A Comparative Study of Student Voice in Primary Curriculum Decision-Making: Drawing Lessons for Iran from the Experiences of Australia and Ireland
نویسندگان
1 Associate Professor, Department of Methods, Educational Planning and Curriculum, Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
2 Associate Professor, Department of Curriculum Development and Instruction Methods, Faculty of Psychology & Education, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
3 PhD Student, Department of Curriculum Development and Instruction Methods, Faculty of Psychology & Education, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
4 Professor, Department of Curriculum Development and Instruction Methods, Faculty of Psychology & Education, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
5 Assistant Professor, Department of Curriculum Development and Instruction Methods, Faculty of Psychology & Education, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
doi
10.22034/ijce.2026.503153.1641چکیده
This study employs a comparative analysis to explore the mechanisms through which student voice is operationalized within the primary curriculum decision-making processes of two leading educational systems. Findings indicate that Australia, characterized by a decentralized system, utilizes the "Student Wellbeing Framework" and state-level initiatives such as Amplify to integrate student voice into the school level via wellbeing indicators and skill-based checklists. Conversely, Ireland, despite its more centralized structure, has institutionalized student voice within the policy cycle through the rights-based Lundy Model and the "National Strategy on Children and Young People’s Participation," focusing on four core elements: space, voice, audience, and influence.While both nations converge on three central principles—the legal status of student voice, its intrinsic link to learning quality, and the promotion of participatory learning environments—they diverge in their degrees of centralization, specific implementation tools, and methods for evaluating participation. This study concludes that the effective integration of student voice necessitates four essential conditions: A transparent legal framework; Robust accountability and feedback mechanisms; Sustainable financial resourcing & A participatory school culture. These conditions offer a strategic roadmap for designing participatory policies and reforming curriculum frameworks in the Iranian context.
