Incorporating Student Voices into Education Systems

Incorporating savant translators into Education Systemslanguage is the primary technology of conference.Winch et al., 20046.1 Introduction to the preachingThis chapter uses its space to develop some of the appends raised by the research that has bygone into the dissertation. If it is contentious, it is in order to ask questions astir(predicate) issues where the answers argon not withal avail conciliateed, and develop a deeper understanding of the idols. This includesthe earthly concern of Student Voice as a support and integrated concept, rather than as a manipulated concept for integrationthe validation of alternative education as an ideal luff for Student Voicethe questions of federations and how this is being politically channelled whilst not perhaps wedded the strength of foundation it deserves and needs6.2 Student Voice Integration for encyclopaedism or Integration for PolicyAs the dissertation showed, there argon strong theoretical underpinnings for the value of incorporating Student Voice into educational systems, especially when inspectn in a constructivist light. The surprise is that it has taken so long. However, the field of honor has besides shown that it is not always as easy as evaluate to re-data formatting a schools come up. at that place atomic number 18 worries and concerns surrounding the actual domain of adapting an existing system to incorporate Student Voice. There are the teachers concerns of devaluing teaching at the cost of social development. There are fears about loosing discipline and upsetting the status quo. On the other(a) hand, there are in addition those who embrace the concepts of freedom of development choice and assimilator plowshare.As Martin, Worral, and Dutson-Steinfeld (2005) aim it, it is now too late to come out the lid back on Pandoras Box. The danger is that the tide may follow the easiest path, rather than perceive to the voices that are to a greater extent(prenominal) difficult to hear. Cruddass (2001) argued that these voices may deplete the greatest contri simplyion to make. After all, if Student Voice is a regularity of integration, it is surely plumb pointless directing it towards those who already have their avenues for communication and are closely entrenched within the system, when those just outside need to be raised with a way in. It perhaps reflects some of the cultural values when it loves to who the system wants to provide a voice for and who it does not.For the Westernised education systems, throws in the socio-economic climates have brought about a shifting balance of power, caused by information and communications technology and learners nark to alternative sources of knowledge, reduced public descenting, globalisation and commercial imperatives.Latchem Hanna 2001, p. 1 1 could perhaps add that as the public funding has gone down, the curtain raising has been filled by an incremental increase in policy reenforcement and political b landishment. It calculates that the onus is put on the schools to follow the recommendations, and increasingly to fund these demands themselves. That aside, listening to young learners, and understanding what they are communicating has most probably been a part of the repertoire of what Haberman (1995) termed star teachers long before it stupefy encapsulated in documentation. The password is whether the value put on Student Voice is a passing phase or is getting the attention it so richly deserves.6.3 Alternative Education and Student VoiceThis section of the reciprocation returns to the use of an environmental education format as a actor of combining unequivocal communication strategies through the use of different formats, much(prenominal) as a conservation park and school. It has taken some prison term for alternative educational formats to receive appointed consideration, and this has demanded a considerable change in instinct set. For example, as more people have com e to understand the necessity for a complete change with pretend to the prop of humans in the environment, the ideals of education set by sustainability have effect less the realm of extremists and more the essentials for good sense. If one were to take this a step further, a actual form of education such as that potentially offered by the greenness could become less of an alternative, and more of a mainstream consideration. This is one reason that this dissertation has explored the environment as a subject matter of generating attitudes and raising voices, rather than a questioning of knowledge gained through the stumble Programs.Using the Park as the example, this area found that the Activate Programs were in effect(p) in communicating a positive attitude towards each other based on involvement with a specific environment. Rather than a sense of environmental consideration, there was a sense of connection amongst students to the Park. Although environmental knowledge was not measured, the results of working in the environment contributed to the Observational sections that intercommunicate some of this dissertation showed changes in awareness.One of the principal(prenominal) factors was the culture of puff up-known(prenominal)ity that developed amongst those students who were regulars on the Activate programs. They developed a better understanding of the Park and knew more what to expect when they visited. This meant they not only had different expectations that those less familiar with the Park, but that they started to show a leadership and peer attitude that supported the Activate ethic. This working in the environment system, when designed carefully and driven by the right personalities, appears to strongly support the idea of a more mainstream commence to an outdoor classroom.This culture of communication, as it could be called, aims to be enabling and empowering for students. It not only encourages positive connections to develop between the students and the environment, it also gives them practical opportunities to see what they shadower do. This is a vitally important point for students from schools where they are all too often given information, but have no way of acting upon it in a positive and constructive way. In the Park, there is the combination of Student Voice as an over-current to the Activate activities. For example, the Lion group consists of some truly challenging students who would not normally co-operate together. Yet at the Park, as the undermentioned quote shows, they do. There is a continual level of communication that seems to equate to a precise different reality to the one found at schoolIt is very encouraging to see some of our students in this program and thusly see how different they are in their behaviour and attitude back in a classroom/school setting. In the classroom they can be the disruptive/troubled student and yet at the Park these identical students have been the Leaders and are go forthing to help/show and channelize new/younger student of this group. At the beginning of our program we had a heavy(a), troubled group but as time evolved they have strengthened relationships and furthered skills they didnt know they had. instructor Inter gull 2006Expectations were integrated with communication. Where there was insufficient communication between the Park and school staff, false expectations could be generated and this was an area that mandatory tightening up as it could lead to confusion. However, the outcomes for attitude have been predominantly positive. Not one teacher, student, parent or support staff treasured to see the programs stop and the majority like them as they are.6.4 Does Parent compacts HelpThanks to the SEN and Disability Act (DfES 2001), parents and carers now have avenues that will help them find out the options available for their SEN child. Parent confederacy Services (PPS) (see e.g. Worcestershire County Councils online Parent Partnership Service) are designed to throw overboard statutory rights including..information, advice and guidance on SEN matters to allow them to make informed decisions about their childs education. PPS can also help prevent difficulties from develop into disagreements.Rogers et al. 2006, p. 1There are obvious advantages to a partnership approach (Roger et al.2006 Wolfendale 2002 Wolfendale Cook 1997). It enables a more holistic approach to the students whole learning experience and thereby includes their social and emotional status as well as the environmental and cognitive. But, as Rogers et al. (2006) show in their assessment of PPS, the methodology of integrating PPS facilitate needs work and is highly variable. With regard to this dissertation, the discussion focuses on the positive contribution of parents and carers when they are involved with the students education at school whilst stopping short of advocating that teachers lesson plans be available to parentsSchools s hould make information available to parents on what they can expect from schools and individual scholars progress. This might include access to lesson plans and learning materials and should be available as and when parents want to access it.DfES 2006b, p. 24If the goal is that of the modify learning (DfES 2006) currently advocated, with all its emphasis on partnership, then it may well be that teachers will have to re-evaluate what their planning is for. It would seem entirely acceptable, in deed necessary, for parents and carers involved in this partnership approach to be well acquainted with what is about to be taught. yet this sounds more and more like sending the parents back to school themselves. Perhaps the ideal is a school planning document that outlines the curriculum content and its anticipated coverage, subject to curriculum changes of course, that is specifically prepared for community involvement. The fact that Partnership is being advocated above Student Voice perha ps suggests that one format is easier to manage politically than the other. In fact, the following DfES (2006b) Figure 4 shows that pupil voice is more an element of learning an a cognitive descriptive than a part of all-round learning.These are just three of the issues put forward for discussion and it is anticipated that much more work will be done on these in the future.7 CONCLUSIONThis check has been a learning journey in itself. The first thing the study demanded was learning to listen properly to students and not interpret what they were reflexion by my own standards. The added dimension of the zoological park provided a fascinating line with students styles and eccentrics of communication and how they changed at school and at the Park. The following is a brief summary of where we are now and what needs to be considered in the future.We now know that a democratic system equips students better, be they in a special school or mainstream, for a come out educational reality. Part of this democratic system involves the right to speak on ones own behalf and have ones view listened to and, when appropriate, acted up. At its best, Student Voice works as a mode of holistically integrating students in their education. Whilst Student Voice motivates, it also allows and encourages students to take business for their learning. The dissertation has shown that this works at a variety of levels. In the classroom, the study identified some of the strong links between student ingrained motivation and the power of choice. Where the student is involved in selection and method of learning, they are more likely to become and remain enthusiastic. It should go without saying that it is equally important for SEN students to have these same rights, even if the means of communication are different. This means official support (i.e. funding) is necessary for schools to be able to resource themselves sufficiently to cater for all Student Voices. As discussed, this issue of f unding is a particularly thorny one and seems to get concealed beneath the shifting sands of politics, covered with a blanket of rhetoric and Government sponsored research. However, it is a step along the way towards changing mind sets towards Student Voice.There is also the issue of teacher attitudes. Many teachers are more used to being heard and less familiar with the type of listening Student Voice requires. Some find it hard to clear student opinion. Despite all the research done into Student Voice, and the plain better fit it makes in contemporary society, there are still those who are frightened by the change in the status quo, or whos training has not encompassed this, or who resent more official requirements. In fact, in a contemporary, humanistic and individualised paradigm, it seems increasingly remote that choice as a concept does not underpin the UK educational system. Therefore, one of the recommendations for the future has to more professional development for those teachers that need it. Teacher training itself is constantly subject to change and has the challenge of both preparing students for the reality of working in schools and establishing the current pedagogic approach. For example, it may be hard for a new teacher with a passion for listening to students to adapt to work in a more traditional school setting.With regard to settings, the dissertation showed that location and environment have a distinct encounter on students. This led to the design of a new school which feature both the in-class educational formats and the outdoors activities, be those agricultural, environmental, or simply outside.In summary, the future of Student Voice and its best use in the UK educational system needs to take into considerationTeacher training and go along support for new and existing teachers through professional development.Make the formats for student voice more user-friendly and introduce them professionally do not expect all schools to be abl e to adapt their format automatically. pay and long term support.What lies before us and what lies behind us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. Oliver Windell Holmes