Thanks to everyone that attended our first workshop last week on Defining Student Knowledge Exchange.
Below are some key notes from the session, but the conversation is far from over. I hope these spark some opinions and debates which we can carry on in this thread. We had a few guide questions for the conversation, but as usual we created as many questions as we answered.
What is a Student?
One member, doing a PhD on student's experience of in curriculum knowledge exchange is using definitions found in Low and Dent, 2021.
Different institutions and different activities use various cut of points for what is considered a student, including alumni up to 6 months, post docs, or 'having access to a student email address'.
In our context, would all these count as 'students': Part-time, distance learners, CPD only, PhD's, Alumni?
Who 'gives' and 'receives' knowledge?
Some see students more as the conduit through which academics can engage in knowledge exchange. They may be the ones carrying out activities but the 'knowledge' is coming from the academic.
Others see the students as the main agent carrying out a transformation process. Students aren't 'blank slates' and have knowledge and experiences they are bringing to the partnership. They change and shape projects and outcomes just by being involved.
What makes a knowledge exchange project?
A difficulty in mapping SKE activity onto the academic KE template is in the lack of follow-on benefits for the university. KE typically provides opportunities for further research, data collection, publications etc. for the academic involved. However, students leave, move on to industry and that cycle ends there.
Impact, outputs and value look different for different sectors (well-articulated by AHSS colleagues). Developing social value measures and other impact measures can help us define better.
One member is looking at SKE as a catalyst for further partnership development, and measuring SKE success in terms of partnership 'speed'.
Another determinant can be if the activities support the institutions research themes and civic goals.
(Full citation: Lowe, T., & Dent, P. (2021). Student engagement in knowledge exchange: A conceptual model based on established student engagement practice in educational development.)
We also have an open doc whiteboard that everyone can update through each session (whether you attended or not). The aim of this is to help us create some working material for us all to use. Use this link to access the whiteboard on Miro (looked after directly by PrA team).
Student in Knowledge Exchange SIG < Miro Board
Our next session is on the 17th September, 14:00 - Ways to measure and where to report it. Please register here to come along: SKE SIG: Ways to measure and where to report it
------------------------------
Leanne Kenyon
Founder & Director
ProjectMatch Ltd
leanne@project-match.com------------------------------