Working with politics 'students as partners' to engender student community: Opportunities and challenges

Research suggests that creating communities of learning (academic and social) leads to a better Higher Education (HE) experience for students, which, in turn, makes it more likely that they will persist in their studies. The concept of 'student community' in HE has become more prominent of late, partly due to the UK Government's emphasis on retention. One way in which student community can be engendered is by working with 'students as partners' in their learning: students work with academics and each other to create and extend their learning, which, in turn, has a positive impact on student community and retention. This article discusses the opportunities and challenges of working with 'students as partners' within a Politics HE disciplinary context. In particular, it summarises an Open University Politics student engagement project, part of the University's partnership with UK Parliament. In doing so, the article has implications for Politics HE practice generally, and online Politics HE practice in particular, and makes recommendations for working with Politics 'students as partners' within the current UK HE policy environment.

Automated summary

Research suggests that creating communities of learning leads to a better Higher Education experience for students and increases the likelihood of their persistence in studies. The concept of 'student community' has gained prominence in Higher Education, with an emphasis on retention by the UK Government. One effective way to foster student community is through 'students as partners' in learning, where students collaborate with academics and peers to enhance their learning experience, resulting in positive impact on retention. This article discusses the opportunities and challenges of working with 'students as partners' in Politics higher education, summarizing a Politics student engagement project by the Open University. It offers implications for Politics higher education practice, particularly online, and suggests recommendations for working with Politics 'students as partners' in the current UK higher education policy environment.