Students as Partners—Good for Students, Good for Staff: A Study on the Impact of Partnership Working and How This Translates to Improved Student-Staff Engagement
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15173/ijsap.v1i2.3089Keywords:
students as partners, student-staff partnership, higher education, personal development, scaling up partnershipAbstract
This paper situates Students as Partners (SaP) within the broader construct of student engagement so that we can examine the influence of partnership on student and staff participants and how this impacts on student and staff relationships. The findings of interviews carried out with students and staff (n=14), which aimed to capture rich descriptions of the lived experience of individuals, reveal that there was a high level of consensus between students and staff on how they described their lived experiences and the impact that partnership was having on them—particularly in relation to their personal development. Whilst it became apparent that the participants’ thinking and behaviours had changed as a result of their involvement in partnership, quite often the catalyst for this change was in relation to how the participants were feeling. Considerations for relevant stakeholders are highlighted to support the scaling up of a SaP approach.
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References
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Cook-Sather, A., Bovill, C., & Felten, P. (2014). Engaging students as partners in learning and teaching: A guide for faculty. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Curran, R. & Millard, L. (2015). A partnership approach to developing student capacity to engage and staff capacity to be engaging: Opportunities for academic developers. International Journal for Academic Development, 21(1), 67-78. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1360144X.2015.1120212
Delpish, A., Holmes, A., Knight-McKenna, M., Mihans, R., Darby, A., King, K., & Felten, P. (2010). Equalising voices: Student-faculty partnership in course design. In C. Werder & M. M. Otis (Eds.), Engaging student voices in the study of teaching and learning (pp. 96-114). Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing.
Dickerson, C., Jarvis, J., & Stockwell, L. (2016). Staff-student collaboration: Student learning from working together to enhance educational practice in higher education. Teaching in Higher Education, 21(3), 249-265. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2015.1136279
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Moving from the fringe to the mainstream: opportunities for embedding student engagement through partnership. Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal, 1(1). Retrieved from https://journals.gre.ac.uk/index.php/raise/issue/view/46/showToc
Fredricks, J.A., Blumenfeld, P., & Paris, A. (2004). School engagement: Potential of the concept, state of the evidence. Review of Educational Research, 74(1), 59-109. http://dx.doi.org/10.3102/00346543074001059
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Kahn, P. (2014). Theorising student engagement in higher education. British Educational Research Journal, 40(6), 1005-1018. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/berj.3121
Framing student engagement in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 38(5), 758-773. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2011.598505
Kvale, S. (2007). Doing interviews. London: Sage.
Lea, J. (2016). Turning down the volume control on student voice in order to enhance student engagement. Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal, 1(1). Retrieved from https://journals.gre.ac.uk/index.php/raise/issue/view/46/showToc
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Marquis, E., Black, C, & Healey, M. (2017). Responding to the challenges of student-staff partnership: The reflections of participants at an international summer institute. Teaching in Higher Education, 22(6), 720-735 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2017.1289510
Marquis, E., Puri, V., Wan, S., Ahmad, A., Goff, L., Knorr, K., Vassileva, J., & Woo, J. (2016). Navigating the threshold of student-staff partnerships: A case study from an Ontario teaching and learning institute. International Journal for Academic Development, 21(1), 4-15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1360144X.2015.1113538
Matthews, K.E. (2016). Students as partners as the future of student engagement. Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal, 1(1). Retrieved from https://journals.gre.ac.uk/index.php/raise/issue/view/46/showToc
Mercer-Mapstone, L., Dvorakova, L.S., Matthews, K.E., Abbot, S., Cheng, B., Felten, P., . . . Swaim, K. (2017). A Systematic literature review of students as partners in higher education. International Journal for Students as Partners 1(1). Retrieved from https://mulpress.mcmaster.ca/ijsap/article/view/3119
McCulloch, A. (2009). The student as co-producer: Learning from public administration about the student-university relationship. Studies in Higher Education, 34(2), 171-183. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03075070802562857
Nygaard, C., Brand, S., Bartholomew, P., & Millard, L. (Eds.). (2013). Student engagement: Identity, motivation and community. Faringdon: Libri Publishing.
Pauli, R., Raymond-Barker, B., & Worrell, M. (2016). The impact of pedagogies of partnership on the student learning experience in UK higher education: A psychological perspective. York: Higher Education Academy. Retrieved from https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resource/impact-pedagogies-partnership-student-learning-experience-uk-higher-education
Scullion, R., Molesworth, M., & Nixon, E. (2011). Arguments, responsibility and what is to be done about marketisation. In M. Molesworth, R.Scullion, & E. Nixon (Eds.), The marketisation of higher education and the student as consumer (pp. 227-236). Oxon: Routledge.
Smith, J.A., Flowers, P., & Larkin, M. (2009). Interpretative phenomenological analysis. London: Sage.
Solomonides, I. (2013). A relational and multidimensional model of student engagement. In E. Dunne & D. Owen (Eds.), The student engagement handbook: Practice in higher education (pp. 43-58). Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing Ltd.
Thomas, L. (2012). Building student engagement and belonging in higher education at a time of change: Final report from the What Works? Student Retention & Success programme. Retrieved from https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/building-student-engagement-and-belonging-higher-education-time-change-final-report
Thomas, L., Hill, M., O’Mahony, J., & Yorke, M. (2017). Supporting student success: Strategies for institutional change: What Works? Student Retention & Success programme. Retrieved from https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/system/files/hub/download/what_works_2_-_full_report.pdf
Tinto, V. (1987). Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Trowler, V. (2010). Student engagement literature review. York: Higher Education Academy. Retrieved from https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/sites/default/files/studentengagementliteraturereview_1.pdf
van Manen, M. (1990). Researching the lived experience: Human science for an action sensitive pedagogy. New York: State University of New York Press.
Waters, J. (2016). Phenomenological research guidelines. Capilano University.
Retrieved from https://www.capilanou.ca/psychology/student-resources/research-guidelines/Phenomenological-Research-Guidelines/
Aubrey, B. (2010). Managing your aspirations: Developing personal enterprise in the global workplace. Singapore: McGraw-Hill.
Braun, V. & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. http://dx.doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Bryson, C. (2014a). Clarifying the concept of student engagement. In C. Bryson (Ed.), Understanding and developing student engagement (pp. 1-22). Abingdon: Routledge.
Bryson, C. (2014b). Reflections and considerations about the future of student engagement. In C. Bryson (Ed.), Understanding and developing student engagement (pp. 231-240). Abingdon: Routledge.
Coates, H., & McCormick, A. C. (2014). Student engagement: A window into undergraduate education. In H. Coates, & A. C. McCormick (Eds.), Engaging university students: International insights from system-wide studies (pp. 1-12). New York: Springer.
Cook, A. (2015). Partnership working across UK public services. Edinburgh: What Works Scotland. Retrieved from http://whatworksscotland.ac.uk/publications/
Cook-Sather, A. (2014). Student-faculty partnership in explorations of pedagogical practice: A threshold concept in academic development. International Journal for Academic Development, 19(3), 186-198. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1360144X.2013.805694
Cook-Sather, A., Bovill, C., & Felten, P. (2014). Engaging students as partners in learning and teaching: A guide for faculty. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Curran, R. & Millard, L. (2015). A partnership approach to developing student capacity to engage and staff capacity to be engaging: Opportunities for academic developers. International Journal for Academic Development, 21(1), 67-78. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1360144X.2015.1120212
Delpish, A., Holmes, A., Knight-McKenna, M., Mihans, R., Darby, A., King, K., & Felten, P. (2010). Equalising voices: Student-faculty partnership in course design. In C. Werder & M. M. Otis (Eds.), Engaging student voices in the study of teaching and learning (pp. 96-114). Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing.
Dickerson, C., Jarvis, J., & Stockwell, L. (2016). Staff-student collaboration: Student learning from working together to enhance educational practice in higher education. Teaching in Higher Education, 21(3), 249-265. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2015.1136279
Elder, L. (1996). Critical thinking and emotional intelligence. Inquiry: Critical Thinking Across the Disciplines, 16(2) 35-49. Retrieved from https://www.pdcnet.org/inquiryct_poiesis/content/inquiryct_poiesis_1996_0016_0002_0035_0049
Finlay, L. (2014). Engaging phenomenological analysis. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 11(2), 121-141. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14780887.2013.807899.
Moving from the fringe to the mainstream: opportunities for embedding student engagement through partnership. Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal, 1(1). Retrieved from https://journals.gre.ac.uk/index.php/raise/issue/view/46/showToc
Fredricks, J.A., Blumenfeld, P., & Paris, A. (2004). School engagement: Potential of the concept, state of the evidence. Review of Educational Research, 74(1), 59-109. http://dx.doi.org/10.3102/00346543074001059
Gibbs, G. (2014, May 1). Student engagement, the latest buzzword. Times Higher Education. Retrieved from https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/student-engagement-the-latest-buzzword/2012947.article
Gibbs. G. (2016). 53 powerful ideas all teachers should know about: “Student engagement” is a slippery concept. Staff and Educational Development Association. Retrieved from: http://www.seda.ac.uk/53-powerful-ideas
Harrington, K., Sinfield, S., & Burns, T. (2016). Student engagement. In H. Pokorny & D. Warren (Eds.), Enhancing teaching practice in higher education (pp.106-124). London: Sage.
Healey, M., Flint, A. & Harrington, K. (2014). Engagement through partnership: students as partners in learning and teaching in higher education. York: HEA. Retrieved from https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/system/files/resources/engagement_through_partnership.pdf
Healey, M., & Jenkins, A. (2009). Developing undergraduate research and inquiry. York: Higher Education Academy. Retrieved from: https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resource/developing-undergraduate-research-and-inquiry
Husserl, E. (1999). The idea of phenomenology (Husserliana: Edmund Husserl - Collected Works). The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publications.
Hutchings, C., Bartholomew, N., & Reilly, O. (2013). Differential student engagement: Lessons learned. In C. Nygaard, S. Brand, P. Bartholomew, & L. Millard (Eds.), Student engagement: Identity, motivation and community (pp. 125-144). Faringdon: Libri Publishing.
Kahn, P. (2014). Theorising student engagement in higher education. British Educational Research Journal, 40(6), 1005-1018. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/berj.3121
Framing student engagement in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 38(5), 758-773. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2011.598505
Kvale, S. (2007). Doing interviews. London: Sage.
Lea, J. (2016). Turning down the volume control on student voice in order to enhance student engagement. Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal, 1(1). Retrieved from https://journals.gre.ac.uk/index.php/raise/issue/view/46/showToc
Levy, P., Little, S. & Whelan, N. (2011). Perspectives on staff-student partnerships in learning, research and educational enhancement. In S. Little (Ed.), Staff-student partnerships in higher education (pp. 1-15). London: Continuum.
Little, S., Sharp, H., Stanley, L., Hayward, M., Gannon-Leary, P., O’Neill, P. & Williams, J. (2011). Collaborating for staff-student partnerships: Experiences and observations. In S. Little (Ed.), Staff-student partnerships in higher education (pp. 215-226). London: Continuum.
Marquis, E., Black, C, & Healey, M. (2017). Responding to the challenges of student-staff partnership: The reflections of participants at an international summer institute. Teaching in Higher Education, 22(6), 720-735 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2017.1289510
Marquis, E., Puri, V., Wan, S., Ahmad, A., Goff, L., Knorr, K., Vassileva, J., & Woo, J. (2016). Navigating the threshold of student-staff partnerships: A case study from an Ontario teaching and learning institute. International Journal for Academic Development, 21(1), 4-15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1360144X.2015.1113538
Matthews, K.E. (2016). Students as partners as the future of student engagement. Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal, 1(1). Retrieved from https://journals.gre.ac.uk/index.php/raise/issue/view/46/showToc
Mercer-Mapstone, L., Dvorakova, L.S., Matthews, K.E., Abbot, S., Cheng, B., Felten, P., . . . Swaim, K. (2017). A Systematic literature review of students as partners in higher education. International Journal for Students as Partners 1(1). Retrieved from https://mulpress.mcmaster.ca/ijsap/article/view/3119
McCulloch, A. (2009). The student as co-producer: Learning from public administration about the student-university relationship. Studies in Higher Education, 34(2), 171-183. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03075070802562857
Nygaard, C., Brand, S., Bartholomew, P., & Millard, L. (Eds.). (2013). Student engagement: Identity, motivation and community. Faringdon: Libri Publishing.
Pauli, R., Raymond-Barker, B., & Worrell, M. (2016). The impact of pedagogies of partnership on the student learning experience in UK higher education: A psychological perspective. York: Higher Education Academy. Retrieved from https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resource/impact-pedagogies-partnership-student-learning-experience-uk-higher-education
Scullion, R., Molesworth, M., & Nixon, E. (2011). Arguments, responsibility and what is to be done about marketisation. In M. Molesworth, R.Scullion, & E. Nixon (Eds.), The marketisation of higher education and the student as consumer (pp. 227-236). Oxon: Routledge.
Smith, J.A., Flowers, P., & Larkin, M. (2009). Interpretative phenomenological analysis. London: Sage.
Solomonides, I. (2013). A relational and multidimensional model of student engagement. In E. Dunne & D. Owen (Eds.), The student engagement handbook: Practice in higher education (pp. 43-58). Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing Ltd.
Thomas, L. (2012). Building student engagement and belonging in higher education at a time of change: Final report from the What Works? Student Retention & Success programme. Retrieved from https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/building-student-engagement-and-belonging-higher-education-time-change-final-report
Thomas, L., Hill, M., O’Mahony, J., & Yorke, M. (2017). Supporting student success: Strategies for institutional change: What Works? Student Retention & Success programme. Retrieved from https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/system/files/hub/download/what_works_2_-_full_report.pdf
Tinto, V. (1987). Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Trowler, V. (2010). Student engagement literature review. York: Higher Education Academy. Retrieved from https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/sites/default/files/studentengagementliteraturereview_1.pdf
van Manen, M. (1990). Researching the lived experience: Human science for an action sensitive pedagogy. New York: State University of New York Press.
Waters, J. (2016). Phenomenological research guidelines. Capilano University.
Retrieved from https://www.capilanou.ca/psychology/student-resources/research-guidelines/Phenomenological-Research-Guidelines/
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Published
2017-10-07
How to Cite
Curran, R. (2017). Students as Partners—Good for Students, Good for Staff: A Study on the Impact of Partnership Working and How This Translates to Improved Student-Staff Engagement. International Journal for Students as Partners, 1(2), 20–35. https://doi.org/10.15173/ijsap.v1i2.3089
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