Student voice and agency for transformative change in matters that matter: Impactful inquiry in primary science

Abstract

In an era of socio-ecological challenges and uncertain times, it is imperative that student voice is supported to enable student transformative agency and desired positive change in their lives and community. Although international policy, the Australian Curriculum, School Strategic Plans, communities, teachers, and students often advocate for student voice, authentic enactment remains a challenge. This paper illustrates a transformative curriculum enactment of student voice and agency as impactful inquiry that resulted in student-desired transformative whole-school change. Conducted in a Melbourne metropolitan primary school following multiple Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns, a contextually responsive Year 6 Microorganisms Learning sequence is reported. A student-identified health risk and high microbial load in a Lost Property Box resulted in the students' collective agentic pursuit and implementation of scientifically grounded solutions, processes, and policy changes in the school community. Students, teachers, and school leadership reported student voice and agency as key outcomes of the student-driven inquiry that followed student voice and concerns for positive change. It is argued that it is a critical educative responsibility to support student voice in establishing bearing, which encompasses recognised positioning, direction, and path forward to make a difference in matters that matter to students. This paper seeks to inform and inspire further student voice-responsive impactful inquiry, which develops students' capacity and efficacy for their desired positive impact in their community now and possibly in the future.