Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education       ISSN: 1759-667X 

Special Issue 22: Compendium of Innovative Practice                                 October 2021 

 

Editorial: Students as partners in course delivery 

 

Gita Sedghi 
University of Liverpool 
 

 

The concept of students as partners has attracted increased attention in higher education 

during the last decade. Healey et al. (2014) describe students as partners as ‘a 

relationship in which all involved – students, academics, professional services staff, senior 

managers, students’ unions, and so on – are actively engaged in and stand to gain from 

the process of learning and working together’. 

 

As strong advocates of ‘students as partners’ practices, the writers in this section of the 

Compendium found themselves in a difficult situation when trying to engage in genuine 

and meaningful partnership with students during the pandemic. The key challenge they 

faced was how to involve students in dialogue about online and blended modules as they 

were being developed, rather than after they were delivered. The mechanisms for student 

feedback in existing quality assurance processes were not adequate for the emergency re-

design of modules. In this crisis, universities also seemed to be less successful at assuring 

students of the quality education they were receiving. 

 

The pieces in this section show us how educators enabled and empowered students to co-

create design and delivery solutions that worked for them while respecting the boundaries 

of the institutional limitations. Developing informed reflection skills that relied on students’ 

active involvement rather than merely attending sessions and taking notes was more 

difficult than ever. Course provision is a complex endeavour requiring thorough planning of 

learning objectives, pedagogies, classroom procedures, materials, and assessment. 

Moving these to a different mode of delivery takes time, effort, and relevant training, none 

of which were available during the rapid switch to online teaching due to Covid-19. 

 

The coronavirus pandemic gave universities a chance to reflect on new ways to embrace 

student partnership. Students contributed to vital aspects of the university’s pandemic 

response, including developing new digital learning and teaching principles, guidance for 



Editorial 

Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, Issue 22: Compendium                        October 2021 

blended learning, and support for those self-isolating. This section of the JLDHE 

Compendium showcases the educators and learning developers’ initiatives to co-create 

curricula with students and engage them in co-developing the policies underpinning their 

learning and its outcomes.  

 

The authors of the papers that follow draw on the lessons learned and recommend ways 

that enable students to act as agents of change in designing effective strategies to support 

their learning and attainment – beyond the classroom. The partnership approach to 

designing and assuring the quality of education provides an effective and constructive way 

to build trust in online and other novel or changed ways of doing things. The pandemic 

showed how emphasising communication with the students and giving them some agency 

in making decisions around transition create a comfortable learning environment that may 

mitigate the effects of uncertainty and stress. When the students had clear explanations of 

how the classes would run and what issues may arise, they felt less stressed and 

overwhelmed with the new technologies and class procedure adaptations. Treating 

students as design partners does not mean giving students a free choice, but it does mean 

giving them a choice and honouring it. 

 

 

References: 

 

Healey, M., Flint, A. and Harrington, K. (2014) Engagement through partnership: students 

as partners in learning and teaching in higher education. York: The Higher Education 

Academy.