Appreciative inquiry as a positive student voice practice in higher education

By Eve Bracken-Ingram

Student voice is the concept of including students in the decision-making processes which affect their education. It is built upon the belief that students have a unique perspective and can provide valuable feedback on teaching and learning processes. Typically, student voice practices are centred around identifying problems and determining solutions. Critics of this practice suggest that the negative starting point limits the efficacy of student voice and creates a divide between students and staff. By focusing on problems, students are forced to play the role of angry customer while staff are expected to defend their practice. This creates an untrusting and apathetic environment where positive change is unlikely to be created.

Kadi-Hanifi et al. (2014) (Source) suggest an alternative to the standard negatively focused student voice practices: appreciative inquiry. Appreciative inquiry is built upon the idea of “the power of the unconditional positive question” (Ludema, Cooperrider, and Barrett, 2001, p.189) and aims to engage, enthuse and enhance higher education communities. This student voice practice focuses on the strengths of current teaching and learning processes and asks participants to imagine what may be possible in the future.

Appreciative inquiry consists of four stages:

  • Discovery
  • Dream
  • Design
  • Destiny

Discovery is the primary research stage where current positive practices are identified. In order to maximise student agency and empowerment this stage should be led predominantly by students. A range of diverse students and staff should be consulted to gain a broad perspective. Feedback should be analysed in order to create a set of 'propositional statements' which describe the general consensus on current positive practices. Following this identification, the dream phase commences. In this phase, students are required to imagine the possibilities for the future if these best practices were ingrained into the higher education institutions culture. Based on this envisioned future, the design phase then utilises co-creation to develop a set of guiding values which, when followed, will result in this dream. This stage must be incredibly collaborative so ensure that all stakeholders contribute to these shared principles. Finally, the destiny phase establishes a sense of purpose by asking all stakeholders to share a commitment to change. A key observation is that this is not an action plan but instead the acknowledgement of a shared resolution.

The entire process aims to create an empowering, trusting higher education community. By replacing complaints with positive feedback, staff are reassured and inspired to continue to transform educational practices. Appreciative inquiry encourages energetic forward thinking of staff and students. The encouraging nature of this practice motivates participants to take part in, and actively listen to, student voice. There are limitations to appreciative inquiry as a student voice method, as it does make identifying major problems difficult. Additionally, the whole community approach may lead to marginalised opinions being disregarded. However, if used in conjunction with other student voice practices, appreciative inquiry may encourage a new outlook on higher education development and create a positive, collaborative community which fosters growth.

FAQ

Q: How does the process of text analysis contribute to identifying and enhancing the positive aspects of educational practices through appreciative inquiry?

A: The process of text analysis plays a crucial role in the appreciative inquiry approach by enabling the identification of positive educational practices from a vast amount of feedback gathered from students and staff. By using text analysis, comments and suggestions are systematically reviewed to spot common themes and strengths in current teaching and learning methods. This method allows for a detailed and objective examination of feedback, ensuring that the positive aspects are accurately captured and highlighted. In the context of student voice, text analysis ensures that the diverse opinions and experiences of students are considered when determining what is working well in education. This thorough examination forms the foundation for the Discovery phase, where these positive practices are identified and celebrated, setting the stage for imagining future possibilities that build on these strengths.

Q: What measures are in place to ensure that the inclusivity of diverse student voices does not lead to the marginalization of less popular but potentially insightful perspectives during the appreciative inquiry process?

A: To ensure that inclusivity of diverse student voices does not sideline less popular but insightful perspectives, appreciative inquiry incorporates several measures. Firstly, it deliberately seeks out a wide range of participants from different backgrounds and experiences to ensure a rich tapestry of perspectives is represented. This includes actively inviting contributions from often underrepresented groups. During the analysis of feedback, particular attention is given to ensuring that all voices are heard and considered, not just those that are loudest or most frequent. Facilitators of the process are trained to recognize and value the unique insights that can come from less dominant perspectives, ensuring they are integrated into the overall understanding of positive practices. In the subsequent phases of appreciative inquiry, these diverse insights contribute to shaping a vision and design principles that are truly reflective of the entire community's aspirations, including those from marginalised groups. This approach reinforces the principle of student voice by validating and acting upon the contributions of all students, ensuring that the educational community benefits from the fullest range of experiences and ideas.

Q: Can appreciative inquiry in student voice initiatives be effectively scaled to large educational institutions with thousands of students, and if so, what adaptations are necessary to maintain its effectiveness?

A: Appreciative inquiry can indeed be scaled to large educational institutions, but it requires careful planning and adaptation to ensure its effectiveness. For large-scale implementation, technology can be leveraged to gather and analyse student feedback efficiently through surveys, forums, and interactive platforms. This allows for broader participation and the inclusion of a wide range of student voices in the Discovery phase. Additionally, breaking down the process into smaller, manageable groups or departments can help maintain a sense of community and personal engagement, crucial for the appreciative inquiry's success. These smaller groups can work independently on identifying strengths and dreaming up future possibilities before coming together to share and collaborate on a unified vision. Facilitators may also need to employ more robust methods of communication and project management to coordinate efforts across the institution effectively. Training for staff and student leaders in appreciative inquiry principles and practices is essential to ensure consistency and fidelity to the approach. By adapting the process to accommodate the size and complexity of large institutions, appreciative inquiry can foster a positive and inclusive culture that amplifies student voice across the educational community.

References

[Source] Karima Kadi-Hanifi, Ozlem Dagman, John Peters, Ellen Snell, Caroline Tutton & Trevor Wright (2014) Engaging students and staff with educational development through appreciative inquiry. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 51(6), 584-594 DOI: 10.1080/14703297.2013.796719

[1] Ludema, J., Cooperrider, D., & Barrett, F. (2001). Appreciative inquiry: The power of the unconditional positive question. In P. Reason & H. Bradbury (Eds.), Handbook of action research (pp. 189–199). London: Sage.

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