Teaching and Learning 

Student Voice and Agency

‘How can we use student voice and agency to create highly engaged and connected learners?’

This inquiry question has been the driving force of our PLC work so far this term, as teachers work to define the high aspirations we have for our learners here at ECSC. Student voice and agency are part of the Victorian Department of Education Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO) as defined below:

“Student voice is not simply about giving students the opportunity to communicate ideas and opinions; it’s about students having the power to influence change…This is known to lead to improved educational outcomes. Student agency refers to the level of autonomy and power that a student experiences in the learning environment… Agency gives students the power to direct and take responsibility for their learning, creating independent and self-regulating learners.”

Through our initial work so far, we have investigated the powerfully positive impact that student-teacher collaboration has on learning, engagement, empowerment and connectedness to school. Our Learning Area teams have begun to set small, achievable goals around including student voice and agency in the planning of their next units of work and are considering ways of measuring the impact that this has on students. 

As a core part of this, we have also begun working with a Year 8 Student Voice and Agency focus group. These students had their first session last week and worked through unpacking the following statements from our Attitudes to School student survey results:

• At this school, I help decide things like class activities or rules 
• I have the opportunity to participate in decision-making at this school 
• I have a say in the things I learn 
• My teachers incorporate student ideas in class activities

Students worked in small teams to give feedback around what they feel is currently happening around the College and what they would like to see happen in the future. They came up with some creative and courageous ideas and are excited to start working with their teachers to plan elements of the curriculum for 2020 and beyond. 

Year 9 Elective development

As part of our ongoing curriculum planning process, teachers have been workshopping innovative elective ideas that will challenge and engage our first Year 9 cohort of students in 2020. Offering an elective program in the senior years of secondary school allows students to begin to shape and personalise their own learning journey based on their strengths and areas of interest. Including an element of choice for students early on in their education also opens up initial conversations around possible career pathways as students try new things and continue to test out what may interest them in the future. 

Teachers will also work to utilise student voice and agency in the development of elective ideas by seeking feedback from the students themselves. Once the process is finalised, students will be able to choose from a wide range of electives that will cover all Learning areas; from Design and Digital technologies, STEAM, the Arts and Health and Physical Education to choices that extend and reimagine the core subjects of English, the Humanities, Maths and Science. 

Taryn Godley