More than Words: from Consultation to Co-Creation

Before we move on to today’s article I wanted to announce the latest episode of Disrupting Echoes

Disrupting Echoes: Episode 4: “ReDMUnion: Reflections on #SabbLife”

In this engaging episode, we bring together former De Montfort Students' Union sabbatical officers, Kate and Diya, with Alkhemy's Molly Knight, to delve into their experiences from 2019-2020. Having now had staff roles within the movement, Kate and Diya open up about their journey from student leaders to influential insiders, sharing both the highs and challenges that they faced.

Hosted by Barbara and Molly, this conversation explores the realities of student leadership, offering invaluable lessons and insights. Ideal for current and aspiring sabbatical officers or anyone interested in students’ union dynamics, the episode shines a light on the personal impact and growth that comes from navigating the complexities of student governance.

Now for our feature presentation:

More than Words: from Consultation to Co-Creation

We often hear words such as “co-production”, “student voice” and “consultation” used interchangeably in student engagement circles. For me, these ideas are different and they hold different meanings within different institutional contexts. However, my feeling is that age-old paradigms of student engagement are shifting, making way for a seismic shift towards something more profound, more collaborative, and infinitely more impactful. It has to be a concerted and deliberate effort to move from mere learner consultation to co-creation with students. This shouldn’t just be a change in tactics—it should be a bold reimagining of our very essence as educators, a call to arms for all of us to evolve from the traditional gatekeepers of knowledge to architects of a shared, dynamic learning journey.

Challenging the Traditional Paradigm

Historically, many in the higher education sector have been guilty of viewing students as passive recipients of knowledge, their feedback solicited through consultations that rarely influence real change. It's a model that speaks but doesn't listen, instructs but doesn't engage. In an era where the diversity of student voices (that’s “voices”) is more pronounced than ever, this model is not just outdated; there is a strong argument that it’s obsolete.

The transition to a co-creation approach requires us to see students not as beneficiaries of wisdom but as partners in learning. It's about harnessing the collective intelligence, creativity, and insight of all stakeholders to forge educational experiences that are not only relevant but deeply resonant.

Just so we’re Clear

Consultation is a process where feedback or opinions are sought (sometimes coerced!) from stakeholders at specific points, usually at the beginning or end of a project or as a way of evaluating a module. This approach often aims to gather insights or validate decisions already made by the project leaders, or display a question set drafted in a way that limits the depth of input from respondents. In consultation, the decision-making power typically remains with the leaders, and stakeholders do not have a direct role in creating or implementing solutions. Their input may influence outcomes, but they are not actively involved in the decision-making or creative process.

Co-creation, on the other hand, is a more collaborative and inclusive approach. It involves stakeholders, such as students and staff in an educational context, working together from the outset to jointly develop and implement solutions. In co-creation, there is a shared responsibility and ownership of the process and outcomes. Stakeholders are considered equal partners, contributing their unique perspectives, skills, and experiences to create something new or solve problems together. This approach fosters deeper relationships, mutual respect, and a sense of belonging among participants. It acknowledges that all contributors have valuable insights and expertise to offer, leading to more innovative and relevant outcomes.

The Path to Co-creation

Adopting a co-creation approach involves several key shifts:

• Multidisciplinary Collaboration: Breaking down the silos within institutions to bring together students, academics, and professional services staff, fostering a culture of shared goals and mutual respect.
• Centering on People in Their Contexts: Prioritising the lived experiences of students, understanding their unique contexts, and valuing their input as equal to academic knowledge and teaching experience.
• Creativity and Iteration: Embracing a dynamic process of idea generation, prototyping/piloting, and refinement, driven by continuous stakeholder feedback.

However, the path is fraught with challenges, from the logistical complexities of coordinating diverse groups to the more profound organisational cultural shifts required to value student voices as equal to those of seasoned academics.

Co-creation? What do you Mean? I’ve Got Years of Experience

The value of student contributions to the co-creation of their university experience can often be underestimated, sidelined by entrenched academic traditions that fail to recognise the depth and breadth of the insights students offer. This oversight misses a crucial opportunity to enrich the educational process, making it more relevant, engaging, and reflective of contemporary societal needs. Their involvement can lead to the development of more inclusive and dynamic curricula and services, fostering an environment that is both diverse and adaptable to the changing demands of society.

Moreover, the collaboration between students and staff in the co-creation process embodies a real opportunity for reciprocal learning, where both parties benefit from the exchange of knowledge and experiences. This partnership not only enhances the learning experience by bridging the gap between theory and practice but also prepares students for life after graduation, equipping them with critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaborative skills. Embracing this collaborative approach could transform the traditional educational hierarchy, making it more responsive to the needs of all stakeholders involved. It is time for universities to fully embrace the potential of student participation in co-creation, recognising it as a vital component in the pursuit of a more innovative, inclusive, and effective educational system.

Of Course, Consultation Has its Place

This transition to co-creation is intricate in its nature, but it paves the way for enhanced student engagement and superior educational and success outcomes. The foundational role of consultation is indispensable, serving to collate diverse viewpoints from the university community, including students, academics, and professional services staff. This phase is crucial not only for gathering feedback but also for identifying key issues, fostering trust, and building the essential relationships that form the bedrock of effective collaboration in later stages.?

As the process advances from consultation to the deeper, more collaborative sphere of co-creation, the methodology inherently shifts towards greater participation. The organisation of inclusive workshops, drawing upon insights from the initial consultation phase, is vital. These workshops act as catalysts for collective problem-solving and the co-design of solutions, transcending mere dialogue to become launch pads for innovation. Empowering students by involving them actively in decision-making processes marks a significant departure from traditional feedback mechanisms, advocating for their direct involvement in shaping their educational experiences. Furthermore, the establishment of iterative feedback loops ensures the co-creation process remains flexible and attuned to the evolving needs and insights of all stakeholders involved.

Mastering this transition demands a nuanced appreciation of both the unique and interconnected facets of consultation and co-creation. Essential to this is clear communication, ensuring all stakeholders comprehend the evolving nature of their contribution. The ability to fluidly navigate between consultation and co-creation, tailored to the specific demands of the project and its participants, is crucial. This adaptable approach, coupled with ongoing engagement, guarantees that insights gleaned from the consultation phase meaningfully inform co-creation efforts, and the fruits of co-creation, in turn, enrich future consultations. By endorsing this cyclical process, we can cultivate a more engaging, collaborative, and efficacious educational ecosystem, where the journey from consultation to co-creation stands as a pillar of academic innovation and student fulfilment.

Overcoming Obstacles and Foreseeing Challenges

So where do we start and how do we deal with the obstacles? Time investment, divergent views, and ensuring meaningful stakeholder engagement present significant challenges. Yet, these can be navigated through:

• Skilled Facilitation: Building teams adept at navigating the complexities of stakeholder engagement, capable of fostering productive dialogue and consensus.
• Structural Support: Establishing advisory boards and utilising theoretical frameworks to guide the co-creation process, ensuring it remains structured and goal-oriented.
• Practical Implementation: From stakeholder workshops to feedback mechanisms, the co-creation approach must be embedded in the fabric of institutional practices, ensuring it is more than just a theoretical ideal. It has to be a mindset embracing iteration, learning and experimentation.?

You Hear BUT are you Listening?

For those of us in the field of higher education student engagement, moving towards a co-creation model is not just an improvement but a necessity. It's about building educational experiences that are not only academically rigorous but deeply relevant and profoundly empowering.

As leaders, educators, and innovators, we must challenge ourselves to listen more, to value the diverse voices of our students, and to co-create not just educational content, student services and strategies but a shared vision for the future of education. This is not a journey we can undertake alone, nor should we. The beauty of co-creation lies in its collaborative nature, in the shared ownership of the process and the outcomes.

A Quick Note on Whose Role This Is (Is it the Institution or Students’ Union?)

Well actually the short answer is “probably both, right?” There are a lot of moving parts to this and it would be lazy of me to try to define the specific role that an institution and an ORS (Organisation Representing Students) should take, not least because it’s likely to be agile and dynamic in each locale but also because contexts change and the strength of individual relationships can be fluid in this space.

I do know a few truths in this debate though:

Truth 1: It is absolutely valid for ORS to feel left out or excluded from co-creation and student engagement initiatives that the institution runs without looking to work in partnership with, or at least, consult with their students’ union.

Truth 2: It is also absolutely valid for a University to want to run insight, engagement and co-creation initiatives with students, and for University staff to lead this.

Truth 3: It would be great if SUs and Universities (at a strategic level) have a shared understanding of what “co-creation”, “student voice”, “representation” and “student engagement” actually mean in practice within their contexts.

Truth 4: Representation, campaigning and being the voice of students IS the role of the students’ union, but the SU has to do this in an accomplished and authentic way that engages the wider student community.

My advice is to work it out for the good of your students

Embracing Co-Creation

I’ll often ask student engagement professionals, “Do you do any co-creation with students?”, they will reply with “Oh yes, we do modular evaluation surveys and course satisfaction surveys…”. If you've stuck this article out for this long you'll know that this is not strictly “co-creation”. We should move beyond consultation to build university experiences that are truly collaborative, inclusive, and transformative. It is a journey fraught with challenges, but the rewards—more engaged students, more relevant educational experiences, empathic, user-friendly services and more vibrant communities — are immeasurably worth it.

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