- 300 Rackley Building
University Park, PA 16802
Dana Mitra
Penn State University, Education Policy Studies, Faculty Member
- Education Policy Studies, Student Voice, Pupil/student Voice, Student Engagement, Youth voice, student participation, Teachers and Students Voices, and 17 moreParticipation, Community Engagement & Participation, Public Participation In Governance, Youth Political Participation, Community participation and engagement, Positive Youth Development, Rust Belt, Civic Engagement, Gender Studies, Women and Minority In STEM Fields, Faculty Diversity, Pipeline Issues, Professional Women, Work Life Balance, Mentoring, Career Progression In Science and Engineering, and Intersectionalityedit
- Dana Mitra is Professor of Education in the Educational Theory and Policy program at Penn State. Dana is the founder... moreDana Mitra is Professor of Education in the Educational Theory and Policy program at Penn State. Dana is the founder of the International Journal of Student Voice and co-editor of the American Journal of Education. She currently is a Students at the Center Distinguished Fellow with Jobs For the Future/the Nellie Mae Foundation. Dana also works with professionals as a leadership and personal coach.
Originally from Pittsburgh, she received her Ph.D. in Policy Analysis from Stanford University's School of Education. She served as a Fulbright-Nehru scholar to Bangalore India in 2012. Prior to attending graduate school, she worked as an elementary school teacher in the Washington, DC area.edit
How can new faculty find success in academia and what can universities do to support them? In this book, the author demonstrates how a coaching-focused stance toward faculty development
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'A unique blend of education policy analysis concepts with the underlying political structure and actors that influence the outcomes of policies. The broad scope and specific insights of the book makes it essential for both students,... more
'A unique blend of education policy analysis concepts with the underlying political structure and actors that influence the outcomes of policies. The broad scope and specific insights of the book makes it essential for both students, educators, and scholars.'
―Michael Kirst, president California State Board of Education, Professor Emeritus , Stanford University
'Educational Change and the Political Process' brings together issues foundational to educational policy with recent debates over such issues as education governance, funding and accountability in a well-written, accessible textbook. It clearly explains how education policy problems, opportunities, actors and instruments differ by location in the education policy system, raise different challenges of implementation and evaluation, and play out in terms of major touchpoints for policy and practice. A useful addition: each chapter concludes with questions and activities designed to engage students in concrete discussions of the chapter’s policy tradeoffs and perspectives. I know of no other textbook that affords this all-inclusive, system-wide treatment of education policy making―and in-depth reference list. Mitra’s textbook provides an invaluable resource for instructors and students of education policy, and will be relevant for years to come.'
―Milbrey McLuaghlin, David Jacks Professor Emeritus of Education and Public Policy, Stanford University
―Michael Kirst, president California State Board of Education, Professor Emeritus , Stanford University
'Educational Change and the Political Process' brings together issues foundational to educational policy with recent debates over such issues as education governance, funding and accountability in a well-written, accessible textbook. It clearly explains how education policy problems, opportunities, actors and instruments differ by location in the education policy system, raise different challenges of implementation and evaluation, and play out in terms of major touchpoints for policy and practice. A useful addition: each chapter concludes with questions and activities designed to engage students in concrete discussions of the chapter’s policy tradeoffs and perspectives. I know of no other textbook that affords this all-inclusive, system-wide treatment of education policy making―and in-depth reference list. Mitra’s textbook provides an invaluable resource for instructors and students of education policy, and will be relevant for years to come.'
―Milbrey McLuaghlin, David Jacks Professor Emeritus of Education and Public Policy, Stanford University
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High schools continue to be places that isolate, alienate, and disengage students. But what would happen if students were viewed as part of the solution in schools rather than part of the problem? This book examines the emergence of... more
High schools continue to be places that isolate, alienate, and disengage students. But what would happen if students were viewed as part of the solution in schools rather than part of the problem? This book examines the emergence of "student voice" at one high school in the San Francisco Bay area where educators went straight to the source and asked the students to help.
Struggling, like many high schools, with how to improve student outcomes, educators at Whitman High School decided to invite students to participate in the reform process. Dana L. Mitra describes the evolution of student voice at Whitman, showing that the students enthusiastically created partnerships with teachers and administrators, engaged in meaningful discussion about why so many failed or dropped out, and partnered with teachers and principals to improve learning for themselves and their peers. In documenting the difference that student voice made, this book helps expand ideas of distributed leadership, professional learning communities, and collaboration. The book also contributes much needed research on what student voice initiatives look like in practice and provides powerful evidence of ways in which young people can increase their sense of agency and their sense of belonging in school.
Struggling, like many high schools, with how to improve student outcomes, educators at Whitman High School decided to invite students to participate in the reform process. Dana L. Mitra describes the evolution of student voice at Whitman, showing that the students enthusiastically created partnerships with teachers and administrators, engaged in meaningful discussion about why so many failed or dropped out, and partnered with teachers and principals to improve learning for themselves and their peers. In documenting the difference that student voice made, this book helps expand ideas of distributed leadership, professional learning communities, and collaboration. The book also contributes much needed research on what student voice initiatives look like in practice and provides powerful evidence of ways in which young people can increase their sense of agency and their sense of belonging in school.
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Increasingly, research in schools is carried out with students, teachers, and school leaders, i.e. participatory approaches. Central of this kind of research is, for example, listening to student experience and students’ active... more
Increasingly, research in schools is carried out with students, teachers, and school leaders, i.e. participatory approaches. Central of this kind of research is, for example, listening to student experience and students’ active participation in the research process. This issue of student voice and participation in research has ethical dimensions affecting the overall well-being of students. Ethical research together with students should protect participants from harm, offer opportunities for them to have a say in matters affecting them, show respect for their views, trust their competency as well as facilitate all participants’ willingness to share their views and to participate actively. Thus, participatory research is carried out in close cooperation with the students and their teachers, building relationships between participants and researchers. The nature of such research makes new demands for how research is conducted, emphasizing the researcher’s ethical leadership. In this paper, we will explore and discuss different ways of acting as a researcher, exemplified by cases from our research with students. The discussion focuses on these questions: How can researchers handle different relationships with students, teachers, and researchers? How can researchers negotiate different power relations? How can researchers attend to formal ethical guidelines of confidentiality and informed consent and still create relationships important for the successful outcome of this kind of research? We argue, that a researcher’s ethical leadership can be developed through careful consideration on the researcher’s role and ethical values connected to the research process. Such leadership may be oriented towards students’ experiences and views, their self-understanding and individual agency, accompanied by the researchers’ self-understanding and awareness.
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This paper examines the related concepts of civic skills/engagement and life skills across three national contexts—the United States, Sweden, and India. Within the paper, we explore cross-national ...
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... Washington , DC : American Institutes for Research . View all references; Yonezawa & Stringfield, 200063. Yonezawa , S. , & Stringfield , S. ( 2000 ). Special ... 14. Datnow , A. , Lasky , S. , Stringfield , S. , & Teddlie... more
... Washington , DC : American Institutes for Research . View all references; Yonezawa & Stringfield, 200063. Yonezawa , S. , & Stringfield , S. ( 2000 ). Special ... 14. Datnow , A. , Lasky , S. , Stringfield , S. , & Teddlie , C. ( 2005 ). ...
Research Interests: Business, Sociology, Psychology, Cognitive Science, Public Relations, and 12 moreCase Studies, Positive Youth Development, Interpersonal Relationship, Surveys, Team Building, Case Study, Role, Applied Developmental Psychology, Decision making process, Survey data, Applied Developmental Science, and Hypothesis Generation
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... Washington , DC : American Institutes for Research . View all references; Yonezawa & Stringfield, 200063. Yonezawa , S. , & Stringfield , S. ( 2000 ). Special ... 14. Datnow , A. , Lasky , S. , Stringfield , S. , & Teddlie... more
... Washington , DC : American Institutes for Research . View all references; Yonezawa & Stringfield, 200063. Yonezawa , S. , & Stringfield , S. ( 2000 ). Special ... 14. Datnow , A. , Lasky , S. , Stringfield , S. , & Teddlie , C. ( 2005 ). ...
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This symposium examines the question: how can school leaders can foster civic engagement practice throughout the school? The papers examine aspects of this theme within one elementary school: the ( ...
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Political discord is as old as politics. However, disagreement between people with different political perspectives has become entrenched, and often rancorous, in our era. Many choose only to listen to viewpoints similar to their own and... more
Political discord is as old as politics. However, disagreement between people with different political perspectives has become entrenched, and often rancorous, in our era. Many choose only to listen to viewpoints similar to their own and opportunities for conversation across political differences are shrinking. Research indicates that people are (increasingly?) choosing a self-selection of news that affirms, instead of challenges, their beliefs (Epstein & Graham, 2007; Mutz, 2006); the result is an echo chamber instead of shared beliefs (McGuinn & Suppovitz, 2015). Much of the media industry has sought to amplify discord because of the increase in ratings that it can bring (Mutz, 2015). Scholars of the Trump presidency argue that the current administration has utilized strategies that intentionally increase dissonance between groups rather than seeking compromise and accommodation (Martin, 2017). When considering the importance of civic preparedness—a key outcome that student-centered approaches aim to achieve—its important to recognize that learning to dialogue across difference is a rising challenge for our younger generation. Citizens who have not developed the skillsets and dispositions to engage in democratic discussions and productive deliberations will be ill-prepared to sustain or even protect our democratic institutions. The civic capacity to talk and listen amid diverse perspectives also affects career readiness, since the workplace is often one of the few places where people speak across political differences (Mutz & Mondak, 2006). In our recent article in Educational Leadership [[link]], we discuss the term dialogue as a way to engage in collaborative and generative consideration of how we want to live together. To counter today's divisive and discordant trends, schools can teach young people the specific skills they need to engage in critical dialogue, both to learn from people with different beliefs and to ensure that all students' voices (their stories, opinions, or feelings) are heard. With guidance from adults, dialogue can enable young people to talk productively about issues related to living together in pluralistic society. What should adults prioritize when they work with youth to develop these crucial civic skills? We suggest the following, particularly when learning to discuss contentious issues: CURIOSITY—Ask questions about others' opinions. While learning how to engage in dialogue is a key component of engagement in civic life due to the way it helps us express and consider a range of viewpoints, it is important to recognize that facilitating a rich dialogue can be a difficult pedagogical process. Unlike monologues, dialogues cannot be controlled to arrive at a pre-chosen conclusion. However, dialogues support many intellectual virtues, chief among them the propensity for curiosity. Approaching others with curiosity helps them to elaborate on their feelings and stances and it opens the possibility of richer, more complex elaborations of beliefs so that we can see multiple ways of understanding issues. Staying curious about other's ideas is a great way to stay engaged in conversations across difference, the kind that lead to collaborations rather than disputes. LOOK BENEATH—Ask what people believe and value. To get underneath partisan rhetoric and canned talking points, we need to understand what is driving the perspective, and rarely can we get there unless we ask. Research, as well as our own classroom practice, points to the value of
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Student voice can improve student outcomes and lead to educational change. Given the potential of this concept, this article examines the conditions that can enable and constrain this practice. This article uses the concepts of purpose,... more
Student voice can improve student outcomes and lead to educational change. Given the potential of this concept, this article examines the conditions that can enable and constrain this practice. This article uses the concepts of purpose, partnership, and context as a framework to consider what student voice looks like in practice. • Synonyms for the term or terms of the entry (optional) Student voice; pupil voice; youth-adult partnership; youth participatory action research • Main text A Framework for Defining Student Voice: Purpose, Partnerships, and Context Students and adults collaborating together can create more equitable learning opportunities. "Student voice" has been shown to be a means of shifting power dynamics in school settings and addressing issues of equity and justice. Student voice can be defined as the ways in which students have opportunities to participate in and/or influence the educational decisions that will shape their lives and the lives of their peers. Student voice can range from a focus on technical, apolitical concerns to challenging existing power structures. Teachers can ask students to provide feedback on lessons. Schools can create advisory boards in which students provide insights into policy issues. Students can demand changes in hiring policies and school climate. In addition, student voice efforts also are increasingly being offered as a pathway to improving student academic success and social-emotional development. Given the potential impact of student voice, this article examines: What does student voice look like in practice and what are the implications of different forms of student voice? The remainder of this article defines student voice practice along three dimensions-purpose, partnership, and context. Table One provides examples of student voice practices delineated along these three dimensions. We look at "context" going down the table, "partnership" across the table, and within each cell, we offer examples of "purpose," color coded by levels of change. [INSERT TABLE ONE HERE] Partnership Research finds that successful student voice efforts value process as a goal that was as important (and sometimes even more important) than other goals, because the process taught youth valuable skills and life lessons that prepared them for adult lives.
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In the United States we tend to use the word 'voice' or 'student voice' to frame the work that we're doing. Part of that is to create spaces for children to have a voice in local decisions. 'Voice' research... more
In the United States we tend to use the word 'voice' or 'student voice' to frame the work that we're doing. Part of that is to create spaces for children to have a voice in local decisions. 'Voice' research also can have the flavor of youth leadership research in some fi elds. In high school, students form groups to have a say in their own schools and elsewhere. The term 'consultation' is used in a lot of research, in particular that around classroom-based interactions between adults and young people.
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Youth-adult partnerships position youth and adults in roles of equal leadership of initiatives in their schools and communities, supporting a dynamic that runs counter to traditional patterns of youth-adult interaction. This article... more
Youth-adult partnerships position youth and adults in roles of equal leadership of initiatives in their schools and communities, supporting a dynamic that runs counter to traditional patterns of youth-adult interaction. This article describes the piloting of two youth-adult partnership programs aimed at supporting the development of such relationships with different core foci at the middle grades level – one on community health and the other on school pedagogical change. In comparing the challenges and opportunities of implementing these programs in the middle grades environment, we find that while youth participants perceived positive developmental outcomes as a result of their participation, adults observed difficulties in supporting the implementation of these initiatives when the goal was cultural or social change. We discuss the implications of this finding, both in terms of examining how middle grade student voice is limited and delimited, as well as suggesting opportunities t...
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Context Research increasingly suggests that the high school diploma has lost its meaning as a symbol of life preparation. Having faced economic struggles earlier and longer than most regions of the United States, the “Rust Belt” region... more
Context Research increasingly suggests that the high school diploma has lost its meaning as a symbol of life preparation. Having faced economic struggles earlier and longer than most regions of the United States, the “Rust Belt” region offers important lessons for the broader nation regarding how high schools might prepare youth for stable futures. Much like in towns in India and China, communities in the United States’ Rust Belt experience a paradox of wanting youth to find successful careers but not leave the area. Focus of Study Recent research connections between high school and college have focused on the role of signaling strategies in preparing young people for postsecondary opportunities. High-quality signals that are clear, aligned, and consistent can positively influence student outcomes. This article examines the types of policy signals that local Rust Belt communities are trying to develop to both improve postsecondary attendance of young people and retain young people i...
Research Interests: Data Analysis, Case Studies, College Access, Grounded Theory, School to Work, and 12 moreEducational reform, Civic Engagement, Regional Planning, Rust Belt, Comparative Analysis, Transition to College, High School to College Transition, Dual enrollment, Post Secondary Transition, Career Aspirations and Pathways, College Transition, and P-16 Educational Pipeline
Grounded in children’s rights, this article advances understanding of the affordances and constraints in implementing Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in educational settings with young children –... more
Grounded in children’s rights, this article advances understanding of the affordances and constraints in implementing Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in educational settings with young children – those under 7. It starts from the premise that if we are to foster democratic skills and understanding in children and young people, we need to develop practices that support this from the earliest age. The article presents the outcomes of a seminar series facilitating dialogue among international academics working in the field and a range of early years practitioners. This opportunity for extended dialogue led to the development of a rich and sophisticated conceptual clarity about the factors that need to be considered if Article 12 is to be realised with very young children. Eight factors were identified as pivotal for consideration when facilitating voices with this age group: definition; power; inclusivity; listening; time and space; approaches; pr...
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Abstract Given the importance of developing civically engaged and knowledgeable citizens, many have sought to improve the quality of students’ civic education experiences. This article examines one particular effort spearheaded by the Joe... more
Abstract Given the importance of developing civically engaged and knowledgeable citizens, many have sought to improve the quality of students’ civic education experiences. This article examines one particular effort spearheaded by the Joe Foss Institute, the Civic Education Initiative (CEI). Since the CEI was announced, 18 states have passed legislation that includes a civics test component embedded in the CEI. This conceptual article examines the CEI against research-based practices for teaching civics. It then introduces the policy design framework as a tool for analyzing civic policies like CEI. This political science theory recognizes that policies themselves send important signals that have implications for students’ civic development. We utilize the policy design framework to analyze CEI and, in particular, how CEI is likely to shape students’ civic and political engagement. We conclude with a proposal for future research on civic education using the policy design framework.
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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to consider the role of student voice in secondary school reform. Design/methodology/approach Through a literature review, it defines the concept of student voice within bodies of research on youth... more
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to consider the role of student voice in secondary school reform. Design/methodology/approach Through a literature review, it defines the concept of student voice within bodies of research on youth participation internationally. Findings It notes the ways the USA is distinct and lagging behind. It then looks at the broadening scope of ways that young people have become involved in change efforts. It considers ways that student voice can deepen implementation efforts and strengthen classroom practice. It breaks this discussion into: outcomes for classroom instruction, organizational change, and the relationship between student voice and power. The paper ends with a discussion of the importance of attending to issues of power in youth–adult relationships, including ways to avoid the co-optation of young people. Originality/value This paper reviews the most recent work showing how student voice can impact change, with a particular focus when possibl...
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This article explores how two elementary school students responded to their teacher’s invitation in a civic classroom to make a difference to the world. We consider how the teacher framed the construct of civic efficacy and how the... more
This article explores how two elementary school students responded to their teacher’s invitation in a civic classroom to make a difference to the world. We consider how the teacher framed the construct of civic efficacy and how the students refracted these ideas in their navigation of a civic education project. Closely analyzing these students’ experiences and responses, we question what differences are made when students are encouraged to think of themselves as citizens who can make a difference. Noting dissonances and ambivalences in the students’ responses, the conceptual resources of “figured worlds” enable an analysis of the interplay of discourses, interactions, sensory experiences, and material artifacts as civic identities are constituted. The two students’ differing responses are analyzed in relation to other figured worlds that students and teachers daily negotiate: of compliant citizenship, productive citizenship, and consumer citizenship. The overlaps, dissonances, and/o...
Research Interests: Sociology, Education, Democratic Education, Civic Education, Education for Citizenship, and 15 moreCivic Engagement, Elementary Education, Citizenship, American education, Self Efficacy, Civic participation, Citizen participation, Efficacy, Civics Education, Civics, Civic, Figured worlds, Democracy and Citizenship Education, Civic and Moral Education, and Civics and Citizenship Education
With relatively few comparative studies of civics curricula in diverse democratic contexts and world regions, this article considers how civic values are negotiated in national curricular policy te ...
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We explore how the opt-out movement has responded to the combination of a stringent federal policy with weak and often variable implementation among the states. Gaps between federal expectations and states’ understandings of just how to... more
We explore how the opt-out movement has responded to the combination of a stringent federal policy with weak and often variable implementation among the states. Gaps between federal expectations and states’ understandings of just how to make NCLB’s demands a reality have created policy ambiguity. Parents who oppose standardized testing have recognized the resulting tensions and oversights in state education systems as a policy vacuum rife with opportunities for resistance. We examine how parents have exploited policy ambiguity through creating contested spaces—places of agency in stringent policy environments in which grassroots can question policy authority and take action. We conclude by considering whether these contested spaces are sustainable and whether the policy outcomes generated in contested spaces are reasonably equitable.
Research Interests: Paradox (handling ambiguity), Political Science, Education Policy, Parent Involvement, Grassroots Movements, and 10 moreStandardized Tests, Standardized Testing, Ambiguity, Education Systems, Standardized Tests in Schools, Policy Implementation, Parents, Educational Policy, Public Policy, and Accountability in Education
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Abstract Amid the recent proliferation of teacher-led movements resisting high-stakes testing across the United States, the authors identify how a “failing” elementary school reclaimed local discourse by taking political action against... more
Abstract Amid the recent proliferation of teacher-led movements resisting high-stakes testing across the United States, the authors identify how a “failing” elementary school reclaimed local discourse by taking political action against top-down measures. Framed as competing modes of school reform, the authors offer the sociocultural framework of “contested spaces” to build understanding of top-down and bottom-up school reform efforts. The data are organized in three descriptive scenarios: (1) the principal of Dewey Elementary created spaces to reclaim public education as local, (2) teachers created a Facebook group called “Democracy in Action” with a corresponding call and write-in campaign to protest current political measures, and (3) parents pulled their students from taking standardized tests to an extent that merited national news coverage. Drawn from the results of interactive qualitative analysis performed with the participants, the authors examine the contextual supports in which all participants were capable, if not privileged, to act. Conclusions show how school reform might succeed from the bottom up via grassroots contestation in a top-down reform era. The article sets a wider goal of reimagining how schools, school leadership training, teacher education, and pedagogy might reclaim the idea of education as a democratic, public, and intellectual activity to redefine the educational landscape.
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Page 1. Fall 2011 541 Theory and Research in Social Education Fall 2011, Volume 39, Number 4, pp. 541-575 © College and University Faculty Assembly of National Council for the Social Studies Student Voice in the Elementary ...
Research Interests: Social Theory, Psychology, Social Studies Education, Focus Groups, Service Learning, and 15 moreCase Studies, Group Dynamics, Civic Engagement, Elementary Education, Academic Advising, Observation, Interviews, Student Voice, Case Study, Leadership Style, Elementary School, Focus Group, Leadership styles, Curriculum and Pedagogy, and Teachers and Students Voices
While research has documented the many ways in which student voice can enable educational change, the process of how adults can help to enable student voice is less clear. This article examines how adults new to working as advisors of... more
While research has documented the many ways in which student voice can enable educational change, the process of how adults can help to enable student voice is less clear. This article examines how adults new to working as advisors of student voice initiatives begin to develop partnerships with young people. Using a Youth-Adult Partnership continuum as a framework, three cases represent a range of beliefs of student leadership. Using the archetypes of Captain, Dreamer, and Architect, the cases indicate how the adults began their work with youth with adult-centered, a student-centered, and an equilibrium approach, respectively. While the article highlights that adults must learn how to scaffold youth participation to help them to develop the leadership skills necessary to share in the work of the partnership, little training and materials exist for adults to learn how to scaffold learning. Part of this training includes the willingness for adults to recognize that they themselves need to change as well in order to facilitate youth leadership.
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Unlike the United Kingdom and other nations that mandate youth participation to some degree, U.S. policies instead tend to inhibit child participation rather than encourage it. Given these policy contexts, it can be challenging to locate... more
Unlike the United Kingdom and other nations that mandate youth participation to some degree, U.S. policies instead tend to inhibit child participation rather than encourage it. Given these policy contexts, it can be challenging to locate spaces where robust opportunities for democratic participation and student voice exist. We use this article as an opportunity to examine the disciplinary, philosophical and methodological approaches that have framed youth participation in youth contexts. We conclude by identifying critical issues of citizenship and belonging that must be considered in participatory research.
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The present research examines the developmental outcomes of elementary-aged students engaged in student voice efforts. Using a case study of fifth-grade girls, the authors compare their experiences to research examining secondary school.... more
The present research examines the developmental outcomes of elementary-aged students engaged in student voice efforts. Using a case study of fifth-grade girls, the authors compare their experiences to research examining secondary school. The authors find marked similarities in the growth of agency, belonging, competence—the ABCs of youth development. The authors also notice two additional dimensions—the need to engage in discourse that allows an exchange of diverse ideas while working toward a common goal. The authors also observed the emergence of civic efficacy, or a belief that one can make a difference in their social worlds. The authors also examine the contexts and conditions that support positive youth development in this case—scaffolding youth learning, establishing inquiry as the framework for teaching and learning, and establishing a clear vision of the school as a place that fosters student voice.
Research Interests: Psychology, Teaching and Learning, Education, Focus Groups, Case Studies, and 15 moreStudent Engagement, Positive Youth Development, Civic Engagement, Social Responsibility, Cooperative Learning, Social Development, Student Voice, Case Study, Inquiry, Elementary School, Comparative Analysis, Secondary School, Teachers and Students Voices, Discourse Communities, and Semi structured interviews
This article explores how leadership can help to enable student voice to occur in schools. We find that the relationship between teachers and the school leader is a critical context for enabling voice. Specifically, we find that the... more
This article explores how leadership can help to enable student voice to occur in schools. We find that the relationship between teachers and the school leader is a critical context for enabling voice. Specifically, we find that the following concepts were important for efforts to enable and foster student voice: (1) clear vision of school that is incorporated deeply into practice as ‘the way we do things here’; (2) allowing opt-in strategies for teachers when possible; (3) recognizing that implementation across classrooms and personnel will vary depending on individual contexts, beliefs, and experiences.
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This article discusses ethical issues involved in facilitating the research of young people on controversial issues. This article considers the potential ethical dilemmas of teachers facilitating a particular form of activism—Youth... more
This article discusses ethical issues involved in facilitating the research of young people on controversial issues. This article considers the potential ethical dilemmas of teachers facilitating a particular form of activism—Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR). We consider how teachers foster school-wide conversations on difficult issues and to support students who wish to take a critical stand on issues of race, class and gender. The article also discusses how to scaffold the exploration of topics that require emotional maturity and might lead to shifts in beliefs that run counter to the values of one’s family.
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... Sara Bragg's Taking a Joke: Learning from Voices We Don't Want to Hear is at once disturbing and inspiring. ... It's important that we get things sorted because if we don't then that's all... more
... Sara Bragg's Taking a Joke: Learning from Voices We Don't Want to Hear is at once disturbing and inspiring. ... It's important that we get things sorted because if we don't then that's all we'll be thinking about and we'll be too busy worrying to concentrate on work. ...
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If we are to foster children and young people's democratic skills and understanding, we need to develop practices that support this from the earliest age. This paper considers the factors applicable to working democratically with very... more
If we are to foster children and young people's democratic skills and understanding, we need to develop practices that support this from the earliest age. This paper considers the factors applicable to working democratically with very young children – those under seven – in facilitating their voices. Grounded in the work around children's rights, these factors are explored to propose a series of questions designed to support practitioners in advancing practice to facilitate children's voices. This paper draws on thinking and ideas that emerged during a seminar series that facilitated international academics working in the field in dialogue with a range of early years practitioners. One outcome of the seminars were eight factors that were seen as pivotal in facilitating very young children's voice: Definition, Power, Inclusivity, Listening, Time and Space, Approaches, Processes and Purposes. All of which demand attention and subsequent action if young children's v...
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Many of us who research or implement student-centered learning approaches read with excitement that states now have the flexibility, under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), to include such approaches into their accountability... more
Many of us who research or implement student-centered learning approaches read with excitement that states now have the flexibility, under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), to include such approaches into their accountability requirements. With states required to submit their plans for implementation last month, we explored how many states chose to include student-centered learning approaches in their plans. What we found was revealing both about how far the field has progressed, and how far it has yet to go.
To develop a preliminary picture of student-centered ESSA plans, we searched for the concepts: “competency, proficiency-based, mastery-based, personalized, and student-centered.”1 Based on our findings displayed in the map below, we found student-centered language was more frequent and most concentrated in the New England states where groups such as iNACOL and Competency Works are particularly active. Additionally, five non-New England states (AR, NC, NM, OR, and TN) incorporate similarly frequent mentions of competency-based education in their state plans, followed by a healthy number of both Southern and Midwestern states. This heavy presence in multiple areas of the country demonstrates that the movement to reform state educational models away from the NCLB-style accountability measures is more than a regional effort.
But curiously, we also noted the absence of student-centered language in some states well-known for student-centered policy. For example, Washington has historically advanced competency-based legislation and established innovation zones to increase the scale of implementation. Washington and other states may have strategically chosen to not intertwine federal compliance to ESSA with pre-existing state-level innovations related to student-centered policy. The reasons for their decisions merit further exploration.
To develop a preliminary picture of student-centered ESSA plans, we searched for the concepts: “competency, proficiency-based, mastery-based, personalized, and student-centered.”1 Based on our findings displayed in the map below, we found student-centered language was more frequent and most concentrated in the New England states where groups such as iNACOL and Competency Works are particularly active. Additionally, five non-New England states (AR, NC, NM, OR, and TN) incorporate similarly frequent mentions of competency-based education in their state plans, followed by a healthy number of both Southern and Midwestern states. This heavy presence in multiple areas of the country demonstrates that the movement to reform state educational models away from the NCLB-style accountability measures is more than a regional effort.
But curiously, we also noted the absence of student-centered language in some states well-known for student-centered policy. For example, Washington has historically advanced competency-based legislation and established innovation zones to increase the scale of implementation. Washington and other states may have strategically chosen to not intertwine federal compliance to ESSA with pre-existing state-level innovations related to student-centered policy. The reasons for their decisions merit further exploration.
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Educators work on behalf of their students every day, but some of the richest learning opportunities arise when educators take it a step further and actually partner with students to address a local issue. Drawn from decades of experience... more
Educators work on behalf of their students every day, but some of the richest learning opportunities arise when educators take it a step further and actually partner with students to address a local issue. Drawn from decades of experience studying and leading youth-adult partnerships, Students at the Center Distinguished Fellow Dana Mitra provides six secrets educators can use to ensure the success of their partnerships with youth. When planned and implemented well, youth-adult partnerships offer enormous opportunities for students to engage topics that matter to them in a context of support, challenge, and real-world relevance. And the skill sets practiced in these projects can help students engage in forms of deeper learning that have been shown to enhance students’ college, career, and civic readiness.
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Youth-adult partnerships are much different than the common misconception that an increase in youth leadership means that adults must simply “get out of the way” (Camino, 2005). This assumption suggests that power is a zero-sum game.... more
Youth-adult partnerships are much different than the common misconception that an increase in youth leadership means that adults must simply “get out of the way” (Camino, 2005). This assumption suggests that power is a zero-sum game. Instead, research has found that the more empowered adults are, the more they can enable power in others, including youth (Camino, 2000; Ginwright, 2005; McQuillan, 2005). Nevertheless, in instances such as the formation of youth-adult partnerships, where the imbalance of power among group members is extreme, adults often had to make explicit gestures that signaled their stepping back in order to create a space in which youth could have a shared responsibility for group decision making. Such a process does not entail handing over control to youth per se, but instead consists of creating a space in which all group members—youth and adults—could develop a common vision for their collective, could carve out an important and meaningful role for themselves in the activities, and could share responsibility for decisions and accountability for group outcomes (Mitra, 2005).
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Educators work on behalf of their students every day, but some of the richest learning opportunities arise when educators take it a step further and actually partner with students to address a local issue. Drawn from decades of experience... more
Educators work on behalf of their students every day, but some of the richest learning opportunities arise when educators take it a step further and actually partner with students to address a local issue. Drawn from decades of experience studying and leading youth-adult partnerships, Students at the Center Distinguished Fellow Dana Mitra provides six secrets educators can use to ensure the success of their partnerships with youth. When planned and implemented well, youth-adult partnerships offer enormous opportunities for students to engage topics that matter to them in a context of support, challenge, and real-world relevance. And the skill sets practiced in these projects can help students engage in forms of deeper learning that have been shown to enhance students’ college, career, and civic readiness. So, the secrets are out — tell everyone!
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This article considers the role of student voice in secondary school reform. It defines the concept of student voice within bodies of research on youth participation internationally, noting the ways the United States is distinct and... more
This article considers the role of student voice in secondary school reform. It defines the concept of student voice within bodies of research on youth participation internationally, noting the ways the United States is distinct and lagging behind. It then looks at the broadening scope of ways that young people have become involved in change efforts. It considers ways that student voice can deepen implementation efforts and strengthen classroom practice. The paper ends with a discussion of the importance of attending to issues of power in youth-adult relationships, including ways to avoid the co-optation of young people.
Given the importance of developing civically engaged and knowledgeable citizens, many have sought to improve the quality of students’ civic education experiences. This paper examines one particular effort spearheaded by the Joe Foss... more
Given the importance of developing civically engaged and knowledgeable citizens, many have sought to improve the quality of students’ civic education experiences. This paper examines one particular effort spearheaded by the Joe Foss Institute (JFI) which has led to 17 states passing a version JFI’s Civic Education Initiative (CEI) legislation. This conceptual paper then examines the CEI legislation considering research-based practices for teaching civics. It then introduces the policy design framework as a tool for analyzing civic policies like CEI. This political science theory recognizes that policies themselves send important signals that have implications on students’ civic development. We utilize the policy design framework to analyze CEI’s policy. Lastly, we conclude with a proposal for possible future empirical research using the policy design framework.
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This article considers the role of student voice in secondary school reform. It defines the concept of student voice within bodies of research on youth participation internationally, noting the ways the United States is distinct and... more
This article considers the role of student voice in secondary school reform. It defines the concept of student voice within bodies of research on youth participation internationally, noting the ways the United States is distinct and lagging behind. It then looks at the broadening scope of ways that young people have become involved in change efforts. It considers ways that student voice can deepen implementation efforts and strengthen classroom practice. The paper ends with a discussion of the importance of attending to issues of power in youth-adult relationships, including ways to avoid the co-optation of young people.
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This article discusses ethical issues involved in facilitating the research of young people on controversial issues. This article considers the potential ethical dilemmas of teachers facilitating a particular form of activism—Youth... more
This article discusses ethical issues involved in facilitating the research of young people on controversial issues. This article considers the potential ethical dilemmas of teachers facilitating a particular form of activism—Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR). We consider how teachers foster school-wide conversations on difficult issues and to support students who wish to take a critical stand on issues of race, class and gender. The article also discusses how to scaffold the exploration of topics that require emotional maturity and might lead to shifts in beliefs that run counter to the values of one’s family.
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Political discord is as old as politics. However, disagreement between people with different political perspectives has become entrenched, and often rancorous, in our era. Many choose only to listen to viewpoints similar to their own and... more
Political discord is as old as politics. However, disagreement between people with different political perspectives has become entrenched, and often rancorous, in our era. Many choose only to listen to viewpoints similar to their own and opportunities for conversation across political differences are shrinking. Research indicates that people are (increasingly?) choosing a self-selection of news that affirms, instead of challenges, their beliefs (Epstein & Graham, 2007; Mutz, 2006); the result is an echo chamber instead of shared beliefs (McGuinn & Suppovitz, 2015). Much of the media industry has sought to amplify discord because of the increase in ratings that it can bring (Mutz, 2015). Scholars of the Trump presidency argue that the current administration has utilized strategies that intentionally increase dissonance between groups rather than seeking compromise and accommodation (Martin, 2017). When considering the importance of civic preparedness—a key outcome that student-centered approaches aim to achieve—its important to recognize that learning to dialogue across difference is a rising challenge for our younger generation. Citizens who have not developed the skillsets and dispositions to engage in democratic discussions and productive deliberations will be ill-prepared to sustain or even protect our democratic institutions. The civic capacity to talk and listen amid diverse perspectives also affects career readiness, since the workplace is often one of the few places where people speak across political differences (Mutz & Mondak, 2006). In our recent article in Educational Leadership [[link]], we discuss the term dialogue as a way to engage in collaborative and generative consideration of how we want to live together. To counter today's divisive and discordant trends, schools can teach young people the specific skills they need to engage in critical dialogue, both to learn from people with different beliefs and to ensure that all students' voices (their stories, opinions, or feelings) are heard. With guidance from adults, dialogue can enable young people to talk productively about issues related to living together in pluralistic society. What should adults prioritize when they work with youth to develop these crucial civic skills? We suggest the following, particularly when learning to discuss contentious issues: CURIOSITY—Ask questions about others' opinions. While learning how to engage in dialogue is a key component of engagement in civic life due to the way it helps us express and consider a range of viewpoints, it is important to recognize that facilitating a rich dialogue can be a difficult pedagogical process. Unlike monologues, dialogues cannot be controlled to arrive at a pre-chosen conclusion. However, dialogues support many intellectual virtues, chief among them the propensity for curiosity. Approaching others with curiosity helps them to elaborate on their feelings and stances and it opens the possibility of richer, more complex elaborations of beliefs so that we can see multiple ways of understanding issues. Staying curious about other's ideas is a great way to stay engaged in conversations across difference, the kind that lead to collaborations rather than disputes. LOOK BENEATH—Ask what people believe and value. To get underneath partisan rhetoric and canned talking points, we need to understand what is driving the perspective, and rarely can we get there unless we ask. Research, as well as our own classroom practice, points to the value of
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Abstract. This article explores how two elementary school students responded to their teacher’s invitation in a civic classroom to make a difference to the world. We consider how the teacher framed the construct of civic efficacy, and how... more
Abstract. This article explores how two elementary school students responded to their teacher’s invitation in a civic classroom to make a difference to the world. We consider how the teacher framed the construct of civic efficacy, and how the students refracted these ideas in their navigation of a civic education project. Closely analyzing these students’ experiences and responses, we question what differences are made when students are encouraged to think of themselves as citizens who can make a difference. Noting dissonances and ambivalences in the students’ responses, the conceptual resources of “figured worlds” (Holland, Lachicotte, Skinner, & Cain, 1998) enable an analysis of the interplay of discourses, interactions, sensory experiences and material artifacts as civic identities are constituted. The two students’ differing responses are analysed in relation to other figured worlds that students and teachers daily negotiate: of compliant citizenship, productive citizenship and consumer citizenship. The overlaps, dissonances and/or divergences in discourses and artifacts from various figured worlds of citizenship may render some students more recognizable as civically “engaged” and “efficacious” than others.
Research Interests: Democratic Education, Civic Education, Self-Efficacy, Education for Citizenship, Youth Civic Engagement, and 22 moreCivic Engagement, Citizenship, Pupil/student Voice, Self Efficacy, Civic participation, Citizen participation, Student Voice, Youth voice, student participation, Efficacy, Civics Education, Civics, Civic, Figured worlds, Systemic Change, Student and Family Voice; Social Justice, Democracy and Citizenship Education, Civic and Moral Education, Teachers and Students Voices, Students' Voices, Co-Creation of Value, Composition and Student Voice, Student Voice, Agency, Independent Learning, Pupil Voice/student Voice, and Civics and Citizenship Education
We explore how the opt-out movement has responded to the combination of a stringent federal policy with weak and often variable implementation among the states. Gaps between federal expectations and states' understandings of just how to... more
We explore how the opt-out movement has responded to the combination of a stringent federal policy with weak and often variable implementation among the states. Gaps between federal expectations and states' understandings of just how to make NCLB's demands a reality have created policy ambiguity. Parents who oppose standardized testing have recognized the resulting tensions and oversights in state education systems as a policy vacuum rife with opportunities for resistance. We examine how parents have exploited policy ambiguity through creating Journal website:
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Given the importance of developing civically engaged and knowledgeable citizens, many have sought to improve the quality of students' civic education experiences. This paper examines one particular effort spearheaded by the Joe Foss... more
Given the importance of developing civically engaged and knowledgeable citizens, many have sought to improve the quality of students' civic education experiences. This paper examines one particular effort spearheaded by the Joe Foss Institute (JFI), the Civic Education Initiative (CEI). Since the CEI was announced, 18 states have passed legislation that includes a civics test component embedded in the CEI. This conceptual paper examines the CEI against researchbased practices for teaching civics. It then introduces the policy design framework as a tool for analyzing civic policies like CEI. This theory from political science recognizes that policies themselves send important signals that have implications for students' civic development. We utilize the policy design framework to analyze CEI and, in particular, how CEI is likely to shape students' civic and political engagement. We conclude with a proposal for possible future empirical research using the policy design framework.
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Student voice can improve student outcomes and lead to educational change. Given the potential of this concept, this article examines the conditions that can enable and constrain this practice. This article uses the concepts of purpose,... more
Student voice can improve student outcomes and lead to educational change. Given the potential of this concept, this article examines the conditions that can enable and constrain this practice. This article uses the concepts of purpose, partnership, and context as a framework to consider what student voice looks like in practice. • Synonyms for the term or terms of the entry (optional) Student voice; pupil voice; youth-adult partnership; youth participatory action research • Main text A Framework for Defining Student Voice: Purpose, Partnerships, and Context Students and adults collaborating together can create more equitable learning opportunities. "Student voice" has been shown to be a means of shifting power dynamics in school settings and addressing issues of equity and justice. Student voice can be defined as the ways in which students have opportunities to participate in and/or influence the educational decisions that will shape their lives and the lives of their peers. Student voice can range from a focus on technical, apolitical concerns to challenging existing power structures. Teachers can ask students to provide feedback on lessons. Schools can create advisory boards in which students provide insights into policy issues. Students can demand changes in hiring policies and school climate. In addition, student voice efforts also are increasingly being offered as a pathway to improving student academic success and social-emotional development. Given the potential impact of student voice, this article examines: What does student voice look like in practice and what are the implications of different forms of student voice? The remainder of this article defines student voice practice along three dimensions-purpose, partnership, and context. Table One provides examples of student voice practices delineated along these three dimensions. We look at "context" going down the table, "partnership" across the table, and within each cell, we offer examples of "purpose," color coded by levels of change. [INSERT TABLE ONE HERE] Partnership Research finds that successful student voice efforts value process as a goal that was as important (and sometimes even more important) than other goals, because the process taught youth valuable skills and life lessons that prepared them for adult lives.