Addressing potential challenges in co-creating learning and teaching: overcoming resistance, navigating institutional norms and ensuring inclusivity in student–staff partnerships

Bovill, C., Cook-Sather, A., Felten, P., Millard, L. and Moore-Cherry, N. (2016) Addressing potential challenges in co-creating learning and teaching: overcoming resistance, navigating institutional norms and ensuring inclusivity in student–staff partnerships. Higher Education, 71(2), pp. 195-208. (doi: 10.1007/s10734-015-9896-4)

Abstract

Against a backdrop of rising interest in students becoming partners in learning and teaching in higher education, this paper begins by exploring the relationships between student engagement, co-creation and student–staff partnership before providing a typology of the roles students can assume in working collaboratively with staff. Acknowledging that co-creating learning and teaching is not straightforward, a set of examples from higher education institutions in Europe and North America illustrates some important challenges that can arise during co-creation. These examples also provide the basis for suggestions regarding how such challenges might be resolved or re-envisaged as opportunities for more meaningful collaboration. The challenges are presented under three headings: resistance to co-creation; navigating institutional structures, practices and norms; and establishing an inclusive co-creation approach. The paper concludes by highlighting the importance of transparency within co-creation approaches and of changing mindsets about the potential opportunities and institutional benefits of staff and students co-creating learning and teaching.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10734-015-9896-4
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Bovill, Dr Catherine
• Authors: Bovill, C., Cook-Sather, A., Felten, P., Millard, L., and Moore-Cherry, N.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Education > Social Justice Place and Lifelong Education; University Services > Learning and Teaching Services Division
• Journal Name: Higher Education
• Publisher: Springer Netherlands
• ISSN: 0018-1560
• ISSN (Online): 1573-174X
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2015 Springer International Publishing
• First Published: First published in Higher Education 2015
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher