Inclusivity: Implications for Curriculum Design

Sarra Saffron Powell

Educational Development

sarrasaf@liv.ac.uk

A quick riddle…

A father and son are in car crash. The father is killed instantly, the boy is critically ill, is taken by ambulance and rushed to theatre. The surgeon takes one look at him and says, “I can’t operate on him, he’s my son!”

Why is inclusivity important?

“Promote participation in higher education and equality of opportunity for learners” (HEA, 2012)

PGCert/HEA accreditation

Inclusive practice

Best practice =

Access

Agreement

Improved learning

UoL Strategic

Aims

Enhancing the student

experience

UK Quality Code for HE (QAA)

Fees

Widening

Participation

Massification

International-

isation

Student

diversity

Curriculum innovation

Fairness and

social justice

What is inclusivity?

• not excluding any section of society or any party involved in something

• (of language) deliberately avoiding usages that could be seen as excluding a particular social group

(Oxford Online Dictionary)

Pedagogically…

Principles of inclusivity = robust, effective curriculum design

Robust, effective curriculum design = inclusive practice

“Discourses” of Inclusion“At a time when prevailing neo-liberal policy aims to position higher education as an economic venture and students as customers, discourses of inclusion are vital. Terms such as access, widening participation, equity, equality and diversity, and lifelong learning commonly feature in discourses of inclusion related to higher education. The shifting meanings and fluid uses of these terms serve as an indication of the increasing tensions between neo-liberal economic forces and the role of higher education in modern society”

Widening Participation Conference 2012 - Discourses of Inclusion in Higher Education

“Toxic correlations - Access and social identities”(Morely, 2012)

• UK poorer young people enter higher education?

• More black young men in prison in UK and US than in HE

• Attainment gap in UK HE highest between black and white students (Morely, 2012)

4%

• Of this group enter UK’s top 7 universities?

5%

Challenge-laden

• Major structural/cultural challenge to HEIs, requiring higher rates of involvement and rates of achievement to those who have been traditionally under-represented excluded

• Inclusivity is an institutional response to those challenges AND

• individual pedagogical decisions – YOUR practice – your curriculum design decisions

Barriers

• Engagement (pre-admission)• Admissions procedure• Retention• Engagement in university culture ‘student

experience’• Language• Physical barriers

• Lit. indicates identity ‘simple sense of belonging’ – is key.

Implications for Curriculum Design?

How do we design out barriers? Recognise our students are diverse:

• Different learning styles• Different languages• Different cultural capital • Complex identities

Need diverse ways of engagementConsider content, delivery and assessment

UoL position“An inclusive culture recognises, respects and accommodates the diversity of all staff and students. This means acknowledging that individuals possess a range of learning and teaching differences and are members of diverse communities. The evolution of an inclusive approach is underpinned by change processes that influence both structural and day to day activities at all institutional levels across local, national and international contexts. Inclusivity can only be embedded in a culture where diversity is assumed, welcomed and viewed as a rich resource for all, whilst acknowledging and promoting education as an empowering and transformative process.”

UoL definition, based on Booth, T., & Ainscow, M. (2002) Index for Inclusion. Bristol, CSIE.

Institutional responses• Russell group cf post-1992 HEIs = exceptionally

poor • Russell group cf Russell group = exceptionally

good• WP a key strategic aim • High levels of resourcing• HEA inclusive cultures programme – high levels of

commitment• Go Higher access programme (revised, resourced) • Policy auditing/implementation• Student representation (LGoS)

• Student support infrastructure (student services)• Student support learning skills development (iLearn,

workshops) • Curriculum Review/design (diversifying assessment,

delivery, internationalising curricula)• Teaching qualifications (improving teaching practice)• Induction Review (transition support)• Peer mentoring system• Faculty Skills Advisors• Development of Digital Literacies/elearning• ..more

Good practice

• Inclusive pedagogy = good practice• takes a coherent approach which is

anticipatory and proactive• has a strategy for delivering equal opportunities and

diversity policies• involves the whole institution• matches provision to student needs• incorporates regular reflection, review and refinement

of strategies and methods that actively involve students.

• (www.open.ac.uk)

A check list• Resource design (word, ed.pdf)• Visuals/text/auditory• Clarity (space/colour)• Learner styles/types of learner (multimodalities)• Delivery (diversify) • Curriculum/module design (think barriers/opportunity to

practice for assessment)• Assessment and feedback (diversity/timeliness/transparency)• Formative assessment• Group work (+peer assessment)

• elearning/flexible delivery (+VITAL)• Developing digital literacies (multi modalities)• Student engagement/choice (voice/feedback)• “Mindfulness” Language (academic speak/ novice-

expert continuum)• Expectation (motivation/confidence)• Constructive alignment • Transparency (communication)• Developing sense of belonging and value

Inclusivity is “more + more”

Inclusivity is a mindful approach to curriculum design that builds in the most opportunities for the most learning for the most students for the most time.

It is a more + more approach that embraces the actuality of diversity by removing (unnecessary) barriers (physical and attitudinal) and enables learners to achieve their potential.

References

Booth, T., & Ainscow, M. (2002) Index for Inclusion. Bristol, CSIE.Oxford Online Dictionary, http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/inclusive?q=inclusivity#inclusive__16[accessed 19/04/2012]Higher Education Academy (2011)The UK Professional Standards Framework for teaching and supporting learning in higher education 2011 http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/documents/ukpsf/ukpsf.pdf [accessed 19/04/2012]Human Resources, University of Birmingham, Probation: academic teaching staff, https://intranet.birmingham.ac.uk/hr/documents/public/probation-teaching.pdf[accessed 19/04/2012]Morely L., (2012) Imaging the inclusive university of the future,http://www.slideshare.net/johnroseadams1/louise-morley-imagining-the-inclusive-university-of-the-future[accessed 19/04/2012]Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, (2011) UK Quality Code for Higher Educationhttp://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Documents/Quality%20Code%20-%20Chapter%20B4.pdf[accessed 19/04/2012]

Further resources• Beyond Prejudice: Inclusive learning in practice from the Learning and Skills Development Agency offers strategic and

practical pointers for the provision of an inclusive learning environment.• DEMOS: Online Materials For Staff Disability Awareness (2002) is an online resource aimed at academic staff, and

examines the issues faced by disabled students in higher education. Modification of examination and assessment arrangments are also discussed.

• Engineering Subject Centre Guide to Working with Disabled Students (2nd Edition June 2005) includes practical ideas and case studies.

• Premia resource base awareness and development materials are for everyone involved in making the research environment more accessible for disabled students.

• SCIPS (Strategies for the Creation of Inclusive Programmes of Study) database provides information to support academic staff in improving access to the curriculum for disabled students.

• SENDA compliance in Higher Education: an audit and guidance tool to accessible practice within the framework of teaching and learning 2002, including a useful section on assessment.

• Teachability (2000) offers information and resources for academic staff to help in the provision of an accessible curriculum.

• Techdis has relevant resources and references, including a database of information and products to assist disabled students and staff.

• University of Bristol Access Unit provides fact sheets for supporting disabled students.• University of Wolverhampton - Learning, teaching and assessment:

good practice guides for staff teaching d/Deaf students in art, design and communication and in science and engineering.