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Giving students a voice - education experts listen to learners at UEL conference

Friday 24 April 2009

Listening to Learners audience

New ways to empower, inspire and motivate students at all levels of education were the focus of a national conference, Listening to Learners: Partnerships in Action, held at the University of East London (UEL) on the 22 April.

Over 120 education practitioners, academics and policy makers gathered at UEL's Docklands campus to share research findings, participate in workshops, and hear speakers including Wes Streeting, President of the National Union of Students, Professor Michael Fielding from the Institute of Education and Mick Waters of the Quality and Curriculum Authority.

The ‘Student Voice’ agenda provides students and young people with the opportunity to have a say, to contribute to their communities, and to have a more active role in their education, including the evaluation of their own learning. Young people themselves also took part in the innovative conference, contributing to plenary presentations as well as facilitating in one of the workshops. There were also contributions from the acclaimed Thrift Theatre Company.

Opening the conference, UEL’s acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Susan Price said: “As a diverse university, we are always looking at new and exciting ways to provide the best possible education for our students.

“This conference is a great way of seeing what teaching methods and styles are in use and how we can improve them to meet students’ needs. I am delighted to see such a high level of participation and interest in today’s discussions as we look at what inspires and motivates students.”

Wes Streeting, President of the National Students Union said: “It’s good to see Learner Voice high up on the agenda as it’s a critical topic. Through every aspect of the education system it’s important to listen to the voice of students and there are a lot of government initiatives in place that are looking at student voices to help shape their experiences. This is how teaching and learning takes place and it also empowers students to think about their education and gain a passion for it.”

The conference was organised by the Cass School of Education, Continuum - the Centre for Widening Participation Policy Studies, and UEL’s Education and Community Partnerships team. The event was supported by Escalate - the Education Subject Centre of the Higher Education Academy.

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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