Student participation in democratic policymaking

In recent years, there has been an increase in attempts to listen to the voices of students, partly due to changes which have increased the rights of children as consumers. But how do we prepare students to assume the new roles and responsibilities associated with their rights as citizens and to find their voice? This paper reports on a student action-research project, which involved 25 students aged between 14 and 19 developing policy recommendations on learning with ICT at an international school. The student researchers were trained to create surveys, which they used to collect data from students and teachers at their school, and from other international schools, about current ICT practices. Collaborating with these students was a consortium of teachers and administrators at the school. Also presented are accounts on the students’ negotiations with adults on improving technology for the beneficiaries. Through this project these student have challenged traditional notions on who is responsible for making decisions about knowledge, practice and environment relating to ICT for learning at their school. It is suggested that this project also has implications for the ways in which educational professionals understand and work to include students as active citizens within the school community.