Teaching inclusively - How can you harness student knowledge and experience? Professor Christine Hockings Xiaogan University transnational partner staff development programme Jan /Feb 2012

Learning outcomes By the end of the session you will have: 1.Explored the meaning of ‘inclusive learning and teaching.’ 2.Compared student diversity at Wolverhampton with diversity in your University. 3.Considered ways to harness & harvest students’ experience and knowledge. 4.Applied principles of inclusive & engaging learning and teaching to the planning of a teaching session

What does inclusive learning and teaching mean to you in your context? Unit 2 Inclusive learning and teaching in higher education refers to the ways in which pedagogy, curricula and assessment are designed and delivered to engage students in learning that is meaningful, relevant and accessible to all. It embraces a view of the individual and individual difference as the source of diversity that can enrich the lives and learning of others (Hockings, 2010)

Diversity of UK student population In what ways are your students diverse? Social & ethnic backgrounds Differently abled Life, work & educational experiences Entry qualifications Prior knowledge & ways of knowing Approaches to learning

How can we academically engage all students? Strategies that harness students’ experience and knowledge? (See page 16 Human resources ) Articulating thinking publically?. (See page 17 Mathematics) Sensitive to the cultural diversity of the group? (See page 22 Digital Media ) Learning to Teach Inclusively OER module See Unit 2 of the OER module to learn more about engaging all students To access unit 2 click on the link above or go to project website:

Planning an engaging session for all Module: Session: Date Student Group: What do you know about your students? Group size, diversity, particular requirements, prior knowledge & experience, etc. By the end of the session you will have:  Learning Outcome 1…..  Learning Outcome 2…..  Learning Outcome 3…. TimeTopicTutor activityStudent activityResources Post session evaluation Session Planning Template

Task Use a session plan for one of the sessions you’ve taught or observed in UK EXPLAIN the topic(s), the students, the aims and learning outcomes of the session. Describe the resources, materials, equipment, the room layout etc. ANALYSE what YOU do in this session. What do the STUDENTS do? How balanced is this? How do you know students have learned what you want them to learn? EVALUATE your plans. How inclusive are they? Reflect on how your assumptions and beliefs about the students, teaching and about your subject influence this plan? ANNOTATE your session plan to reflect the changes that you might make in light of focusing more on your students & on the principles of inclusive and engaging L&T Share your annotated Session Plan with the group. 45mins

Check list of inclusive L&T principles Create safe, inclusive spaces Get to know students as individuals Establish ground rules for collaborative learning Use strategies that harness students’ experience and knowledge Start with what students know, then apply theory (biographical turn) Connect with students’ lives, backgrounds and future aspirations Facilitate uncertainty, confusion & difference Encourage public articulation of thinking & collaborative problem solving Teach reflexively and with sensitivity to individual & cultural differences Mindful of own beliefs and identity and their impact on student learning Coordinate interaction, mixing different student (with a purpose) Anticipate students’ requirements and interests Respond flexibly to emerging needs and interests of student

Some related papers Hockings, C., Brett, P. & Terentjev, M. (forthcoming) Making a difference: inclusive learning and teaching in HE through open educational resources (OERs). Special issue of Distance Education: Fostering social inclusion through open educational resources (OER) Hockings, C (2011) Hearing voices, creating spaces: the craft of the ‘artisan’ teacher’ in a mass higher education system. Critical Studies in Higher Education 52 (2) Hockings, C. (2010). Inclusive learning and teaching in higher education: a synthesis of research. York HEA. Hockings, C., Cooke, S., & Bowl, M. (2010). Learning and teaching in two universities within the context of increasing student diversity: complexity, contradictions and challenges. In M. David (Ed.), Improving learning by widening participation. London: Routledge. Links to resources OER module Learning to Teach Inclusively OER Learning to Teaching Inclusively Project website