Partnership at play: empowering Student Partners to navigate third space

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi33.1212

Keywords:

play, third space, student-staff partnership, students as partners

Abstract

Solent Student Partner Programme is a cross-institutional, third-space project led by the central Education Office at Southampton Solent University in the UK. This case study discusses how we have used kinaesthetic play to support our Student Partners to articulate and negotiate the challenges of third-space partnerships. It starts by outlining our Student Partner Programme in the context of the third-space partnership literature. Then it describes the Play-Doh method that we used to support students to reflect on their identity and experiences as third-space partners. The case study concludes by arguing that play provides an empowering tool for students (and staff) to mould third-space partnerships together.

Author Biography

Karen Arm, Southampton Solent University

Karen Arm is a Senior Lecturer in Learning and Teaching at Southampton Solent University, working in the field of research-led pedagogy. As well as being the Course Leader of the Postgraduate Certificate in Research Methods for doctoral students, she leads the research module on the Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education for staff. Karen is committed to developing an institutional culture of evidence-based enhancements to learning and teaching and heads a cross-institutional team of students working as partners in the pursuit of educational change.

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Published

30-01-2025

How to Cite

Arm, K. (2025) “Partnership at play: empowering Student Partners to navigate third space”, Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, (33). doi: 10.47408/jldhe.vi33.1212.

Issue

Section

Collaboration and partnerships