Research Goal

The aim of this research project is to investigate how student voice activities, such as students participating in Collaborative Research (CR) at school by focusing on following three research objectives:

1. To provide an in-depth and systematic overview of international empirical studies of CR, in which student teacher partnerships are realized, in order to understand the design of this model and to confirm its importance for democratic experiences.
2. To establish democratic experiences in urban school by means of CR:
   1. By gaining insight in students’ perspectives on optimal urban learning environments.
   2. By gaining insight into students’ and teachers’ perspectives on conditions of CR.
   3. By gaining insight into how the interaction between students and teachers in CR supports democratic experiences.
3. To support with empirical results the assumption that CR leads to democratic outcomes.

Research design

This research is set up as a multiple case study with 4 cases. Each case is situated in a secondary school in the Brussels area. Within each case, a research team works for one school year to set up and carry out a practical study aimed at strengthening the educational learning environment within the school. The research team consists of socially vulnerable students at the age of 16-18, teachers, a coach, a teacher trainer and student-teachers. Data on student participation in practical research are collected throughout the school year using various methods (e.g. survey, photovoice). Qualitative data analysis within and across cases will provide in-depth insight into the mechanisms of student participation in collaborative research. The insights from this research will be translated into classroom and school practice in order to strengthen citizenship education.