of what is These are traps to consider and be wary of. being done with the student voice is given. Certainly schools have a role in society. The These limitations are always real, but in the external curriculum requirements and also the way we introduced the tools these limitations school policies are included in our curriculum are reduced. First of all, three tools are about model for negotiation presented in chapter one. curriculum development. The curriculum is not Our experiences with the participating schools a safe issue' like school decoration, but is a have shown that for the most part the teachers real and not an imaginary issue affecting the did not need to correct the students' input to students. Nevertheless, there is the risk that cover external requirements. Much depends only some of the subjects deemed of lesser on the room allowed for student influence in importance are open to negotiation. But even education. Regarding the second and third point then, the curriculum negotiation process is that Goodlad and Su (1992) put forward, our still valuable. The drawbacks of representation experiences with schools have shown that when are tackled because all students in the class students exchange ideas and cooperate, their participate in the process and not a select scope of knowledge is broadened: together they group. This is an important difference to many produced word webs on their prior knowledge models of student participation in which a select that reflected more prior knowledge than group, like a student council, gets to participate. expected by their teachers (Bron, 2018). In this Still, within the whole class there is the risk of qualitative study it became apparent that not all marginalising critical voices and care needs to topics are suitable for student voice. Students be taken in considering the way students are must have prior learning experiences and invited to participate in class in order to ensure interest in the topic. that a diversity of students are meaningfully engaged. This is especially important if we 87 Role of the teacher well-trained teaching staff, one might expect that teachers will have, or will claim, a degree of In the participating schools it became apparent ownership over their operational curriculum as it that the role of the teacher is crucial in more is offered in classrooms. ways than one starting with the way the teacher The current emphasis on the role of the teacher used the student voice tools. The question in improving the quality of education makes remains if teachers themselves have enough ownership by teachers even more relevant: do 'voice' within their schools and within the we see a role for the teacher in adapting aspects educational system. Is there enough trust in of teaching, the curriculum or assessment? And teachers' professionalism also regarding the can teachers accommodate different needs of curriculum and assessment? Or are teachers students that become apparent through student regarded as deliverers of an overloaded voice? curriculum dictated by textbooks and strong test regimes? In democratic societies with a References Bron, J. (2018). Student voice in curriculum development; Explorations of curriculum negotiation in secondary education classrooms. Utrecht: University of Humanistic Studies. Bron, J. & Veugelers, W. (2014a). Kunnen leerlingen in het VO een rol spelen in het bepalen van hun leerplan? [Can students have a say in curriculum development?] Pedagogiek,34(1), 24-40. Bron, J. & Veugelers, W. (2014b). Why we need to involve our students in curriculum design: Five arguments for student voice. Curriculum and Teaching Dialogue,16(1), 125-139. Cook-Sather, A. (2006). Sound, presence and power: Student voice in educational research and reform. Curriculum inquiry, 36(4), 359-390. Curriculum.nu. (2019). Ontwikkelproces. Retrieved June 2019. https://curriculum.nu/ontwikkelproces. Eisner, E.W. (1994). The educational imagination on the design and evaluation of school programs. (Third edition). New York: MacMillan Publishers. Goodlad, J. I. & Su, Z. (1992). Organization of the Curriculum. In: Jackson, P.W. (Ed.). (1992). Handbook of research on curriculum: A project of the American Educational Research Association. ( 327-344). New York: Macmillan publishing company. 88 Hart, R. (1992). Children's participation from tokenism to citizenship. Florence: UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre. Lundy, L. (2007). 'Voice' is not enough: Conceptualising Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. British Educational Research Journal, 33(6), 927-942. Otter, den M. (2015). Voicing: geef leerlingen een stem. 9 Aanraders. Dordrecht: Instondo. Shier, H. (2001). Pathways to participation: openings, opportunities and obligations. A new model for enhancing children's participation in decision-making. Children and society, 15, 107-117. Shuttle, J. (2007). Learner Involvement in Decision Making. In: Collison, D. (Ed.). Leadership and the Learner Voice, 4, 30-48. Sinnema, C. & Aitken, G. (2013). Emerging international trends in curriculum. In: Biesta, G. & Priestley, M. (Eds.). Reinventing the curriculum: New trends in curriculum policy and practice (141-164). London: Bloomsbury. Thomson, P. (2011). Coming to terms with 'voice'. In Czerniawski, G., Kidd, W. (Eds.), The student voice handbook: Bridging the academic/practitioner divide. Bingley: Emerald Group. Thijs, A. & Van den Akker, J. (2009). Curriculum in development. Enschede: SLO. 89 STUDENT VOICE IN THE REPRESENTATIVE SPACE Student Voice Throughout Entrepreneurial Competence: How to be Entrepreneurial in School Systems in Bosnia and Herzegovina student voice BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA glas učenika Authors Marija Naletilić Marija Naletilić, Ph.D., is the head of the Common Core Curricula Department of the Agency and leads the project on developing the CCC based on learning outcomes and guidelines for implementing CCC in schools. She has authored a number of scientific and professional papers on history of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 19th and 20th centuries and delivered workshops on innovative approaches to history teaching. She has collaborated with the Georg Eckert Institute in Germany and participated in international scientific seminars held in numerous countries. She has chaired the Committee for the Reform of History Teaching in B&H and reviewed history textbooks for primary education and grammar schools. She has participated in the drafting of the Action Plan for the Development and Implementation of the Qualification Framework in B&H and in the developing of the Manual for Development of Methodologies for Quality Assurance of General Education Qualifications within the Qualifications Framework in B&H. Maja Stojkić Maja Stojkić has been the Agency director since the end of 2008. She has almost nineteen years of work experience in education (nine of which in teaching process), and is experienced in organizing, HRM, project developing, financial planning and reporting. She has successfully completed a number of specialized courses on education and governance, and participated in different working groups and steering committees formed for improving the quality of education in Bosnia and Herzegovina. She is also the co-author of the Manual for the School Principals and co-author of different paper as well as the author of two articles about teachers' approaches in the classroom. 92 Danica Vasilj Danica Vasilj is an adviser for classroom teaching with the CCC Department in the Agency for Pre-primary, Primary and Secondary Education. She is a member of the team currently working on the development of the new Common Core Curricula in Bosnia and Herzegovina. She is skilled in the art therapy, professional orientation, B&H Skills Passport, entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial competencies in education and in quality management. She has experience in committees such as the Committee for the Reform of History Teaching in B&H and in quality education in multiethnic societies. She has also participated in the preparation of various manuals in the field of education. Abstract This article presents student voice throughout active participation in school project activities on the topic of entrepreneurial learning. The manner of functioning of the student council and schools has been clarified, as well as the way in which students can achieve mutual support and cooperation in joint activities with teaching staff, school management and parents. Student voice is recognizable as a part of the work of the student councils in Bosnia and Herzegovina that promote the development of self-initiative and entrepreneurial competence throughout team work, responsible behaviour, constructive cooperation, decision-making and finding the best solutions. 93 Introduction In Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H), strategic and related to all levels of education, which documents in the field of education had been resulted in the continuation of activities in this developed that started activities on improving area. the quality of education, and one of the goals was the inclusion of the entrepreneurial The Agency for Pre-Primary, Primary and competence in education systems. By following Secondary Education (APESE) developed the changes in education, self-initiative and common core curricula for cross-curricular area entrepreneurial competence imposed itself as defined on learning outcomes in 2015 which the area of education through which students included three components - entrepreneurship, will strengthen their ability to present their career orientation and anti-corruption, which is opinions and attitudes and advocate for changes not related to the establishment of new courses, in school surroundings, as well as the changes in but should be developed in the context of regular local community. classes in various subjects, curricular and extracurricular. In 2011, the Agency for Pre-Primary, Primary and Secondary Education, on the basis of the Recognizing global trends, the student council Key Competences for Lifelong Learning — the supports project activities related to the European Reference Framework, conducted development of entrepreneurial competence, a survey and mapping, which resulted in fully aware that entrepreneurship is not just determination of the key competences and about establishing a business, but also the life skills in primary and secondary education ability of an individual or a group to turn an idea in B&H. Unlike the eight key competences into action. This mode promotes teamwork and recognized in the European Framework, the connects teachers and students. Agency has determined ten key competences for When acquiring knowledge and developing skills Bosnia and Herzegovina, adding physical-and- and attitudes of entrepreneurship, students are health and creative-and-productive competences trained to navigate the complex conditions of life in the existing framework. The key competences and work effectively, recognizing their potential have been developed for all teaching subjects by building up the persistence and perseverance in Common Core Curriculum, and they need to in achieving the goals (APESE, 2015). In order be developed through defined indicators. Their to implement defined learning outcomes in this determination depended on the specifics of each area successfully, the Agency has developed individual subject. guidelines for the implementation of the Thereafter, the Strategy for entrepreneurial common core curricula for cross-curricular area, learning in education systems in Bosnia and defined on learning outcomes which will enable Herzegovina for the period 2012-2015 was an integrated teaching approach in developing developed with the Action Plan that defines the competences, which means joint work of strategic actions necessary to develop an teachers of more subjects in order to achieve awareness of the need for active involvement the goals more efficiently, or in order to achieve of entrepreneurship in school systems. The some general curricular goal. This can be the strategy is supported by the introduction of theme, activity or skill that teachers treat from entrepreneurial learning into existing subjects the perspective of their subject (APESE, 2015). 94 The student council in Bosnia and Herzegovina for eight pre-defined educational areas that is one of the positive examples of encouraging include all subjects in general education. the development of self-initiative and entrepreneurial skills, through teamwork, One of the eight defined education areas is the responsible behaviour, constructive cooperation, cross-curricular area which elaborates in detail decision-making, and finding the best solutions. the components of entrepreneurship, anti- The student council represents a mechanism corruption and career orientation, giving the that enables students to be more involved in the possibility of including other topics if needed. process of making important decisions for them The entrepreneurship component, learning and ensures that the student voice is heard. outcomes and associated indicators are defined for: the end of preschool education (5/6 year- olds), the end of grade 6 (8/9 year-olds), the end of grade 6 (11/12 year-olds), the end of the Development nine-year education (14/15 year-olds) and the end of (upper)secondary education (18/19 year- of self-initiative olds). It should be pointed out that the entrepreneurial and competence is included in learning outcomes and associated indicators for all eight educational areas and subjects within these entrepreneurial areas, which ensures its development from preschool education until the end of secondary education, encouraging the connection key competence of subjects through the entire curriculum and emphasizing active learning and the in Bosnia and development of critical thinking. By developing the common core curricula Herzegovina defined on learning outcomes, the agency has laid the foundation for further development of entrepreneurial competence in education systems and school, for which relevant ministries of education in Bosnia and Herzegovina are in The active participation of the student council charge. In this way, through active participation on the development of self-initiative and in student councils, students are encouraged entrepreneurial key competences in B&H to develop creativity, innovativeness, self- preceded the drafting of the Strategy for conceptualizing conclusions, to take risks. entrepreneurial learning in education systems Generally, all these actions are the underlying in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the period 2012– characteristics of entrepreneurship. 2015 with the Action Plan. By analysing the strategy, and using defined key competences and life skills for Bosnia and Herzegovina, the agency started activities on the development of the common core curricula defined by learning outcomes, which included the development of the common core for comprehensive development programmes in preschool education and common core curricula 95 Table 1. Learning outcomes and associated indicators integrated for entrepreneurship – example of indicators for the first learning outcome by student age (APESE, 2015, p. 6). Domain 1: INDIVIDUAL AND SOCIAL RESPOSIBILITY Component 1: Entrepreneurship Learning outcomes: 1. Explores entrepreneurial activity in different aspects of life. 2. Analysis forms and processes in entrepreneurship. 3. Assess and propose features of entrepreneurial action in different contexts of learning and living. Indicators of domain skills by age for the: End of preschool End of third grade End of third grade End of nine year End of secondary school education (8 to 9-year-olds) (8 to 9-year-olds) education education (5 to 6-year-olds) (14 to (18 to 19-year-olds) 15-year-olds) 1a. Names 1a. Describes 1a. Explains 1a. Explains 1a. Analysis different forms personal entrepreneurial entrepreneurial the difference of entrepreneurial activity in interests. activity in the activity of people between the term relation to personal and social immediate from immediate entrepreneur goals. 1b. Recognizes anvironment environment. and act as an situations realized (e. g. classrooms entrepreneur. 1b. Estimates resources for on the basis of his and school). entrepreneurial action to make idea. decisions in different situations. 1c. Links entrepreneurial activity with the development of an individual and society. 1d. Recognizes the entrepreneurial potential in itself, and develops the skills of entrepreneurial action. 96 Entrepreneurial Student voice schools through the work of student The partnership, mutual support and cooperation, including joint activities of teachers, school management, pupils and councils parents are necessary for the successful functioning of an entrepreneurial school, which involves the integration of entrepreneurial One of the ways of increasing the integration key competence into various activities at the of students in the process of making important school (student projects, different events in decisions for them and fully ensuring the right schools, team planning, preparation of school on active participation of students in school development plans, etc.). is the work of the student councils. The idea As described in The International Standard of establishing such a council has come to life Classification of Education (ISCED) level 3, more than 20 years ago and the activities were entrepreneurial schools should help students intensified in the last 10 years thanks to the to develop their talents, taking their personality, initiative of non-governmental organizations abilities and strengths into account. Such (NGOs) and international organizations in schools are developing activities within the Bosnia and Herzegovina that have cooperated curriculum, but also outside of it, keeping in extensively with the students, pedagogical mind the development of the students' capacity institutes and relevant ministries of education to innovate, develop critical thinking and across the country (CIVITAS and OSCE B&H). develop teaching strategies that enable the As a result of their work, manuals were application of acquired knowledge in everyday designed to enable active participation of life. all participants in the educational process, especially students, to react actively as "The school promotes and develops individuals who know where they are going permanent and dynamic partnership of and who are able to reach their goals in schools, parents and the communities in which they live, in all matters of society. This can be achieved by encouraging importance for the role of schools and conversations and discussions on different the interests and needs of students." topics in order to nominate different topics (Council of Ministers, 2003) concerning the curricular and extracurricular activities. The Agency for Pre-Primary, Primary and Article 54 of the Framework Law on Primary Secondary Education conducted the training and Secondary Education in Bosnia and of 150 teachers through modules on learning Herzegovina, which refers to the Student outcomes, new teaching preparation and Council, defines the following: financial literacy, all within the South East European Center for Entrepreneurial Learning Taking into account the age of students, the (SEECEL) project activities (Ministry of Civil school helps them establish a Student Council, Affairs of B&H, 2016). whose function is to: 97 ● promote interests of the school in the lead the council, who should be a motivated, community which the school is located in, communicative and responsible person. The ● represent attitudes of students to the school process of electing the president of the student board, council is carried out in such a way that each class elects representatives to the council and ● encourage the involvement of students in the then all representatives elect the president, vice school, and president and the secretary general. However, ● inform the school board about its positions the structure is not necessarily the same in all when necessary or at the request of the schools and is subject to change. The student school committee, on any matter related to council work is supported by the teacher- the operation and management of the school. coordinator and school advisors. The method and procedure for establishment It is important to note that the students, through and operation of Student Councils shall the work of this council, have the opportunity to be determined by the school general acts develop various project activities and proposals (Council of Ministers, 2003). and provide a source of funding for the Working in the student council is not simple successful implementation of school projects. and requires dedicated engagement. Manuals Relying on the trends in European countries for the work of the student council explain the and the rest of the world, young people in function, mode of establishment, operation, Bosnia and Herzegovina started to be actively and introduce students to the basics of project engaged with the community thus ensuring the management, explaining how to write a project networking of schools, active participation in proposal and secure funding (OSCE B&H, school projects and cooperation with school and 2009). local community. The adoption of the Framework Law entailed An example of good practice in Bosnia and the modification of existing regulations and Herzegovina is certainly the engagement of pilot other internal regulations of the school's schools that were included in the scenarios work and guaranteed the establishment of of learning about entrepreneurship as part student councils in all schools in Bosnia and of the test phase, which entailed maintaining Herzegovina. The council allows students to the preparatory workshop with teachers and actively participate in the work of the school principals of the pilot schools, parents, students, through regular meetings with the teachers, employers, representatives of pedagogical Parent Council, Teacher Council, discussions, institutes and the relevant ministries of round tables, extracurricular activities, education in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Europe information, and conflict resolution, and through Aid, 2011). various project activities, which means they can The students, in cooperation with teachers, discuss any topic regarding the quality of school had the opportunity to devise a multitude of process or participate in the work of school and scenarios through a variety of topics, such as: local community. flood protection, creating a school magazine, For the successful functioning of this council, creating and selling jewellery to charity, arranging it is necessary to prepare the annual work the school yard, raising awareness about the programme and rules of procedure which are importance of healthy eating, designing furniture, obliged to inform the school management and making teaching aids for teaching, etc. all students in the school, bearing in mind that Through the realized activities, the the student council is the body that represents students became familiar with the concept all students in the school. Therefore, it is of entrepreneurial learning and actively necessary to ensure the proper person who will participated in the discussions, presenting 98 new ideas and initiative, which represented community environment through the identified a completely new way of working and the shortcomings they considered should be possibility of taking responsibility for their work. eliminated. All proposals were transparently published on the school bulletin board and were Some of the project activities required the constantly updated with new ideas. provision of financial resources for the implementation in which the students showed In the part of the school project related to creativity, pragmatism and determination in the organization of the school park, students achieving goals, which ensures their long-term developed and identified potential partners proactive approach to everyday life and work. for implementation and developed complete financial structure of the project. The entire project was implemented through five carefully An example of Student designed workshops where students had the opportunity to present their ideas. Lecturers Council activities were positively surprised by the mind-set of children and their resourcefulness and in developing the reflections in the part related to the provision of entrepreneurial financial resources, which was only possible in cooperation with the local community. competence – Primary Students were taught how resourcefulness, school Nova Bila confidence, planning, organization, determination, perseverance and moderation were important for the development of Primary School Nova Bila was actively involved entrepreneurship, as was the active participation in the project Learning about entrepreneurship of students in the school work. Based on the from the beginning of implementation, ensuring experience from the project activities mentioned regular participation in the trainings and above, the students realized the importance of workshops. The introduction of entrepreneurial developing entrepreneurial competence and the learning in their school was gratefully accepted possibility of their influence on the change in the by teachers of technical culture, geography, school programme and the school environment, biology, computer science and other subjects. and they demanded the initiation of entrepreneurial competence in school curricula The president of the Student Council held a which was not recognized at that time. meeting with students where they worked out a joint plan of action in order to realize students' Primary School Nova Bila was one of 17 schools ideas through extracurricular activities that that participated in the test phase during which included introducing students and parents to all pupils had to fill in the questionnaires. the project of entrepreneurial learning and The study includes 332 questionnaires that organizing the international UNESCO camp in consisted of eight questions, with two questions their school, as well as landscaping the school referring to lessons learned from the project park. activity. The success of the project was achieved thanks to the active work of the Student Council that established excellent cooperation with the Parent Council and local community. At the school, students had the option of giving suggestions for changes in the school curriculum, school environment and local 99 Here are the most interesting students’ answers: Did you learn new, useful things in these lessons? (EuropeAid, 2011, p. 50) Graph 1. In their answers, students stated that through this process they learned about: perseverance, confidence, creativity, determination, entrepreneurship, how to change the way of thinking, listen and respect others; how to plan, think in an innovative manner and actively participate. Have the entrepreneurial scenarios changed something in your way of thinking? EuropeAid (2011, p 51) Graph 2. In their answers, students stated that through this process they learned about: facing the reality, changing attitudes towards school, perseverance, encouraging ambition and gaining greater self- confidence. 100 them to actively participate in the society and Conclusion community. The stated activities presented through the development of self-initiative and entrepreneurial competence are just one of the The establishment of the student council possibilities how to connect the work of student ensured more active participation of students councils with teachers and local community in in school life, not only in the teaching process, a successful way. The benefits of the project but also in developing projects. Also, students' activities are multiple and have initiated changes attitude towards the school changed for the in the further development of educational better, implying responsible behaviour and policies, on which some designated pilot schools greater involvement. Throughout project notified the relevant ministries of education activities through which entrepreneurial while other schools indicated they would use competence is developed, pupils have new learning methods regardless of any support, recognized its importance and the potential stating all the benefits and greater motivation of to influence changes in the school curriculum, students. school environment and the local community environment. In this regard, it is necessary to set the continuous operation and development of The student council is one of the very important student councils to ensure the sustained bodies that has a prominent role in the work of engagement of students in all the processes in the school and strengthens students in their and out of school. development and respect for the work, helping References Agency for Pre-Primary, Primary and Secondary Education, Mostar. (2015). The Common Core Curriculum for the Cross-Curricular and Intermediate Area Defined on Learning Outcomes. Agency for Pre-Primary, Primary and Secondary Education. (2015). Guidelines for Implementation of The Common Core Curriculum for the Cross-Curricular and Intermediate Area Defined on Learning Outcomes, Mostar. Council of Ministers. (2003). Framework Law on Primary and Secondary Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Official Gazette of Bosnia and Herzegovina, No.18/03 EuropeAid/128078/C/SER/BA. (2011). Introducing Entrepreneurial Learning Scenarios, Entrepreneurial Learning in the Education Systems in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina. (2016). Information on Implementation of the Learning Strategy on Entrepreneurship in Educational Systems in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the period 2012– 2015. with an Action Plan, Sarajevo. OSCE Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina. (2009). Priručnik za rad vijeća učenika srednjih škola. SEECEL. (2014). Entrepreneurial Learning, A Key Competence Approach. ISCED Level 3, South East European Centre for Entrepreneurial learning, Zagreb. Stiftung Schüeler Helfen Leben, Hej! Šta čekaš? (n.d.). Priručnik za rad u Vijeću učenika, Sarajevo. 101 Students' Involvement in Improving School Environment in Estonia student voice ESTONIA õpilase hääl Authors Paula-Karoliina Põld Paula-Karoliina Põld received a master's degree in psychology from Tallinn University (Estonia) in 2014. After that, she started her Ph.D. studies at Tallinn University focusing on the field of educational psychology. In early 2018, she joined the Research and Development Center at Foundation Innove as an analyst. She is responsible for managing assessment tools, surveys and data analysis as well as providing reports for schools and policymakers. Merit Kangro Merit Kangro is a head of Analytics in the Research and Development Centre of Foundation Innove. Innove coordinates and promotes general and vocational education in Estonia, offers educational counselling services, and mediates European Union grants in the fields of education and working life. Merit has a master's degree in sociology (Institute of Social Science, University of Tartu). For the last 3 years, she has coordinated different national education studies, including the national primary, general and vocational education satisfaction surveys. 104 Abstract Estonia has been conducting comprehensive education satisfaction surveys since 2015. The aim of the national satisfaction or well-being surveys is to give students, as well as teachers and parents, an opportunity to actively participate in the development and improvement of the school environment. Their feedback is a valuable resource that helps to shape the environment to be more in line with their needs. It is also a way for students, teachers and parents to voice their opinions and have a say in what goes on in schools. Schools get personal feedback reports and they use the information to initiate change and improve the learning environment for their students. 105 Introduction According to PISA 2015, Estonian students show large-scale studies were administered in Estonia very good results in Science, Mathematics and that would explore the quality and availability of Reading and rank among the top performers learning, therefore a comparable overview was from other participating countries. Estonia missing about the satisfaction with education of was also among the countries where students different target groups. reported relatively high levels of life satisfaction. According to PISA 2015 results, Estonian The goal of satisfaction surveys is to give the students' average life satisfaction on a scale opportunity to its most important participants of 0-10 is 7.5 whereas the OECD mean is - students, teachers, parents – to take part in 7.3 (OECD, 2017). Despite the international shaping and developing the school environment recognition, the public opinion periodically through giving feedback. Feedback supports reflects the idea that students in Estonia have the development at state, local government low levels of school enjoyment. and school levels and draws attention to areas where some change or improvement would be Satisfaction with school is an important necessary to implement. Satisfaction surveys aspect of student well-being in general. provide information on the strengths and As students spend significant amount weaknesses of study and educational work at of time at school, their experience of different levels of education, in that way helping school, either positive or negative, clearly to guide the development of the learning process influences their general well-being. and to support the needs of learners. Most Studies have shown that student satisfaction frequently, schools use the feedback for internal with school is related to their psychological evaluations and during the preparation of well-being, engagement in the learning process, school development plan. School management truancy and dropping out of school (Ainley, analyses the results of the satisfaction survey Foreman, & Sheret, 1991; Reyes & Jason, in collaboration with different target groups to 1993). Students with positive school experience set common goals which would help to bring or students who are more satisfied with school about changes in the school environment. The show higher internal motivation to do homework feedback not only helps to acknowledge the (Cock & Halvari, 1999) and achieve better existence of the problem but also leads schools results (Lewis, Huebner, Reschly, & Valois, to implement specific activities to change 2009). the school environment (changing learning processes, improving the quality of physical In Estonia, developments and funding in environment, joining school-based anti-bullying education until 2020 are determined by the programmes, improving communication with "Lifelong Learning Strategy"(The Estonian students, etc.). Lifelong Learning Strategy, 2020, 2014). One of the main goals of this document is to increase The first satisfaction surveys were administered the satisfaction and well-being of different in 2015; the feedback was collected only from lifelong learning participants. Because of this students in general education schools. By the goal, the Ministry of Education and Research end of 2016, the University of Tartu developed launched national satisfaction surveys at every a new framework for assessment of educational level of formal education. No previous regular satisfaction. It was the base for the development 106 of satisfaction surveys for all levels of education, questionnaires that have so far been prepared starting from pre-school education up to and conducted by the individual educational adult training. New satisfaction surveys were establishment. introduced in 2017, new target groups were added, and the assessment of well-being at national level was introduced not only in general education but also at other levels of education. Description of The pilot studies were administered in 2017. Starting from 2018, educational satisfaction surveys have been administered in all the assessment kindergartens, general education schools and vocational schools (see Table 1). instrument In the past, many educational establishments also asked their students, teachers and parents in one way or another to give feedback about their studies and school environment. The Well-being is a complex construct that can be drawback of school-based surveys is that they measured by applying different theories and do not provide comparable feedback at the approaches. The Estonian national survey national level. Locally compiled school surveys addresses satisfaction as subjective well-being are often of low quality even if they consider the of the individual. Diener, Oishi and Lucas (2003, specifics of the school. The national satisfaction 2009) have defined subjective well-being as a surveys are based on the analysis of scientific person's cognitive and affective assessment literature and similar past studies. Every year, of one's own life. Therefore, the assessment the questionnaires are thoroughly analysed of satisfaction includes both – a cognitive and and their psychometric properties checked. The an emotional component. The respondent's surveys are constantly developed by considering subjective assessment of satisfaction describes the feedback from the schools. Nationally their emotions and a cognitive rating related to administered surveys allow the comparison their environment, but does not describe the of results among different educational objective characteristics of the environment. establishments, as well as they save time and The factors that are measured by national money for the schools. Centrally set surveys satisfaction survey can be divided into three have gradually begun to replace the local broader categories: motivational or internal Table 1. Target groups of educational satisfaction studies according to the levels of education. KINDERGARTEN GENERAL EDUCATION VOCATIONAL EDUCATION 4th grade students (10-11 years old) All students 8th grade students (14-15 years old) 11th grade students (17-18 years old) All students from adult gymnasium schools All teachers All teachers All teachers All parents Parents of basic (primary) school students (Grades 1 to 9) 107 motivation factors, within-school factors, and extent they believe they can manage the tasks out-of-school factors. Depending on the level of given at school and how well they get along with education and the target group, studies measure other students and teachers. different aspects of the main categories, but overall, the assessed aspects fall into three While participating in the learning process, broader categories. students may develop both positive and negative attitudes towards learning, which depends on As a motivational factor, the satisfaction of each student's individual experience. Most often three basic psychological needs – autonomy, these attitudes are shaped by the classroom self-efficacy/ competence and relatedness – climate and teachers' activities. The more is assessed for both students and teachers. choices the environment offers to students Parents rate the satisfaction of their child's and allows them to make their own decisions basic needs. According to Ryan and Deci (2000), the higher is the students' engagement in the the satisfaction of these three basic needs is learning process, which leads to more effective accompanied by higher internal motivation and learning and higher academic achievement better mental health; poor satisfaction of these (Hofferber, Eckes & Wilde, 2014; Grolnick & factors leads to decreased levels of motivation Ryan, 1987). On the positive side, the study and well-being. Internal motivation as a measures students' motivation to learn (self- construct describes a person's natural tendency directed learning) while on the negative one, it to be interested in things, to explore and assesses the sense of cynicism and exhaustion discover; motivation is the force that makes one that increase when students lose motivation. move forward. Different environments, including the school environment, can either support Self-directed learning describes student's or inhibit the growth of an individual's internal greater inner motivation and the ability to set motivation and affect the overall experience of objectives for one's own learning, direct the well-being. behaviour and control it. Self-directed students are ready to make more of an effort to achieve Autonomy is a person's opportunity to decide their goals, therefore they are also more likely and make choices and through this, influence to be more effective (Kikas et al., 2016). One the surrounding environment. Studies have prerequisite for the development of a self- found that students with limited autonomy directed learner is enough satisfaction of the are less interested in studying, and as a basic needs. Exhaustion and cynicism arise from result, they learn less effectively (Hofferber, too much workload, time pressure and lack of Eckes & Wilde, 2014; Grolnick & Ryan, 1987). resources. In a school environment, student Relatedness describes a person's relationship exhaustion is associated with excessive tension with important others. Lack of relatedness and a and tasks that are too difficult, losing interest in sense of security, both with other students and school work and finding it pointless (Kikas et al., with teachers, inhibit internal motivation and 2016). Cynicism and exhaustion can intensify coping (Ryan & Deci, 2000; Furrer & Skinner, when students experience fatigue; they start 2003). Good relationships great a supportive doubting their activities and notice a decline in learning environment where a person feels inner motivation. safe to express opinions. Self-efficacy is a person's assessment of one's ability to manage As internal school factors, the study gathers certain tasks. For example, positive feedback information on different aspects of learning and recognition give students a sense of and working environments; the respondent competence, increase their self-efficacy (Ryan & evaluates both the social and physical sides of Deci, 2000). Satisfaction surveys ask different the environment. Students report, for example, questions where students estimate how much on the classroom discipline and school bullying; control they have over their own learning; the teachers, on the other hand rate, for example, 108 the school management's style and availability subject skills such as collaboration, critical of digital tools at school. thinking and self-management. Self-managing students are not only able to define their needs In addition, the study includes questions on and goals but are also able to find ways to characteristics of teaching that would help implement them, evaluate the results and be to reveal the social aspect of the school responsible for their choices and actions. environment. Both students and teachers rate the implementation of the child-directed A change in learning concepts requires a teaching methods in their school. The concept change in ways that learning and teaching takes of learning is: understanding the goals and place. Important key words that characterize methods of learning, as well as determining the these changes are individual, activity-based roles of the participants in the learning process and diverse learning, collaboration, increased (Ministry of Education and Research, 2018). decision-making and freedom of action. These According to the new child-centred concept changing teaching methods and didactical of learning, subject knowledge and skills are approaches support the growth of student complemented by no less important cross- autonomy, sense of self-efficacy and relatedness. Background characteristics nt Social scho Home vironme e nality ol e n ol en vir Rela n t vir onme Perso ed Autonomy n o ess nme ysical scho nt nt Ph acy Cyn Well–being icism lf-efficSeSelf-r on egul es Education o lear at n ed ing Exhausti valu s and rganiz New approach to learning de ation Social attitu Figure 1. Aspects/areas assessed in the educational satisfaction survey. 109 For example, teachers allow students to make Data are collected online, using web-based choices and express their dissenting opinions; survey environment called LimeSurvey. At the select tasks that are interesting for the students; beginning of the data collection, all schools encourage students to help and instruct each receive personal web-based links. Students are other and recognize the participation and advised to fill in the questionnaires at school endeavour of both, the results of successful and in their computer class; teachers and parents less successful students. can do that at time and place suitable for them during the data collection period. The school Different aspects of school satisfaction that is required to appoint a coordinator who finds the school does not have influence on are appropriate time during the data collection and considered as outside-school factors. Those administers the questionnaire to the students include different external components such as in their school. During the data collection period expectations of the society, legislation, local different methods are implemented to help government support of school, student's home motivate target groups with low participation environment and aspects describing family rates. All respondents are anonymous – it is support. In addition, different background impossible to link a certain student with any of information that could affect the satisfaction the received responses. with school is collected from the respondent. The background information does not only Participation in this national survey is voluntary, collect data about the gender and age of every educational establishment can decide on the respondent but it also assesses certain their participation. Every school that participates personality traits or characteristics that play an in the satisfaction survey receives a feedback important role in experiencing the subjective report where the school's results are compared well-being (Diener, 1999). The overview of with the mean result from all participating the educational satisfaction survey and the schools. Repeated participation allows schools assessed aspects are seen in Figure 1. to monitor change over time. Schools and kindergartens are motivated to participate in the survey as they get a personal feedback report that they use in conducting school self- Data collection evaluations and making development plans. National educational satisfaction survey is Analyses and administered in Estonia every year. Data from students are collected every spring, data from teachers and parents every three years. feedback Everybody from the target group is expected to participate; there are no restrictions for participation. For example, in 2018, around School-based feedback reports are sent to 72% of all 4th grade students, 69% of 8th schools about three months after the end of the grade students and 56% of 11th grade students data collection period. All participating schools from general education schools participated with at least five respondents in one target group in the survey. 50% of teachers from all general receive a personal feedback report. Results of education schools and approximately 20 000 students (as well as teachers and parents) are parents of basic school students participated, presented in mean scores or in percentages. The which is about 16 students per parent. report contains the comparison of the results 110 Figure 2. Example of 8th grade student mean results about satisfaction with school and 95% confidence intervals. of the school with the overall mean score of the target group feedback is a part of the school respective target group. That allows monitoring feedback report. To ensure the anonymity of the survey aspects and the degree to which of respondents, hints of specific individuals the ratings of the school in question differ from and situations are removed from the written the general picture in the country (Figure 2). In feedback. addition, all schools that already participated in the survey in previous year receive reports The aim of the feedback report is to provide containing information compared to their results schools with different information about the from the year before. This allows the schools teaching quality and give them an opportunity to follow up or check whether the changes to systematically monitor their students' well- or improvements carried out in the school being and thriving in schools and kindergartens. environment are reflected in the target groups' Feedback helps to observe the strengths and responses. weaknesses of teaching and learning, it helps to guide the development of the learning process School-based feedback reports can be quite in educational establishments and encourages long (approximately 50 pages) if all target all participants to exchange information groups of the school participated. In addition to and cooperate. The school-based feedback the student and other target group results, the reports are informative for both educational feedback report contains the description of the establishments and the local government by general theoretical framework, it describes the drawing attention to those areas of the school importance of well-being, how and what was environment that different target groups are not assessed in the study, gives explanations about satisfied with. In addition, the feedback from the presentation of the results and guidelines as national satisfaction surveys also contributes to to what should be considered when reading the the development of educational policies. report. The feedback report is primarily a tool for In addition to the assessment of different schools and kindergartens that helps to identify aspects of satisfaction with school, all the opinions and needs of different participants participants have the possibility to give their and to determine the problematic areas of school also an open-ended personal feedback. the school environment. By giving feedback, Students, teachers and parents can write their students, teachers and parents can, although thoughts about positive as well as negative indirectly, participate in helping to shape the aspects of the school. This enables the environment that they or their children are respondents to clarify their answers or point part of. It offers the opportunity for students, out other important aspects or subjects that teachers and parents to participate in developing were not included in the survey. Each written the learning environment in the sense that the 111 needs of each target group would reach the vocational schools) besides general education. people who initiate change. The school-based The surveys are administered every spring. feedback report draws the school management's Data from students are collected every year, attention to the problematic areas that should data from teachers and parents every three be examined further (e.g., what are the specific years. The study measures different aspects sources of dissatisfaction) and thus look for of students' motivation, students' ratings on ways to improve the well-being in this area. the social and physical aspects of the school environment and out-of-school factors (e.g., Initiating change should not solely rest on home environment, the local government the schools' management. All schools are support). The results of the satisfaction surveys encouraged to share feedback with their show that students are satisfied with most of students, teachers and parents. Sharing the measured aspects. The highest overall the results can help to raise awareness of satisfaction with school is seen among 4th grade possible problems and thereby contribute to students; it drops in the 8th grade and starts improving the situation and finding solutions. to increase again among upper-secondary Students, teachers and parents may not students. The results show that students are only recognize the possible problems of the less satisfied with physical activities offered by school environment but can also take more schools (physical activities incorporated into responsibility in changing or shaping it. In lessons as well as activities available during many cases, the school management involves recesses); they note the lack of collaborative different target groups in analysing the results skills taught by teachers and the lack of of the survey and implementing changes. With association between the materials being taught participating in these processes, students take and everyday life. greater responsibility for their own learning and improving the environment. Schools Every school that participates in the satisfaction have reported changes in learning processes, survey receives a personal feedback report improving communication with students, where their results are compared with the mean general school rules and regulations, dealing result from all participating schools. When with bullying, dealing with students with special possible, the school results from the previous needs and so on. Thus, the national satisfaction year are also added for comparison. The main surveys can help in involving all parties in the purpose of conducting the comprehensive educational process and change it according to national satisfaction surveys is to offer schools a their needs. qualitative assessment tool that gives the most important participants of schools – students, teachers and parents – an opportunity to take Conclusion part in shaping and developing the school environment through giving feedback. By participating in these surveys, schools give their students, as well as teachers and parents, a voice or a chance to express their opinions and needs. According to the feedback collected In 2015, the Estonian Ministry of Education from students, they are very pleased that they and Research launched national satisfaction have a possibility to give feedback and have a surveys that are aimed to provide an overview say in what goes on in schools. Although the of students', teachers' and parents' satisfaction feedback report is primarily a tool for schools with different aspects of school environment and that helps to identify the opinions and needs to monitor the change over time. In recent years, of different participants, it is also informative for satisfaction surveys have also been carried out the local government by pointing out the among other levels of education (kindergartens, aspects of the school environment which 112 different target groups (students, teachers and parents) are not satisfied with. In addition, the feedback from national satisfaction surveys also provides an input for educational policy makers. References Ainley, J., Foreman, J., & Sheret, M. (1991). High School Factors That Influence Students to Remain in School. The Journal of Educational Research, 85(2), 69-80. Cock, D., & Halvari, H. (1999). Relations among Achievement Motives, Autonomy, Performance in Mathematics, and Satisfaction of Pupils in Elementary School. Psychological Reports, 84(3), 983-997. Diener, E., Oishi, S., & Lucas, R. E. (2003). Personality, Culture, and Subjective Well-Being: Emotional and Cognitive Evaluations of Life. Annual Review of Psychology, 54, 403-425. Diener, E., Oishi, S., & Lucas, R. E. (2009). Subjective well-being: The science of happiness and life satisfaction. In S. J. Lopez & C. R. Snyder (Eds.), Oxford library of psychology. Oxford handbook of positive psychology (187-194). New York, NY, US: Oxford University Press. Diener, E., Suh, E. M., Lucas, R. E., & Smith, H. L. (1999). Subjective well-being: Three decades of progress. Psychological Bulletin, 125(2), 276-302. Furrer, C., & Skinner, E. (2003). Sense of relatedness as a factor in children's academic engagement and performance. Journal of Educational Psychology, 95(1), 148-162. Grolnick, W. S., & Ryan, R. M. (1987). Autonomy in children's learning: An experimental and individual difference investigation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52(5), 890-898. Hofferber, N., Eckes, A., & Wilde, M. (2014). Effects of Autonomy Supportive vs. Controlling Teacher's Behavior on Students' Achievement. European Journal of Educational Research, 3(4), 177-184. Kikas, E., Jõgi, A-L., Palu, A., Mädamürk, K., & Luptova, O. (2016). Põhikooli matemaatika lõpueksami taustauuringu tulemused. Retrived from http://haridusinfo.innove.ee/UserFiles/%C3%9Cldharidus/ Uuringud/Aruanne%209.klassi%20matemaatika%20%C3%B5pioskused.pdf Lewis, A.J., Huebner, E.S., Reschly, A.L., & Valois, R.F. (2009). The incremental validity of positive emotions in predicting school functioning. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 27, 397-408. Ministry of Education and Research homepage. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.hm.ee/et/opikasitus OECD. (2017), PISA 2015 Results (Volume III): Students' Well-Being, PISA, OECD Publishing, Paris. Retrived from https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264273856-en. Reyes, O., & Jason, L. (1993). Pilot study examining factors associated with academic success for Hispanic high school students. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 22, 57-71. Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E.L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68-78. The Estonian Lifelong Learning Strategy 2020. (2014). Retrieved from https://www.hm.ee/sites/default/ files/estonian_lifelong_strategy.pdf 113 Addressing the Voice of Students in Official Documents and the Challenges of Implementation in School Practice in Kosovo student voice KOSOVO zëri i nxënësve Authors Ismet Potera Ismet Potera received a master's degree in education management at the Philosophical Faculty. Currently a Ph.D. candidate at the Faculty of Education, of the study programme 'Teaching and Learning' at the University of Prishtina. His teaching career started in 1983 in primary school. From 1985 until 2000 he was a pedagogical consultant at the Pedagogical Institute for pre-university education in Podujeva. From 2000 until 2007 he worked in the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning. Since 2007 he has been a researcher for innovation and comparative study at the Kosovo Pedagogical Institute (KPI). He is the author of 50 educational TV emissions, author and co-author of several books and professional articles published in different journals in Kosovo and abroad. He is currently engaged in the Faculty of Education as a lecturer. He is also a licensed trainer for some training pogrammes for teachers and educational leadership. Luljeta Shala Luljeta Shala gained a Master degree in Management in Education at the Faculty of Education at the University of Prishtina. Her career started in 2001 as a school teacher for children with special needs, continued as an educator in kindergarten with preschool children, then in primary school for 3 years as an English teacher. From 2007 up to now she has been working as a researcher for innovation and comparative studies at the Kosovo Pedagogical Institute. She is the author and co-author of some publications in education, has done many researches, analyses in preuniversity education in Kosovo. She is the author and coordinator of the teacher training programme Methodological approach in teaching English language through action research. Her area of expertise is the training of school principals for school management and quality assurance and the training of teachers for methodological approach teaching foreign languages through action research. 116 Lirije Bytyqi-Beqiri Lirije Bytyqi-Beqiri has completed Master Studies at the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Prishtina, the General Pedagogy Programme. She began her educational career in 2003 as a teacher in the elementary school “28 November”. In 2010 she also qualified as a teacher and trainer for inclusive education. From 2011 she has continued being a researcher for curricula and teaching programmes at the Kosovo Pedagogical Institute. During this time, she has led and conducted a number of researches which are published in the journal of the Pedagogical Institute and as special publications. Currently she is a project coordinator for difficulties in writing and reading of elementary education students. Abstract The main focus of this paper is the analysis of approved legal documents and educational policies as well as the level of addressing student voice in them. The second focus is the level and quality of implementation of these policies in school practice in Kosovo. From the results of this analysis we will propose special recommendations for policymakers and schools. The focus was on public schools, level of education: grades 1-9, whereby the level of education grades 1-9 is mandatory. Particular focus was put on addressing student voice in official documents and the quality of their implementation in school, especially the respect of students' rights and consideration of their voice in decision-making. Analysis of educational documents and policies in Kosovo proves a satisfactory address of student voice in decision-making bodies. The Law (2011) and administrative instructions drawn up and approved in Kosovo respect international conventions that outline the rights and obligations of students. The main challenge of Kosovo society, including educational institutions, remains the implementation of laws and by-laws in practice. This does not happen in all schools, it depends on the school culture and the quality of school management. 117 Introduction Existence of school and the education system ● the rights and responsibilities of students in would have no meaning and reason for official documents drafted by state institutions existence without the presence of students. such as the laws, administrative instructions The very existence of students, as well as the and school regulations; purpose of the national policies of any country, ● what is the opinion of student representatives including Kosovo, determines the construction regarding the opportunities offered to them in of the education system. The construction of expressing their opinion and decision-making. the education system orientates the paths of To verify the addressing of the students' rights development and the proper education of the in the education policy, the analysis of these new generation of the country. Since the main goal of the education system is to nurture documents was done by identifying all the the younger generation, there is a need of points in which the students are provided with quality construction of that system in line the legal aspect. In the second part, students' with the needs of the younger generation. thoughts on listening to student voice in school life are reflected. An advantage of the current education system is that it is based on experiences and international conventions on global level, two of them being the Convention on Human Rights and the Convention on the Protection of Children. This Understanding element is highly represented in all educational policies drafted by relevant Kosovo institutions such as the Parliament, laws and the Ministry of student voice of Education Science and Technology (MEST) administrative instructions. in Kosovo According to the Law (2011), each school in Kosovo should establish a student council. The main purpose of establishing the school council After the independence of Kosovo from the is to represent students' interests in school communist system, as well as under the bodies. In addition to the student council, other influence/assistance of many international non-governmental organizations have been organizations such as UNICEF, Save the formed, focusing on the protection of students' Children, etc., campaigns and trainings on rights. One of them is the Kosovo Youth Centre empowering and protecting the rights of children (KYC), which deals mainly with the awareness and students were organized in Kosovo. Such of high school students about their rights. This trainings focused mainly on the protection of organization aims to include students from the rights of marginalized children and children elementary and lower secondary schools as part of minorities. Empowerment of students' rights of their activities. So far only a few schools have and their participation in decision-making is been involved in their campaigns. mainly done through support in drafting legal This article addresses two main aspects through acts. There are two main organizations that which students' rights and listening to their voice have helped in this regard, the German Society are dealt with in Kosovo schools, i.e., for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the U.S. 118 Agency for International Development (USAID). The education system is regulated by the Law on Their main support was the empowerment Pre-University Education and other specific laws. and addressing the student voice in the school Addressing students' rights, including listening board and the student council. This has been to their voice, thoughts and speech, is based on addressed especially in the trainings for the international conventions that regulate global school board and in some schools also for the human rights and children's issues in particular. student council. The local youth organizations, with the support of international organizations Based on the legislation and documents such as GIZ, USAID, UNICEF and Save the governing the education system in Kosovo, Children, have organized sporadic campaigns student voice has been addressed in all areas of on specific aspects of democratization and quality assurance in education, such as school European integration. These activities include management and leadership, school culture and mainly students of higher age, such as high environment, teaching and learning, professional school students, and fewer elementary and development, teacher and student performance. lower secondary school students. In the guidelines that include the stated areas of quality, one of the aspects of representing Traditionally, in Kosovo as a part of the Balkan student voice is their participation in the countries, there still is an approach to teacher- evaluation of performance in each of these student ratio like: 'the student must listen to the areas. Therefore, the involvement of students teacher ...' never the teacher must listen to the in the school performance assessment process student. This can be seen in school regulations provides it with the opportunity to identify when determining the rights and responsibilities, students' deficiencies and challenges, both in almost all use the imperative form: learner ... school management and in the overall work and or student is prohibited ... and fewer promote life of students at school, such as in teaching, the rights of speech, participation in decision- success, school culture, free activities etc. making, etc. So let us see how and at what level the student rights are addressed in the Students have the right to be education documents and policies drafted by represented in the school board as the the Assembly of Kosovo and the Ministry of highest advisory and decision-making Education Science and Technology (MEST). body in school. By the Law (2011), it is envisaged that at the school board there should be 1-2 representatives of students selected by the students of the same school. Representation Addressing the in the governing board is foreseen to be made only by lower secondary school students (grades 6-9) but not by elementary or primary level, student voice grades 1-5 (MEST, 2011, p. 14). The method of selecting students' representatives in the school in educational board is democratic. They are elected by a secret ballot held by school state policies students. In this way, students' representatives have the opportunity to be informed about important developments in their school, to represent the views of students on decision- making processes of the school and be part The hierarchy of educational policies, as of important processes that occur at school, elsewhere also in Kosovo, is regulated by the such as the design and implementation of constitution, laws, administrative instructions, school development plans and regulations, regulations and special decisions. 119 performance evaluation of school, preventing that they can manage such projects. Moreover, school dropout and non-enrolment of children the contribution of the student council in the in school, use of budget and other funds of the development of school policy on certain issues school, the approval of extracurricular activities, can have major benefits for students and the health promotion at school level, the dress code school. School policies are likely to be most decisions, the adoption of textbooks and other successful if they are accepted by all partners school materials, as well as other important within the school (MEST, 2006, p. 7). issues that have to do with school. Students or their representatives, through The role of students in designing the representing bodies, raise their voice for issues school development plan is informative dealing with school culture and environment, so and consultative. In this regard, students that other school objects and spaces they use collaborate on curriculum selection, courses are accessible, safe, healthy and friendly to all or complementary activities, extracurricular students and other school staff. activities, organizing their day at school, on homework, uniforms, student canteen, etc. Their They are also involved in ensuring the inclusion greatest contribution is in assessing school and support of all students in the learning performance where student voice is expressed process, improving and advancing teaching and in all areas of quality development in school. learning practices. Students are a part of the evaluation of school Based on students' perceptions on teacher's performance as a direct source of information, performance, students participate in the the selection of which is made with the criteria planning of teachers' professional development, set out in the guidelines for the evaluation of reflect on their achievements in mastering the school performance (KPI, 2016, p. 15). key results of the competences and expectations The data collected by students and other placed in the core curriculum, on involvement stakeholders during the school performance in extracurricular activities, management of the evaluation process are used to compile a school personal progress, and on carrying out social development plan or a plan for improvement, responsibilities in the classroom, school and which is used to design the school objectives community. and priorities. The student council sets its own objectives The Law on Pre-University Education in the which may be: Republic of Kosovo (2011) obliges each school ● To increase communication between students, to establish a student council which should school officials and parents, consist of a student selected from each class ● To promote a favourable environment for who is elected each year by a secret ballot. education and personal development, The role of the student council is to work on improving the teaching environment, working ● To promote social relationships and mutual conditions and interests related to the health, respect among students, safety and wellbeing of students and to ● To support school officials in school represent the student voice at the school board development, (MEST, 2011, Article 18, p. 25). ● To represent the interests of students as well The establishment of student council as their major concerns (according to Kosovo creates opportunities for students to acquire Youth Council, 2015, pp. 7–8). management skills, communication and organization, which will be of particular The Kosovo Youth Council (KYC) is a youth interest in their future. The students take association consisting of students of all levels responsibility for projects and demonstrate of education who represent the interests of 120 students at the country level. They promote than the voice of their peers. The good of the students' ideas, rights and freedoms, but also activities is to promote their development and help students when those rights are violated or skills. denied by anyone in or outside school. The work of the Kosovo Student Council is at its beginning, Direct addressing of students' rights and but with the aim of extending to all municipalities voices should be made in the school internal in Kosovo. Based on the discussions with the regulations. These regulations describe students' members of the Kosovo Youth Council (2019) rights and obligations, but also prohibit what we noted that they have a critical approach they should or should not do. In the regulations to the status of students' rights and their that have been analysed, most of them are representation in decision-making bodies in formed like the following example: schools. They also praise the representation of students and their voice in state documents and policies, but not their promotion in school To elect and be elected in youth practice. Therefore, according to them, in many organizations, school and other schools this remains to be desired. bodies, and has the right to take part in knowledge competitions, sports and According to the legal basis, the council has culture, which can even be rewarded assigned students tasks such as: (Regulation NN school, p. 2). ● Work with staff, school council and parents at school ● Communication and consultation with all These formulations are taken from the law and school students administrative instructions that govern the rights of students in school. ● Inclusion of the largest possible number of students in the student council activities, ● Planning and managing the activities of the council for the whole year, Results from ● Management and reporting for each received funding (MEST, 2006, p. 20). research with In addition to the student council, formed under article 18 of the Law on Pre-University Education (2011), other groups of pupils can students be formed at school, which deal with various activities of interest to the school, pupils and the community. Such groups can be established Based on the survey conducted by GIZ (2012) within the student council, but have specific regarding the school uniform as a compulsory goals at school. Their activities should be policy, 65% of students say that this is an based on law and complement activities that obligatory school policy (Bejko, 2012, p. 29). cannot be fulfilled by the student council alone. In terms of informing students by the school Therefore there are cases where students are management, 31% of students stated rarely also organized in groups, councils, committees or they do not receive information from school and other clubs that are focused on issues of a leaders. In addressing students' complaints to narrower scope such as sports, art, environment, the school management, only 31% of students human rights, sciences, school papers, etc. included in the sample (N = 603) stated that (KEC 2010, p. 8). In these clubs and activities, their complaints are taken into account (Bejko, students mostly represent their school rather 2012, p. 35). From the same research, it also 121 turns out that 79% of students declare that school gives meaningful answers to the same their class is represented at the School Student question: Council (Bejko 2012, p.5). In the sample selected for the study (M = 12), students from urban and rural schools were included. Students As a school student I am satisfied with were members of the school student council. the rights provided to us by the school. Although there are sometimes pupils who feel somehow discriminated, they often To the question: Are you satisfied with express their dissatisfaction, but not student voice in school, or are your publicly (by the same urban school). proposals, ideas, and thoughts taken into account in decision-making? If your answer is 'Yes', please justify in a few An important element here represents the words. If your answer is 'No', please justify expression of satisfaction about respecting their in a few words, the student responses rights, though there are students who complain, were as follows: yet not publicly. This means that not all aspects and not all students have the freedom of To be satisfied with the representation of expressing their free thought. our voice in this school there are many reasons. One of them is respecting our From the same school, students have also given voice as learners, where every our request other opinions on the same question about is taken into account and according to expressing free thought and consideration of the possibilities, it is also realized. There their thoughts and ideas. But that is not evident are also cases when there is a lack of from actual cases in which the decision was transparency from the teacher's part. (Y.J. based on students' opinions or suggestions. To & L.H., from a village school). our knowledge, there are many such cases in schools. Not all teachers are willing to respect the thoughts and suggestions of their students. Two members of the student council from This is largely related to the culture and tradition a village school stated that. In their further of the school. reasoning they say that students' demands exceed the possibilities of the school, and therefore cannot be fully realized. It is important In our school, I believe that in some cases to have this detail when mentioning the lack student voice is respected, but there of transparency by some teachers. The school, are obviously other cases where certain according to the Law (2011), is obliged to respect students are not respected and also their and consider the thoughts and proposals of words are ridiculed by their peers (N.G. Pr.) learning when they relate to their life, work, and well-being at school. These include students' proposals for free activities, respect for students' Such a statement shows that not all students rights, school rules approval, and so on. feel to have the right to free expression of thought. Next sentence illustrates various Another student states to the same question violations of human rights, but also exclusion of that "students have the right to express their useful opinions about the school all the activities and decision-making at school. and about their personal problems" , but without specifically illustrating the school We do everything that student voice would benefits and personal problems (Xh. M, be heard in our school, but this is not urban school). Another student from the same 122 The question seeks to identify the democratic done, even by some teachers and school procedures for selecting the chairperson of leaders. I believe that if the voice and the school council. Based on this statement, opinion of students were heard and taken it can be seen that the rules for appointment into account, we would be able to achieve of the chairperson of the student council have greater success. (E.Ç.Pe). not been observed. On the basis of the Law on Pre-University Education (2011), chairperson of the student council shall be elected by a secret This statement by one of the members of ballot, by the representatives of all classes. the student council indicates that the school does not have full confidence in the ideas of Democratic election would have been made if its students. This also shows the students' the school director hadn't attended the meeting, confidence that if the foundation was to be and the freedom to elect had been left to the respected and their voices heard, the school students. could have better achievements. These were some thoughts of students, I was elected by the director and by the members of the student council in school, chairpersons of classes 6,7,8,9 for school who were included in the sample. There were presidents. And I am very happy to be in also other students who spoke superlatively of charge of this position. (AY, FK). listening to their voice and taking into account their proposals in decision-making. Most of other opinions given by the students, This indicates the inadequate practices of members or the chairperson of the student imposing the choice of chairpersons of the council, expressed satisfaction with their student council. So the director elects or position in school. Their voice is heard and their appoints the chairperson of the council rather thoughts are respected. than students by secret ballot as required by law. To the question: In which school body are you elected? How were you chosen? How much are As a chairperson I was elected by a secret your proposals taken into account? Can you ballot of students, class representatives. give any examples?, the student responses are different: As a member of the mediation group, now being one year on the position, I could join after I had completed the necessary I was elected president of the student training in this field. My ideas and council at the beginning of this school proposals as chairperson of the student year. I was elected at a meeting held by council are taken into account in most the heads of the students of all classes, cases. They are reviewed, along with the together with the school principal and idea of the council participants, and then some other teachers who all gave their a decision is made what to do in certain proposals for chairperson and members cases (N. G. Pr.). of the Student Council. Our proposals are taken into account, for example when we create various artistic programmes at school, our opinions are always heard on This is an example of selecting the president where to place the programme, what is of the student council in accordance with legal the focus, etc. (A). requirements. This was not the only case. There were also cases from other schools, rural 123 and urban, where the chairpersons of student implementation of laws and by-laws in practice. councils were appointed according to the law. This does not happen in all schools, it depends on the school culture and the quality of school To verify whether students are informed of management. the legal basis which the students council works on, i. e., Law on Pre-University Education In the school internal regulations, student voice (2011), article 18, paragraph 2: The role of is focused solely on the obedience and the student council is working on improving learning secretive submission to the school authority and environment, working conditions and interests the teacher; this is very much present in internal related to health, safety and welfare of pupils regulations. In designing regulations, students and to make representations to the governing do not participate at all, even though the Law board (MEST, 2011, p. 25), the question 'How (2011) guarantees it. do you apply this legal obligation to school?' was put to them. Regulations are more about demands and prohibitions for students, and less about The students were not able to mention enabling the opportunities for student voice. The accurately how this legal obligation is applied regulations that we analysed all have a structure by the school and its students. All the students and content. There are more prohibitions and included in the sample, asked about this, demands on students than the rights and answered almost the same: the law is applied obligations of school and teachers towards the in school. There are cases where the legal learners. obligation mentions the issue of cooperation with the school principal or even certain teachers. Some cite the legal obligation of participation in the management of school board meetings. Recommen- dations Conclusions As it is well-known in Kosovo, the hierarchy of responsibilities regarding students' rights begins with schools, the Municipal Education Analysis of educational documents and policies Directorate, the Ministry of Education and the in Kosovo proves a satisfactory address of student organizations. Based on the findings of student voice in decision-making bodies. This the analysis of relevant documents, as well as is confirmed by the Law on Pre-University on the interviews of the pupils involved in the Education (2011), involving compulsory sample, we recommend the following: education, where article 18 clearly addresses the legal liability of each school to strengthen student voice, namely students' right to For schools participate in decision-making bodies, being chosen and elected members by students. With ● Schools should strictly apply article 18 of this law, and with administrative instructions, the Law on Pre-University Education (2011), this right is clarified. especially in the following aspects: continuous The main challenge of Kosovo society, informing of students about their legal rights including educational institutions, remains the and obligations that schools and teachers have towards them; 124 ● Students should be given the opportunity to For the Ministry of Education participate in decision-making, especially at meetings where their rights are touched or ● In the context of school performance addressed; assessment, priority should be given to the ● Election of the student council should be implementation of laws and sub-legal acts, performed in a democratic manner as especially to the aspect of respecting student provided by the law; rights; ● Students, through their representatives, ● To continuously promote the importance of should participate in drafting school behaviour student participation in decision-making. and functioning policies and rules. If students Control student counselling processes if they themselves propose rules of action in school, are made in accordance with the law. they will feel as their owners and will respect them. ● To organize awareness campaigns to promote the rights and student voice in all aspects of school operations where the law allows. For the Municipal Education Directorate (MED) For student councils ● Monitor schools in terms of respect for students' rights, especially the aspect of ● Demand the right to express your voice. Seek democratization and student participation in continually to be part of policy making in your decision-making. school. ● No regulation should be approved if students' ● Organize awareness campaigns on students' representatives and their clear proposals were rights and obligations, based on laws and not part of that regulation. conventions; this should be a part of the student council daily activity in each school. ● Promote students' rights continuously by making them a part of decision- and policy- ● Change the traditional way of thinking "the making. student should listen to the teacher" into: teachers should also listen to the voice of ● Promote and support the formation of student their students. This should be a part of your organizations, both at the school level and at daily effort. the municipal level. References Bejko, A. (2012). Level of satisfaction of parents, pupils, and teachers with school administration and participation opportunities at school, GIZ/MEST, Prishtinë. Manefield, J., Collins, R., Moore, J., Mahar, S., Warne, C. (2007) Student Voice: A Historical Perspective and New Directions. Melbourne. Research and Innovation Division. Retrived from < https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sandra_Mahar/ publication/265173461_Student_Voice_A_Historical_Perspective_and_New_Directions/links/540430260cf23d9765a5ec8e/ Student-Voice-A-Historical-Perspective-and-New Directions.pdf?origin=publication_detail>. Fielding, M. (2001). Beyond the Rhetoric of Student Voice: New Departures or New Constraints in the Transformation of 21st Century Schooling, Forum, 43. 125 Hargreaves, D. (2004). Personalizing Learning: Next Steps in Working Laterally. Retrived from http://www. schoolsnetwork.org.uk/uploads/documents/4402.pdf>. Holdsworth, R. (2005). Taking Young People Seriously Means Giving Them Serious Things To Do in Mason, J. & Fattore, T. 2005 Children Taken Seriously in Theory, Policy and Practice, London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Kosovar, K.R. (2015). Këshillat e nxënësve, zëri i nxënësve, udhëzues për shkolla fillore dhe të mesme, botim i dytë, faqe 7-8. Mitra, D. (2003). Student Voice In School Reform: Reframing Student-Teacher Relationships, McGill Journal of Education, 38(2). Mitra, D. (2004). The Significance of Students: Can Increasing 'Student Voice' in Schools Lead to Gains in Youth Development, Teachers College Record, 106, 4. OECD (2006). Schooling for Tomorrow: Personalizing education, Paris. Retrived from < http://www.oecd. org/document/49/0,2340,en_2649_34859774_36168625_1_1_1_1,00.html>. Rudduck, J., & Flutter, J. (2000). Pupil Participation and Perspective: 'Carving a New Order of Experience', Cambridge Journal of Education, 30(1). BEP (2012). Raport mbi funksionalitetitn e këshillave drejtuese të shkollave, këshillave të prindërve dhe këshillave të nxënësve. IPK (2016). Udhëzues për vlerësimin e brendshëm të shkollës. IPK (2017). Udhëdhues për vlerësimin e jashtëm të performancës së shkollës. MASHT (2017). UA për vlerësimin e performancës së institucioneve arsimore në arsimin parauniversitar. MASHT (2016). UA për sigurim të cilësisë në arsimin parauniversitar. MASHT (2016). UA për planin zhvillimor të shkollës dhe planin zhvillimor komunal të arsimit. MASHT (2016). UA për vlerësimin e nxënësve sipas kornizës së kurrikulës së arsimit parauniversitar të Republikës së Kosovës. MASHT (2016). UA për këshillin drejtues të shkollës. MASHT (2016). UA për aktivitetet jashtëshkollore. MASHT (2013). UA organizimi i kurrikulës me zgjedhje në të gjitha nivelet e arsimit parauniversitar. MASHT (2011). UA krijimi dhe fuqizimi i ekipeve për parandalim dhe reagim ndaj braktisjes dhe mosregjistrimit në arsimin e obliguar. 126 Student Voice in Education student voice LUXEMBOURG d'stëmm vun de schüler Author Christian Lamy Christian Lamy is currently Deputy Director of the Department of Coordination of Educational and Technological Research and Innovations (SCRIPT) embedded in the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth in Luxembourg. SCRIPT is the driving force behind the development of the educational system in Luxembourg. Christian Lamy worked previously as a qualified elementary school teacher. He also acted as an in-class teacher mentor as well as a teacher trainer for students in the initial teacher training, for newly qualified teachers and for in-service teachers alike. Before joining SCRIPT, he used to be a lecturer and academic mentor in the area of Science of Education at the University of Luxembourg. His main fields of expertise cover the issues of classroom management, general teaching methods, general didactics and school development. Christian Lamy holds a Ph.D. in Science of Education and his research activities are related to the professional development of teachers and novice teachers. Abstract This article will provide some concrete examples of initiatives undertaken in Luxembourg to enhance student voice in primary and secondary schools. It starts by discussing how classroom learning and assessment provide an important place to student voice. Some insight is provided into the work with portfolios and innovative assessment methods in Luxembourg. Focus is next placed on the introduction of class and school councils as another promising path to help students share their opinion. Student voice in the context of school and classroom management is then illustrated in the School Futures project which supports the development of 21th century skills, such as critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication skills. The article then outlines several projects and initiatives showing how students in Luxembourg schools can be supported to become fully responsible citizens, with the ability to contribute to sustainable development in the society of tomorrow. These projects include the introduction of a new curriculum subject called Life and Society and the recent creation of the Centre for Political Education. The article ends with a national initiative, showing how Luxembourg tries to give young people and children a voice, empowering them to take a position in crucial issues for the future. 128 Introduction On 7th June 2015, a referendum held in their students. Adults expected students to Luxembourg proposed three constitutional duly respect and obey both instructional and amendments to the voters. One of them leadership decisions. This expectation was even concerned the lowering of the voting age to 16 considered as one of the main educational years: goals. Lenz & Gardin (2018) state that one of the main missions of school was to educate citizens "Do you approve the idea that in matters of religious, civil and moral virtues. Luxembourg youth aged 16-18 should have the right to optionally register on Today however, a general societal change can electoral lists in order to participate as be observed in the relationship between the voters in the elections to the Chamber hierarchies within many domains such as labour, of Deputies, the European elections, church or administrations. As a result, there is municipal elections and referendums?" a shift to a more liberal and democratic way of communication and coexistence. Moreover, a Although the referendum was non-binding, change is also noticeable in the relationship the government declared they would adhere between adults and younger generations, to the result. All three questions, including moving from a purely top-down setting to one the one giving young people a formal and with a rather even-level communication. Besides, institutionalized voice in the national elections, the international Health Behaviour in School- were ultimately rejected by voters by 80,87% aged Children (HBSC) survey in 2014 (Heinz, (Gouvernement du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg, Kern, Residori, Catunda, Van Duin & Willems, 2015). Although it appears that the modern 2018) focused on the well-being and lifestyle of society in Luxembourg concedes an important students aged eleven to seventeen. Students in place to the viewpoints of children and young Luxembourg were asked to rate four statements people, the voters seemed nevertheless to have regarding the quality of communication within drawn a red line in expressing their scepticism their family, by assigning a score from 1 (poor to allow the adolescents to elect the political quality) to 5 (good quality). Concerning family representatives of their country. In the context communication, results showed a lower score of student voice in education, one cannot help for older students compared to the younger wondering what teachers and educators would students. Over 80% of all students gave good think of this referendum question. ratings with scores of 4 or 5. Historically, the society of Luxembourg and With the seemingly increasing importance given of the rest of Europe was characterized by a to the voice of children, different authors have hierarchical form of living together of adults, brought attention to the fact that within family- youth and children. Generally speaking, education, children get too often too much decisions made by adults were indeed often power over their parents (Bueb, 2010). Parents unilateral and usually did not consider the input are therefore asked to stick to their educational of children and young people. In education, responsibilities and not systematically give in school governance and instruction in the to the wishes and demands of their youngsters classroom similarly did not find much interest (Winterhoff, 2008). To add to this trend, in valuing and calling upon the voices of evolutions in new technologies, such as the 129 growing importance of social networks, provide learning outcomes and enable teachers to meet young people of today with the opportunity to the expectations that schools face nowadays? express their opinion, more or less publicly, at every moment of the day and night. Many To this effect, some insight will be provided examples from the sixties to this date into the work with portfolios and innovative show that children and adolescents assessment methods in Luxembourg that are not afraid anymore to raise their put students at the heart of the action and voice and stand up for their rights and reflection. opinions, both in the family context Next How do school and classroom and in public. The case is illustrated in the management, by creating a space for student thousands of young people, inspired by the voice, support the development of 21st century 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg, skills, such as critical thinking, creativity, making their voices heard in early 2019 and collaboration and communication skills? participating in student strikes across the world to increase awareness about global warming. In addition, How do students grow up to become fully responsible citizens with the One can therefore argue that societal and ability to contribute to sustainable development technological changes have created an in the society of tomorrow? The reader will environment which allows people in general, discover here a range of projects and initiatives and the younger generation in particular, more undertaken in Luxembourg schools, such as the freedom, opportunities and possibilities to introduction of a new curriculum subject called express themselves and make their voices Life and Society and the setting up of the project heard. Yet, as mentioned at the beginning of School Futures. Finally, the article touches this article, there seems to remain, at least in upon the national initiative involving the recent Luxembourg, some hesitation to concede a more creation of the Centre for Political Education. formalized and institutionalized voice to the younger by giving them the right to participate in elections. But then again, we know that life and work in schools often mirror the general surrounding mood and norms adopted by The emphasis society, while simultaneously influencing the way that society is developing through the education it provides. These changes hence beg the of student voice question of how student voice will influence the evolutions, challenges and opportunities that in learning and are emerging in the education sector and the schools in Luxembourg. assessment In this article, student voice will be viewed from several perspectives and will underline the objective and ideas underlying the pedagogy that gives students a voice in Luxembourg. It will The concept of student voice as a strategy to provide some concrete examples of initiatives promote school improvement and the quality undertaken in favour of young people in primary of instruction has grown increasingly popular in and secondary schools. recent years. The idea of giving students a voice within classrooms is linked to the conviction that To start with: How does classroom learning students will learn more if they feel responsible and assessment that give an important place for their own achievements and are allowed to student voice, help students achieve better to co-decide their learning strategies. From a 130 philosophical stance, the will to give students a Although the student evaluation in Luxembourg voice at school reflects the efforts undertaken is still strongly influenced by teacher-centred by teachers to differentiate and personalize their approaches, there are increasing attempts to teaching to meet the very specific needs of every give children more room for their perspectives. student. The International School within Lycée Michel Lucius (ISML) provides an interesting example of In Luxembourg schools, the language of how students of any age can play an active part instruction and communication is the first way in the assessment of their progress in school. to address this need. Giving students a voice The ISML is a state school and located in the literally means allowing them to use their first heart of Luxembourg's capital. It responded to language to express themselves at school. With Luxembourg's fast evolving, highly cosmopolitan 64,9% (MENJE, 2018) of students in elementary and international population, by creating an school using first language at home that is English language international stream in 2011. different from Luxembourgish, the question of Nearly a decade later, the ISML has grown language use in education is a crucial one in into a diverse and high-quality international Luxembourg. Today, teachers and educators, public school serving over 700 students of especially in the early childhood and preschool more than 70 nationalities. An international levels, are required to help children to develop English-medium curriculum is taught throughout language skills in Luxembourgish and in French. the school, leading to international GCSE At the same time, they need to value and qualifications and culminating in GCE A-Levels. consider various other first languages spoken in With its rapidly growing international student the classroom. Consequently, attributing a voice population, the ISML opened a new feeder to students means valuing their different cultural primary school for its established secondary backgrounds, learning modes and conditions of school in September 2017 (LML, 2016). the students – which in the end implies taking students seriously. At the ISML, teachers continuously strive to take the learners' voice in feedback sessions Generally speaking, instruction methods can be on board. Students are encouraged to express characterized by the degree to which student themselves on their development, to set opinions, perspectives and preferences are personal goals for their learning and to reflect listened to and included. This englobes the how, on their progress at the end of each term. "At what, when and where to learn. The objective of the ISML we place the student in the centre such methods that respect the perspectives of of learning, which we see as a cyclical process students is to create a school where students that includes assessment," says Pascale Petry, succeed more and teachers' work is more director of the school. The Head of the ISML effective and sustainable. In this perspective, giving students a voice at school is not Daniel Redinger adds: "Therefore it is a natural simply a nice to have option or some kind and crucial step for us to value our learners' of extraordinary approach; it is rather a voice, not only during classroom learning but necessary condition to make any learning also in a formalized document such as the possible and effective. school report. They are, after all, the principal Unlike other actors in their own learning." countries, the Luxembourgish legislation on schooling requires teachers to differentiate their At the ISML, students are regularly asked to write instruction. As teachers obviously cannot always down a short text on how they consider their know precisely what is best for every student, own learning progress. The text reflecting the they need to talk to their students, listen to personal perspectives on learning achievements their reflections and give them some choice and and future goals is integrated in the formal freedom to take decisions for their own learning school report at the end of the term. To prepare project. the meeting with parents, teachers sit down 131 with every child to listen to their reflections. A portfolio is an expression of a child's Asked about how he judges the fact that their personality. It reflects individual goals, paths, teachers consider students' voices on learning strengths and particularities of the child. It assessment, James (3c) says: "We didn't do it shows the child's progress over time, the extent at my old school. It feels good because it's like to which skills and abilities have developed respect". His classmate Liam (3c) adds: "If we (SCRIPT, 2017). don't talk, we don't learn. We learn by sharing our thinking". Cameron (3c) explains how being heard by teachers enhances learning: "I think it's good because I want to improve on different things in my learning. Having a voice helps me Student voice improve. It's developing. I think about what I need to do. That's what development is." in school and Students can express their points of view in evaluation, reflection and feedback on learning through the use of portfolios. This method classroom encourages students to express themselves on their own learning process and development management of competences. It is an approach that, though not compulsory, is strongly promoted by the Ministry's Department for the Coordination of Educational and Technological Research and Another promising path to help students share Innovations (SCRIPT). It is a means for teachers their opinion is the introduction of class and to provide space and time to listen to students. school councils. A considerable number of Working with a learning portfolio develops and teachers in Luxembourg have over the last few supports children's ability to think about their years decided to share their leadership with their own learning, to take their own learning actively students by setting up a classroom management into their own hands and to demonstrate this strategy based on participation and shared in their learning portfolio. The ability to judge responsibility by all. their own work and performance can be taught A class council is in fact an integral part of living to children from very early on. They learn to together in a class. Set up on the first day of look closely at their work and reflect on their the school year, the class council is then used progress as researchers, authors, experimenters preventively. Students view the council as a and artists (Grace & Shores, 1998). Gradually, natural part of classroom life that is much more children learn to formulate learning goals under than just a tool for crisis. The council provides a the guidance of the teacher. room where students congratulate each other, Teachers, students and not forgetting parents, they have the opportunity to apologize, to make are collectively reflecting on the learning process suggestions and of course, to resolve conflicts as and discuss questions such as: well. It is also important for the class council to What did I learn? meet on a regular (weekly) basis. This reassures What was important to me? the students of its effectiveness and enables What was easy or difficult for me? the council meeting to become a solid ritual. If Where do I need help? they were to be unsure as to whether the class Which tasks do I manage well on my own? council would meet or not, the credibility of the What else do I have to repeat? council would be put into question. What are my most common mistakes? Class councils can be held independently of the age of the students and address the support 132 that students need. Although younger children "We want our students to have an may need more support because of their age, it opinion and to express their views. We does not necessarily imply that this is impossible intend to foster the idea of a democratic or that their opinions cannot be heard. It is often debate in our school, that's why we give very surprising what younger kids have to say our students the right to participate at different occasions." (Lamy, 2019). Nevertheless, the class council should not turn Marc Hilger, teacher in a cycle 3 class, adds that into a courtroom. Consensus is important and in order to be coherent, it is also important to carries far more weight than the vote. Clearly, the always give students the right to bring in their class council can only be fully effective when the view within the classroom on a daily basis. He teacher takes the students seriously. This should says: not only be the case during the class council meetings but all the time. The teacher should "That's how we give our students the also rely on a participatory and cooperative class feeling that their voice matters, and that leadership. they are allowed to participate actively in the organization of life in the school and Schools can also adopt a whole school thus be part of the society." strategy to give children a voice. An interesting example is Eis Schoul, a public primary school Even the youngest in cycle 1 (3-5 years old) are in Luxembourg. By law, this specific school's asked to participate in the daily morning round mission is to develop new forms of learning and to bring in their views. Anne Munhowen, and teaching and to operate according to the teacher in cycle 1, is convinced: principles of inclusive pedagogy. In Eis Schoul children live together in multi-age groups in cycles 1 to 4 (from pre-school to primary "The morning discussions allow teachers to know their students better by getting level) and all children are welcomed with their a very clear view on how the children diversity. They learn, each at their own pace, to use their voice and how good they are become autonomous and responsible. They are in expressing themselves in different offered the space to interact with others and situations." to assert their opinion while respecting that of others. Therefore, interaction with others and Henar (11 years), student in cycle 4, is happy the outside world is an important aspect. The to take part in the class council and the children learn to structure their language and pupil's parliament, because she can "express their thoughts, to express themselves in public, herself and there are always good discussions to argue and to assert their opinions within a on different points of view." Jan (11 years) class council and to represent their group in the compares the situation to other schools and is pupils' parliament. Children are also regularly happy to notice that in Eis Schoul: "A lot of good invited to participate in theatrical performances, students' ideas don't just remain fantasies, but educational outings and excursions (Eis Schoul, they very often become reality." 2017). Giving students a voice and respecting Ben Wagener, the president of the teachers' the perspectives of young learners on committee, underlines that the introduction of their own performance at school is morning discussion groups and of councils at clearly a powerful strategy to improve class level, as well as the holding of the pupils' learning outcomes and to help students parliament, all help children to develop their own become autonomous and lifelong opinion. He argues: learners. Learning to learn, developing the competences to put your thoughts into words 133 and becoming confident enough to raise your approaches for evaluation of this type of voice, are all skills that take time and require learning will be reflected upon. Researchers the support of educators and adults. Developing set up a collaborative process for sustainable a personal opinion on society, having a clear school development by developing methods for self-perception, knowing how to use your voice thinking in terms of complex systems and open to contribute to social debates and taking futures. Students and teachers engage together responsibility for your actions, are all crucial to develop learning concepts, methods and objectives of personal development that schools teaching materials for future–oriented systems should support. In Luxembourg, several reforms thinking in class or interdisciplinary projects. This and projects are currently in place today to boost project places student voice at the centre for the development of these 21st century skills. the development of school projects and school The aim of the initiatives is to give students more development proposals. The project further space and time to reflect on issues that matter addresses whether and how a collaborative and to express themselves on these issues. approach to create collaborative conceptual system maps is likely to support students in acquiring the necessary skills to tackle complex problems. Initial conclusions show the Student voice emergence of a range of problem-solving styles and strategies that are documented in the three for the future schools. It suggests that in-class reflection is beneficial for learning about diverse types of complex problems and emotions, experienced when confronted with complexity (University of Luxembourg, 2018). Looking forward into the future with regard to student voice, researchers in Luxembourg are Through the participative creation of concrete exploring teaching methods and communication school projects or a school vision in three approaches that promote the integration of very different schools, School Futures makes systems thinking and dialogue learning in the concrete suggestions on how teaching school curriculum. This is being undertaken in and learning should change, so that future the School Futures project where researchers of generations are fit for the future. This creates the University of Luxembourg, in collaboration a creative space for experimenting with future- with SCRIPT, are developing new approaches to orientated teaching approaches and contents. sustainable school development by introducing Important skills, such as future-oriented concrete changes in teaching, learning and networked thinking and interdisciplinary the learning environment in cooperation with cooperation in various groups, are stimulated students, teachers and the school leadership by the cooperation in this project. Concrete in three secondary schools in Luxembourg. It methods, such as the creation of complex mind- sends a strong message that we do not have maps, the systematic discussion of different to endure the future, but that we may influence perspectives and hypotheses, the anticipation it to a certain extent and take the future into and the comparison of different scenarios for the our own hands. Even with only three schools in future, provide the opportunity to enhance the the project so far, new insights will be gained voice of students in the classroom. on ways that schools can help students learn The project School Futures and the lessons to confront complexity. The aim of School learned in the project are part of Luxembourg's Futures is firstly, to exchange on experiences efforts to meet the United Nations Sustainable in 'relational' teaching and learning or 'systems Development Go als (UN-SDG) and to ensure that thinking'. Secondly, the quality criteria and all learners acquire the knowledge and skills 134 needed to promote sustainable development. It and ideological pluralization at the beginning of is not enough to ask students to use their the 21st century, Life and Society strengthens voice actively and to take responsibility coexistence and cohesion in a multicultural by participating in social debates. In society (MENJE, 2017). addition, educators need to support students to acquire the necessary skills Life and Society is expected to contribute to and attitudes to do so. the development of competences that enable children and adolescents to find their place in the society in which they live, and to participate constructively and critically in the social Student voice discourse. This means that living together is both the starting point and the horizon of the new subject. The competence fields of the new in the new subject are: a tolerant approach to diversity, critical commitment to moral-ethical questions and dedicated commitment to significant issues curriculum of life and society. Life and Society is, like the Luxembourgish subject Life school as a whole, committed to ideological and religious neutrality and to universal human and Society rights. School lessons can and should be part of this complex coexistence. The objective is that students are able to orient themselves and communicate in a multicultural society. They should be able to contribute responsibly in a As schools in Luxembourg mobilize themselves democratic society. to give their students a greater voice in their learning, an important curriculum reform "Students learn to deal with arguments initiative was also introduced to provide students independently and consistently and to weigh with a further opportunity to bring their voice into arguments in their respective horizon of learning. This space refers to a new subject, Life experience. The confrontation with other and Society, introduced in 2016-17 in all classes arguments presupposes criticism as well as self- of secondary education and from 2017-2018 criticism. It reflects learning during school time onwards in elementary education. It replaced the on how different perspectives may be viewed former subjects "Religious and Moral Instruction" and correlated, says Luc Weis, the director and "Moral and Social Education". of SCRIPT. The subject of Life and Society prepares for life in an open society and teaches Life and Society is based on life and fundamental aspects of democratic coexistence, experiences of students. Living together in thus contributing to political education. The social communities or preparing for it is the core progression of learning in the subject of Life of this new subject. Coexistence in a society and Society means a gradual qualification for characterized by the diversity of languages, justified judgments and actions and thus for cultures, beliefs and religions is demanding. one's own orientation. It presupposes a high degree of openness, criticality and commitment of its members. Since the Luxembourgish society, like other Western European countries, is characterized by an increasing linguistic, cultural, religious 135 professional roles and responsibilities The in an association or organization. Young people develop attitudes and values, such as tolerance, open-mindedness, empowerment interculturalism and critical thinking. Altogether, social engagement brings of student voice personal fulfilment and a sense of belonging to society. for participation According to the same report, Luxembourg nevertheless has to deal with some major challenges. The country has the highest in social life number of young people in Europe registered as members of a club or an association (for example music-society, sports-, leisure- or benevolent clubs), and taking part in its activities, but a far smaller proportion of Stepping out of school to participate in social them are also actively involved in their club life, society requires young people to be (data records from Eurobarometer 319a, prepared to contribute to a democratic way 2011). Furthermore, Luxembourg clubs and of living – a responsibility that the political associations lose many young members evolutions in the western world expect of school. during the transition phase (MFI & UL, 2015, Reaching the UN-SDG for Luxembourg is not p. 44). Young people in Luxembourg do not an end in itself. Democracy and our way of politically engage as much as the average living together in a liberal and free society are young European, with little change in this trend also at stake. Student voice thus comes into during the period of transition (unlike social play in national youth policies which target the commitment) (MFI & UL, 2015, p. 45). promotion and support of social and political engagement of young people. When it comes to social commitment in Luxembourg, there are big differences The latest National Report on the Situation among the generations. The very high social of Young People in Luxembourg provides an commitment among the older generation does interesting analysis of the degree and nature not carry on to the same extent by the younger of social and political engagement of young generation. This situation is more marked in people in Luxembourg (Ministry of Family and Luxembourg than the European average. Integration & University of Luxembourg, 2015). The conclusions of the report underline the Another major problem and therefore responsibilities of the educational sector and a challenge is the fact that the young once more show the importance, especially in Luxembourgers' social participation depends Luxembourg, of giving a voice to children and on the money, education, time and social adolescents. networks available to them as individuals (MFI & UL, 2015, p. 45). This is part of a general The report (MFI & UL, 2015, p.47) begins by trend where engagement clearly depends on explaining how important social engagement is social background, education and migration for the personal development of young people. background (Civic Voluntarism Model of Verba et Better social and personal skills, as al., 1995). well as wider knowledge and abilities enable them a smooth transition into A vast majority of politically and socially working life. They can then take up committed young people do have Luxembourg nationality, and many come from homes with 136 a high standard of education and a high level As an independent foundation, the ZpB's of interest in social engagement. Young people missions are to strengthen existing efforts and who do not have Luxembourg nationality are to launch new initiatives related to citizenship significantly under- represented. Analysis of education in Luxembourg. It is funded by the secondary data also shows that family has a Ministry of National Education, Children and big influence on the development of political Youth, which also contributes to its operation interests and political attitudes among by providing offices and staff. Although many adolescents and young adults. Young people activities address the general public, there is are more often interested in politics themselves a special emphasis on children, young people, if they grew up in families where politics was teachers and educators (as multipliers). discussed. The work of this Centre is based on three The report, moreover, points out that a "striking pillars. Learning is the first one, which produces feature is the frequent very low level of interest educational material, offers workshops and in politics by adolescents and young adults of promotes contests and trainings related foreign nationality. Because Luxembourg is a to citizenship education. Understanding is country of high immigration, the question arises the second one, which organizes debates, as to how this group can be more involved in conferences, screenings and visits. Participating the country's democratic processes" (MFI & UL, is the third pillar, which accompanies formal and 2015, p. 46). Schools will have to address this non-formal structures in their process of building issue, which implies a considerable challenge for and strengthening the democratic structures. Luxembourg. Educators and teachers will have to contribute to enable as many young people as "Citizenship education is not only about possible to become involved as active citizens in knowing, but also about doing. This our society. means that participation is one element, and the first step to participation is raising your voice, expressing an opinion. Hence, citizenship education is about A Centre for giving citizens a voice from a young age on and helping them to raise their voice," Citizenship says Michèle Schilt, the assistant director of the ZpB. The ZpB seeks to create a network of Education to actors in the field of citizenship education and collaborates with other stakeholders as much value student as possible. It is still a very young organization, but its team is fully committed to making a significant contribution to the development of voice active and informed citizenship in Luxembourg and beyond. "The slogan of ZpB is Learning and Living Democracy. We want to make sure that at those places where we With these general trends identified, in October find children and young people, they 2016, the Luxembourgish government created can express their opinion, campaign the Zentrum fir politesch Bildung (ZpB) or the for their rights and help shaping their Centre for Citizenship Education, as a symbol of surroundings. Yet, this also depends on the its strong belief in the value of all young people adults' attitude. This is why ZpB works most voices and in their participation in public and of all with multipliers to show not only why it political life. is important and interesting to let children 137 and young people participate and to listen to the major projects of the ZpB is the promotion of them, but also how they can do this," says Marc class councils, referred to earlier in this article. Schoentgen, the director of the ZpB. "Education is the backbone of democracy," said the Prime Minister Xavier Bettel in 2016 when the new Centre for Citizenship Education was launched. Youth must be able to understand the contexts Student voice and develop a critical attitude to current events in order to take part in the debates that animate society. Indeed, the OECD notices that "It has – a voice of never been as easy to access information, express one's opinions and reach out to fellow hope for greater citizens as it is in today's digital world. Yet key processes for democratic decision-making in our societies, such as voting, are declining" (OECD, participation 2019, p. 40). The Luxembourgish government has set itself the goal of getting more young people to Luxembourg has undertaken much effort in participate in the democratic debate. education, and is still striving to give young people and children a voice and to empower "We need young people who are involved, them in taking position in crucial issues for who are interested in what is going on the future. It is hoped that this will one day around them," enable the young generations to ask for a new referendum in Luxembourg to grant them the continued Xavier Bettel. "Democracy is the only right to participate in national elections. Perhaps form of government that can be learned, and this they will then succeed in convincing adults that learning is done from childhood on, in everyday young people have a voice that matters. After life," said the Minister of Education, Claude all, as Cédric (10 years), a student in Cycle 4, Meisch. Learning and living democracy are says: "It's about our life and our way, it's not only closely linked. "If we want adults who participate about the grown-ups' future, so we should have in society, who exercise full responsibility and our word to say." Maybe teachers, educators and civic rights, we must give them the opportunity adults should take this to heart, considering that from an early age." It should be noted that one of "children are 20% of the population and 100% of our future" (author unknown). References Bueb, B. (2010). Lob der Disziplin. Eine Streitschrift. Berlin: Ullstein. Eis Schoul. (2017). accueil/l'école/eis schoul. [online]. Retrived from http://www.eisschoul.lu/fr/ Eurobarometer 319a. (2011). Youth on the move. Survey by the European Commission. Grace, C. & Shores, E. F. (1998). The Portfolio Book. A step-by-step Guide for Teachers. Lewisville, Gryphon House. 138 Gouvernement du G-D de Luxembourg (2015). Le site officiel des élections au Grand-Duché de Luxembourg [online]. Retrived from https://elections.public.lu/fr/referendum/2015/resultats.html Heinz, A., Kern, M.R., Residori, C., Catunda, C., Van Duin, C., & Willems, H., (2018). HBSC-Factsheets Luxemburg. Factsheet Nr.17 vom 8. Oktober 2018. Retrived from http://orbilu.uni.lu/ bitstream/10993/36861/1/Factsheet%2017%20Familienkommunikation.pdf Lamy, C. (2019). De Klasserot. Mateneen. Praxishefte Demoktratische Schulkultur 2. Retrived from https://zpb.lu/mateneen-praxishefte-demokratische-schulkultur/ Lenz, T. & Gardin, M. (2018). Die Schule der Nation. Einleitung. In: Gardin, M. & Lenz, T. (Eds). Die Schule der Nation. Bildungsgeschichte und Identität in Luxemburg. Weinheim Basel: Beltz Juventa. LML. Lycée Michel Lucius. (2016). LML at a glance. Retrived from http://www.lml.lu/?lang=en MENJE. Ministère de l'Éducation nationale de l'Enfance et de la Jeunesse (2017). Vie et Société – Leben und Gesellschaft. Retrived from https://portal.education.lu/vieso MENJE. Ministère de l'Éducation nationale de l'Enfance et de la Jeunesse (2019). Statistiques globales et analyse des résultats scolaire – Enseignement fondamental – 2016-2018. Retrived from http://www.men. public.lu/fr/actualites/publications/fondamental/statistiques-analyses/statistiques-globales/2016-2018/ index.html Ministère de la Famille et de l'Intégration & Université du Luxembourg (2015). Nationaler Bericht zur Situation der Jugend in Luxemburg 2015. Übergänge vom Jugend- ins Erwachsenenalter. Retrived from http://www.jugend-in-luxemburg.lu/wp-content/uploads/pdfdb/Youth-Report-Luxembourg2015_Short- Version.pdf OECD (2019). Trends Shaping Education 2019, OECD Publishing. Paris. SCRIPT (2017). Das Portfolio in der Grundschule. Retrived from http://dpav.script.lu/projets/portfolio/ 139 STUDENT VOICE AT SYSTEM LEVEL Learner Voice in Irish Education – Towards a Common Approach student voice IRELAND guth an scoláire Authors Mary Daly Dr. Mary Daly has worked in the area of early childhood in Ireland in a number of different capacities over the past 18 years. She has been with the NCCA for the past decade. Her work there involved the development of Aistear, the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework (NCCA, 2009), and the Aistear Síolta Practice Guide (www.aistearsiolta.ie) online resource to help improve the quality of curriculum practice. Recently she has worked on the development of Mo Scéal reporting templates to share information about children's learning and development as they move from preschool to primary school. Mary has a B. A. in Early Childhood Studies from University College Cork and in 2002 she completed a Ph. D. which focused on the emotional, social, moral and spiritual development of the young child. In 2004 she published a book based on her Ph. D. Colm Ó Cadhain Colm Ó Cadhain works across a number of projects in the NCCA, particularly at primary level. Previously, he taught in a large urban junior primary school where he undertook a Master's in Education. He has also taught abroad, having spent some time teaching English in a French university. While interested in all areas of education, he has a particular interest in inclusive education and democratic approaches to learning. He is currently completing a doctorate in Ethical Education in DCU Institute of Education. 142 Gerard O'Sullivan Gerard O'Sullivan works in various aspects of curriculum development at post-primary level within NCCA. He is currently engaged in a comprehensive review of senior cycle (upper secondary) education in Irish schools and is working on development and assessment in the subject areas of History, Classics and Politics and Society at Junior and Senior Cycle levels. Prior to his role with the NCCA, Gerard was a post-primary deputy principal and a facilitator of professional development programmes for teachers. He has a special interest in exploring how learner voice can enhance learning and teaching in the classroom and support teacher professional identity. Norman Emerson Norman Emerson was appointed to the post of Director with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment in 2014. His post as Director in the NCCA involves leading and supporting the delivery of the new curriculum and assessment arrangements in post-primary education. Prior to his appointment in Ireland, he held the post of Assistant Director with Education Scotland. His work in both Scotland and Ireland has been aimed at fostering a broader and more holistic approach to learning, teaching and assessment at system and school level. 143 Abstract In this paper, education officers from the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) set out how Ireland is taking learner voice forward in the early childhood, primary and post-primary sectors. The NCCA is the statutory body in Ireland that advises the Minister for Education and Skills on matters in relation to curriculum and assessment for early childhood education, and for primary and post-primary schools. The paper will outline the work being undertaken by NCCA in developing curriculum and the connection with learner voice. This can be seen in the development of Aistear, the early childhood curriculum and in the work on a redeveloped primary curriculum and in the Senior Cycle review. The paper will also importantly highlight the use of learner voice in day-to-day teaching, learning and assessment and NCCA's role in this. This can be seen clearly at early childhood, and in the early years of post-primary education, in the work on student voice through the Junior Cycle Framework and through international projects. It is our contention that developing learner voice in classrooms and settings is more likely to provide a sound foundation for authentic reflective voice when students are asked to contribute in the representative space in the context of curriculum development at school/setting or national level. The paper will outline how efforts are being made to move away from teacher/practitioner dominated practices to encouraging practice where all learners are provided with the opportunity to have a voice in the learning process. The paper will demonstrate how the NCCA is focusing more proactively in supporting schools/settings to review and reform their practices through the provision of greater clarity in curriculum documents and in exemplifying and sharing examples of learner-centred practices. 144 Policy context Broad overview for learner voice of learner voice in Ireland in curriculum Like other jurisdictions that have ratified the reform/ United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), Ireland acknowledged its practice in obligations through a series of policy actions including a new government department, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs early childhood, in 2011. In 2012, the Irish constitution was amended following a referendum to strengthen in law the rights of children to have their views primary, junior considered in matters affecting them. In 2014 Better Outcomes Brighter Futures, The National Policy Framework for Children & Young People cycle and senior 2014–2020 was published. Indeed, this policy framework outlines six goals to achieving its aim and goal three is dedicated to the voice cycle of the child. In 2015, the National Strategy on Children and Young People's Participation in Decision Making (2015–2020) was launched. Aistear: the Early Childhood These developments provide a background to increasing engagement with learner voice in Curriculum Framework and education at all levels in Ireland. learner voice For early childhood promoting learner voice is done mainly through promoting a child-centred approach in teaching and learning which gives voice to the child. Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework is for all children in Ireland from birth to 6 years (NCCA, 2009). Aistear is the Irish word for journey and early childhood marks the beginning of children's educational journeys. The Framework is premised on an understanding of children as being active in shaping and creating their own lives. This perspective supports the inclusion of children's voices in decisions which affect them. To this end, the NCCA used a portraiture study to facilitate children as partners in developing 145 the Framework more than a decade ago (NCCA, seen the introduction of a fully funded preschool 2007; Daly, Forster, Murphy, Sweeney, Brennan, programme of education for children aged 2 Maxwell & O'Connor, 2007; Daly, Forster, Murphy years and 8 months to 5 years and 6 months. & Sweeney, 2008). This is commonly known as the Early Childhood Care and Education Scheme (ECCE). Early Aistear encourages adults to listen to, and childhood settings which provide this programme respond to the views of babies, toddlers and on behalf of the Government of Ireland must young children. It describes the types of learning commit to implementing the principles of that are important for children using four Aistear. interconnected themes of Well-being, Identity and Belonging, Communicating and Exploring and Thinking. The Framework also provides Primary level: A context of guidelines on supporting children's learning through partnerships with parents, interactions, curriculum redevelopment play, and assessment. Very importantly, Aistear is underpinned by 12 principles of learning At primary level, the NCCA has begun a and development. The principle which has significant process of curriculum review and the most relevance here is the principle of redevelopment. This is the first time in twenty children as citizens. Each principle is presented years that teachers, school leaders, children and using a short statement and is followed by an parents have had an opportunity to consider the explanation of the principle from the child's type of curriculum needed for the next decade. perspective, again giving voice to the child. The work has commenced with the development of a new Primary Language Curriculum, a new The principle children as citizens is very much Primary Mathematics Curriculum and the evident in the curriculum approach advocated by review and redevelopment of the curriculum. Aistear, that is, an emergent and inquiry-based Before teasing out how these developments curriculum. An emergent curriculum evolves contribute to learner voice, we will outline how as choices and connections are made by the the current curriculum describes its vision of children as they discover the world around them. the child and their learning. In this way we will There is an emphasis on child-led learning. The try to demonstrate the journey that the NCCA is practitioner shares control with the children; taking at primary level in supporting children's and their actions, play, ideas, and conversations voices in their learning. In doing so, it will guide the curriculum. This type of curriculum describe not just how curricular approaches uses children's and practitioners' interests, may support classroom practices that empower questions and experiences as starting points children, but how the use of consultation with for curriculum planning. In partnership with children on curricular developments can support children, practitioners identify ideas or inquiries the construction of "discourses of respect, that become the focus for learning. empowerment and citizenship in schools" Busher (2012, p. 113). Therefore, the sections Aistear was widely welcomed by the early on the primary curriculum below briefly highlight childhood sector when published in 2009, not ways in which learner voice is supported within least for the agency it placed with the child in the curriculum and informs the process of directing and facilitating their own learning and curriculum development. development and through the promotion of learner voice so early in children's educational journeys. Due to better economic conditions, Junior cycle and learner voice recent years have seen a significant increase in government investment in the early childhood The importance of learner voice in Ireland is also sector in Ireland. In the past decade we have recognised in major curricular reforms currently 146 happening at lower secondary education (Junior needs of all learners for years to come. The Cycle reform). The vision for junior cycle places review is intended to build on aspects of Junior students at the centre of the educational Cycle reform as described above, including experience and the Framework for Junior Cycle the increased emphasis on learner voice as a (Framework, 2015) has been designed as a feature of learning and teaching. The review means through which this vision can be realised. commenced with a comprehensive survey of schools and focused on hearing the views of The Framework for Junior Cycle highlights teachers, school leaders, parents and students. how authentically listening to students' voices The review is significant in the scale of the needs to be at the core of junior cycle provision student consultation that took place, with if schools are to ensure that all students are approximately 2,000 students having their engaging in a programme that best suits their voices heard. The type of views expressed by needs. This 'authentic' listening goes beyond students will be considered later in this paper. the superficial question and answer sessions but aims to develop a deeper understanding and promote higher order skills in students. 'Authentic listening' also involves the teacher listening to learn from answers pupils/students Policy trends provide-particularly when the wrong answer is provided. The introduction of a learning in primary outcomes-based curriculum coupled with significant changes to assessment provide the richest avenues through which students' voices developments are placed at the core of learning and teaching in the classrooms. The 1999 Primary School Curriculum advocates Senior cycle and learner voice a child-centred approach to learning that celebrates the uniqueness of each child. While the concept of learner voice may not have been Senior Cycle caters for students aged 15 to 18. It prevalent at the time, the curriculum supports includes an optional Transition Year Programme child-centred pedagogical approaches that (TYP) which immediately follows Junior Cycle emphasise child agency. Curricular reviews and provides an opportunity for students by the NCCA in 2005 and 2008 found that to experience a wide range of educational while teachers demonstrated a strong degree experiences, with an emphasis on co-curricular of ownership over child-centred theories, this and extra-curricular activities and projects, contrasted with limited teacher ownership of including work experience placements. Most child-centred methodologies and approaches. students progress to follow a mainly academic Leaving Certificate programme for two years, A key development in primary education since while a small minority opt for a vocational the introduction of the 1999 curriculum has pathway called the Leaving Certificate Applied, been the Aistear Tutor Initiative which began also for two years. in 2010 . In this initiative the NCCA has worked with regional education centres to support In autumn 2018, the NCCA commenced a primary teachers to bring the enquiry-based comprehensive review of the Senior Cycle and emergent learning approaches that are experience. The review was intended to allow at the heart of Aistear: the Early Childhood all stakeholders to develop a shared vision Curriculum Framework into the infant classes for what Senior Cycle should be and to help (the first 2 years) of primary schools. This shape a curriculum that genuinely meets the process encourages practices that build on the 147 child-centred focus of the 1999 curriculum and In these instances, the NCCA worked with see children as leading their own learning. Their children in a number of primary schools in order interests and curiosities provide the starting to hear their opinions on key ideas in the drafts. point for learning rather than the content of This aspect of the work focused on listening subjects or disciplines. authentically to the voices of children and ensuring that learners were one of the voices Primary Language Curriculum/ informing these developments. Overall, the main Curaclam Teanga na Bunscoile themes that emerged from the data collected in these various consultations may be summarised as follows: The first significant development in the ongoing process of redeveloping the entire curriculum ● Children's understanding of the purpose of has been the development of the Primary school and of learning Language Curriculum/Curaclam Teanga na ● What children like to learn Bunscoile, which will be published in Autumn 2019. This signals a number of key changes ● How children like to learn which are pertinent to the area of learner voice Younger children tended to see school as 'a and the way in which children engage in their place to learn' and 'a place to have friends'. Their own learning. Specific learning outcomes from feedback included: the curriculum such as 'motivation and choice' and 'requests, questions and interactions' ● 'If we didn't come to school, then basically no- provide a curricular space in which children one will know anything' are given an opportunity to express their own ● 'Téimid ar scoil chun foghlaim agus chun opinions and interests, make decisions, guide cairde a dhéanamh' (We go to school to learn their own learning and have a genuine voice in and to make friends.) their own learning at a micro level. As they became older, understandings of the Incorporating learner voice in purpose of school are more nuanced as their perspectives became more future-oriented. curriculum redevelopment This was summarised in the quote: 'Is féidir linn post a fháil agus airgead a fháil agus teach a The Primary Language Curriculum/Curaclam cheannach' (We can get a job and buy a house Teanga na Bunscoile has been the first [as a result of going to school]). development in a broad process of curriculum When talking about what they liked to learn and redevelopment at primary level. While this how they liked to learn children consistently curriculum demonstrates how the potential for demonstrated preference across consultations supporting learner voice in the classroom can for active methods of learning in which they had be described in a curriculum, NCCA colleagues choice and engaged with others. Some of the involved in the primary sector have also engaged feedback we have heard include comments such with children in a consultative capacity in all as: curricular projects in recent years. Consultations on proposals for a curriculum in Education ● 'We like working in groups because you get to about Religions and Beliefs (ERB) and Ethics learn more' (2016), consultations on the draft Mathematics ● 'Through acting and debates; Talk about it Curriculum and the draft Primary Language more often in groups; Maybe more projects or Curriculum/Curclam Teanga na Bunscoile all presentations' (when asked how they would listened to the voices of learners in primary like to learn about Religions, Beliefs and schools as a key component in supporting Ethics). curriculum development. 148 The implications of these findings for and listening as students carry out tasks and redeveloping the Curriculum are that its content, by considering how they respond to questions. structure and methodologies need to take An important aspect of the new ways of working account of the cognitive development of children in Junior Cycle is to encourage greater dialogue through the primary school phase, as well as between teachers and learners with a greater their interests, motivation and choices. emphasis on encouraging learner voice. This process of greater engagement is being fostered It is important to note the limitations and through a focus on learning intentions, success challenges of these processes. As the modes criteria and feedback and learner self-reflection. of listening to children's voices were qualitative Teachers use learning intentions and success in nature, the numbers of children that were criteria as the basis for providing feedback to involved were comparatively small and were not help students plan their next steps in learning. representative of the entire primary population. Students are encouraged to reflect on how Equally, working with very young children they are progressing in their own learning presented challenges in how to listen in a and provide feedback to their teachers. In genuine and authentic way on matters that could developing the capacity for self-management seem very removed from their day-to-day lives. and self-awareness, students are learning more As the process of curriculum redevelopment confidently and will be better prepared to meet continues to move forward, a key challenge will the challenges of life beyond school. be to continue to listen to learners and to strive to improve the means of listening. Senior cycle review: school-based consultation Policy trends in The most significant policy trend at senior cycle is the major review which the NCCA post – primary commenced in autumn 2017 with an exploration of international perspectives, followed in 2018 developments by a school-based review process. A series of questions were designed by the NCCA in close collaboration with the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), a state body which conducts research and analysis to inform social and economic policy planning and development. Junior cycle: promoting formative These questions were explored with teachers, assessment parents and students in a representative sample of schools across Ireland. Learner voice was at the centre of this consultation process. In In Ireland, learners are encouraged to develop accordance with policy developments mentioned 'voice' in the representative space, for example, earlier in this paper, students' views on Senior in curriculum development. However, there is Cycle were considered and acknowledged. growing consensus that learner voice is best supported, by encouraging a culture in the An interesting feature of this approach is that setting/classroom which allows learners a voice it allowed for Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle through a process of feedback, peer-review, students to talk about teaching and learning questioning and self-reflection. with each other in the same forum and allowed for younger students to discuss aspects of In Junior Cycle, as part of their daily practice, Junior Cycle reform which had impacted teachers assess students' learning by observing 149 positively on their learning with older students. "Even the state could make – like the Initial feedback from schools about these way they do in Germany, they have exam learner voice sessions was positive about the schools but they also have trade schools provision of these opportunities for discussion … they have, like, different exams for and reflection to take place with students different people who want to do trades. So, not a lesser version of the Leaving about classroom practice. Furthermore, the Cert but it's a different kind of Leaving review featured a series of national seminars Cert, where it's more based on just attended by teachers, parents and students trades. And it's kind of woodwork and from the participating schools as well as other metalwork and whatever they want to educational partners. Again, learner voice was do." a strong feature of these events, with students taking part in panel discussions based on the The following reflection on the nature of teacher- ESRI findings and participating in discussions student relations in senior cycle is offered by a with other stakeholders. student: What did students say? "I think, in particular, when you are in the sixth year, that the teachers are kind of talking to you as though you weren't a Feedback from students was rich and varied and child anymore. The teachers have more covered a wide range of issues relating to the respect for you and they can have a senior cycle experience. The following excerpts conversation with you… I think it helps from feedback offered by students give a flavour with the teaching if you have a good of the kinds of views expressed. For instance, relationship with the teacher and you're on good terms with them." this quotation is from a student who believes that student wellbeing should be taken seriously: While these quotations are just a small sample "I think that wellbeing should be taken of what students said, they do illustrate the deep more seriously … Because I think your thinking that students demonstrated during the self-acceptance and confidence and all is senior cycle review. a big part for your Leaving Cert and your career after school. So, I think it should be taken more as a serious subject, like English and maths is." Models for Another student supports a more imaginative approach to the range of subjects offered: change "I'd like to see maybe new subjects coming in, like, if drama was to come in as a subject, it's done in Australia, it's Increasingly NCCA is focussing on how done in England, if that was brought in as collaborative learning at policy, school/setting a subject then I think more people would and classroom level, can address the complex -- like, people would express themselves nature of educational change. NCCA seeks through theatre in a way." to address the challenges associated with successful policy implementation by seeking This student has interesting views about how to build collaborative networks across and vocational or trade-focused training could be within the groups of the partners involved, adapted in Ireland: recognising that practitioners/teachers, policy- makers and researchers can all learn from one 150 another. Furthermore, NCCA aims to develop Much of this collaborative work involves relationships among practitioners/teachers, supporting these teachers and their schools as children/students and policy-makers based they develop learning and teaching approaches on openness, trust and support where all that enable students to take a central role in participants have genuine ownership and are their own learning. Tracing the project journey engaged in the change process. to date reveals key learning on what enables a culture of learner voice in learning and teaching in classrooms and schools, particularly on the Participation in international impact a collaborative approach has on teacher projects professional development and its effect on learners' voices in the classroom. One of the drivers for Learner Voice in Ireland has been an Erasmus Project – The Bridge to Learning. Ireland is one of five European Working with schools and partners in this project- which aims to develop settings to change practice in different models of working in partnership with learner voice students in schools and in classrooms. Ireland is taking a collaborative approach to the project The diagram below shows the model that and is working with nine schools and over thirty teachers in Erasmus project schools in Ireland teachers. Figure 1: Ireland's journey to ehanced student voice 151 are being encouraged to adopt, so as to take The impact of the Erasmus Project on teachers' forward the development of learner voice pedagogy is best illustrated from the voices of based on a model of collaboration with other teachers themselves, as indicated here: teachers and their students to enhance learner voice based on a collaborative learning model. Teachers collaborate to develop a culture in I liked the notion that we could start classrooms where the shift of responsibility from our own context and also work in learning moves from the teachers to the collaboratively with other schools. After students. As a result, all students in a class are that first day, I returned to my classroom involved in working with their peers and teachers and quickly realised how much of my in a process of feedback, self-evaluation and lessons were dominated by my voice. questioning aimed at delivering enhanced I was quietly embarrassed. I started a learner voice. journey of activating student voice within The aim of the Erasmus Project in Ireland my classroom and on a wider school was to develop a collaborative culture within basis. and across schools that would, through formative assessment strategies result in enhanced learner voice. Such cultures were not established quickly, but early indications are that My work has been enriched by this the approach used has started to build teaching process. I stepped out of my comfort effectiveness, student confidence and some zone and asked the students to reflect signs of improved student achievement. on how they learned in my lessons (I Moving towards cultural change in classrooms assured them I wouldn't be offended) and how teachers work together meant that and I became more conscious of the policy-makers have needed to understand the relationship between us that is conducive local context as the project was developed in to learning. I became more relaxed; the two clusters of schools at opposite ends of the reality of their experiences informed my country. lesson preparation. I initiated more peer conversations, we designed success Setting out the vision and anticipated benefits criteria collaboratively, my colleagues of the project for the participating teachers was observed and recorded my lessons. an important first step. Teachers resist change I embraced it to see what the outcome that they do not fully understand. The key to would be, and I have nothing but positive achieving this change was structured peer feedback to report. Student voice has interaction across and within the project schools. been embedded in my practice. It is not In planning for building collaborative learning tokenistic; it is meaningful and honest. cultures, research (Hayward and Spencer 2010) has shown that teachers develop their practice best when learning from each other. However, it takes time to build trust across all the partners before effective collaboration can be achieved. Similarly, the changed dynamic in the class between teachers and students based on the development of trust, takes time and requires students to understand the rationale for the changes in pedagogy. 152 collaborative context. Such professional learning Conclusion in communities of practice is best supported at a local level with a supportive school leadership and a range of well-structured tools which allows early childhood practitioners and teachers to reflect on and implement changes to their In Ireland, we are developing curricula which pedagogy which is most appropriate to their firmly place the learner at the centre and local context. If this practice of encouraging emphasise the value of learner voice as part of learner voice in pedagogy becomes rooted the learning process. This has meant a move in practice then learners are more likely to away from an understanding of learner voice become authentically and meaningfully engaged as a process where a small select number of in discussions about learning, teaching and pupils/students have their voice heard in the assessment in the representative space. representational space. In many ways, this shift reflects the principles as set out in Aistear In conclusion, the Irish experience suggests that where children are valued as key partners in the the genuine embedding of a culture of learner learning process and adults are encouraged to voice in an early childhood setting or school listen to, and respond to the views of babies, must begin with experiences where learners feel toddlers and children. that they have a meaningful voice and sense of agency in attending to their own learning. In this While there is a clear policy intention aimed at way, learner voice in both settings and schools ensuring learners' voice is heard, both in the moves beyond a form that is merely decorative early childhood setting and the primary and or tokenistic towards a culture where the voices post-primary classroom, it is acknowledged that of children and young people are listened to, the challenge of implementation in practice will where their views are considered and where they involve a significant change in practitioners' are involved in decision-making processes. NCCA and teachers' pedagogy. The approach that is is seeking to provide space for learner voice as a most likely to lead to enhanced learner voice key part of our curriculum review processes but is one where practitioners and teachers are this approach will only be successful if it is taken encouraged to reflect on their own practice forward in tandem with teachers/practitioners and take on small-scale developments related who recognise the development of learner voice to enhancing learner voice and subsequently as a key part of their pedagogy. share their experience with other teachers in a References Busher, H. (2012). 'Students as expert witnesses of teaching and learning'. Management in Education, 26(3), 112 - 118. DOI: 10.1177/0892020612445679 Daly, M., Forster, A., Murphy, R., Sweeney, A., Brennan, P., Maxwell, M.,O'Connor, E. (2007) 'Children's voices in the Framework for Early learning – a portraiture study' in An Leanbh Óg The OMEP Ireland Journal of Early Childhood Studies. NCCA. Retrived from http://www.omepireland.ie/downloads/An%20 Leanbh%20Og%20Volume%201%202007.pdf Daly, M., Forster, A., Murphy, R., Sweeney, A. (2008). 'The NCCA's Portraiture Study – Key Message's in An Leanbh Óg The OMEP Ireland Journal of Early Childhood Studies. Retrived from http://www.omepireland. ie/downloads/An%20Leanbh%20Og%20Volume%202%202008.pdf 153 Department of Education and Science (DES). (1999). Primary School Curriculum. Dublin: Government Publications. Hayward, L. & Spencer, E. (2010). 'The complexities of change: formative assessment in Scotland'. The Curriculum Journal, 21 (2), 161 - 177, DOI: 10.1080/09585176.2010.480827 Department of Children and Youth Affairs. (2013). Better Outcomes Brighter Futures The national policy framework for children & young people 2014-–2020. Dublin: Government of Ireland. First 5. Department of Children and Youth Affairs. (2018) Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families 2019–2028. Dublin. Government of Ireland. National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. (2005). Primary Curriculum Review, Phase 1: Final Report. Dublin: NCCA. National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. (2007) How Aistear was developed: A portraiture study. Retrived from https://www.ncca.ie/media/1113/how-aistear-was-developed-a-portraiture-study.pdf National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. (2008). Primary Curriculum Review, Phase 2: Final Report. Dublin: NCCA. National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. (2009). Aistear the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework. Dublin: Government of Ireland. Retrived from http://www.ncca.biz/Aistear/ National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. (2015). Tip sheet Developing an emergent and inquiry-based curriculum. Dublin: Government of Ireland. Retrived from http://www.aistearsiolta.ie/en/Curriculum- Foundations/Developing-an-emergent-and-inquiry-based-curriculum.pdf National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. (2017). Consultation on the proposals for a curriculum in Education about Religion and Beliefs (ERB) and Ethics: Final Report. Dublin: NCCA. National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. (2017). Children's Voices. Video for the Consultative Conference: Proposals on Structure and Time in the Primary Curriculum. Dublin: NCCA. National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. (2018). Primary Developments: Consultation on Curriculum Structure and Time. Dublin: NCCA. National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. (2018). Consultation Report on the Primary Mathematics Curriculum for junior infants to second class. Dublin: NCCA. National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. (2018). Report on the consultation on the draft Primary Language Curriculum/Curriculum Teanga na Bunscoile for Stage 3 and 4/Céim 3 agus 4. Dublin: NCCA. 154 Student Voice in Norway and the New Norweigian Curriculum student voice NORWAY elevens stemme Authors Siv M. Gamlem Siv M. Gamlem is a Professor of Pedagogy in Teacher Education at Volda University College. Gamlem worked as a school teacher in elementary and secondary school for several years before she entered Teacher Education in 2005. Since then she has been a lecturer, mentor and researcher within educational research and school development projects. Gamlem has authored and co-authored several scientific articles, book-chapters and a number of books on the topic of educational assessment and student learning. Her current projects are 'Students Experience of Feedback and Assessment in Teacher Education', 'DigiHand (The emergence of writing literacy in digital classrooms)' and 'Responsive Pedagogy and Student Learning'. Marte Blikstad-Balas Marte Blikstad-Balas is a professor in Norwegian Didactics at the Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Oslo. Her main research interest concerns with how traditional and digital texts are used in different school contexts. She also has a particular interest in research methodologies. Blikstad-Balas is involved in teaching research methods both at the master level and the Ph. D. level at the University of Oslo. She has written a range of academic articles about studentsĺiteracy practices and methodological issues. She is the PI of the project Video To Support Excellence in Teaching (VIST), and vice chair of the Nordic Centre of Excellence QUINT – Quality in Nordic Teaching. 156 Abstract How does the ongoing Norwegian curriculum renewal emphasize student voice and an active student role in primary and secondary education? What is the knowledge base for this and what is the context of student involvement in Norwegian Schools, both historically and in the current situation? These are key questions to be answered in this text. Norway has a long tradition of emphasising student voice in primary and elementary school, and our first student council was established as early as 1919. Today we are implementing the renewed curriculum where empowerment of individual students is emphasized, as well as the ambition that students should experience that they can find solutions through knowledge and cooperation. An aim in the new Norwegian curriculum is that students should practice skills of critical thinking and reflection, and the concept of deeper learning has become central for student learning. We mainly draw on theory of student voice and analyses of the new curriculum, in addition to brief examples from contemporary classroom studies. 157 Introduction In this article, we describe the key concept of schooling and grow into positions of leadership. student involvement in Norwegian schools, Connecting students' experiences and areas and how the ongoing Norwegian curriculum of interest to the work with school subjects renewal emphasizes student voice and an is therefore important and may contribute to active student role in primary and secondary strengthening motivation, self-efficacy and education. We will also refer to brief examples acknowledgement (Smith, Gamlem, Sandal, & from relevant contemporary classroom studies to Engelsen, 2016). illustrate the trends we discuss. We understand Research has found that many students seem student voice as giving students in primary not to believe that their school experiences have and secondary school the ability to influence any real-world relevance, leading to disaffection learning on different levels as to include policies, and withdrawal from school life (NOU 2016, p. programmes, contexts and principles. Still, we 14; Zyngier, 2008). The focus on student voice find most of the students' influences in Norway in education helps to open more space for on the classroom level; their own and their students' perspectives. Student voice allows peers' learning being the main contribution. students to share who they are, what they If we want to nurture our students to grow into believe in, and why they believe what they do. lifelong learners, into self-directed seekers, into The term student voice thus describes students' the kind of adults who are morally responsible ability to give input on what happens within the for their own learning – these are all ambitions school and classroom from their point of view we find explicitly highlighted in the Norwegian (Fletcher, 2017). Specific types of activities that curriculum – then we need to give them ample can engage student voice include learning by opportunities to practice making choices and teaching, educational decision-making about reflecting on the outcomes (Vattøy & Gamlem, school policies, school planning, learning and forthcoming; Cook-Sather, 2002). In this context, teaching evaluations, educational advocacy, responsibility means owning and reflecting and student advisories for principals and about choices, one's failures and successes — superintendents (Fletcher, 2005). Meaningful small, medium and large. We believe that an student voice must be inclusive, giving the excellent learning environment should be premise that everyone has a membership. A student-focused, consider the variations challenge might be to find a balance between in the student group, their different ways too much and too little adult participation. of learning and needs for individual Too much adult involvement might hamper differentiation (Idsøe, 2014). Further, student voice and fail to involve students as students should experience that their true members and problem-solvers. Too little perspectives matter and are included in involvement might lead to lack of engagement the classroom discourse and in the daily by the students, and their voices will become management of the school. To reach diffused, ineffective and exclusive. this goal students need to be able to The extent to which there are dialogues that share their ideas, and their ideas need open for students' perspectives has been to be sought out carefully, in planned discussed as vital to students' experiences ways. Students who feel comfortable sharing of school (Bru, Stornes, Munthe, & Thuen, their voices seem to increase motivation for 2010; Gamlem & Smith, 2013). An ambition 158 for students in Norway is to let them know to what students create in their project, or and experience that their expertise, opinions simply forget that there are many possibilities to and ideas are valued in all aspects of school engage, invite and listen to students. life. Student voice in schools thus permeates from students participating in small group Student engagement is designed to strengthen classroom conversations to students partnering student empowerment and responsibility in classroom curriculum design as task and (Bransford, Brown & Cocking, 2000; Charney, strategies or establishing school norms and 1991; Johnson & Johnson, 1991; Pöysä, et policy. Student voice is a phenomenon that al., 2018; Vattøy & Gamlem, forthcoming). has been present over a century in Norway; Approaches to work with educational what makes it noticeable is the willingness of responsibility might emphasize strategies for educators and others to listen to student voice building involvement, giving students choices, (Fletcher, 2017). In Norway, there is willingness increasing the value of effort, setting students to involve and listen to students. For example, to up for success, making success visible, and get a hold on students' perceptions on schooling, creating multiple opportunities for improvement. an annual student survey "Elevundersøkelsen", Decision-making, autonomy, relevance, valuing is conducted from 5th grade (students aged 10 students' opinions, and meaningful interactions years) to 13th grade. In this survey, students' are considered as crucial components of a perceptions of learning environment, teacher learning environment that enhances learning support and well-being in school are looked and student engagement (Bransford, Brown & for. Students are for example asked to give Cocking, 2000; Eccles et al., 1993; Gamlem information about bullying at school or how they & Munthe, 2014; Smith, Gamlem, Sandal, & perceive the teachers' feedback to enhance their Engelsen, 2016). Students having to express learning. The results from this survey, although voice in their learning evidence is one great limited, are further being used for school option for engagement and responsibility, but improvement by school owners and teachers. more opportunities to create engagement In many ways, the survey allows students to and student-centred learning are needed anonymously provide direct feedback on a range (Gamlem & Smith, 2013; Vattøy & Gamlem, of topics concerning their experience of being forthcoming). The key element of student voice a student at that particular school and in their in teaching signals important shifts in both particular classroom. teacher and student roles. Teachers need to engage their students in dialogues, investigate how their students think and understand, so Why student voice they can better support the development of understanding, and function as scaffolds as is important their students become active learners who learn to set their own goals and assess their Today, student voice in the educational learning and needs (Andrade, 2010; Black & process is seen as important in Norway, and a Wiliam, 2009; Gamlem & Munthe, 2014; Smith, growing body of literature emphasizes student Gamlem, Sandal, & Engelsen, 2016). engagement and responsibility, in contrast to stimulus-response models that control students Vattøy and Gamlem (forthcoming) conducted from the outside with different forms of external a study in mathematics and English lessons motivation. There is never a one-size-fits-all (n=178 lessons) in five elementary schools method to promote students' use of voice (grades 8th-10th) in Norway. Participants were and choice. It is always contextualized 18 teachers and their classes. All lessons to teacher and student lives and were video recorded. An aim of the study was experiences. However, sometimes schools and to analyse teachers' regard for adolescent teachers might oversimplify voice and choice perspectives in teaching and feedback dialogues 159 with students. Teacher–student interactions (KD, 1998). In the Education Act following show low quality scores of regard for adolescent paragraphs are stated: perspectives, and the mathematics lessons have consistently lower scores of quality than ● The students are to participate in the planning the English lessons. The results indicate that and implementation of the work for a safe and attention to adolescent perspectives seems to good school environment. The student council be a neglected aspect in classroom teaching may appoint representatives to attend to the in elementary school. We argue that through pupils' interests vis-à-vis the school and the developing a teaching practice with an emphasis authorities in school environment matters. If on adolescent perspectives the school might there is a working environment selection or help create space for students to be more active similar body at the school, the students can participants in the learning process, and we meet up to two representatives when the might see innovative teaching practices emerge. committee deals with issues that concern the school environment. Representatives will be called in to meet with the right to speak and the right to have their say recorded. They shall The integration not be present when the committee deals with matters that contain information covered by statutory obligation to provide information. of student voice (KD, 1998, §9A-8) Further, the student council is expected to be from primary informed about important issues for school environment – and can express their perceptions – through of quality or need for improvements. The law expresses how students' rights can be seen due to school environment: secondary ● The collaborative committee, the school committee, the school environment selection, school the student council and the parents shall keep informed about everything that is important for the school environment, and as early as possible to cope with the work Voice and choice of students depend on factors on school environment measures. They have such as age level, content, type (e.g. survey or the right to access all documentation that student councils) and many others. One of the applies to the systematic work for a safe and principles guiding student voice is that good school environment and has the right student achievement and engagement to comment and present in all matters that will increase when students have more are important to the school environment. (KD, ownership of their school community. In 1998, §9A-9) Norway, each school from primary to secondary The student councils at Norwegian schools has a student council. The first student council are also an important arena for learning about in Norway was established on March 6, 1919 democracy and a significant part of moral (Hareide, 1972). Student council became development. These councils come through statutory and obligatory for each school in 1964. dialogue, reflecting on experiences, and looking These councils are regulated by law today and at how our behaviour affects others. We refer give the students a possibility to get ownership to the theory of Kohlberg (1989) to explain our of rules, activities and content in own school theoretical position, since there seems to be 160 a lack of research on student councils in the new curriculum. The National Curriculum Norwegian context. for Knowledge Promotion in Primary and Secondary Education and Training will be Another powerful forum for supporting renewed. Teachers, school leaders, researchers, democracy and moral development is the class policy makers and student organisation have meeting. There is a tradition of holding regular discussed and defined what will be essential for class meetings in elementary and secondary promotion of future skills. Further, the student school in Norway, but these are not regulated organisation is also represented in an expert by law anymore. Still, schools in Norway have panel selected by the Ministry of Education and a tradition to conduct these meetings, and Research to discuss what types of exams are questions from the class meetings might further needed in the renewed curriculum and what be sent to the schools' student council to be type of exams and summative assessment are solved. Everyday activities and conflicts—e.g. perceived as useful and relevant by the students who gets the soccer field during recess, how in Norway. Students in Norway meet their first to deal with bullying or stealing—provide the examinations in 10th grade. content for learning, shared decision-making and problem solving in class meetings. During The New Curriculum (renewal of the existing one) the meeting, students might learn democratic is a subject renewal which includes all subjects participation through discussions and that their in primary and lower secondary education fellow students might have different beliefs and the general subjects in upper secondary than themselves. This is achieved through education. The subject renewal aims to provide several different methods in different age a curriculum that prepares students for the groups and contexts. For example, from primary future, by making the subjects more relevant school students learn to take turns and listen in terms of content, and give clearer priorities. and express own points of view, how to make The coherence across specific school subjects I-statements, how to support what they say with from today's curriculum should also be improved. argumentations, and as they get older also how The subject renewal shall strengthen the to evaluate an idea critically, without attacking development of the students' in-depth learning the person who gave it. Students also experience and understanding. that the majority will often be heard, and when such meetings happen on a regular basis, each The core curriculum is an important factor when student should be able to experience what it is defining the intended room for student voice like to be a part of both a minority and a majority in Norway (Norwegian Government, 2018). On in different matters – and the idea of democracy its 19 pages, the core curriculum elaborates and democratic citizenship. the core values in the objectives clause of the Education Act and the overriding principles for primary and secondary education and training. It comprises an introduction as well as three New Curriculum chapters: 1. Core values of the education and training, 2. Principles for learning, development and student and education of young people and 3. Principles for school practice. The core curriculum gives direction for the teaching and training in each voice subject and across subjects. There are some aspects we would like to highlight as particularly relevant to the topic of student voice. First of all, the teaching and training are explicitly From 2020, students in primary and secondary linked to promoting belief in democratic values schools in Norway will be introduced to a 161 and in democracy as a form of government. The their competencies in critical thinking and core curriculum states that education: reflection, and deeper learning is emphasized. Metacognitive approaches to instruction have shown to increase the degree to which students will transfer to situations without the need for shall give pupils an understanding explicit prompting since they become more of the basic rules of democracy and self-regulated (Andrade, 2010). Further, the the importance of protecting them. cognitive- and metacognitive strategies teachers Participating in society means respecting use to enhance students' understanding and and endorsing fundamental democratic engagement in work with instructional content values such as mutual respect, tolerance, are important for student learning (Zimmerman, individual freedom of faith and speech 2000). Student voice can allow students to and free elections. Democratic values explore their passions and feel honoured for shall be promoted through active their ideas and opinions, which further might participation throughout the entire raise student engagement in learning (Pöysä et learning path. al, 2018; Vattøy & Gamlem, forthcoming). In the New Curriculum, there will also be room for more creativity, and a clear ambition is that students Active participation is thus highlighted as a should "learn how to learn" – and develop prerequisite for the development of democratic their approaches to own learning processes values, which in turn will require schools to and development, rather than the traditional, encourage students to participate in a range rote learning by memorization that has been of decision-making and democratic discourse. identified as a problem in a range of studies. Further, the core curriculum highlights the In many ways, the new core curriculum defines following when it comes to student participation: student participation as key factor, as we can see from the ambitious quotes above. Students should, through education, be empowered to Pupil involvement must be a part of understand the connection between actions and the school practice. The pupils must consequences and how they can find solutions participate and assume co-responsibility through knowledge and cooperation. But what in the learning environment which does this look like in practice? What do the they create together with the teachers Norwegian teachers actually do to include their every day. Pupils think, experience and students? While there are no suggested didactic learn in interaction with others through methods or approaches in the curriculum, and learning processes, communication and while Norwegian teachers have the freedom collaboration. The school shall teach the and autonomy to use the methods they find pupils to demonstrate good judgment suitable, we see these newly phrased ambitions when they express themselves about in direct relation to student voice. We cannot others and shall ensure that they learn to imagine how students could meet the ambitions interact in an appropriate way in varying of the new curricula without a shift in what it contexts. means to be in the student role, and while the concept of student voice has been a part of Norwegian education policy for a long time, Today's traditional subjects (e.g. mathematics, the new curricula reinforce and strengthen social sciences) are retained in the New this idea. This is perhaps most evident where Curriculum, but the goals and content will be the core curriculum emphasizes that students renewed. An aim is that students should develop should influence every aspect of education that is relevant to them (KD, 1998). As we see it, 162 most of the decisions made during a school day of the educated citizen seems to have been – concerning assessment, teaching methods, replaced by the separated individual responsible content and work formats – fall into that for his/her own life (p.303)". Scholars have also category. argued that the introduction of educational technologies such as 1:1 tablets can increase For students to develop competencies and individualization (Selwyn, 2016; Blikstad-Balas skills that will be valuable to meet the unknown & Davies, 2018). Our point is that while the future, students will need to learn to learn and preferences of each student may be taken work with approaches to deeper learning in into account and tailored to, for example, a order to be able to transfer skills, procedures specific app (Selwyn, 2016) or a choice on which and knowledge from one task to open-ended individual tasks to solve (Dalland & Klette 2014), assignments where solutions are not known this does not necessarily mean that student (Smith, Gamlem, Sandal, & Engelsen, 2016; voice is strengthened in the classroom. As Norwegian Government, 2018; Rogne & we mentioned in the beginning, student voice Gamlem, 2017). Not only can voice and choice has to be understood as giving students the create more engagement in learning, but giving ability to influence learning on different levels students agency can also empower them to as to include policies, programmes, contexts become self-directed learners and enhance their and principles. In order to do so, they must be learning. In Norway, the schools (and teachers) heard, not only by themselves when making have autonomy and responsibility to decide on individual choices, but in the social context of content and strategies for facilitating student the classroom. learning. Teachers are obliged to follow the curriculum set by the Ministry of Education, but how they will do this is up to them to decide. Conclusion Individualization and student In this article we have presented several approaches to how students are given voice voice in Norway. Not only can voice create more engagement in student learning, but giving students agency can also empower them to become self-directed learners and to see the needs and values of future skills and education. Are individualization and student voice the Voice and choice can also allow students to same? Several studies have shown how explore their passions and feel honoured for western schools around the world have moved their ideas and opinions. from a more collective approach targeting the class, to a more individualistic approach In Norway, we have had a rather long tradition of where the teacher attempts to guide each emphasising student voice from primary through individual student (Bergqvist, 2012; Biesta secondary school and the first student council 2005; Popkevitz). This is also a trend in the was established in the early 1900 century. Nordic countries, as emphasized by Klette et Student participation in class meetings and the al (2017) and also by Carlgren et al (2006), school council might be a valuable experience who explain how this change is "reframing the for understanding the idea of democracy and meaning and content of schooling. The idea democratic citizenship. Further, the ongoing 163 Norwegian curriculum renewal emphasizes paradox that while student voice is considered student voice and an active student role in so important in the Norwegian policy documents, primary and secondary education. Students' classroom researches tend to show that the rights are regulated by law and give the students quality of classroom discourse and opportunity a possibility to get ownership of rules, activities for student talk is limited (Andersson-Bakken, and content in own school (KD, 1998). Still, the 2014; Klette et al, 2017). Students seldom challenge seems to be that students are given report that they have high influence on choices more responsibility in the classroom, perhaps in the classroom (Roe, 2019) and student without more actual possibilities to impact the perspectives seem to be a neglected aspect of ways teachers teach, how they assess students the teaching and feedback dialogues (Gamlem & and other crucial matters in education. 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(Re)conceptualising student engagement: doing education not doing time. Teaching and Teacher Education, 24(7), 1765-1776. 165 Learner Voice to Learner Participation – Scotland's Journey student voice SCOTLAND guth an oileanaich Authors Jenny Watson Jenny Watson is a Senior Education Officer with Education Scotland. She is currently working with practitioners in a wide range of educational settings and partners to explore innovative curriculum design from 3 – 24. Jenny's career in education spans over thirty years where she has worked across a wide variety of primary schools as well as leading an award winning literacy initiative. Prior to joining Education Scotland in 2018, Jenny was a primary Head Teacher. Under Jenny's leadership, the school was recognised by inspectors as developing sector leading practice in their progressive approach to empowering children to lead their learning and play a key role in the life of their school and community. Jenny is passionate about ensuring learner voice has high profile in her national role with Education Scotland. Nick Morgan Nick Morgan is a Development Officer with Education Scotland, Scottish Government's agency for educational improvement. His work focuses on international collaboration and global citizenship education, working with teachers across the country to promote the benefits of engagement with the education systems of other countries. Nick leads the Scottish element of an Erasmus+ KA2 project 'Student Voice – the Bridge to Learning', with partners in 4 EU nations (lead partner in Slovenia). Before joining Scottish Government agencies, Nick held a number of teaching and leadership roles in the Scottish vocational education college sector and support roles in Higher Education. 168 Abstract Scotland has been on an exciting and rewarding journey for over 20 years. The journey has taken us from merely talking about recognising the learner voice to promoting learners' participation in issues that affect them across the education system. This article describes milestones that have marked key points in this journey and explores them from different perspectives within formal education and beyond. In the past, schools created Pupil Councils and committees to encourage the learner voice by empowering representative learners to influence curriculum activity, changes to local services, and school improvements. Over the years, this has evolved in many schools to involving all learners in school improvements and expanding their involvement in local, national and global issues. It has also extended learner participation beyond the scope of decision-making groups to empowering learners to lead their own learning, the learning of others, and active participation in school evaluation. This article sets out the ambitions, achievements and stages of that journey. It considers learner participation at Scotland level, at school level, and at learner level. It also outlines the development of learner participation beyond the school stages. 169 Introduction "Scotland is fortunate to have a rich and expectations in relation to learner participation, vibrant civil society which does amazing which went well beyond education. These work with and for children and young included: people. Their views and experience must inform the decisions we make today if we ● the role of children and young people in the truly want to make a better Scotland for Task Force on Children and Young People's tomorrow." Mental Health Improvement; ● the introduction of a Scottish Learner Panel Bruce Adamson, Children and Young People's to be chaired by the Cabinet Secretary for Commissioner Scotland Education and Skills; (Children's Parliament, 2017, p5) ● further work to increase the effectiveness of the UNCRC in Scotland; and ● a commitment to continue to engage young Context people directly in policy-making. The Scottish Government's vision is that Scotland is the best place for a child to grow up, with opportunities for all in Scotland to flourish. Developing An integral part of that vision is the recognition of, respect for and promotion of children's human rights. The United Nations Convention learner on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), ratified in 1991 by the UK government, is a cornerstone in participation at the development of the learner voice in Scotland – and now learner participation. The Scottish Government has subsequently built children's Scotland level rights into legislation through the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 (Scottish Government, 2014), which places a duty on all Scottish Ministers to take any steps which might The education policy landscape in Scotland to secure a better effect in Scotland of the UNCRC promote and embed learner participation has requirements. This includes obtaining the views developed over the last 20 years. One of the key of children to inform their future plans. policies in this area is Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) which spans the ages of 3-18. Curriculum The Scottish Government's Programmes for for Excellence supports children and young Government, published over the last three people to gain the knowledge, skills, attributes years, place increasing emphasis on learner and capabilities which underpin the four participation. The 2018 – 19 Programme capacities required for life in the 21st century. (Scottish Government, 2018) saw a significant Children's rights, embedded in the UNCRC, are increase in the number of areas and at the heart of CfE. 170 "The purpose of the curriculum is to has the learner at the centre. In order to realise help children and young people to fully the capabilities and attributes listed under become successful learners, confident the four capacities, a shift was required to individuals, responsible citizens increase the focus on learners' involvement and and effective contributors (the four capacities). The framework therefore engagement in their education in different ways. puts the learner at the centre of the This included, for example: curriculum." (Education Scotland, 2008, ● increasing learner participation by children p11) planning their own learning and next steps; ● extending opportunities for pupils to lead their These skills support children and young own and others' learning; and people to gain the knowledge, attributes and capabilities which underpin the four capacities. ● empowering pupils to evaluate and improve their own educational settings, as well as their Since its inception, one of the strongest local and wider communities. messages associated with CfE has been that it Figure 1. The four capacities. (Education Scotland, 2008, p22) 171 Developing 'Learner participation in schools and Early Learning and Childcare settings includes all of the ways in which children and learner young people engage in practices and dialogue with educational staff, parents, participation at carers, and community members to create positive outcomes and changes.' (Education Scotland, 2018, page 2) school level The resource emphasises that participation should be about matters that affect children and young people so that they see participation Authentic participation of children and young as relevant. They should also feel that it is not people within school improvement requires the tokenistic, but has a purpose and that their development of a culture and ethos amongst views will be heard and valued. everyone involved in the school community that: ● recognises the benefits of learner The resource scopes out four 'arenas of participation; participation' which outline all the places in which participation can take place. Participation ● understands fully what is meant by the term is extended beyond the scope of decision- 'learner participation'; and making groups to, for example, children giving ● provides many opportunities for learner their opinions on aspects of lessons including participation to take place within different the content and delivery. The four arenas are: contexts. ● learning, teaching and assessment e.g. within There is now considerable evidence from the classroom or other learning environments; research supporting the view that addressing ● opportunities for personal achievement e.g. in learner participation helps effective policy- volunteering; making, enhances school life and improves a range of outcomes for learners. In particular, ● decision-making groups e.g. in Pupil Councils research published in 2015 by Scotland's and eco committees; and Commissioner for Children and Young People ● wider community e.g. within local community (University of Stirling, 2015) highlighted a strong projects or more international areas of focus. correlation between schools' approaches to learner participation and levels of achievement Initial evidence from the pilot and consultation and attainment. with schools indicates that further clarity on what is involved in participation is welcomed. A joint project between Education Scotland Schools are able to identify more readily the and the University of Stirling provided further different areas in which they have already guidance to educational establishments. established effective practice and take this Learner Participation in Educational Settings forward to develop practice more widely in a (Education Scotland, 2018) provided illustrations range of settings. of good practice to help establish a clear Scottish definition of learner participation, with accompanying principles and examples of the scope of participation within educational settings. 172 Developing 'Pupil participation is a strong feature of our approach to self-evaluation and continuous improvement. All stakeholders, learner including children and young people, have a shared ownership of this evidence and participation use it to plan continuous improvement, (Education Scotland, 2015, p19) in school Many schools are developing their own mechanisms for enhancing learner participation self-evaluation in school improvement. For example High Schools in East Lothian recognised that their existing Pupil Council model was limited in its effectiveness at involving learners in the Scotland has a strong culture of self-evaluation. wider life of the school, and responded in This has been supported and actively promoted different ways. Ross High School developed by the How good is our …? set of guidance a new model with a Junior Leadership Team documents, the first of which was published and Senior Leadership Team to complement in 1996 and structured as a set of Quality the work of the Pupil Council and focus more Indicators. on school improvement. Team members go through an application and interview process, How good is our school? 4th Edition (Education and have been involved subsequently in learning Scotland, 2015) includes a streamlined and teaching evaluation, support for school framework of Quality Indicators. As in previous activity such as parental engagement, and in versions of How good is our school?, these recruitment of new staff. Quality Indicators inform school self-evaluation and are also used by Her Majesty's Inspectors In 2018, schools were provided with further for school inspections, ensuring that there are practical support to involve children and shared expectations of standards and quality. young people fully in their learning and school There are a number of significant changes in improvement. The How good is OUR school? A the 4th edition of the How good is our school? resource to support learner participation in self- framework. In this version the focus is on evaluation and school improvement ( Education collaborative approaches to self-evaluation, Scotland, 2018) was developed to support the analysis and evaluation of intelligence and learner participation in school self-evaluation. data and the impact on learners' successes and Education Scotland engaged extensively with achievements. One of the most relevant changes children and young people across Scotland prior in considering learner participation is an to the production of this innovative resource. increased expectation that establishments use Workshops were used to identify the aspects of collaboration and partnership within, between school life over which they felt they should have and beyond schools to secure improvement some direct influence. The themes are linked to that impacts positively on every child and the quality indicators in How good is our school? young person in Scotland. There is also a clear and form the basis of the resource: message that children and young people should ● our relationships be actively involved in self-evaluation and school improvement. ● our learning and teaching ● our school and community 173 ● our health and wellbeing ● our successes and achievements. 'We provide a wide range of opportunities and support to ensure children and young The framework is designed in such a way that people can take responsibility for their own children and young people can take responsibility learning, successes and achievements. for leading aspects of self-evaluation and Our learners are developing the necessary contribute evidence to support whole-school resilience and confidence to enable self-evaluation. Education Scotland is developing them to make decisions about their own a Young Leaders of Learning programme to learning and to lead others' learning. They empower children and young people to be demonstrate this in a range of learning involved in this process (see Case Study 1). contexts within the school and community. Children and young people value the professional advice and expertise of school staff and others who support their learning Learners' and decision-making. They actively engage in communication and discussions about participation their next steps and contribute to planning learning pathways which meet their needs and aspirations. (Education Scotland, in leading their 2015, p22)' learning in Portmoak Primary School has recently been praised by Education Scotland for highly- schools effective practice in its approach to developing children as leaders of their own learning. The school's improvement journey began with learners recording their learning and teachers In 2015, the importance of providing learners identifying evidence of this progress, then with opportunities for leading their learning sharing with learners and parents. Over seven was extended in How good is our school? 4th years, these arrangements have evolved and Edition in the Quality Indicator 1:2 Leadership now children are able to talk about themselves of Learning with a very clear message about as learners more confidently. Decisions on the improving outcomes for children through direction of travel have been shaped by the enabling them to lead their own learning. Very voice of learners and families. The school is good practice is illustrated as: using Learner's Journey Jotters that include individual targets, reflections on their learning, examples of work, photographs and records of the children sharing their learning with their teachers. The current focus at Portmoak Primary School is to use digital tools to enhance the sharing of learning between home and school. A resource, Learning is better when children talk about their learning (Education Scotland, 2019) has been created to share this excellent practice and to encourage other schools to reflect on their own journey and identify their strengths and areas for development. Case Study 2 174 provides another illustration of children leading their learning at Middleton Park Primary School. This expectation was reinforced in 2016 in Learner the Early Years setting with the same Quality Indicator 1:2 included in How good is our early participation learning and childcare? (Education Scotland, 2016). It illustrates very good practice as follows. in Scotland's colleges 'Children are consistently encouraged to choose and lead interactions in their own learning in play and in real-life contexts. In Scotland, learner participation thrives beyond They are becoming increasingly confident the school sector. Scotland's colleges have long- in interacting with others, discussing established and well-embedded approaches possibilities and reasoning out answers to learner participation. The maturity of these to a self-satisfying conclusion within an approaches illustrates highly effective practice exciting range of indoor and outdoor from which schools can learn (see Case Study learning experiences. Taking very good 3). Scotland's colleges are providers of post- account of childrens age and stage of compulsory (post-16 years old) education and development, practitioners are flexible vocational training to about 240,000 students and responsive in their approach as they across the country each year. encourage children to discuss and plan In 2008, a radically new set of arrangements their learning, enjoy their successes and to ensure quality in the college sector was share their achievements'. (Education introduced. These arrangements focused greatly Scotland, 2016, page 14) on the quality of the learner experience and learner participation. At that early stage in the journey, colleges focused on two main aspects A practice exemplar, (Education Scotland, Jan of learner participation. They were required to 2018) shows how staff at Auchlane Nature consider the question: How well are learners Kindergarten plan children's learning with them engaged in enhancing their own learning, and to ensure it is meaningful and relevant. The the work and life of the college? Through this children's words, ideas and suggestions are question, colleges evaluated themselves on all recorded in large floor books together with how well they engaged learners at course level photographs, drawings and adult observations. and at whole-college level in the co-creation These are then analysed to plan the future of their learning experience. Learners were learning. Documenting the learning in the encouraged and enabled to engage in decision- large floor books ensures that children have making in all areas of college operations, and ownership of their learning and makes their colleges acknowledged and acted upon learners' voices visible across all aspects of learning. contributions. Over the following eleven years, learner participation in colleges has become more refined and effective. Such is its importance in colleges that the Scottish Funding Council also 175 funds an organisation called sparqs3 (Student participative opportunities to empower young Partnership in Quality Scotland), which provides people to engage effectively in decision-making. support to college learners, at all levels of engagement, in shaping the quality of their Youth work supports young people up to the age learning experience. of 25 to express their voice and play an active and positive role in their communities. The In 2006, HMIE (a predecessor organisation of essential and definitive features of youth work in Education Scotland) began to include a college Scotland are that: learner in teams of inspectors when colleges ● young people choose to participate; were being reviewed. These Student Team Members soon became a well-established ● the work must build from where young people feature of college reviews. They continue to are; and be well regarded by colleges and they make a ● youth work recognises the young person and significant contribution to learner participation the youth worker as partners in a learning across Scotland. process. (YouthLink Scotland, 2006, p2) High quality youth participation is characterised by meaningful and effective engagement, where Learner young people are supported and resourced to participate and where barriers to participation have been removed. Active measures are taken participation to hear the views of all young people including children and young people with disabilities outwith formal and those affected by inequality as a result of poverty, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or identity. education Year of Young Youth participation, the practice of young people leading, negotiating, influencing and being partners in decision-making, is integral People to youth work practice in Scotland. Scotland is one of only a handful of nations in Europe that has a discrete National Youth Work Strategy (YouthLink, 2014) which was developed jointly Another milestone in supporting the by the Scottish Government, YouthLink Scotland, development of learner participation in Scotland Education Scotland and the youth work sector. was Scottish Government's Year of Young Rights and participation are key priorities in the People4 (YoYP) in 2018. The aim of YoYP 2018 current 2014-19 strategy. It has a clear ambition was to inspire Scotland through its young people: to 'put young people at the heart of policy' which celebrating their achievements, valuing their includes requirements for local and national contribution to communities and creating new opportunities for them to shine locally, nationally and globally. 3 Student Partnership in Quality Scotland 4 Year of Young People 2018 https://www.sparqs.ac.uk/index.php https://yoyp2018.scot/ 176 "Year of Young People put the spotlight national policy. The Panel's work, which has on 8 to 26 year olds, giving them new been focusing on wellbeing, learning and and powerful ways to express their participation, will be collated and will inform creativity, skills and talents on a global future options for the role of the Panel as well stage." (Year of Young People, 2018) as influencing a range of policies. The Panel, or an appropriate evolution in the method and Throughout the Year, there was a particular approach, is expected to be a long-term legacy focus on planning activity which addressed the of the Year of Young People. In addition, young six key themes as identified by young people people once again played a role in shaping the during the planning of the Year – Participation, priorities and content for the 2019 Scottish Education, Health and Wellbeing, Equality and Learning Festival, the main annual set piece Discrimination, Enterprise and Regeneration and professional learning event for teachers, Culture. practitioners and the education sector, with YoYP also created a wide range of opportunities around 4,500 attending over two days. to co-design projects with young people Scottish Government policy leads will continue themselves and work in collaboration with to monitor and review the quality and extent of partners in the third sector. learner participation in shaping and influencing The youth work sector has played a big part in specific policy areas. the success of YoYP and is central to continuing to lead and influence the development of inclusive and meaningful youth participation as a legacy of the Year. Youth work partners will Conclusion and work with Scottish Government to develop a new youth work strategy from 2019. The Government is also committed to developing a Participation reflections Framework. Learner participation is a strength of Scottish Education, and present in many forms. Evidence Scottish Learner demonstrates that learner participation has a significant, positive effect on young people's Panel achievement. Scotland's young people have increasing opportunities throughout their time in early learning, primary and secondary school, at college and in the community to have genuine participation in shaping their own learning, In autumn 2018, The Scottish Learner Panel5 in developing the curriculum offer in their was established by the Scottish Government and educational settings, and in shaping local and supported by Young Scot, Children's Parliament government policy. and the Scottish Youth Parliament. The panel of 30 children and young people, aged 3 to This system change has been very well 18, is providing a more structured approach supported by strong political backing. The to gathering young people's perspectives on Scottish Government provides empowering guidance and training materials to strengthen learner participation to facilitate the growing excellent practice that is established and 5 Scottish Learner Panel emerging across all educational sectors. One https://www.syp.org.uk/scottish_learner_panel 177 recent example is the publication of a Refreshed Narrative6 for Curriculum for Excellence which will have a renewed emphasis on the four Case studies capacities, reinforcing the importance of learners being at the heart of education from ages 3-18. Recently, Education Scotland has offered a Case study 1 – Young creative approach to capturing the needs and wishes of learners, of all ages, using "Imagine Leaders of Learning If ..."7 questions and creativity skills activities for learners and practitioners. This is proving to programme be very effective in generating rich discussions around improving the curriculum, founded on the As part of the Scottish Government's voices of learners. programme, Education Scotland is developing Some schools have also been taking a 'Service a Young Leaders of Learning programme. The Design' approach to ensure that their learners aim is for children and young people to be able are fully involved in the co-design of their to increase their engagement in the process of curriculum. The purpose of Service Design improving outcomes in schools and develop how in education is to establish best practices we listen to their views. for designing services according to both the The aim is to support schools' own self- needs of learners, parents and partners evaluation activities as young people will be able and the competencies and capabilities of to share practice and become more familiar the practitioners. This has involved learners, with the language and processes of school practitioners and partners working together to improvement. Schools involved are taking identify barriers to success and to then create part in reciprocal visits, working in teams of solutions in an open and collaborative way. two or three. The aim of the visits is to identify Scotland is proud of its journey from recognising strengths, and potential areas for improvement the importance of the learner voice to promoting which pupils from the host school take forward effective learner participation across the with the senior leadership team. education system and beyond. Policy makers, The programme has been trialled in Aberdeen national agencies and practitioners have created where 16 primary schools and three secondary a very strong platform to develop the learner schools are involved. They have focussed on the voice further across all sectors of learning theme of 'relationships' and have identified many in Scotland and to ensure that the effective areas of improvement for their own and other practice that has been identified is shared and schools around matters such as playground adapted to provide a consistent high quality of improvements, rewards and sanctions, and learning participation across all educational improving pupil voice and leadership. Feedback settings. has been positive. Pupils engaged in the project have reported that their confidence has improved and schools are listening to their views and implementing changes. Supporting staff have also had the opportunity to exchange ideas with colleagues in other establishments, and to 6 www.scotlandscurriculum.scot reflect on their own practice. 7 Imagine if … https://education.gov.scot/improvement/self- A 'training for trainers' approach is being evaluation/imagine-if-approaching-the-curriculum- creatively developed to create a toolkit of resources for 178 staff to use in their own schools. This will build empowered the children to be leaders of their capacity within local authorities and enable them learning and to apply their literacy and numeracy to build, extend and sustain the programme skills in real contexts. This way of working nationwide. involved the children in creating sustainable solutions to improve their own school's grounds https://youtu.be/x3kssuVIV_8 and to leave a lasting legacy in their school and https://youtu.be/q8eiLQolclA their community. The children have recorded their journey through films and their work will be shared across Aberdeen City schools through Case study 2 – Planning a document called 'Naturalising your outdoor space on a budget.' for real https://vimeo.com/277312669 https://vimeo.com/294323034 This case study details the leading role of Primary 7 (the final year of primary education in Scotland) children at Middleton Park School in transforming two outdoor play spaces during Case study 3 – Learner 2018/19. engagement at Forth The children began with an investigation about how the early years children were using the Valley College: an existing outdoor spaces. They observed how the children played and the spaces they used the example of excellent most. They used their observations to inform practice their design and worked with their class teacher and outdoor specialists to create draft designs. Forth Valley College is one of Scotland's leading These were tested with the early years and highest performing colleges. It has a children and work then began in measuring the very active Student Association (SA), which is designated areas and calculating the resources run solely by students – two full-time elected that would be required. The Primary 7 children sabbatical officers, as well as a number of took responsibility for collating the lists of elected voluntary officers. The SA team works resources and writing business letters and very closely with college management in a spirit emails, phoning businesses and working with of true partnership to influence college decision- Outdoor Specialists and Environmental Services making in a variety of ways. Its focus is to to seek funding and to source free and recycled improve the quality of students' experience, both resources. within and outwith the classroom. The Student President and Vice President are members As the resources started to arrive in school, the of the college Board of Management (which Primary 7 children became part of the workforce governs the college), where they contribute to install and create their designs. During their fully to Board business. Officers are also active final term in Primary 7 they were able to enjoy members of internal college committees and observing the younger children playing in their working groups, which provide a very effective spaces and to evaluate the success of their vehicle for consultation on college strategies work. and plans. In recent years, the college and the This initiative involved the Primary 7 children SA have worked together to achieve Fairtrade in planning, delivering and evaluating one of status (the first college in Scotland to achieve the school's improvement plan priorities. It this); implement a Carers' Charter to support 179 student carers; and to enhance support for the Empowering students to influence and co- increasing numbers of students experiencing create their learning is very important to the mental health issues. college. Key to this success are the Listening to Learners Focus Groups, which are held twice The SA also supports the recruitment of around each year with every class. A carefully-designed 300 class representatives each year from across set of questions focuses the discussion on the the college and provides these representatives quality of students' learning. The focus groups with comprehensive training and support for are facilitated by a member of college staff in their role. Class representatives meet together at collaboration with the Class Representative. Student Council meetings, bringing the voice of This routinely leads to changes that enhance all students whom they represent. A member of learning for those specific students. For example, the college's Senior Management Team attends the students influence the pace and sequence these meetings, which provide an opportunity of learning, assessment schedules, learning for the representatives to give feedback on the activities and the use of technologies to support wider student experience and give ideas and and enhance learning. suggestions for enhancing college services. References Children's Parliament (2017). What Kind of Scotland? Children Influencing Scotland's Future [online]. Available: https://www.childrensparliament.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/WhatKindofScotlandOnline2017. pdf [2017] Education Scotland (2015). How good is our school? 4th Edition [online]. Available : https://education.gov. scot/improvement/documents/frameworks_selfevaluation/frwk2_nihedithgios/frwk2_hgios4.pdf [2015] Education Scotland (2008). Curriculum for Excellence, Building the Curriculum 3 [online]. 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