Engaging students in their learning: voice, partnership and co-creation

Student engagement is a key component of UK higher education. However, the term covers many different areas, ranging from student representation to academic study and students’ involvement in extra and co-curricular activities. Despite the lack of definition, measuring student engagement across the sector is increasing—including through measures of student outcomes and ‘learning gain’; new questions on the National Student Survey (NSS); and the development of the HEA’s UK Engagement Survey (UKES). Student engagement and student voice have become contentious aspects of higher education policy whilst also being celebrated through institutional-based student awards and national representative bodies. At the same time, student engagement with the curriculum is growing, with student voice reshaping the curriculum around diversity and inclusion and new forms of co-creation occurring through nexuses of teaching and research.

This keynote will explore the different dimensions of student engagement, the different levels of how students engage with learning and different ways of measuring and acknowledging how students engage with their learning. The discussion will be grounded by two main areas of research: research on students’ expectations and perceptions of higher education, their understanding of student engagement and evolving evidence from 13 pilot projects on learning gain funded by the Office for Students. Challenges and benefits of student engagement in policy and practice are explored. The discussion will focus on the use of student engagement in policy development across the sector, within institutions and departments, and implications for the practices of individual academics, course teams and students.

This session is open to staff at the University of Glasgow and validated institutions.

Tea and coffee will be provided.

Speaker: Dr Camille B. Kandiko Howson, King’s College London