Developing Inclusive Learning and Teaching Approaches in Higher Education Dr Helen May, Senior Advis

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Developing Inclusive Learning and Teaching
Approaches in Higher Education Dr Helen May,
Senior AdviserDr Kit Fan, Project
CoordinatorHigher Education Academy 2nd July
2009

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Overview of Presentation

• External and internal drivers for change
• Learning from others Institutional change for
  inclusion
• Introduction to the Theory of Change to support
  inclusive learning and teaching
• Group exercise to explore institutional
  strategies, practices and approaches towards the
  development of inclusive learning and teaching

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External Drivers for Inclusive Learning and
Teaching

• Greater student diversity.
• Equality legislative requirements.
• National student satisfaction survey.
• Retention and student success.
• Widening participation strategic assessments.
• Quality enhancement and assurance.
• Employer engagement and employee learning.

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Internal Strategic Opportunities for Change

• Some institutional change is opportunistic,
  drawing on existing developments.
• Some change depends on utilising internal
  networks (both formal and informal).
• Ensuring whole institutional practice requires an
  integrated approach to make it part of mainstream
  (rather than additional) practice.
• To reflect on
• What are the internal opportunities, networks or
  strategies in your institution that you can
  hitch your wagon to?

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Institutional Change for Inclusion
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Creating change

• To maximise impact and create sustainable
  inclusive policy and practice, participating HEIs
  found they needed to instigate changes at both
• Institutional level- policy, structures,
  processes, environmental.
• Individual level - attitudes, behaviour and
  practice.

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Two sides of the same coin
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Methods of Achieving Change

• Institutional Level

• Individual Level

• Embed into policies, systems and processes.
• Strategy review or development.
• Link into management processes (e.g. quality,
  performance, validation).
• Piggybacking onto existing HEI
  developments/change.
• Encourage partnership or inter-departmental
  working.

• Continuing staff development (e.g. event, debate,
  training, self-assessment).
• Identify and work with champions/advocates.
• Provide materials and resources (e.g. guidance,
  website).
• Advisory /working groups.
• Research.

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Theory of Change

• Locates work in the literature and existing good
  practice
• Identifies 3 inter-connected layers
• Essential elements of inclusive learning and
  teaching
• Influential factors
• Examples of effective practice.
• Summarised visually.

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Conditions for Inclusive Learning and Teaching
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Group activity

• Choose one of the conditions for inclusive
  learning and teaching.
• Discuss the influential factors for that
  condition.
• Do they resonate with strategies you are
  currently using within your institution to create
  inclusive learning and teaching?
• What examples of effective practice do you have
  to implement these factors?

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For further information, please contactDr
Helen May helen.may_at_heacademy.ac.ukProfessor
Liz Thomas Liz.thomas_at_heacademy.ac.uk Dr Kit
Fan kit.fan_at_heacademy.ac.ukFor general
inclusion enquiries, please contact
inclusion_at_heacademy.ac.uk