[T]his workshop made me feel that my opinion matters, and it is valued by others because it was mainly about [activities] and in each activity each one of us had to participate
Salma Nassar, student blogpost
After sharing the above prepared thoughts, the workshop time was spent in small groups discussing the ways in which student-faculty partnership could be used to improve the learning environment in our context. Discussions followed the Conversation Café approach which structures the conversation such that every individual is given equal space to speak and respond to others. Among the key outputs coming from the groups was a recognition that there is much to be gained by faculty and students partnering together in order for faculty to better respond to student needs and for students to have more choices and also to understand faculty better and why they do things in certain ways to enhance learning. There was a recognition that this process would be difficult but doable, that it would require preparing students as well as faculty and keeping an open mind, and that it would have in-class manifestations as well as larger institutional processes.
I also felt very happy being a part of this event as a lot of good points were raised on how the future of education would be better if the university adopts a Students as Partners (SAP) approach.
“I learned that students as well as faculty have the will to work together to promote student engagement on [with] a bigger and wider scale and I learned through [our] discussion with other students and faculty members of AUC and other universities that this is going to take time and effort but it is a vital change that needs to happen to have a better working and learning environment.” - Youssef Zakaria, student, from feedback survey
“I...saw different ways of involving students in sessions and thought about how important it is to design student engagement in ways that really center student voice (so many different little things to do to really empower students this way). I just love that there were 3 sessions where students were really present and speaking.” - Anonymous faculty, from feedback survey
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