Transforming Learning Environments via Student Partnership
This workshop introduced the evolving concept of student partnership (as used in the higher education sector) as a part of collaborative efforts to create effective, inclusive, and potentially transformative learning environments. Using contributions from students and faculty, participants collaboratively explored potential ways in which students as partners approach can help improve the learning environment and student engagement with learning.
The first activity in the workshop involved students, faculty and CLT staff working in small, diverse groups on each table to list three things that can be done to improve the learning environment in their context and transferring them to this Google doc: http://bit.ly/cltauc-partnership. Among the key factors mentioned by multiple groups were:
• More interactive, engaging classes
• Connecting learning to real life applications
• Removing grades
• Promoting research
• Involving the students in planning and implementation phase
• Rewarding creativity
The concept of student partnership in higher education was introduced from three perspectives:
1- From literature, such as this definition “...partnership represents a sophisticated and effective approach to student engagement because it offers the potential for a more authentic engagement with the nature of learning itself, and the possibility for genuinely transformative learning experiences.” Union of Students in Ireland (2018)
2- From students interns at the National Forum in Ireland, such as Alex Coughan's contribution, which mentioned “by taking a Students as Partners approach in higher education, authority of and respect for learning becomes part of the students’ experience” (emphasis by workshop facilitators) and Karolyn McDonnell's suggestion that student partnership lies on a continuum.
From AUC students, such as Nour Hakim's (ECON & POLS major) contribution, which mentioned the need “to foster a relationship of care between students and professors that isn’t based on a metric system of grades” and suggestions by Ayah Safwat (EENG graduate) and Youssef Boudah (MKTG) to create a reciprocal mentoring relationship where students advise faculty on their course design and offer them feedback, as Sarah Samy (ECON) says, for faculty and students to “develop one another”. Ramez Habib (major?) spoke live, and shared examples of faculty engaging students in class
education, authority of and respect for learning becomes part of the students’ experience” (emphasis by workshop facilitators) and Karolyn McDonnell's suggestion that student partnership lies on a continuum.
3- From AUC students, such as Nour Hakim's (ECON & POLS major) contribution, which mentioned the need “to foster a relationship of care between students and professors that isn’t based on a metric system of grades” and suggestions by Ayah Safwat (EENG graduate) and Youssef Boudah (MKTG) to create a reciprocal mentoring relationship where students advise faculty on their course design and offer them feedback, as Sarah Samy (ECON) says, for faculty and students to “develop one another”. Ramez Habib (CSCE) spoke live, and shared examples of faculty engaging students in class.
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