At the same time, there is no lack of evidence for how students are shaping their learning outside of the school building—everyday and everywhere. Students are hyperaware of a world where they can learn information without ever attending a class, find answers at the speed of light, share their voices across the globe with the click of a button, and launch their passions from their couch. And yet, the rooms where new tools, methods, and innovations in education and learning are being researched and designed are largely devoid of student voice and leadership.
As we continue to witness decreases in student engagement, skyrocketing chronic absenteeism, and low scores on assessments, the data beg the question—why are students missing from the rooms where we are researching and designing learning experiences to transform their engagement and outcomes?
Adults need to understand the biases and assumptions that we as school leaders, educators, researchers, and product developers carry with us. In my years of leading work that engages schools, students, families, and communities in R&D, when I encounter pushback about student participation, it typically falls into three categories:
“Students do not understand.”
Students cannot participate in R&D, because they do not understand how teaching and learning works—how school systems operate, the learning theory that informs pedagogy and curriculum, the research or development know-how and process, etc.
“Students do not want to or cannot participate.”
Students cannot participate in R&D because they are busy, are not interested, have personal obligations, are difficult to keep engaged, or are hard to find and connect with.
“Students are not experts.”
Students cannot participate in R&D, because they have not developed an expertise in education. As learners, they are in the process of building their knowledge and skills. As such, their ideas and perspectives are not informed by expertise.
“Students do not understand.”
Students cannot participate in R&D, because they do not understand how teaching and learning works—how school systems operate, the learning theory that informs pedagogy and curriculum, the research or development know-how and process, etc.
“Students do not want to or cannot participate.”
Students cannot participate in R&D because they are busy, are not interested, have personal obligations, are difficult to keep engaged, or are hard to find and connect with.
“Students are not experts.”
Students cannot participate in R&D, because they have not developed an expertise in education. As learners, they are in the process of building their knowledge and skills. As such, their ideas and perspectives are not informed by expertise.
We can create opportunities to support students’ active and willing participation when our adult mindset and actions shift to inviting students in as R&D partners and honoring their perspectives and lived experience as experts. Novel and groundbreaking solutions emerge that can only be realized when students and their families—those closest to the challenge—have voice and leadership in the process.
Adults need to redefine how we engage students in education R&D to ensure their perspectives are central to the process.
What adults say on day one determines how students show up and whether students will feel trusted and valued… or not. Adults have to create “student-first” spaces that enable students to lead with their ideas and solutions. In our Inclusive Innovation R&D process, students are often encouraged to speak first and then adults are invited to build on the foundation they set. Students will naturally step into leadership when adults shift our roles to make way.
Adults have to be willing to learn from students. The adult mindset naturally reminds us that we are supposed to teach young people, rather than invite young people to teach us. As a result, we intrinsically listen differently when students share ideas and perspectives. We need to build our capacity to hear and experience students’ ideas and perspectives as well informed and innovative, rather than nascent or naive.
—Kimberly Smith, Chief Inclusive Innovation Officer at Digital Promise
We have created a Student Voice and Leadership capacities map that outlines a set of four core principles and a set of capacities that must be true for students to be seen, heard and valued at the education R&D table.
Utilize the Inclusive Innovation Student Voice and Leadership capacity map to guide how you invite students in and support their participation. It takes work to shift how we invite students into the room and intentionally respect their voice and leadership—and when we do, it is worth it. The future of education depends on it.
If you would like to learn how to center student voice and leadership and build skills for engaging students, set up a time to meet with us!
