Planes, Trains and Automobiles: Exploring the Vehicles to University Student Voice – Dr Mollie Dollinger

BIO:  Dr Mollie Dollinger is a Senior Lecturer at Deakin University in the Learning Futures team. She has previously created and managed two university-wide students as partners programs at La Trobe University and Deakin University. Her research areas include student partnership, student-staff co-design, and student equity and inclusion.  

SESSION OVERVIEW: In the higher education sector, there has been a growing acknowledgment of the significant role students’ voice should play in informing staff decision-making. Nevertheless, the multitude of methods, contexts, and vehicles through which students’ voices can be accessed are as diverse as the voices themselves, leading to a challenge for staff in determining the appropriate approaches, timing, and rationale for their utilisation. To address this issue, this workshop aims to provide participants with insights into both historical and emerging mechanisms for gathering students’ voices. The session will also delve into the practicality and limitations associated with each approach. By using a series of scenarios and/or student personas, participants will engage in collaborative brainstorming sessions to formulate innovative methods for exploring students’ voices in their unique contexts. This presentation is open to all staff members involved in student leadership, partnership, and/or volunteering, and will be particularly valuable for those engaged in student boards, panels, committees, or co-design initiatives.