Get more participation in your #studentvoice exchanges

Students who experience exchanges love them, but it can be tough to cut through the online noise and let them know the exchange is happening. Between Fortnite and Flossing, how do they find the time?!

Two tips to consider

1. One great way to get students involved is to identify active peer groups and motivate the members to become champions of and advocates for the exchange. To do this, consider directly inviting your student councils or student clubs to participate.
2. Another way to capture student attention is to create a video and promote it through online channels students use most. This could be as simple as recording a video from your desk on your computer. Or, if you have a video production or similar program at your school, you could bring in the instructor and students to create an even more engaging video.

If you’re looking for inspiration, you can check out this great example of the latter from Jayson Lovell, Superintendent of Wolf Creek Public Schools!

A reminder about pleases and thank-yous!

A common thought we see from student voice exchanges is simply: “Thank you for asking.” That’s because, just like adults, students want to know their opinions are valued and appreciate the chance to learn what others are thinking.

So, simply knowing they’ve been heard and learning what matters most will often be enough to keep students coming back to each exchange you launch. Don't forget to say direct “thank-yous” for participating and include some reflections on what you learned from their participation.

Some more inspiration

For some more inspiration, take a look at this video that Superintendent Jayson Lovell made to wrap up his #studentvoice exchange.