How can you incorporate student input in educational outreach programs?

Student input is a foundational piece that I feel sometimes gets lost in all the other things we have to do. I often ask my students their learning preferences, different review activities we can do in class and what they need in different moments to be successful.

In my experience, student's input is crucial for such programs to be relevant, engaging, and effective. 1. Before designing the program, collect input from students, about their interests, preferences, and needs regarding the topics of the program. 2. Organise focus group discussions with students to delve deeper into their perspectives and ideas. 3. Form student advisory committees to lead as program planners, offering ongoing feedback and improvement. 4. Let students brainstorm ideas, design content, and provide feedback on prototypes. 6. Empower students to take ownership of planning and execution supporting resources, mentorship and reflections. 7. Acknowledge and appreciate students' contributions to educational outreach programs.

By doing student surveys and/or drawing from their personal experiences which they shared or which you may have observed in the course of teaching/dealing with them.

I implemented a journaling component to a course that had been running for many years. It was a transformative piece for students and for me. All of a sudden I had this clear window into the direct experience of the students that I was working with and could shift gears as necessary in our programming to ensure that the program was meeting the students where they needed to be met.

Students are the best for this. Their experiences are fresh enough to provide helpful feedback on how a division’s approached comes across. Remember to give students the opportunity to work on tech or presentational pieces. Often times they are using software and trending technology with ease, and they can create content their prospective peers will gravitate to. And, it has been known for ages that students receive stronger engagement from prospective students and families, because their testimony is authentic, so work with students to learn what they’re willing to do. Institutional content and programming is often safe. Ask students to be imaginative and suggest one element that is risky or edgy that could modify the program.

Always make them feel like it's their choice by providing them with said choice. Children need to like they are in control of their decisions even when we are providing them with the "choice" that will be made.

Knowing the pulse of the student is a wonderful approach to become fully aware of student needs and concerns. We live in a society where Champions/Amabassadors can be Trailblazers in representing the student population by presenting the issues to school district leadership. This goes beyond student council because the Trailblazers serve as the student voice and reports back to the students on a monthly/quarterly basis. Agents of change starts with our youth because they carry the next generation.

Students want to contribute. They want to know that their thoughts, ideas, and reports are heard and considered. Most are nervous and give a lot of thought before they say or submit anything. They take a longer term approach worried that they could look bad or, worse, endanger employment opportunities. The key to getting student input is to show they are heard and valued. Early implementation of student input will encourage others to contribute. Celebrating successful contributions will encourage more input. Mentoring students will help them feel included. Including students will lead to organizational success.

Allowing student-led activities and meetings can teach us a lot about our pupils. Students tend to speak differently, more freely, and openly when they don't feel they are being interrogated for the other person's benefit. Allowing our students to share their ideas with us can spark change and a fire inside our staff. Right now, we need to find any kind of spark we can provide, and allowing our students to share their valuable input without us leading the way can be one of the many ways to do so.

Use the students museum visit as inspiration for them to paint wall art in their home. Of course with parental consent!!! Using blue painter’s tape, create a 24” square, whereas the bottom of the square is about 48” above the floor. Do a plan on paper, say 12”x 12” then select your colors. Double the size of your paper sample equal to rescaling your wall art. Then visit Home Depot, your paper sample to match colors, and buy some pint size paints, and have at it! ???? ??