Editor’s Note

In the realm of education, student voice and agency are essential. They go beyond enhancing learning experiences; they are essential to the cultivation of responsible, engaged, and empowered citizens. Curriculum and pedagogy are central to driving thistransformation, offering not just paths for learning but also forums for all students to voice their thoughts and ideas.

 Curriculum defines what is taught, and pedagogy governs how it is taught. Together, theyenable us to transcend the traditional classroom, offering a conduit for students to gain knowledge, express themselves, and engage with the world. But why are curriculum andpedagogy so essential to fostering student voice and agency?

 Education, at its core, is not a one-sided endeavour but a collaborative dialogue among learners, educators, and the broader community. It should be a dynamic exchange in which all students play an active role, contributing their unique insights, experiences, andaspirations. The pieces assembled in this issue highlight this vital dialogue. It demonstrates how students' voices can be recognised and heard to reimagine curriculumand pedagogy in ways that are more inclusive, engaging, and meaningful for all students, whilst also shining light on the perhaps set-back in student voice work within Australia.

 From innovative research methodologies to practical classroom strategies, each article offers a glimpse into the myriad ways in which students are taking a front seat in their own learning journeys. These narratives serve as a testament to the power of student agency in drivingpositive change within educational systems and institutions.

 The issue starts with an interview with Hayley Dureau, assistant principal at Mentone Girls’ Secondary College, on what student voice is and how teachers can embed it into the school community.

 Through a youth-adult participatory action research method, Angelique Howell introduces us to four uniquely created mini projects by students at an Alternative Learning Centre. These projects aimed to revitalise the centre, bringing in elements of Indigenous Australian culture and the local ecosystem to provide students with a better sense of belonging, agency and voice.

 Informed by the Science of Learning principles, Skye Staude takes us through MacKillop Education’s plans to deeply embed student voice in the school’s curriculum development in 2024.

 Amber Galbraith, a student from a CaRE school, highlights how student electives such as Dungeons and Dragons can not only be a fun and relaxing break from traditional curricula, but also improve well-being and school attendance, and aid students in developing skills across curricula such as critical thinking and numeracy.

How many surveys have schools had students fill out in the past few years? Does anythingactually come out of them? The data drawn from these surveys can be vague, and for manyteachers, it can be hard to interpret and act upon it. Ilana Finifter-Rosenbluh and Amanda Berry share with us how teachers can use student perception surveys to promote student voice in the classroom through a collaborative student-teacher research process to explore the data and make more sense of its context.

 Similarly, Julie Arnold discusses how teachers could use student voice, particularly from those who may find the cognitive, attentional and demands of senior English challenging, to adapt their assessment-related classroom practices to become more accessible.

 Missed opportunities!! We all know the curriculum is full of them. Dr Keith Heggart points out onein particular: the location of student voice in the civics and citizenship curriculum. Here, thecurricular content and student voice opportunities can intrinsically link; however, this crossover can often be overlooked, partly because of how the curriculum presents itself. As such, Keith provides an insightful discussion of how civics could and should be taught beyond thecurriculum, to allow for student voice and agency to be involved in every aspect.

 This year, The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child published a new generalcomment on how children’s rights should be interpreted under the Convention on the Rights of the Child [CRC]. Dr Caroline Fergusson discusses how this should be used as an opportunity to implement children’s rights education in the Australian Curriculum so that teachers and students have the potential to work together in schools and to build communities of active change agents.

 However, with all the work happening in the student voice space, is it moving forward? Or backwards? Roger Holdsworth, former editor of Connect Magazine and long-time advocate forstudent voice, shares his reflections on the seeming regression of student voice reportage in Australia.

 Lastly, Billy Lister, an ongoing student executive member of the Victorian Student Representative Council provides an overview of the VicSRC’s Congress day and the 2024 advocacy platform.

 As we navigate the evolving landscape of education, diverse perspectives, such as those shared in this issue should serve as both guidance and a call to action, urging students, educators andcommunities to foster an environment where students not only learn but shape their education journey. Through thoughtful consideration of curriculum, pedagogy and the evolving discourse on student voice and rights, we can empower every learner, fostering informed and engaged citizens.

 If you would like to contribute to ReConnectEd’s 2024 Issues: continuation of curriculumand pedagogy; beyond the curriculum: wellbeing, respectful relationships, sustainability andmore; Indigenous Australian education; and sustaining student voice and agency; kindlyemail Reconnected@studentvoice.org.au