DEVELOPING AN INCLUSIVE CURRICULUM Background The University of Wales, Newport has a long history of widening access to education, and an understanding that a student s learning outcomes can be influenced by factors such as individual learning styles, communication skills and personal values. Over the last few years, we have seen new legislation promoting equality of opportunity for students with disabilities, and students from Black and minority ethnic (BME) groups. The Funding Council has also required universities to extend widening access and participation. In addition, the student population has become increasingly diverse in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, disability, age and socioeconomic status. This has required academic staff to understand the differences in teaching approaches and learning resources used for subjects such as Science and Engineering, where women are traditionally under represented, in order to encourage increased applications from women. In addition, evidence that older students perform better when assessed continuously had influenced assessment methods for widening participation adult learners. Teaching and learning methods which disregard these changes place students at a disadvantage. At Newport, we are building experience and expertise in widening access to the curriculum for students with disabilities. We now need to extend this good practice, both in terms of disabled students, and to meet the needs of students from diverse cultural backgrounds. Our practice also needs to ensure that cultural diversity is recognised, regardless of the number of students from BME backgrounds on particular courses or in particular groups. As is acknowledged by Natfhe and other HE staff unions, all university policies, staff development and training, and curriculum development should take account of multi-culturalism and anti-racism from the outset as part of the process of valuing diversity and equality. 1 Natfhe provides this advice for its members: It is recognised that ensuring that the curriculum is one which values and recognises the achievements of cultures, races and religions will be more straightforward in some areas than others. However all Schools need to review the content, structure and materials of their courses/programmes to ensure inclusivity. Elements of the curriculum which may be implicit, but which reflect deep-seated or historical prejudices need to be identified and challenged. Where, for whatever reason, it is not possible to eliminate such matters, the course/programme should explain and challenge attitudes. 2 1 EIS Anti-Racist & Curricular Guidelines F&HE February 1999 2 NATFHE, Race Equality in Further & Higher Education, 1996
Accordingly, the University of Wales, Newport, confirms its commitment to an inclusive curriculum. The adoption of an inclusive curriculum approach will provide a positive and pro-active response to a diverse student profile and will focus on challenging exclusion while supporting initiatives to address specific and/or exceptional needs of all students. The University acknowledges that the development of an inclusive curriculum can be a transforming process for the academic and the student as it may require basic assumptions to be examined and changed. The University will support all staff engaged in learning and teaching in undertaking this process. There are some useful examples available from American, Australian and Canadian universities and references are given below. 3 This checklist is designed to draw upon those already established good practices at Newport and act as an aide-memoire for academic staff in relation to extending those, or similar, principles when examining the curriculum for inclusivity, particularly in relation to ensure no student is disadvantaged by reason of their race, ethnicity or cultural background. Many questions already posed in relation to disability and/or widening access are also relevant in ensuring that the curriculum is accessible to students from all backgrounds. 3 i) Developing & Teaching Inclusive Curriculum. D Flick University of Colorado at Boulder www.colorado.edu/ftep/diversity/div03.html ii) Inclusive Curriculum Project. K Hutchinson Victoria University, October 1997 www.flinders.edu.au/teach/teach/inclusive/checklist.html iii) Inclusive Curriculum Strategies & Resources to Support K-8 Curriculum Development University of Toronto www.oise.utoronto.ca/cwse/inclusive/contents.htm
INCLUSIVE CURRICULUM CHECKLIST Admissions Do your admissions criteria: Reflect the needs, attributes and diversity of potential students? Approach any particular requirements of the profession concerned positively with a view, wherever possible, of making suitable alternative provisions? Ensure no section of the community is automatically deselected by particular requirements? Recognise prior-learning from other experiences, alternative pathways of entry? Monitor the admission of students year on year against the School/CCLL s Race Equality Action Plan targets? Progression Are there differential rates of progression, failure, withdrawal or transfer between different student groups (e.g due to age, gender, disability or ethnicity)? If so, how are they understood and explained? Are there different rates of student attainment (e.g due to age, gender, disability or ethnicity)? If so, how are they understood and explained? Curriculum Design In designing your curriculum, do you: Consider your students learning styles, gender, cultural background, health/disability status, values and experiences? Take account of students prior knowledge and learning? Seek advice from, or participation in, curriculum design from people with specialist expertise? Include texts and readings which reflect a diversity of perspectives? Draw upon experiences of other cultures, practices, traditions and lifestyles? Use inclusive language and keep in touch with change and evolution in language to avoid giving offence to students and to respect their values? Content Does the course content: Have assumed knowledge that is made explicit in the stated pre-requisites of the course?
Provide opportunities for students to access knowledge and skills that are assumed in the course? Develop cross-cultural perspectives, respect for different values and learning styles? In what ways? Use positive images and examples from a range of cultures (e.g. in case studies etc.)? Ensure that material is free of negative stereotyping or assumptions? Attract and retain students from diverse backgrounds? Delivery In your teaching, do you: Provide students with a range of learning opportunities? Encourage students to listen and learn from one another? Avoid using negative or potentially offensive stereotypes or assumption? Strive to use examples, cite references, and ask for opinions of students, from a wide a range of backgrounds and cultures? Actively discourage language or behaviour which is racist, sexist, homophobic or which demeans people with disabilities (e.g. negotiate a group contract at the start of the course, and refer to it as necessary)? Communicate clearly, in plain English, free from unnecessary acronyms or colloquialisms? Encourage students to contribute to discussions about course content? Respond to differences in English language levels of your students? Maintain an awareness of important dates of all major religious festivals and be flexible with regard to students religious needs and potential distraction at those times? Provide support for students experiencing difficulties and know where they can turn to for advice? Make available alternative means of receiving materials for students with visual impairments or dyslexia? Assessment Is your student assessment: Transparent and able to provide students with timely and appropriate feedback? Free of cultural, or gender biased assumptions, reflecting social and cultural diversity wherever possible? In plain English and free from unnecessary acronyms or colloquialisms? Flexible enough to assess the learning outcomes of students with disabilities? Respectful of all cultural/religious faiths celebration calendar when it comes to deadlines for submission? Able to accurately assess intended learning outcomes? Is feedback on students work given in a manner which is sensitive to the need to maintain the dignity of the individual? Is critical feedback to students within a group context (e.g. as might be found in Fine Art) handled sensitively to sustain the student s self respect and confidence?
Laboratory Work If laboratory work is an integral part of the course, do you: Ensure personal/cultural sensitivities are taken into account when designing tasks or experiments? Ensure that health and safety matters are considered in light of all possible dress codes, or access concerns, addressing any issues with sensitivity? Work Placements Where work placements are necessary, do you: Ensure the employer has a meaningful Equal Opportunities policy and that staff are aware of this and act in the spirit of the policy? Ensure student needs (physical/mental/cultural) are taken into account with due sensitivity? Field Trips Where field trips are necessary, do you: Ensure that health and safety matters are considered in light of all possible dress codes, or access concerns, addressing any issues with sensitivity? Ensure student needs (physical/mental/cultural) are taken into account with due sensitivity? Where students are unable to participate, are appropriate alternative arrangements made?