Grunnstrukturer i samhandlingsprosesser knyttet til samhandling

Abstract

The principle of student participation is strong in Norwegian schools and has as an important purpose to give the pupils the opportunity to participate. In the new Education Act, the school’s obligation to facilitate student participation will be enshrined in law. There is currently a limited knowledge base on student participation in general. The purpose of the chapter is to examine a veiled pressure on student participation. This is done in connection with the understanding and content of the concept of interaction and the significance this may have for the teacher’s practice. An overarching research goal will be to investigate the basic structures 1) agency (having control over one’s own life), 2) empowerment (empow ering), and 3) interaction (equal relationships) as a basis for understanding student participation in school. In this context, three selected indicators for interaction are highlighted: reciprocity, trust and learning along the way. The study is based on a literature review of the three basic structures and an empirical material consisting of student reflections. A main finding is that teachers and leaders must work with student participation as a concept of interaction, which requires a redefinition of what student participation can be. Student participation is not only about the pupils being able to participate in their own learning, but also about how they are equipped and given the opportunity to participate in the academic and social learning of others. This will require an awareness that student participation is something that will have to be developed, exercised, and trained extensively in the school’s learning community. Keywords: student participation, learning community, interaction, empowerment, agency