A partnership between an undergraduate student and a university faculty member: Experiences and takeaways of a student course coordinator

Abstract

In this reflective essay, we discuss a partnership between a 4th-year undergraduate student and a faculty member in developing and teaching a 3rd-year inquiry-based learning (IBL) course. This partnership, characterized by shared decision-making, introduced a newly defined role: the student course coordinator (SCC). Through this collaboration, a student’s voice was integrated into every stage of the process, from course development and delivery to end-of-course reflection and evaluation.. In many ways, this partnership was akin to an education practicum in which a student gains valuable experience in coordinating and co-teaching a course while developing skills essential for an effective mentor and educator. In this essay, we highlight the context, practicalities, benefits, and challenges of such a partnership and provide our reflections on the experience. We hope the reflections and experiences shared here will provide an account of the value of student voices and partnership in education