I recently wrote an article in SecEd on behalf of SSAT in which I argued for the concept of “student impact” as a progression from traditional notions of “student voice” and “student leadership” (What is student impact?, SecEd 358, September 19, 2013).
But what do we really mean when we say impact? Obviously when we consider the extent to which students can have impact in schools, we are not always talking about large-scale impact, but also the day-to-day wins that build trust and develop relationships over time.
It is thus useful to consider the extent to which students are being asked to participate in a project, before the project actually starts. At SSAT, in our work on student impact, we have found it useful to adapt Roger Hart’s eight-level ladder of participation (1992) into a seven-level ladder which can be more readily shared with students of varying ages and abilities. The adapted ladder of participation combines two of Hart’s levels, leaving:
Register now, read forever
Thank you for visiting SecEd and reading some of our content for professionals in secondary education. Register now for free to get unlimited access to all content.
What's included:
-
Unlimited access to news, best practice articles and podcast
-
New content and e-bulletins delivered straight to your inbox every Monday and Thursday
Already have an account? Sign in here