I am coordinator of the Student Voices initiative for Education|Evolving ( http://www.educationevolving.org/studentvoices ). We integrate student voices with current major topics in education policy. We also maintain an online clearinghouse of student voices on ed policy and produce Student Voices on Video, an effort to document unconventional learning from the perspective of students.

I am also involved with http://www.StudentsSpeakOut.org , an effort coordinated by the Citizens League in the Twin Cities. It is a social networking site where students and adults in Minneapolis discuss the Minneapolis district’s enrollment decline (by 10,000 in the past 5 years). What are the causes and consequences? What can be done? Some adults initially worried that it would be a “hate site” but the opposite has been true. Some highly constructive civic discourse is taking place. And some excellent documentation of student voice.

I think students have a tremendous stake in conferences like NECC. The outcomes impact them, ultimately…to me, this means they have the most stake!

Unfortunately, we don’t make a significant effort to engage them or to integrate their input at conferences, etc. I agree that empowerment happens elsewhere, though!

While talking to the students from Barber Middle School in our booth many asked, ” Where are all the students?” and I said ” good question.” They continued to ask more and more questions about the conference and it’s purpose. I said, ” This conference is really for you guys. All these educators and vendors are here to improve you school experience”.

Once student then asked, ” Why don’t they ask us?” and I said ” Well, why don’t you ask them? Ask the people at ISTE the things you are asking me.” The conversation grew to a discussion and the students were pouring out ideas and reasons why and how students can be involved in conferences.

I encouraged the students from Barber Middle School to utilize their student voice. I ensured them that Generation YES would support them in anyway we can in getting their voices heard.

Nice Post Sylvia!

I like your post above very much. I see getting the adults to listen to, read, and respond to the younger adults – because who are we kidding, adolescents are as capable as many a legal adult – as a first step. Right now, the adults educators are stuck in “Us and Them” mode.

But student blogging is by no means the end-all. Just one way to begin.

1. We have a dream We’ve aggregated a lot of free resources about student empowerment, specifically about how students can be involved in improving technology use in schools. They are all over the main website at http://www.genyes.com

2. We have a scheme To feed the kiddies, we sell services for schools who want to follow a well developed, well researched model that guides them through the change process. Dennis Harper, who started Generation YES, used to go around doing keynotes and invited sessions until he noticed that although everyone “loved” the message, nothing changed. So by inventing a process, tools, curriculum, etc. that schools can adopt, the message hopefully is “stickier”.

So how do you get involved? I’d be happy to talk to you about dreams or schemes, you can reach me at sylvia at genyes.com.

How do I get involved?