Pedagogic voice: student voice in teaching and engagement pedagogies

Abstract

In this paper, we are concerned with the notion of ‘pedagogic voice’ as it relates to the presence of student ‘voice’ in teaching, learning and curriculum matters at an alternative, or second chance, school in Australia. This school draws upon many of the principles of democratic schooling via its utilisation of student voice in respect of the curriculum and pedagogy. We recognise that within the schooling context, voice can represent many things. Drawing on interview data, we outline two key areas of student voice: community membership associated with the ownership of practices and decision-making related to the young people’s learning and improved engagement; and encouraging curricular choice and the inclusion of personal interests and strengths within a school environment that is flexible and encourages individual freedom while balancing these with a young person’s required progress at school. Given that a lack of voice in schools has been attributed to many marginalised students’ alienation from mainstream schooling, we demonstrate how attention to pedagogic voice can not only work to engage students in learning, but also improve civic engagement.