Pupil Voice Research Articles

Learners' experience and perceptions of informal learning in Key Stage 3 music: a collective case study, exploring the implementation of Musical Futures in three secondary schools in Wales

In Wales, one of the seven core aims of the Welsh Government is the importance of allowing the voices of young people to be heard. This investigation placed pupil voice at its centre, exploring the impact of Musical Futures during the 2011–2012 pilot in three schools in Wales. Semi-structured interviews with focus groups of six to eight Key Stage 3 (KS3) learners provided evidence specific to each educational context, insight into learners' views regarding the approach and explored: their learning preferences and reflections on the outcomes; the extent to which they directed their own learning; and the skills they acquired and/or developed. A thematic analysis of the interviews illustrated how the implementation of Musical Futures can vary from school to school. The findings indicated that a less formal environment engaged and motivated KS3 learners and provided a platform for developing both musical and extra-musical skills.

Embracing the UNCRC in Wales (UK): policy, pedagogy and prejudices

Most countries are signatories to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). In 1999, the Government of Wales was devolved from the UK, and in 2011 the “Children and Young Persons Rights Measure” put the UNCRC as the basis of all its work. Any programme introduced in schools should therefore promote the UNCRC. To address this, we implemented the Philosophy for Children (P4C) in Schools Project in 64 schools and monitored teacher and pupil responses. This paper reports on a meta-analysis of quantitative and qualitative data that suggests that the models of childhood held by teachers impacts on how they respond to the UNCRC. Teachers who held models of children as “innocent”, “evil”, “blank slates” or “developing” found it hard to embrace the UNCRC. Teachers who were authoritarian, punitive and epistemologically directive also questioned the UNCRC. In contrast, teachers who practised rational authority and restorative approaches to wrongdoing and held a social competency model of the child embraced P4C, a democratic, community of inquiry approach to learning that puts pupil voice centre stage. We argue that P4C can provide a practical pedagogic tool to support the implementation of the UNCRC and has the potential to address barriers that arise from widely held deficit models of childhood.

Supporting pre-service teachers to enhance the effectiveness of their classroom practice through engaging with the ‘voice’ of their pupils

The research reported here was focussed on accessing the perceptions of pre-service teachers regarding the critical factors which support highly effective learning in schools in the United Kingdom. Their perceptions were arranged into a taxonomy so that they can be used as a starting point for their reflections on the observations they make of teaching and learning in schools with the aim of enhancing the effectiveness of their own teaching. The choice of technique used to access the perceptions was driven by the desire to provide the pre-service teachers with a method that they could use themselves to engage with the ‘voice’ of their own pupils regarding the factors which support effective learning. The engagement of pupil voice has become increasingly significant in understanding effective pedagogy and in securing more personalised approaches to learning in United Kingdom school contexts.

Brokering dialogue between secondary students and teachers to co-construct appropriate pedagogy in reduced-size classes

This study focuses on how two teachers working in reduced-size secondary classes of the same grade adapted their pedagogy as a result of a brokered dialogue between myself as researcher and 43 grade 10 students from the teachers’ classes. Research was carried out over the course of one academic year. First, students’ perspectives on studying in a reduced-size class were elicited before they were invited to suggest ways of improving the teaching and learning. These interviews were transcribed and given to the teachers of these classes. Next, these teachers were interviewed to gauge their opinions on what the students had reported in the earlier interviews. At a later stage, their teaching was observed to determine whether, and to what extent, the two teachers had attempted to incorporate changes based on the feedback from pupils. The study showed that the pupil voice is a very powerful and constructive trigger for enacting teachers’ pedagogical change and developing our understanding of students’ learning processes. Findings demonstrate that teachers responded positively to their students’ perspectives despite initial apprehensions. Implications for professional development and good practices in reduced-size classes are also presented.

The Voices of Children Aged 10 and 11years Old: Their Views on Physical Education and the Implications for Policy, Practice and Research in England

Abstract This paper has evolved out of a much larger doctoral thesis which looked specifically at the voices of year 6 children in the Olympic borough of Hackney in east London. The data collected contributes to an existing body of knowledge where the vast majority of the work on pupil voice has been concerned with the core subjects and with secondary schooling. The re- emergence of pupil voice as a pedagogical approach to inform curriculum design is encouraged throughout. The data collected showed that children do value their health, and were asking for a greater range of physical activities to be made available to them.

“I don't think I would be where I am right now”. Pupil perspectives on using mobile devices for learning

Are pupils in the United Kingdom using mobile devices to help their learning? If so, what are they using and why? This article is based on research carried out by questionnaire, observation and pupil interviews at two English academies. One of the academies provides mobile devices for the pupils, and the other bans the use of mobile devices. The extent to which pupils are using their mobile devices to help their learning and which features they find useful for their schoolwork were examined. Pupils were also asked about some of the common barriers to using a mobile device in school: bullying, cheating and disruption. Results show that pupils at both schools do use their mobile devices for learning, with significantly more use at the school which allows mobile devices. However, usage is also significant in the school which currently bans devices. Pupils use their mobile devices for a wide range of activities, and the way in which pupils use their devices raises important questions for schools considering the adoption of mobile technology for teaching and learning. This article argues that schools should be actively encouraging pupils to make use of mobile devices.Keywords: mobile learning; pupil voice; mobile phones; e-safety; pupil engagement(Published: 6 September 2013)Citation: Research in Learning Technology 2013, 21: 22116 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/rlt.v21i0.22116

‘‘I don’t think I would be where I am right now’’. Pupil perspectives on using mobile devices for learning

Are pupils in the United Kingdom using mobile devices to help their learning? If so, what are they using and why? This article is based on research carried out by questionnaire, observation and pupil interviews at two English academies. One of the academies provides mobile devices for the pupils, and the other bans the use of mobile devices. The extent to which pupils are using their mobile devices to help their learning and which features they find useful for their schoolwork were examined. Pupils were also asked about some of the common barriers to using a mobile device in school: bullying, cheating and disruption. Results show that pupils at both schools do use their mobile devices for learning, with significantly more use at the school which allows mobile devices. However, usage is also significant in the school which currently bans devices. Pupils use their mobile devices for a wide range of activities, and the way in which pupils use their devices raises important questions for schools considering the adoption of mobile technology for teaching and learning. This article argues that schools should be actively encouraging pupils to make use of mobile devices.Keywords: mobile learning; pupil voice; mobile phones; e-safety; pupil engagement(Published: 6 September 2013)Citation: Research in Learning Technology 2013, 21: 22116 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/rlt.v21i0.22116

Using pupil perspective in the primary classroom: an exploration of some of the potential issues

This article uses the author’s original study of over hundred Year six children’s perspectives of literacy and the wider curriculum, in English schools, to explore the potential challenges of exploring ‘pupil voice’. Using collective case studies, with descriptive and time-sampled observations, and semi-structured interviews, across an academic year, it uses the findings to reflect upon how we can effectively distinguish, for example, between a genuinely broad and balanced curriculum, and children’s insatiable appetite for particular areas; or how we can effectively manage and support children’s expectations, where one child’s satisfaction can be another child’s dissatisfaction, and some children appear to be resigned to their dissatisfaction. The article argues that if pupil voice is to successfully penetrate classroom practice, children need to be taught the skills to self-regulate their ‘satisfaction’ and ‘dissatisfaction’ with their classroom learning. By encouraging ambitious, but realistic, responses, it is hoped that pupil perspective outcomes will be more meaningful for both teachers and pupils, supporting learning partnerships, where strategies, delivery and organisation can be negotiated within a shared understanding.

Capturing the pupil voice of secondary gifted and talented students who had attended an enrichment programme in their infant school

The study was conducted during the Easter holidays of 2010 at Rawmarsh City Learning Centre with 16 students from school years 8 to 11 who had participated, during their infant years, in a gifted and talented Key Stage One Enrichment Cluster. The students represented a wide range of backgrounds, and five were identified as being on the autistic spectrum. The Enrichment Cluster was known as original ways of learning through enrichment technology and socialisation (OWLETS). OWLETS aimed to address the lack of provision for exceptionally able young children, while supporting them in overcoming any weaknesses in relation to socialisation or engagement. The cluster design was inspired by Renzulli’s Schoolwide Enrichment Model. The study investigated the students’ perspective of key features of their experiences at OWLETS and throughout their subsequent education, examining their views on learning and teaching, and was facilitated by the production of a video with student voices spoken by avatars. Findings showed that those with additional special needs preferred primary school and described struggles in secondary; the other 11 students were more positive about secondary education than primary. All the students viewed opportunities for personalised learning and effective teacher–student relationships as key, and they suggested that children who demonstrate exceptional ability benefit from opportunities to socialise and work collaboratively with similarly gifted peers throughout all stages of education. The study indicated that Renzulli’s model, in this simple format, has the potential to enrich a whole-school approach, meeting the needs of all children including the exceptionally able.

The role of E-Mentoring in distinguishing pedagogic experiences of gifted and talented pupils in physical education

Background: Programmes to support children identified as gifted and talented in physical education in the UK have evolved as a result of the work of the Youth Sports Trust and the Excellence in Cities (EiC) scheme. However, beyond insights regarding Gifted and Talented (G&T) Policy, there remains little understanding of the pupil experiences as part of practices within UK schools.Purpose: This article reports on the development of an English university's undergraduate students' E-Mentoring programme, initiated in response to an earlier study that gave attention to pupil voice concerning being placed on their school's G&T register for Physical Education. Drawing upon the theoretical concepts of Bernstein, the processes that underlie the interactions between school pupil and university student were explored. Bernstein's model of the pedagogic device was adopted to better understand the processes underlying the construction, transmission and acquisition of practices and experiences between student mentor and pupil.Method: Adopting a qualitative case study approach, the study revolved around the E-Mentoring interactions between purposively selected secondary school pupils (N = 16) aged 11–16 and second year physical education undergraduate student mentors (N = 12) over the age of 18. During a six-month period participants established a support framework through Computer Mediated Communications (CMC). Weekly correspondences focused on pupil experiences within sport and school. The pedagogic processes underlying relations were understood through the analysis of 189 email correspondences. Digital interactions were supported by two visit days at the university, organised by the student mentors. These experiences and interactions were captured through pupil and student focus group interviews and questionnaires.Findings: The E-Mentoring programme provided space from which pupils began to discuss their experiences of being G&T. Based on established Junior Athlete Education (JAE) frameworks, guidelines (distributive rules) were framed to allow student mentors to be responsible for the transmission of knowledge and practices. In transmitting their own experiences of sport and school, student mentors were able to support pupils in areas such as injury and the management of academic practice.Conclusions: The study highlights how the provision of specific support facilitated the transmission of knowledge of being Gifted & Talented in physical education. Furthermore, the integration of CMC within the mentoring programme enabled student mentors to draw upon embodied dispositions, facilitating the acquisition of practices central to the experience of being G&T. Such support accentuated the voice of the pupil, making it a focal point to our evolvement of mentoring programmes for G&T pupils in physical education. In drawing upon Bernstein's concepts, the study demonstrates the importance of understanding not only the production of discourses regarding being G&T, but also the processes in which they are transmitted, recontextualised and acquired. Some limitations in using forms of CMC as a medium, by which student mentors and pupils interact, are acknowledged.

Gifted and Talented Education

In 1999, the British government launched an education program for gifted and talented pupils as part of its Excellence in Cities initiative (EiC) that was initially designed to raise the educational achievement of very able pupils in state-maintained secondary schools in inner-city areas. Although some activities targeting gifted children had already been initiated by various voluntary organizations over several previous decades, this was the first time that the topic of improved provision for these pupils had been placed firmly within the national agenda. This article provides the background to the English gifted and talented policy “highway” and an overview of what was expected of schools. How practitioners responded to the policy, their beliefs and attitudes toward identifying gifted and talented pupils, and the opportunities and challenges that arose along the way to the current crossroads are explored. The need to empower teachers to feel more confident in classroom provisions for gifted and talented pupils is identified along with the potentially pivotal role of action research and “pupil voice” in the process of continued professional development and support.

Student Council Summit – developing pupil voice

All Saints Catholic School recently hosted its first Student Council Summit involving nine local schools. Danni Almond explains why the school decided to create and host the event and discusses the importance of pupil voice.

Learning mathematics—letting the pupils have their say

Pupil voice is an emerging force for change and improvement in many UK schools, but what is not fully understood is how best to access pupil voice within the specific context of secondary mathematics departments. This paper presents a research project designed to use pupils as co-researchers in increasing knowledge about how to improve learning in mathematics. Pupils within the school were selected and trained as “Ambassadors” to understand and disseminate innovative ways of learning mathematics into their school environment and to act to allow the voice of all the pupils in their year group to be heard. The project was intended both to raise the pupils’ awareness of how learning mathematics could be different and to enable them to voice their newly informed opinions about how best they learned mathematics. The pupils’ current feelings about the way that they were taught mathematics were explored, but the focus of the project was on enabling the pupils to make informed decisions about how they felt their learning could be improved. The pupils’ awareness of different ways of learning mathematics was raised by introducing them to alternative teaching approaches. The data generated were initially analysed by the pupils themselves in order to inform their teachers about their views and subsequently constant comparison analysis resulted in the outcomes reported here. The outcomes indicate that the students could have an important role in enabling schools to develop their teaching and improve their pupils’ mathematical learning when that voice is both informed and authorised.

The capability approach: Enabling musical learning

Amartya Sen's capability approach offers a new perspective for educators throughout the curriculum. This new insight has the potential to promote a music education that is inherently tailored to the individual. In essence it asks the question: What is music education going to offer to this student? This article represents an initial enquiry into the capability approach when applied to music education. With a theoretical understanding of the capability approach its application can provide insight into pupil voice, teacher voice, growing student autonomy and differentiation.

Researching the pupil voice: what makes a good teaching assistant?

This article reports on a small‐scale research project concerning the views of pupils on what comprises a good teaching assistant (TA). The study indicates that pupils clearly valued the support given to them by TAs. The pupils outlined the main personal and professional characteristics they wanted to see in, as well as the kinds of support they wanted from, a TA. The implications of these data for schools and for TAs themselves are briefly indicated.

Children’s experiences during circle-time: a call for research-informed debate

The concept of pupil voice is widely employed in research from across the world when claiming children and young people have a genuine, legitimate right to be heard on matters they consider important, and when considering ways of engaging them as important ‘influencers’ of policy and decision-making. This article is concerned with problematic issues around power and pupil voice during circle-time. It is argued that the space in which children and young people are ‘allowed’ a voice is prescribed by adults and is frequently located within interventions for improving schools, pupil behaviour and promoting their social and emotional development. Based on a rigorous analysis of the findings from a small case study about children’s experiences during circle-time, and using the concepts of social identity and social representation, this article highlights the dangers of inadvertently creating a climate within which children can feel isolated and threatened, and bullying can thrive. Increasingly, it would seem children are being invited and expected to reveal things in circle-time that will need careful and experienced handling from the point of safeguarding the child’s well-being, offering the required support and ensuring the child’s protection and confidentiality. It is argued these findings highlight the need for a robust research-informed debate about children’s lived experiences during circle-time, and the impact of those experiences in terms of children’s identities and self-esteem.

Repositioning trust: a challenge to inauthentic neoliberal uses of pupil voice

At a time when ‘trust’ is argued by many to be on the wane within post-industrial societies this article examines a case study of pupil voice brought about through collaboration between a secondary school (for pupils aged 11−16) and a university located in a large conurbation in southern England. Building on data from focus groups and individual interviews with pupils and teachers, the author suggests that for pupil voice to be truly effective and transformative, policy-makers, academics and practitioners need to move away from the ‘synthetic trust’ that typifies many pupil voice initiatives to one where authentic trust forms the cornerstone of all professional relationships in schools.

Relationships for learning: using pupil voice to define teacher−pupil relationships that enhance pupil engagement

This paper is a summary of a pupil voice research project conducted to investigate the influence that teacher−pupil relationships have on pupils’ feelings of engagement with their school. The study involved two year groups (12−13 and 14−15 year olds) in a rural secondary school in Cambridgeshire. Data sources were collected through a questionnaire and follow-up focus groups and pupil interviews to explore pupils’ opinions and experiences of learning relationships and their impact. Findings include pupils’ identification of the features of effective teacher−pupil relationships and their perspectives on how these have a positive influence on their levels of motivation and engagement at school.

Crouching target, hidden child

Drawing on interviews with 33 young people between the ages of 14 to 17 attending three English schools we examine their experiences of a personalised education system. The policy climate in England has for some time been one of intense and persistent reforms. The Labour Party took office in 1997 and advanced ‘personalised learning’ as a central reforming concept that made use of individual targets, data and pupil voice in the learning process. We identify that while the opportunities for productive voices are evident, the young people’s experience of it is inconsistent. Notably, the use of targets and data has often made them invisible and mute, and this affects how they understand the purposes of schools and their place within a school. Outcome data are a necessary and proper concern of schools. However, we suggest that the conceptualisation of learning, and the relational processes involved, are being damaged through the interpretation of voice as a means of delivering instrumental data sets. We argue this point using a conceptualisation of social practice and ethics drawn from Alasdair MacIntyre.

The Creative Research Process: Delights and Difficulties

This paper reports on an arts-informed approach to education research aimed to critically develop and promote teachers’ creative practice and understanding of creativity for both pupils and teachers. The creative research process is described to reveal how it developed 20 students as researchers in a secondary school in England. The students’ perspectives impressed artists and enlightened expert researchers into new ways of thinking and doing research. A reciprocal relationship was developed that unravelled novel data and promoted pupil voice.