The Speak Out Forum allows for small group discussions, where students are invited to talk about their education.  Discussions relate to learning styles, what students feel work for them, and what they would like to see happen in schools.

The 2.5 hour morning session includes:

 - The Speak Out team from Alberta Education comes with 1 presenter and 6 facilitators, laptop, projector and all forum supplies. 

 - We break out the students (maximum 54) from the school (Grades 9-12, diverse backgrounds/perspectives) into 6 small roundtable discussion groups. 

 - At each table we ask the students to brainstorm the following four questions:

1. Describe your surroundings and activities when you are learning at your best.

2. What is holding you back from learning at your best?

3. What actions can adults take to improve how education looks and feels?

4. What actions can students take to improve how education looks and feels?

 

 - We do a graphic facilitation where all the student ideas get posted onto a 12 foot by 5 foot banner. 

 - We also use Senteo Clickers for instantaneous voting. 

After the forum, we transcribe the student voice and create a “What We Heard” mini-report that we send back to participants and our hosts.  It is our hope that the forum is the START of a conversation where students and adults at the school continue to work together to improve how education looks and feels.

Full results of the Speak Out Forums and pictures of the completed banners are available on our website, www.speakout.alberta.ca.  Also we have some great videos of the student voice on our site.

 

The Speak Out interactive website, www.speakout.alberta.ca is a place where youth can share their thoughts and opinions with their peers and with Alberta Education.  This website includes fully moderated discussion boards, a daily blog, and information on the Annual Student Conference and the Minister’s Student Advisory Council. Students are talking about everything including teaching styles, curriculum, technology, the future and their desire to improve how education looks and feels for them.