Meaningful Platforms for Student Voice in Vietnamese Schools: the Role of Student Media and School Communication
Abstract
Student voice is increasingly regarded as an important element in education at all levels. In the process of school governance, responding to this need and establishing multiple channels for students to express their opinions has become a strategic approach. However, beyond that, building forums through which students can have a genuinely meaningful voice is more important than ever at the present stage. This study examines whether the quality of communication and media platforms in schools promotes meaningful student voice in the Vietnamese context. The measurement model and structural model are analyzed using SmartPLS structural equation modeling. The empirical results concern the prevalence of the platforms, the extent to which students are heard and have influence, as well as the impact of Platform Quality on Meaningful Student Voice. The study contributes to student voice theory by shifting the focus from the presence to the quality of participation platforms, while emphasizing that students are able to express themselves and that their voices are heard, considered, and capable of bringing about change. Accordingly, the study suggests solutions to improve educational quality and enhance students' lives and quality of learning.
Downloads
References
Ahmed, V., & Opoku, A. (2022). Technology supported learning and pedagogy in times of crisis: the case of COVID-19 pandemic. Education and Information Technologies, 27(1), 365–405. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10706-w
Chien Thang, P., & Thi Nguyet Trang, T. (2024). Socioeconomic status and student voice: implications for academic outcomes and well-being in Vietnamese universities. Cogent Education, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2403286
Conner, J., Mitra, D. L., Holquist, S. E., Rosado, E., Wilson, C., & Wright, N. L. (2024). The pedagogical foundations of student voice practices: The role of relationships, differentiation, and choice in supporting student voice practices in high school classrooms. Teaching and Teacher Education, 142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2024.104540
Cook-Sather, A. (2006). Articles Sound, Presence, and Power: “Student Voice” in Educational Research and Reform.
Deep, P. Das, Chen, Y., Ghosh, N., & Rahaman, M. S. (2025). The Influence of Student–Instructor Communication Methods on Student Engagement and Motivation in Higher Education Online Courses During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic. In Education Sciences (Vol. 15, Number 1). Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15010033
Kazamia, S. (2024). Engaging student voices via digital feedback platforms: new directions, dilemmas, and affordances. In Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal (Vol. 5, Number 3). https://www.thestudentsurvey.com/
Laura, L. (2007). “Voice” is not enough: Conceptualising Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. British Educational Research Journal, 33(6), 927–942. https://doi.org/10.1080/01411920701657033
Mager, U., & Nowak, P. (2012). Effects of student participation in decision making at school. A systematic review and synthesis of empirical research. In Educational Research Review (Vol. 7, Number 1, pp. 38–61). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2011.11.001
Mitra, D. (2018). Student voice in secondary schools: the possibility for deeper change. In Journal of Educational Administration (Vol. 56, Number 5, pp. 473–487). Emerald Group Holdings Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEA-01-2018-0007
Nhật, N. Q., Lê, P., Chính, S., Thị, Đ., Trang, T., & Minh, H. C. (2025). Exploring the Role of Social Media Platforms in Enhancing Vocabulary Acquisition at a Vietnamese University. In Int. j. adv. multidisc. res. stud (Vol. 5, Number 5). www.multiresearchjournal.com
Triệu, L. T., Do, P. T. H., & Nguyen, N. T. M. (2024). Online media communication research in Vietnam 2003–2023: a review. In Online Media and Global Communication (Vol. 3, Number 3, pp. 447–471). De Gruyter Mouton. https://doi.org/10.1515/omgc-2024-0034
Xie, M., & Chao, C. C. (2022). The Interplay between Social Media and Cultural Adjustment: Analysis of the Subjective Well-Being, Social Support, and Social Media Use of Asian International Students in the U.S. Journal of Intercultural Communication, 22(2), 22–32. https://doi.org/10.36923/jicc.v22i2.37
Santos, I. M., Amatullah, T., Agbenyega, J., & de Souza, D. N. (2024). The influence of student voice on teacher professional learning: A systematic literature review. Review of Education, 12(3), e70014. https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.70014
Thu, H. N. A., Dung, T. T., Nghi, T. N. B., & Dung, M. T. T. (2021). Motivation to speak up of students: Case study: Three high schools in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City. VNU Journal of Science: Education Research,
The authors and co-authors warrant that the article is their original work, does not infringe any copyright, and has not been published elsewhere. By submitting the article to GPH-International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research, the authors agree that the journal has the right to retract or remove the article in case of proven ethical misconduct.
