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Explore the journey of developing inclusivity at Leeds through awareness raising, embedding standards, student involvement, and strategic positioning. Discover the impact of resources, strategic frameworks, and evolving projects towards inclusive teaching and learning practices.
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Click to edit Master title style The 3 strands of developing inclusivity @ Leeds: raising awareness, embedding standards and involving students. Jenny Brady Disability Services
The start of our journey Click to edit Master title style • Understanding what DSA changes meant for the “curriculum” • Recognition of the need for culture change • Lack of confidence in our power to influence the whole institution
Creation of Resources Click to edit Master title style Working group led by Disability Services and Organisational Development and Professional Learning (L&T Team). Also including: • Equality Policy Unit • Students Union • Library • Language Centre • Lifelong Learning • Arts & STEM academics
Strategic positioning Click to edit Master title style 2014-19 Equality and Inclusion Framework
The brief Click to edit Master title style
The unforeseen benefits Click to edit Master title style
Click to edit Master title style Perfect timing! The launch of the resource coincided with the release of Inclusive Teaching and Learning in Higher Education as a route to Excellence in January 2017
Awareness raising with academic staff Click to edit Master title style • Contacting Heads of Schools • 10-15 minute roadshow- 24/ 50 schools so far • Promoting the resource though internal networks • Bound copies of guides circulated to senior colleagues (including Pro-Deans for Student Education)
Click to edit Master title style How do we measure up to these “simple actions”?
Baseline standards Click to edit Master title style • “simple actions” translated into baseline standards to fit the University of Leeds context • Agreement from Taught Student Education Board to work towards a standard of inclusivity in learning and teaching • Pilot audit against baseline standards carried out in 1 school Oct- Dec 2017 • Surveys and interviews with 11 programme leaders • Questionnaire with students • Institutional audit planned for 2018-19
Pilot audit- a good place to start Click to edit Master title style Some initial findings: 1. Very little awareness of “anticipatory” duty 2. General support of the principles of inclusive teaching 3. Fear of increased workload 4. Fear of loss of professional autonomy
Evolving project 2017-18 Click to edit Master title style • More “champions” in the working group • New academic chair to report through committee structure • Commitment embedded into Student Education Strategic Plan: “ Deliver an inclusive educational experience which enables all students to succeed, evolving our approach to inclusive learning and teaching practices, utilising digital platforms to support integration and working collaboratively with LUU in delivering a curriculum that is culturally, socially and geographically diverse.”
Engaging students- next steps in 2018 Click to edit Master title style • How do we raise awareness of inclusive learning and teaching among students in a simple way? • How do we differentiate it from reasonable adjustments? • What is the best way of engaging students to gather meaningful feedback? • How do we create feedback mechanisms to enable students to influence the teaching they receive? • How do we use the existing channels of course reps, school reps and our Students Union?
Bearing in mind… Click to edit Master title style • Survey fatigue • Annual cycle of Students Union Officers • Identifying optimum times for engagement during the academic year • Creating simple messages and campaigns that will resonate with the widest proportion of students
So to sum up… Click to edit Master title style • We are raising awareness of our in-house resources, and the need for all staff to think inclusively about learning and teaching • We are embedding standards by planning an audit of baseline inclusive practices, with an institutional commitment to work towards compliance with standards • We are working with our Students Union to raise awareness of inclusive teaching practices and create effective feedback channels.
Click to edit Master title style For more information contact j.brady@adm.leeds.ac.uk To access the Inclusive Learning and Teaching Resources, visit www.sdduonline.leeds.ac.uk/inclusiveteaching