Call for Papers

Deadline for abstract submission: 5 November 2018

Edited Volume – Working Title
Student Empowerment: Reflections of Teachers and Students in Higher Education

The focus of this volume is to present chapters on student empowerment by both teachers and students in higher education. We would like all the authors to engage with two critical aspects: reflection and student empowerment.

For teachers:
The aim of the chapters in this volume is for teachers to draw on their own experiences and reflect on the various ways in which they have provided support for their students to encourage them to be the best that they can be and to set them up for success. Teachers in primary and secondary education are continuously engaged in reflecting on their teaching practice. Most keep some kind of journal or teaching portfolio in which they document what went well and what could be done better next time. This type of practice provides teachers with an impression of their growth over time, which results in viewing teaching as an ongoing process that involves inquiry, experimentation and reflection. For academics teaching in higher education, formalised reflection is not usually customary. This does not mean that academics don’t reflect on their teaching practice, but simply that this is not something which they regularly document or are expected to document as part of their continuous professional development. One of the primary aims of this volume then, is to encourage academics to reflect on their teaching practice and consider ways in which they have empowered students. Questions that may be addressed in the chapters include: What inspired you to take this approach? What, if anything, was unique about your approach? What was the outcome, for you and your students? What’s next – will you continue the same approach or have you reflected some more and are planning further revisions? Or maybe your plan is to try something entirely new? Was this practice shared with your colleagues –formally or informally? How did you disseminate this information, if at all?

For students:
The aim of the chapters in this volume is for students to look back on the various strategies employed by their teachers in higher education, which led to an increase in their confidence and eventual success. Students in all levels of education rarely consider the reason behind a particular approach being used in the classroom. This is most likely because this is something that is not expected of them. One of the primary aims of this volume then, is to encourage students in Higher Education to reflect on a teaching approach used by a specific teacher and consider ways in which this has led them to be empowered. Questions that may be addressed in the chapters include: In what ways have you been empowered in higher education? How did this take place? Who was it that empowered you? What did you appreciate about their approach? How did this empowerment affect you – what was the outcome for you and the individual that empowered you? Did you use this strategy in your other courses? Have you used this approach elsewhere outside of academia?

Areas of focus may include, but are not limited to:
• Designing and planning learning activities
• Creating a conducive learning environment
• Methods of teaching and/or supporting students
• Activities and/or techniques used to support student learning
• Formal/informal formative and/or summative assessment strategies
• Innovative ways of providing feedback

Submissions are invited from teachers and students in Higher Education. Co-Authored papers written by teachers and students are particularly encouraged.

Deadline for abstract submission: 5 November 2018

Abstracts can be submitted by completing the online form available at https://bit.ly/2oSRoOy