This document discusses mechanisms for capturing the student voice to improve the student learning experience. It recognizes that student input has long been important in UK higher education. Formal processes like student committees and surveys help provide feedback, while informal mechanisms also contribute. The document outlines strategies like teaching excellence, engagement, and curriculum reviews. It discusses governance structures like education committees that incorporate a new digital student portal. Capturing ongoing student comments allows feedback to various levels. Measuring the impact of student voice on change includes audits, networks, and reviewing retention and learning gain. The goal is using student advocacy and feedback to shape policy, governance, and holistic academic and social communities that foster engagement and success.

1. The UK’s European university
CAPTURING the STUDENT VOICE:
Creatingmore effective mechanisms for listening
JackLay,ChrisMattinson &LouiseNAYLOR
TheJournalofEducationalInnovation,
PartnershipandChange,Vol3,No2(2017):
EmbeddingtheCultureofEngagement

2. Capturing the Student VoicePage 2
The role of students in the process of shaping the student learning
experience (through formal institutional processes for assuring and
enhancing the quality of learning and teaching, and more informal
mechanisms) has long been recognised in UK higher education (HE) and
elsewhere.
Further, the increasing marketization of higher education and continuing
drives to greater public accountability have arguably prompted renewed
institutional efforts to ensure that student voices, as consumers and
stakeholders, are listened to and their messages acted upon as
appropriate’. Little et al (2009)

3. Linking student advocacy to educational change
•Strategy
•Governance
•Operation
Brand et al 2013
Brooman et al, 2014
Healey et al 2015, 2016
Capturing the Student VoicePage 3

4. Strategies
• Teaching Excellence
• Academic Experience
• Student Engagement
• Modern Curriculum
• Assessment & Feedback
Capturing the Student VoicePage 4

5. Governance and Implementation (Operational)
Governance
Staff & Student Education Committees
• Institutional
• Faculty
• School
with new Digital Rep (student portal)
capturing ongoing student comments
for feedback to staff /reps at all levels
through new Student Rep directory
Implementation
• Digital Rep
Capturing the Student VoicePage 5

6. In what ways do you capture the student voice?
Individually (5)
• How do you gather student feedback?
• How effective (numbers,% response)?
• Low 1-5 High
In groups (10)
• What contributes most/least to
improving the student experience
• Compare and Rank
FEEDBACK
Capturing the Student VoicePage 6

7. How do your students know you are listening?
• You said, We did
• Responses to:
• Mod./prog. evaluations
• Student surveys
• SSLCs/student reps
• Action research
• Focus groups
• Student Union campaigns
• Policy change
• Partnerships
Capturing the Student VoicePage 7

8. Measuring the impact of student voice on educational change
• PPR/Thematic audits
• Networks
• Committees
• Change programmes
• Internships (work:study)
• HEFCE, HEA & QAA
• Assessment & Feedback Audit
& Policy (2016/17)
• Academic Community – eg
social space & societies
• Lecture capture/Academic
Advisers/Attend & Engage
• ‘Powerful Student Experiences’
• Annual Provider Review/TEF
• CLL/Learning Gain/Retention
Capturing the Student VoicePage 8

9. SUMMARY
Advocacy and Legacy
• Strategy and policy development
• Student ‘rep family’/governance
• Academic and social communities
for holistic learning experience
• Student engagement & success
Brand et al, 2013
Thomas, 2012
Capturing the Student VoicePage 9