A Matter of Perspective: The Benefits to Students, Faculty, and Future Employers of Positioning Students as Consultants on Learning and Teaching

Perspective is a central tenet of seemingly disparate theories and practices: situated learning; communities of practice and legitimate peripheral participation; metacognition developed through reflective practice; standpoint theory; student voice; and pedagogical partnership. We integrate key insights from these into a single interpretive framework to inform our comparison of two different approaches to positioning students as consultants on learning and teaching. Drawing on reflections of student and faculty participants, we affirm previous findings regarding both groups’ expanded perspectives on learning and teaching and movement toward greater legitimacy and expertise, and we share the under-explored finding of preparing students for future employment.