Embedding and sustaining inclusive STEM practices Trevor Collins, Vic Pearson, Anne-Marie Gallen, Kate Lister, Gareth Davies and Kate Bradshaw The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK Contact: trevor.collins@open.ac.uk @incstemproject @OU_STEM

HE attainment gaps: Students with disabilities Differential student outcomes (HEFCE, 2016) Attainment gap: Equality in higher education (ECU, 2017) Rises in students declaring a disability Particularly mental health issues and specific learning difficulties Differential student outcomes (attainment gaps): students from low socio-economic groups, students from black and minority ethnic groups, and students with disabilities. OU @ May 2016: 34,305 OU STEM students (5,524 declared a disability i.e. 14%)

IncSTEM: Inclusive teaching and learning Inclusive STEM Practices: Scaling up inclusive educational practices within STEM module design and delivery to benefit all students, while lowering and removing barriers impeding students with disabilities Gathering and sharing case studies to evidence the impact of inclusive design and produce cross-institutional guidelines and recommendations for dissemination to HE sector and professional associations Enabling UK HEIs to Embed inclusive resource, module and curriculum design practices Sustain inclusive module and curriculum delivery practices Develop inclusive career pathways for students and graduates

OU people Trevor Collins (KMi) Vic Pearson (SPS) Chetz Colwell (LTI SeGA) Nick Braithwaite (STEM) Gareth Davies (KMi) Kate Lister (LTI SeGA) Anne-Marie Gallen (E&I) Elaine McPherson (EEE) Kate Bradshaw (SWIM) Rafa Hidalgo (LTI TEL) Aneta Tumilowicz (KMi) SWIM = Science Web and Interactive Media (SWIM) Group

Activities to date Baseline data collection Community engagement Institutional documentation Staff and student surveys Community engagement Institutional: Heads of schools and directors of teaching (e.g. OU: SPS, EEE, LHCS, E&I, M&S and C&C) Higher education networks (e.g. HUBS, IoP, CHES, UGUK) Professional associations (e.g. RSB, IoP, IES, GSL, LMS) OU case studies / mini projects Online practical work (OpenSTEM Labs e.g. observatories, remote labs) Specification of inclusivity in new teaching and learning Language of disability and inclusion IT procurement and accessibility Development and implementation of an institutional accessibility policy Disciplinary working groups Inclusive group work Accrediting inclusive teaching and learning within STEM HUBS: Heads of University Biosciences IoP: Institute of Physics CHES: Committee of Heads of Environmental Science UK: Universities Geosciences UK RSB: Royal Society of Biology IES: Institution of Environmental Sciences GSL: Geological Society of London LMS: London Mathematical Society

OU staff and student surveys Comparable questions regarding knowledge, skills, attitudes and support Staff feel aware of the conditions the OU classifies as disabilities and the issues disabled students face Very high feelings of commitment to accessibility (in my role and by the OU) Lack of staff awareness about disabled students likelihood of gaining a good degree and professional employment Staff most confident in supporting students with visual and hearing impairments; least confident in supporting students with mental health issues and autism Group Responses / sample (%) Lecturers and curriculum managers 261 / 871 (30%) Academic services 82 / 251 (33%) Associate lecturers 66 (post on tutor home) LTI development and production team 43 (post on mailing list) Faculty technical staff 14 / 48 (22%) Disabled students 84 / 1,000 (8%)

OU case studies / mini projects (sample) Disciplinary working groups on accessibility and inclusion How are inclusive practices developed and shared within the disciplines? And across institutions (depart / school, faculty, university, prof associations)? Examples from Maths and Stats (e.g. OU) and Geosciences (e.g. IAGD/DIG UK) Group work What are students with disabilities experiences of group work activities? How do specific disabilities affect group activities? What adjustments facilitate equitable participation? Accrediting inclusive teaching and learning within STEM How do degree accreditation standards affect inclusion across the disciplines? Share examples of reasonable adjustments made within accredited degrees

Embedding and sustaining inclusive STEM practices Trevor Collins, Vic Pearson, Anne-Marie Gallen, Kate Lister, Gareth Davies and Kate Bradshaw The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK Contact: trevor.collins@open.ac.uk @incstemproject @OU_STEM