In an era where higher education continually evolves to meet diverse learner needs, UBC’s Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences has embraced a Students as Partners (SaP) approach by integrating the perspective of its students into the design of some of their courses.
Recognizing the need for more student involvement
In traditional course design, instructors often play a central role in determining the curriculum, selecting teaching methods, and structuring assessments. This approach leverages their expertise and allows them to align the course with their personal teaching philosophy and strengths. However, this instructor-centered model can inadvertently overlook the diverse learning preferences, backgrounds, and interests of the students. By focusing primarily on the instructor’s perspective, the course content and methods may not meet the needs of a varied student population, potentially creating a gap between teaching intentions and learning outcomes.
“As individual instructors, we all have our distinct style of teaching that aligns with our personal philosophies of teaching and learning,” observes Associate Professor of Teaching Larry Leung, who worked on a Students as Partners project around building resources and assessments in neurology. “This can result in the implementation of pedagogies that may not always appeal to all types of student learners.”
To bridge the gap between teaching styles and diverse student needs, initiatives like UBC’s Students as Partners program offer a collaborative approach to course design. By actively involving student partners in shaping the curriculum, they help prioritize learners’ perspectives, ensuring the course content and materials are both relevant and engaging. This partnership fosters a sense of shared ownership, empowering students to identify key areas of focus that align with their academic and professional aspirations.
“The topic of our course – building responsible environmental awareness through inhaler education – will impact students in their future practice,” shares Associate Professor of Teaching Karen Dahri, exemplifying this approach. “I felt it was important to include their input on what content they need to learn while in the program.”
By embracing collaboration between instructors and students, courses can achieve a greater balance, integrating the expertise of educators with the lived experiences of learners. This shared perspective ensures that the curriculum not only reflects academic objectives, but also addresses the practical and personal relevance students seek. Approaching course design this way allows for a more holistic view, capturing nuances that might otherwise be overlooked in a traditional, instructor-led model. As Assistant Professor of Teaching Fong Chan, whose project focused on reinforcement of education for nephrology academic learning, explains, “students provide a unique perspective on their learning experience that instructors may not be aware of.”
Including students in the design of their Pharmaceutical Sciences courses
UBC’s Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences has been fully embracing this Students as Partners approach, with six projects successfully supported through the UBCV SaP in Course Design Grants, which supports undergraduate students and faculty to partner in the design or re-design of UBCV undergraduate courses. Since the first cohort of the SaP program in 2022, students played a key role in projects such as redesigning a healthcare quality improvement course, reinventing the approach to mental health therapeutics in the entry-to-practice PharmD program, and improving the interprofessional collaboration practicum in community-based settings, just to name a few.
Student partners contributed to course design in diverse and meaningful ways, from developing asynchronous resources to designing interactive activities. These collaborations not only enriched individual courses but also offered insights that shaped the structure and flows of entire programs. By participating in these projects, student partners brought their unique experiences as learners, providing valuable input on how to make course content more accessible and engaging.
“Student partners were able to reflect on what they learned and where the content would best fit in the program,” Karen explains. “They were also more familiar with material outside of what I teach and that could also be modified to include the topic we were focused on.” This perspective allowed instructors like Karen to better align their courses with the broader goals of the program, ensuring a more cohesive and comprehensive learning experience for students.
To ensure the success of these collaborations, instructors prioritized creating an environment where student partners felt valued and supported. By fostering a sense of equality within the team, they encouraged open communication and meaningful contributions from them. “It was also important to make sure that we were all on equal footing with students and that their input had the same weight as ours,” Karen adds.
Instructors also implemented practices to maintain consistent engagement and offer support. “We made sure to include regular check-ins and group meetings,” Fong explains. “This allowed [us] to leave room for support for all the student partners if necessary.” This structured approach not only strengthened the partnership but also enabled student partners to thrive in their roles.
“Student partners’ creativity [was] amazing!” Fong continues. “They have a strong work ethic and are more open and willing to share their perspectives with other students. Therefore, they could provide great insights and feedback on the course from students that we wouldn’t otherwise have been able to gather.” By recognizing and elevating the unique contributions of student partners, instructors ensured that their input was not only valued but also transformative for the courses and programs they collaborated on.
From the perspective of the student partners, being valued for their input and actively contributing to their SaP projects was both rewarding and impactful. Their participation allowed them to make meaningful contributions to topics they felt passionate about while also helping shape the future of their field. “I feel that my contribution and participation helped enhance learning about the topics of pharmacy practice, climate change, and sustainability,” explains Student Partner Simroop Ladhar. “In my SaP project, we successfully created an asynchronous lecture video about environmental sustainability in pharmacy practice, as well as content for the practice lab,” details Student Partner Jasdeep Gill. “This content will help students learn and apply environmental sustainability in their future practice.” This partnership approach not only deepened their understanding but also ensured their work would leave a lasting impact on their peers.
Benefits beyond the classroom
Using a partnership approach brings a wealth of benefits that extend beyond individual courses or programs. For instructors, these partnerships offer opportunities to explore innovative ideas, build a strong connection with the student partners, and gain insights into the student learning experience that they might not have otherwise. “The experience was incredibly positive, and we were able to implement numerous new ideas that were not part of the original plan,” explains Larry. “Some of the best student partners I had the pleasure of working with were those who I had no idea I could utilize their particular experiences. They ended up surprising me with how much more we can implement in the program.”
Additionally, these collaborations challenge traditional power dynamics in higher education, creating an environment where both students and instructors can grow. “As faculty members, we tend to hold power over students,” reflects Lecturer Alex Tang, who worked on a project to improve the interprofessional collaboration practicum through student partnership. “This partnership was an opportunity to be vulnerable by letting go of some of this power. By doing so, I felt that my student partners became empowered to take risks and contribute to curriculum development, delivery, and evaluation.”
For students, being a partner meant gaining a deeper sense of engagement and ownership in their education, developing skills in collaboration and critical thinking, and seeing their perspectives reflected in the curriculum.
“One of my most memorable experiences was creating an interactive activity for students,” explains Jasdeep. “Working alongside fellow students as well as a faculty supervisor was a fantastic experience,” adds Student Partner Olivia Lee. “I’m grateful for the learning opportunity.” These contributions often went beyond the classroom, contributing to broader educational goals. “We created various types of materials, such as a poster and asynchronous lecture slides,” shares Student Partner Ingrid Frank. “These materials will contribute to enhancing teaching and learning at UBC by incorporating essential topics like environmental sustainability into the Pharmacy curriculum. It was an incredible opportunity to connect with students and healthcare professionals from across the nation.”
UBC’s Students as Partners initiative has yielded remarkable outcomes, fostering growth, collaboration, and innovation for the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. For students, the experience has been transformative, offering professional development and a deeper understanding of curriculum design. “This initiative has led to professional growth, self-confidence, and invaluable opportunities,” reflects Jasdeep. By taking on active roles in shaping their education, students not only enhanced their skills but also gained insights that will carry forward into their careers. “Being a student partner gave me valuable insight into curriculum design and delivery,” Olivia concludes. “I hope to carry this experience forward in my future career as a pharmacist.”
UBC’s Students as Partners initiative has yielded remarkable outcomes, fostering growth, collaboration, and innovation for the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. For students, the experience has been transformative, offering professional development and a deeper understanding of curriculum design. “This initiative has led to professional growth, self-confidence, and invaluable opportunities,” reflects Jasdeep. By taking on active roles in shaping their education, students not only enhanced their skills but also gained insights that will carry forward into their careers. “Being a student partner gave me valuable insight into curriculum design and delivery,” Olivia concludes. “I hope to carry this experience forward in my future career as a pharmacist.”
For instructors, the initiative has provided a refreshing perspective on the teaching and learning process, shifting traditional dynamics to create a more collaborative approach. “This experience allowed me to see the value in working on projects with a student-faculty partnership perspective, rather than the traditional hierarchical role,” Fong adds. This shift has opened new pathways for students to engage meaningfully with teaching and learning processes, as well as research and program design. “Our students are engaged and always interested in further opportunities to grow in their knowledge and skills,” notes Larry. “Working on projects supported by UBC’s SaP in Course Design Grants offers tremendous hands-on opportunities to learn about teaching and learning, as well as design and research.”
UBC’s SaP program had a positive impact on the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences by fostering collaboration, including student perspectives and strengthening the program while equipping student partners with skills and knowledge for their future careers. “This initiative was a great fit for our Faculty,” concludes Fong. “Our Faculty really values the student voice and encourages initiatives that promote the student learning experience.”
