Embracing epistemic confidence, open-mindedness, and co-creation: An exploration of how the psychological constructs of attitudes and intentions can inform staff contributions to successful student-staff partnership

Abstract

Particular “attitudes” and “intentions”—constructs from the field of psychology—can inform the development of successful student-staff partnerships. We focus in this discussion on the basic attitudes of epistemic confidence in students and of open-mindedness to students’ knowledge and contributions, which are consistent with the premises of student-staff pedagogical partnerships. We explore as well how these attitudes inform the intention to co-create educational experiences with students, which is consistent with the practice of partnership. After defining and exploring the importance to partnership work of these interrelated and foundational phenomena, we offer recommendations for how to nurture such attitudes and intentions in staff.