Exploring the role of student researchers in the process of curriculum development

Abstract

Contemporary interest in student voice has evolved to include participation of ‘students as researchers’ in school affairs, which has been encouraged by political developments underpinning the rights of children. Although there has been little exploration of the role of student researchers in curriculum development, this paper provides a case study of their role in a Knowledge Transfer Partnership involving a secondary school in England working on developing enquiry-based learning. We use Basil Bernstein's concept of framing and Clarke and Hollingsworth's model of teacher professional learning to explore the dimensions of consequence when teachers start the process of pedagogic and curriculum innovation. There is considerable evidence of an impact on relationships between students and teachers and it is argued that this is an important lens through which to understand the role of student researchers.

Keywords:

• student researchers
• student voice
• framing
• curriculum development
• enquiry based learning
• teacher–student relationships