Coffee Conversations
Program Overview
Engage, Collaborate, Innovate
Welcome to the Coffee Conversations program at Deakin University – an initiative that places students at the heart of teaching and learning innovation. This program is grounded in the Students as Partners approach, which views students as active contributors and co-creators of their educational experience.
Rooted in the philosophy that learning is a shared journey, this program invites Deakin staff to step beyond the traditional role of content delivery and enter into a partnership with your students. As you engage with learners as co-contributors, you’ll integrate students’ diverse perspectives and creative insights into the design and delivery of your teaching.
This collaborative approach not only enriches your pedagogical practice but also embodies the Students as Partners Framework by embracing mutual respect, reciprocity, and shared responsibility in the learning process. Your commitment to engaging in dialogue with students is a commitment to cultivating a teaching practice that is responsive to the diversity of students in your unit(s).
Staff expressions of interest are now open for T1 2024 Coffee Conversations.
What are Coffee Conversations?
These weekly sessions serve as a platform to build better relationships with your students. Over a cup of coffee, you’ll tap into the lived experiences, ideas, and feedback of students to co-construct and inform the pedagogical design of your unit.
1. Sign Up and Commit
Express your interest and commit to the program by submitting an expression of interest to participate in the Coffee Conversations program.
2. Schedule Your Conversations
Once you have been accepted into the program, you’ll be able to schedule these sessions at times that complement your existing teaching responsibilities. Whether it’s a morning chat before lectures or an afternoon debrief post-seminars, these Conversations are designed to fit seamlessly into your academic routine. Building it into the teaching timetable is also an opportunity for students to connect with you on campus.
3. Engage in Meaningful Dialogue
During these Coffee Conversations, you’ll meet with small groups of 3-5 students in a comfortable setting over a cup of coffee (or alternative) funded through the Coffee Conversations program. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to converse with students around their experiences of being a student in your unit, gather their insights, and discuss their ideas for enhancing the learning experience. These conversations are intended to be both relational and informative. Listening and receiving feedback with genuine curiosity is a requirement.
4. Reflect and Implement Feedback
Post-conversation each week, take time to reflect on the discussions and document any insights or actionable items. This reflective practice is integral to the program, as it allows for the continuous integration of student feedback into your teaching. It’s crucial to maintain transparency and nurture trust with students by clearly communicating the ways in which their ideas, insights, and feedback are driving changes and enhancements within the unit as it evolves over the trimester. For both students and staff, seeing that feedback loop come to fruition is incredibly fulfilling.
5. Collaborate and Share
Engage with the wider community of Coffee Conversations staff participants. Share your experiences, learn from your peers, and collectively contribute to a culture of inclusive and responsive teaching at Deakin University.
6. Review and Evolve
At the end of the trimester, review the feedback, your reflective notes, and the changes implemented. This process will inform your teaching practice for the next trimester and contribute to a cycle of ongoing improvement and innovation in the educational offerings at Deakin.
Why Participate?
Enrich Your Teaching Practice – By joining the Coffee Conversations program, you step into a dynamic space where teaching is not just about delivering content but evolving with the students’ learning journey. Your engagement will lead to a richer teaching practice as you incorporate fresh perspectives and innovative ideas directly from your learners.
Build Stronger Student Relationships – These conversations bridge the gap between staff and students, fostering a community of trust and mutual respect. You’ll get to know your students beyond the classroom, understanding their challenges, aspirations, and learning strengths and needs.
Influence Educational Outcomes – Your conversations will have a direct impact on educational strategies and outcomes. By applying the insights gained from these dialogues, students will play a pivotal role in shaping a curriculum that’s both relevant and robust, catering to the diverse needs of the student body.
Professional Development – This is a unique opportunity for professional growth. Engaging with students in this setting will enhance your communication skills, cultural competency, and adaptability to different teaching and learning styles.
Equity-First Approach – Our program is funded by the Equity-First Students as Partners portfolio and supported by the Office of the Dean of Students. We prioritize inclusivity and diverse student voices, ensuring that every conversation is meaningful and representative.
The Impact of Integrating Student Perspectives
Refine curriculum development and instructional strategies
When you incorporate student perspectives into curriculum development, you’re engaging in a pedagogical partnership that aligns with the principles of Students as Partners (Healey, Flint, & Harrington, 2014). This approach facilitates the co-creation of curriculum content and the co-design of learning environments, leading to a more relevant and contextually rich educational experience. Students, being active participants in their learning, can provide insights that challenge traditional curriculum norms and promote innovative practices that reflect the complexities of contemporary knowledge landscapes (Bovill, Cook-Sather, & Felten, 2011).
Enhance educational quality and student engagement
Involving students in shaping their educational journey significantly enhances the quality of the education provided. According to research by Cook-Sather, Bovill, and Felten (2014), student engagement increases when they feel their contributions are valued and impact their learning environment. This sense of ownership and responsibility can lead to deeper cognitive, emotional, and behavioural engagement, which is associated with higher academic achievement and satisfaction (Kuh, 2009).
Ensure the learning experience is continually evolving and responsive to student needs
A responsive curriculum is one that adapts to the changing needs and feedback of students. Mercer-Mapstone and Bovill (2020) suggest that a responsive curriculum is a hallmark of a truly inclusive educational experience, one that recognizes the diverse and dynamic nature of student populations. By continually evolving your teaching and learning strategies in response to student feedback, you are practicing reflective teaching (Schön, 1983), which contributes to an ongoing process of improvement and adaptation. This ensures that the educational experience remains current, relevant, and capable of preparing students for the challenges of the future (Barnett, 2000).
Join Coffee Conversations
Be at the forefront of educational innovation at Deakin. The Coffee Conversations program is your opportunity to contribute to a more engaging, inclusive, and effective educational journey.