Question or Topic:

 “We would like to learn more about student voice and ownership.”

What:

Student voice is twofold in education. It refers to the expression of values, opinions, beliefs, and perspectives of individuals and groups of students in a school and to instructional approaches and techniques that are based on student choices, interests, passions, and ambitions. Listening to and acting on student preferences, interests, and perspectives helps students feel invested in their own learning and can ignite passions that will increase their persistence. 

Student ownership is often used interchangeably with student engagement. While both are critical to learning acceleration efforts, student engagement is a lower-level goal and is not our highest learning destination. Student ownership is evident when students can articulate what they are learning, why they are learning, strategies that support their learning, and how they will use these strategies in the future. 

Why:

Student voice research indicates that students who believe they have a voice in school are seven times more likely to be academically motivated than students who do not believe they have a voice (Quaglia Institute for School Voice and Aspirations, 2016). The more educators can give their students choice, control, challenge, and opportunities for collaboration, the greater their motivation and engagement will be. This can impact a student’s level of effort and persistence, which is one of the most important factors that affect achievement (Toshalis & Nakkula, 2012).

Student ownership matters because when students who are encouraged to take ownership for their own learning, they are better able to identify and work toward learning goals; are more likely to believe that it is within their control to succeed in school; and demonstrate life skills such as initiative, self-direction and productivity.

How/Resources:

• Self-Directed Learning: A Four-Step Process - Centre For Teaching Excellence University of Waterloo

• Including Student Voice - Edutopia 

• 5 Ways to Give Your Students More Voice and Choice - Edutopia

• Voice, Choice, and Creativity in the Classroom, with Dr. John Spencer | Podcast Ep. 5 - Teachaway

• ePortfolios:

  • Google Digital Portfolio/Notebook (Slides Carnival, Slides Mania)

  • Canva as an ePortfolio

  • Google Sites as an ePortfolio

• Quaglia Institute for School Voice and Aspirations (QISVA) - Russ Quaglia [Mission: The Quaglia Institute is committed to making a difference globally—putting into practice the conditions that foster everyone's voice and aspirations in learning communities around the world. We believe that every student and staff member embodies endless potential, that we can always learn from one another, and that working together is the only effective way forward.”]

  • Instructional Strategies - Library

Topic of Interest Responses:

”We would like our topic to be student voice and ownership. We were thinking about something that could be ongoing, like portfolios.”

What:

Voice is when students are responsible for or included in designing their learning options. Choice, voice, and student agency are all ways in which students are encouraged to take ownership of their learning.

Why:

Getting buy-in from students at the outset encourages them to engage more deeply in their learning. Providing choices, being flexible, and building positive relationships are the bedrock of making sure that kids know that they are the most important school stakeholders and that they own their learning.

How/Resources:

• ePortfolios:

  • Google Digital Portfolio/Notebook (Slides Carnival, Slides Mania)

  • Google Sites as an ePortfolio

  • Canva as an ePortfolio

• Including Student Voice - Edutopia 

• 5 Ways to Give Your Students More Voice and Choice - Edutopia

• Voice, Choice, and Creativity in the Classroom, with Dr. John Spencer | Podcast Ep. 5 - Teachaway