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Definition
Student Voice is a neologism describing the distinct perspectives and actions of young people throughout education focused on education. Student voice is increasingly identified as a pillar of successful school reform, as educational researchers, academic institutions, and support organizations around world increasingly advocate for the inclusion of students in the reform process. Student voice is seen as a precursor to student engagement, identified by school researcher Fred Newmann as "the active, distinct, and concentrated way" students participate in schools. Student voice is related to youth voice. This article is in need of attention. ...
Youth voice is a fairly common neologism to refers to the distinct ideas, opinions, attitudes, knowledge, and actions of young people as a collective body. ...
Examples Canada Legislation Education reform has long been the domain of parents, teachers, school administrators and politicians. In some nations, however, there is a trend beginning to encompass a much larger element of student participation in scholastic affairs. A student voice on district school boards was mandated in 1998. As part of changes made to the Ontario Education Act, legislation mandates that students of each one of the 72 provincial school boards are represented by a 'pupil representative', commonly called Student Trustee. He/she is to represent the needs and concerns of students in discussions with the school board administration and the province. Ontario's Student Voice will be strengthened, pending passage of Bill 78. Ontario Student Trustees' Association - l'Association des élèves conseillers et conseillères de l'Ontario OSTA-AECO has become Ontario's chief student stakeholder dedicated to representing the 1.9 million students in Ontario’s public education system. OSTA-AECO, through its General Assembly of student trustees, represents elementary and secondary students from the four sectors of publicly funded education (English Catholic, English Public, French Catholic, French Public). It provides professional development to its members and advocates for students' educational interests. The Society for Democratic Education An emerging organization in Toronto that includes many aspects of heightened student inclusion in education reform policy is The Society for Democratic Education.Founded in early 2005 by Bianca Wylie, The Society has published several essays and position papers that discuss the importance of wide-scale education reform, especially in how it applies to secondary level education and civic education. Other Proponents of Student Voice in Canada A prominent and established voice for students, albeit for post-secondary issues, is the Canadian Federation of Students. Other Toronto-based groups made up of student-aged members include The Toronto Youth Cabinet and Canada 25, though these organizations also focus on broader policy both within the city and the nation.
United Kingdom English Secondary Students Association ESSA is working to become the representative body for secondary students in England. It aims to support students in expressing their views about education by providing workshops and a network of support with other secondary school students. Campaign for State Education CASE believes that all individuals are entitled to high quality and properly resourced education, fostering life long enjoyment of learning and enabling them to live free and fulfilling lives in a diverse, multicultural society. This is best achieved through democratic and locally accountable partnerships working in a spirit of mutual respect and co-operation. Confederation of Education and Children's Services Manager The prime purpose of ConfEd is to contribute to raising and maintaining high standards in education and children's services. We seek to influence and initiate national developments in education and children's services, and in the profession through regular contact and close working with the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and other national bodies, including Ofsted, the Audit Commission, the TTA, and GTC. Ireland's Union of Secondary Students The Union of Secondary Students is the umbrella body of all second level students in Ireland. National College for School Leadership NCSL provides career-long learning and development opportunities, professional and practical support for England's existing and aspiring school leaders. Our goal is to ensure that school leaders have the skills, recognition, capacity and ambition to transform the school education system into the best in the world. National Union of Students NUS is a voluntary membership organisation comprising a confederation of local student representative organisations in universities and colleges throughout the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland which have chosen to affiliate and which pay a membership fee. Phoenix Education Trust Phoenix is the organisation that helped to found ESSA and currently provides the students with administrative support. It aims to explore and support education in which children are trusted and respected and their participation in decision-making is encouraged. School Councils UK School Councils UK has been helping schools to develop into caring communities, working with teachers and pupils in primary, secondary and special schools for more than ten years. School Councils UK, which is supported by the DfES and accredited as a TA Headlamp Trainer, also works in partnership with local education authorities. SoundOut.org The Organising Bureau of European School Students Unions OBESSU is the umbrella organisation for secondary school student organisations in European.
United States SoundOut Soundout is the only nonprofit education program in the US solely focused on engaging student voice throughout education. SoundOut works with students, educators, administrators, policy-makers, and academics to raise the profile, substance, and effect of student voice in K-12 settings across the country. National Youth Rights Association NYRA advocates for increased recognition for student rights in schools, including the right to privacy, student access to records, and student representation throughout the education system. NYRA logo The National Youth Rights Association is the largest Youth Rights group in the United States, with several thousand members. ...
Criticism National student voice expert Adam Fletcher has said, "It is not enough to simply listen to student voice. Educators have an ethical imperative to do something with students, and that is why meaningful student involvement is vital to school improvement."[1]
Bibliography - Adam Fletcher. Meaningful Student Involvement Guide to Students as Partners in School Change, (2005) p.21.
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