European LINK Network and Skill's Annual Higher Education Conference
Monday 30 NovemberRadisson SAS Manchester
Airport
SKILL
Bringing about change through a strategic approach
to inclusive learning and teaching
Dr Val Chapman (NTF)
November 30th 2009
Higher Education Academy Project (Sep 2007- Dec 2008)
Title: Developing Inclusive Curricula in Higher Education
Research focus How can we engage the interest and commitment of
academic staff to further develop their inclusive learning and teaching practice?
Process
Methodology: Appreciative Inquiry University project team – included a disabled student Student researchers from a single Institute
n=7 range of impairments range of courses
Time frame for student involvement: Jan 04 – Mar 31 2008
Inclusive Learning and Teaching
‘By inclusive learning we mean thegreatest degree of match or fit between the individual learners’ requirements and the provision that is made for them’
Tomlinson J. (1996)
Appreciative Inquiry
Based on David Cooperider’s (1999) doctoral work at Case Western Reserve University
Eschews former Organization Development (OD) deficit models Espouses a positive approach to change that builds a vision for
the future based upon what already works well within an existing system
self-empowering philosophy ‘4-D’ process (Discover, Dream, Design and Destiny) Focus on collaborative working of all stakeholders Engages all stakeholders in systematic participation in a jointly
constructed vision of an organization’s future
DISCOVERY
What gives life here?
Appreciating
DESIGN
What should be - the ideal?
Co-constructing
DREAM
What might be?
Envisioning results
DESTINY
How to empower, learn and improvise
Sustaining
Appreciative Inquiry
Deficit model:
identify problem analyse the root cause brainstorm solutions and analyse develop an action plan implement action plan review and revise
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AI can be used to:
Consult with people Learn from past experience Involve a whole organisation or
community in change Motivate and create active interest Build a vision for the future that
everyone can share and help put into practice
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Appreciative Inquiry (AI) process at UW
AIworkshop
(students)
Students’Post-it activity
Student’sinterviews
(VI)
Focus group with disabled
student researchers
Generation ofadjectives
Briefing on inclusion
and AI
Generation ofpropositional statements
Focus group interviewQuestions
Inaugural ISESstaff/student
research summit
Studentpresentation
Staff response
Prioritisationmeeting
Further planning
& embeddin
g
Inclusion
survey
DREAMDESIGNDESTINY
DISCOVERY
START
Pre-workshop activity
Staffdevelopme
nt
Roll out model to additional
departments
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Discovery phase (Jan/Feb 08)
Selection of student researchers Pre-workshop activity AI workshop Data collection by student researchers
Post it exercise Disabled student’s interviews with disabled peers Focus group interview (conducted by student member of
project team) Answers to reflective questions (pre-workshop activity)
Development of propositional statements
Data sets
Pre AI workshop reflective accounts from disabled student researchers
Transcript of focus group interview with disabled student researchers conducted by disabled student project team member
Transcripts of disabled student’s interviews with disabled peers
List of positive adjectives from large sample of all ISES students
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Dream phase (Mar 08)
Inaugural Institute of Sport and Exercise Science (ISES) staff/student research summit
Student researchers’ presentation Audience:
Vice Chancellor Guest speaker – Chief Executive, British Paralympic
Association ISES staff Departmental Learning and Teaching (L&T) representatives
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Post-it data from sample of ISES students
Top four adjectives (n=265):
Enjoyable Interesting Challenging Fun
Post-it data: staff perceptions
Top four responses:
Challenging Rewarding Practical / applied Interesting
Propositional statements
1. All students make a positive contribution to the learning of their peers.
2. Students value the School’s strong sense of community and being made to feel part of it.
3. Students love it when staff support and celebrate their achievements.
4. Staff inspire students through being role models. 5. Students really enjoy learning through doing.
Propositional statement
6. The School of Sports and Exercise Science offers students a ‘ticket to their future’; it gives them the opportunity to ‘do things for themselves’, to ‘become more independent’, to ‘reinvent themselves’ and ‘be their own person’. It offers a ‘liberating’ and transformative experience.
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Design phase (Apr 08)
Prioritisation meeting with ISES team to determine: Individual priorities Draft priorities for referral to departmental Learning and
Teaching Committee Staff survey – ISES staff confidence ratings in inclusive
practice (via survey monkey, 78% response rate) Analysed to determine staff development priorities
Departmental priorities agreed at ISES meeting
Share innovative practice; champion good practice; act as advocates for recruitment of disabled ISES staff and students
Use peer observation to focus on inclusion Ensure effective screening to identify
disabled/dyslexic students and/or issues Monitor retention & achievement in order to
identify issues
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Aspirational goal…
Within the next two yearsthe ISES team will have aninternational reputation asleaders in the field ofinclusive practice in sportand exercise science.
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Destiny phase (Ongoing)
Supplemental resources SCIPS (Strategies for Creating Inclusive Programmes
of Study) www.scips.worc.ac.uk (used 24/7, page ranked by Google 5/10)
Implementation of innovative staff development package
Embedding inclusive policy and practice in existing departmental structures and systems e.g. peer observation
http://www.scips.worc.ac.uk/
http://uk.qatrain2.eu/
Additional projects in progress
National teaching Fellowship Scheme project: Employability and Disability Usemyability (http://www.usemyability.org/)
Two Minute Tips Multi formats e.g. ‘how to guide a blind person’ video
Qatrain4 students Web resource for disabled students (VET)