Abstract:
The Students Researching Students project at the Faculty of Education at QUT is in its second year of operation. In 1992, a group of nine grade 11 and 12 students from a high school in a very low socio-economic suburb of Brisbane participated in an equity project that aimed at (a) investigating the factors that affect the higher-education aspirations and participation of students from the school; and (b) increasing the awareness of these students of University study as achievable option. In collaboration with a teacher and University staff, the students designed a study of their peers, conducted the study, analysed the data and wrote the final report, a report that included specific recommendations on improving University opportunities for students from their school. The students were given a short University-based training session on research techniques. The study appeared to be successful on two counts: (a) the students were able to gather interesting data about their peers' aspirations and attitudes to University; and (b) the research benefited the students it studied by being an effective bridge across the gap between the culture of the students and the University.