Teaching a diverse student body – a proposed tool for lecturers to self-evaluate their approach to inclusive teaching (c

1. Inclusive Practice in the Classroom Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh (13th September 2012) Dr. Sheila Cunningham Principal lecturer/Middlesex University Senior Teaching Fellow Teaching a diverse student body – a proposed tool for lecturers to self-evaluate their approach to inclusive teaching (case study)

2. Background • This proposed tool resulted from on part of my doctoral work : Lecturers' Perceptions and Practices with Diverse Students Groups in one institution (post 92: case study). Some key findings were: • Lecturers’ • held multiple varied views of WP (and diversity) with limited insight into students’ backgrounds, lives or experiences • pedagogic practice is influenced by their conceptions of knowledge generation in subject communities often with limited personal development of a pedagogic philosophy • viewed diversity (and WP) as deficiency, remedial or ‘someone else’s job’ • Students’ • diversity is multi-faceted not fitting simplistic ‘traditional’ or ‘non-traditional’ categories • valued ‘personal interactions’ with lecturers

3. Fig 1 Middlesex University student profile according to campus (three of the four main campuses and one hospital satellite campus (Archway*) 2010

4. Fig. 2 Comparison of diversity with staff (whole institution) 2009

5. Knowing students? Identity? Research: Lecturer stories Workload, institutional blocks to knowing students Pedagogical beliefs and practices (CoP) Pathologising WP ‘Professional Allegiance’ Position and Agency Epistemological and pedagogical challenges Relationships with Students Limited engagement with peer review (distrust)

6. Student experience Institution developments – experience & inclusion ‘Student Experience’ initiatives ICT/Support learning tools Staff development/PGCHE Cohort identity interventions Key support roles (Student achievement advisors etc) Curriculum restructure (year long) Transition interventions

7. Student experience Institution developments – experience & inclusion ‘Student Experience’ initiatives ICT/Support learning tools Staff development/PGCHE Cohort identity interventions Teaching Fellow ‘champions’ Key support roles (Student achievement advisors etc) Curriculum restructure (year long) Transition interventions

8. Key questions Take a moment: • What does ‘teaching’ and ‘learning’ mean to you personally? As a community of practice (discipline)? • Do you have a philosophy of teaching? Do you have an evidence base? • What are the opportunities to know and understand diverse groups? • How does your teaching reflect diversity?

9. Staff Development or Self Reflection? • Triggers? • UK Professional Standards Framework • Performance/Peformativity?

10. Self reflection - Conceptual model Reflective cycle

11. Tool or Hammer? • Not PERFECT but is potentially a guide to self reflection for inclusive approach. • Key inspirations...... • UK Professional Standards Framework for teaching and supporting learning • Borton’s reflective model (what, so what, now what) • Kipling’s 5 honest serving men (who, what, where, when how and why) • Encourages a Proactive approach – rather than reactive • ‘Work in progress’ – to align with Teaching Observation and any other 360 review process or Staff Development Need

12. Questionnaire Format CLICK below for access to questionnaire Four sections • Context • Connections/profession 2. Preparation (before) • ‘Who’ 3. Practice • What, where, how, why and where, 4. Evaluation • Now what? https://www.cx.com/mycx/share/1wz3fwPTEeKPuxICOA-R7w/Inclusivity%20in%20Teaching%20Checklist%20v2.doc

13. PLEASE...... Look at the checklist (handout) • What are your initial thoughts? • How did it make you feel? PLEASE GIVE ME FEEDBACK Answer routes....... • Tweet me: • @cunningham_sm or e-mail: s.cunningham@mdx.ac.uk Questions: • What strengths does it have? • What areas could be improved? • How? • Thoughts on the language used (ie use of ‘I’ or ‘You’ • Can you see a use for this (personally with colleagues)?

14. Recommendations - Individual contributions to an inclusive culture

15. CSIE 2010 state - ‘Inclusive Practice’ is… • Valuing all students and staff equally. • Increasing the participation of students in, and reducing their exclusion from, the cultures, curricula and communities of HE. • Restructuring the cultures, policies and practices to the diversity of students. • Reducing barriers to learning and participation for all students, not only those with impairments. • Viewing the difference between students as resources to support learning, rather than as problems to be overcome. • Improving the ‘learning experience’ for staff as well as for students. • Recognising that inclusion in education is one aspect of inclusion in society

16. Overall….. • Internal reaction: • Mixed – another paper exercise to thought provoking • External colleagues – preaching to converted? • Not a ‘hot topic’ other competing priorities • Requires paradigm shift! • Future: • Included in Staff Development (attendance optional) • (Now) integrated with PGCHE • To align with Teaching Observation – (but how?) The supercomplexity of HE... 6 conditions for individuals ‘critical self-scrutiny ’and ‘engagement’ are fundamental to realising a univeristy in a diverse environment (Ross 2007 on Barnett, 1999)

17. Thank you! • Sheila Cunningham • S.cunningham@mdx.ac.uk • Tweet: @cunningham_sm