Personalised Learning, Student Voice and Student Councils:

A qualitative case study of innovation and student participation in school decision making

Sarah Quinn, Bachelor of Education (Honours) University of South Australia

Innovation and ‘Student Voice’ in the Learning EnvironmentICSEA category lower than the national averageLarge portion of students from disadvantaged

backgroundsTransformation of school organisation with

heterogeneous classes (R-7)Whole school timetableTransformation based on the pillars of ‘student

choice’ and ‘student voice’Traditional SRC innovation to Student

Parliament program

Research MethodologyQualitative paradigm Explanatory case study (Yin 2003)Realistic Evaluation (Pawson & Tilley 2000)

Context + Mechanism = OutcomeDocument AnalysisFocus Group InterviewsTranscribed and analysed according to

indexed themes from theoretical framework Axial coding

The ‘Student Parliament’ Model

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STUDENT PARLIAMENT

Members: Governor General, Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Treasurer, Cabinet, Ministries, Members, Staff Advisors.

*All ministries consist of Minister, Deputy Minister, (3) Members and a Staff Advisor

MINISTRY

FOR EDUCATION

(Success)

MINISTRY

FOR COMMUNITY

AFFAIRS (Belonging)

MINISTRY

OF FINANCE (Manage

funds for all Ministries)

MINISTRY

FOR DIVERSITY (Diversity)

MINISTRY FOR

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS

(Planet Savers)

MINISTRY OF SPORTS (Well being)

MINISTRY

FOR PUBLIC

RELATIONS (Discovery)

MINISTRY OF ABORIGINAL

NATIONS (Well being)

CABINET

Members: Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Ministers of all Ministries, Governor General

SECRETARIAT Advisory Board to the Governor

General Members: Governor General, Staff

Advisors, Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Disciplinary Board

Members: Governor General, Staff Advisors and 3 members of the Cabinet

ABORIGINAL EXECUTIVE Board of Aboriginal Members Aboriginal Education Team

GOVERNOR-GENERAL

Key Findings of the Research‘Pyramid of Voice’ (Mitra & Gross 2009)

Teachers and students ‘see each other differently’

‘Teacher authenticity’ (Fielding 2004)

Interesting, relevant ideas for student participation with specific purposes

Well defined structures and procedures

Benefits for all students

• Prime Minister and Deputy lead Ministries and General Assemblies

• Cabinet meetings with Ministers and leadership make decisions

'Building capacity for leadership'

Ministers and leadership

operate on this level

• Ministry meetings held regularly with purpose

• Ideas and opportunities turn to possible actions

• Feedback to school

'Collaborating with adults'

Ministries and staff advisors operate on

this level

• Representatives for all Ministries in every class

• Regular class meetings to create ideas and opportunities

• Feedback

'Being heard'All student voices are heard within

the school community

All students and teachers operate on this level

Why research?Exceeded my own

expectationsExpanded my own

knowledge of Educational Innovations in South Australia and around the world

Research is about people!

Excited about contributing to the field in a small way

Data managementData AnalysisWriting, writing,

writing!