Scope and quality of student participation in school: towards an analytical framework for adolescents

Abstract

There is growing support for the relevance of adolescents' participation in school, as a result of different works which focus on singular aspects of pupils' involvement. Yet, there is a lack of advancement in regard to integral analytical frameworks that are capable of providing fundamental dimensions and concepts in the study and evaluation of student participation in school. This article aims to fill the gap by introducing an analytical framework for a more holistic examination of such practices. By using data from a mixed methods research, which included qualitative work in two schools from contrasting municipalities of Mexico City, and a representative survey (n ¼ 828) of third grade students from the secondary schools in these two areas, the article shows the empirical applicability of the model, and reveals its capacity for mapping, understanding and evaluating student participation in school from an integral perspective, based on two fundamental dimensions of inquiry: scope and quality.

Parent and student voice in evaluation and planning in schools

“…For some teachers, the lack of credibility of student voice could stem from their disappointment with, and disapproval of, elections to student councils. According to a teacher in Pérez-Expósito’s (2015) research No matter how much you explain to them that it (the elections for the student representatives) has to be an electoral process, and what generates the votes are the proposals, they (the student candidates) do the same (as in politics): they give a candy (to the students), promises that are unrealistic . .…”

“…For some teachers, the lack of credibility of student voice could stem from their disappointment with, and disapproval of, elections to student councils. According to a teacher in Pérez-Expósito's (2015) research…”

Teachers’ Participation in School Daily Life

“…which helps learn more about each other, build deeper interpersonal relations and greater mutual tolerance and solidarity. Students have the opportunity to learn teachers' perspective and share their own perception of problems and potential solutions to them (Mitra, 2003;Pérez-Expósito, 2015). This strengthens their motivation to work and contributes to making changes at school with consideration of perspectives beyond the perception of adults (Mitra, 2003).…”

Estudiantes Sordos señantes: un botón de muestra de la importancia de participar desde la infancia

“…Con ella finalmente se realiza un cambio, que es producto de una deliberación sobre una situación que se quiere distinta a como se encuentra actualmente y que pretende ser más conveniente para el actor, el colectivo o el contexto (Castilla e Inciarte, 2004 de involucrarse en una acción (Ídem). Esta decisión de involucrarse en una acción participativa está relacionada a su vez con la eficacia externa e interna (Niemi, Craig, y Mattei, citado en Expósito, 2015). La interna se refiere a creer en la capacidad que se tiene para que, a través de la participación, se pueda generar un cambio significativo, mientras que la externa, se refiere al grado de confianza que depositan en las autoridades escolares para que atiendan las inquietudes que les presenten.…”

“…Así, la eficacia interna en los alumnos Sordos en las UTyP converge con su autoconcepto, que como veíamos en párrafos anteriores está ligado a la forma en que conciben sus características y potencialidades, mientras más participen es más probable que promuevan cambios que les beneficien, de ahí la importancia de que estas experiencias participativas formen parte de toda su trayectoria escolar, desde la básica hasta la superior (Expósito, 2015).…”