Working with students as co-researchers; a reflection on methods and process

This report reflects on a small-scale participatory research project co-developed with postgraduate students to explore how students and academic-educators experience teaching and learning in environmentally focused higher education programmes. The project was led by The Cabot Institute for the Environment in partnership with The Young Foundation, and six postgraduate students at The University of Bristol. The report considers how participatory approaches which involve students as co-researchers might enable the development of sensitive and robust pedagogy in environmental higher education. The report briefly outlines the project’s background before detailing how collaborative training workshops can be used as a method for participatory research design, and to enable co-analysis. The report illustrates how working with students as co-researchers as part of a participatory design can support new insights and the development of findings and recommendations for education practice.