Student voice and teacher voice in educational research: a systematic review of 25 years of literature from 1995–2020

Abstract

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in student and teacher voice in education. What distinguishes ‘teacher voice’ or ‘student voice’ from simply reflecting participants’ views as a source of data is the placement of participants in an empowered participatory position. It is the positioning of their voice as consisting of more than a process, and as something with value and power that extends voice engagement as one beyond that of informant. While research might focus on either student voice or teacher voice in isolation, there are few studies that position voice as something with power, and integrate the perspectives of both groups as being views that matter. This systematic review investigates and describes the nexus between student voice and teacher voice in educational research over 25 years and provides a framework for identifying the extent to which certain views and perspectives are prioritised in research, and whether the participatory function of the positioned research is doing what it sets out to do.