Students as partners: Creating a collective responsibility for course evaluation and improvement
Abstract
Student engagement and a culture of partnership is a key feature of UK Higher and Further Education policy. Dialogue and collaboration are at the core of these concepts. This article explores the role that students have in evaluating and planning improvement in the context of whole course evaluative processes. Using a small-scale study within a tertiary institution, it examines the impact and effectiveness of a new approach to whole course self-evaluation. Furthermore, it explores the role of the student in the creation and use of evaluative data and feedback and the nature and extent of collaborative partnership working between students and staff. Analysis suggests that the new approach outlined is perceived as highly effective in engaging students and staff in meaningful evaluative dialogue. It concludes with questions for further engagement and empowerment opportunities for staff-student partnerships in this co-creative context.
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