Title of Presentation Inclusive teaching: Supporting engagement of diverse students in higher education Wednesday 20th May 2016, 1-3.15pm Rachel Gould Head of Student life team Tamsin Hinton-Smith Senior lecturer in Higher Education and course leader, Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education Cindy Newell Policy and Project Manager: Student Services Bloom’s taxonomy Paul Ashwin (2015) Reflective teaching in higher education General Teaching & Learning resources including inclusive teaching Humanities, Arts, Science, and Technology Alliance and Collaboratory (HASTAC) on Teaching and Learning, Duke University and the City University of New York: https://www.hastac.org/explore/teaching-learning-practices Centre for Staff and Learning Development, Oxford Brookes: http://www.brookes.ac.uk/services/ocsld/resources/index.html Pedagogic Research Institute and Observatory (PedRIO), Plymouth University: https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/institutes/pedagogic More resources • Universities UK (2015) Student mental wellbeing in higher education: good practice guide • Equality Challenge Unit (2010) Trans staff and students in higher education • Neutrois nonsense Guidelines for non binary identities • https://neutrois.me/media-guidelines-genderqueer • Stonewall Workplace resources • http://www.stonewall.org.uk/our-work/workplace-resources • Morgan, H. & Houghton, A.M. (2011) Inclusive curriculum design in higher education. Higher Education Academy • Higher Education Academy (2014) Internationalising the curriculum ‘When rights are not enough: What is? Moving towards new pedagogy for inclusive education within UK universities.’ ‘By working with and learning about the life experiences of people with ‘disability’, society might be better equipped to understand and respond inclusively. Furthermore, by starting from a platform of questions, seeking dialogue and understanding for social justice, not packaged answers to be ‘re-’ and/or mis-interpreted by colonisers and policy-makers, this may enable a wider social understanding of diverse lives and positions, creating a foundation where cultures of difference take centre stage and from where effective inclusive pedagogic developments may grow.’ (p.10) Gibson, S. (2015) International Journal of Inclusive Education 19 (8), 875-886. The 2010 Equality Act • Age • Disability • Gender reassignment • Marriage and civil partnership • Pregnancy and maternity • Race including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin • Religion and belief • Sex • Sexual orientation ‘Pedagogies for diversity: retaining critical challenge amidst fears of ‘dumbing down’ ‘Growing concerns about retention and attrition rates in a mass and increasingly marketised higher education system have encouraged the idea that ‘meeting learner needs’ should be a key focus for institutional attention. It is suggested that this approach is unrealistic, however, because of the extent of the diversity which it attempts to respond to. An alternative response is to move away from the individualised focus on needs, deficits and ‘support’, towards a consideration of ‘activities, patterns of interaction and communication failures’, in relation to higher education pedagogical cultures. This move reconceptualises the idea of ‘barriers to learning’, attempting to understand how more subtle aspects of higher education pedagogical cultures may themselves be creating conditions which make it difficult, or even impossible, for some students to learn.’ (p.521) Haggis, T. (2006)’ Studies in Higher Education 31, 5 pp.521-535. Inclusive curriculum design in higher education An inclusive curriculum as ‘one where all students’ entitlement to access and participate in a course is anticipated, acknowledged and taken into account.’ (p.14) Morgan, H. & Houghton, A.M. (2011) Higher Education Academy • From elite to mass HE • From Information processing (IP) (e.g. Schmeck 1977) to Student approaches to learning (SAL) , e.g. Marton & Saljo 1976; Ramsden 1987) • Attributing students’ attainment outcomes to teaching style and competence rather than ‘natural ability’ • Implies teachers’ responsibility for students’ learning outcomes • And increasing recognition of the importance of the relational dynamics of the T&L context What we know and what we see… Skills for inclusivity Focusing not only on substantive disciplinary content but also on teaching and assessing more diverse and transferable skills from wider experience including critical thinking as central to acknowledging the value and contribution of students from diverse backgrounds in the HE classroom (Ashwin, 2015) This offers the potential to ameliorate feelings of marginalisation and unbelonging (Cotterill, P., Jackson, S. & Letherby, G. (Eds) 2007, Challenges and Negotiations for Women in Higher Education. Dordrecht, the Netherlands: Springer). UK Professional Standards Framework core values 1, 2 and 4: V.1. Respecting individual learners and diverse learning communities V.2. Promoting participation in higher education and equality of opportunity for learners V.4. Acknowledging the wider context in which higher education operates, recognising the implications for professional practice A joined up approach… ‘If I don’t know who to go to for help with disabilities or dyslexia … I go to my Personal Tutor and expect her to point me in the right direction.’ (p.57) HEA (2012) Compendium for Effective Practice Two key messages from UniversitiesUK mental health work: • Good practice for all supports students with mental health issues • And refer students on to appropriate institutional experts Here for you Help & Advice Information Student Welfare Student Funding Rules and Resources Student Life Practical issues Budgeting Rules Processes Resources Hardship Reflective space Transition Challenge Network Goals Enabling Self esteem Mental Health Autistic spectrum Trans issues English Language competency Race and Culture Inappropriate disclosures Judgements about potential Collaboration Monitoring Maintaining boundaries Reporting and escalating concerns Securing referral Liaison and follow-up Information for Tutors Group discussion questions 1. Curriculum Design, Content and Organisation 2. Teaching, Learning and Assessment Discuss your responses to the questions in groups including but not restricted to the following: • Do you find any of the suggestions problematic in any way? • Is there anything else you think should be there that is missing? • Any of these areas you feel you already carry out particularly good practice in at an individual or departmental level that could be shared with others? • Anything you might change in your own teaching as a result of reflecting on these suggestions? • Any issues or suggestions that you might raise at a course, departmental or school level as a result of this? Take-home reflections?