Messy, but Serious : Reimagining the Student Council as Public Space for Student Voice

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 7:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Centering Student & Teacher Experiences in Educational Research

Abstract

Amid growing interest in student voice, this study explores how the student council can be positioned as a public space. Grounded in theories that conceptualize student voice as relational and dialogic (Fielding, 2004) and the student council as a space where students can appear and engage with others (Biesta, 2011), the study adopts Collaborative Action Research involving five teachers and five students. The researcher worked with participants to reimagine the council as a public space. Although the initial stage was imperfect, feedback from teachers and structural supports such as class meetings and school broadcasts enabled more inclusive participation. The findings suggest that student voice is shaped through dialogue, recognition, and shared meaning-making, made possible through the reimagined student council.

Author

• Jeongmin Lee, Ewha Womans University