What did you do to create inclusive practice and how did you do it?
We saw the Postgraduate Certificate in HE Teaching programme as a means of encouraging critical discussion about and modelling inclusive teaching and learning. We began with a wide-ranging consultation, exploring, with as many parts of the university as possible how the programme could become a beacon for inclusive learning and teaching, foster debate, draw together expertise and help early-career staff to implement meaningful and sustainable practices that support a diverse student body. The consultation explored questions such as physical versus virtual space, programme content and embedding opportunities for scholarship and the exchange of scholarly ideas.
Why did you implement your example of inclusive practice?
We wanted a more sustainable and efficient way of ensuring more inclusive curricula delivered across the institution, and the programme gave us the space to have ongoing critical discussions, share and critique practice, and allow time to develop a deeper understanding of the issues. Key drivers for implementing this were both internal and external, arising from a genuine desire to make our curricula more inclusive to ensure all our students can thrive on their programmes, alongside external regulatory requirements that consider different types of student and staff satisfaction. It’s our experience that early-career staff often join the programme brimming with ideas, excited about the difference they want to make to the students’ experience. We want to nurture these ideas, helping to develop a solid theoretical understanding, as well as tips on how to operationalise the ideas.
What was the impact of your case study?
We undertook a mixed-methods study involving graduates of the programme (Rowan 2022, Nereo 2023). Methodologically, the study was based on individual interviews, a survey and focus groups. In response to the question: ‘what skills and competences do you feel participants gain as a result of
completing the PGCert and APA programme?’, 64% of respondents cited ‘knowledge of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) principles’. Both inclusive learning resources and opportunities to explore, discuss and engage critically with the theme of inclusivity were cited positively by participants. According to Rowan (2022), participants valued the theme of ‘inclusion’ as a new focus for their scholarly work, which helped equip them for scholarly discussions and outputs and connected them to broader educational networks: “It gave me the opportunity to actually see some of the shortcomings of the way things were done, specifically in that instance relating to things like disability but not exclusively disability. Basically, looking at a laboratory as a very specific teaching environment and all of the problems and the barriers that come with that.” “I think the course has really benefited students, and I do have feedback in terms of my being inclusive and accessible both in the materials that I design, but also the ways that I teach them. My awareness of accessibility, for example. Providing materials in advance, providing them in formats that can be adapted. These are all things that I learnt through the programme, and then started implementing into my practice. They felt included, they felt like they were able to participate because of the approaches.” Nereo, F. (2023). Employability and work-integrated learning. In: S. Norton & M. Romero-González (eds) Contemporary Practices and Initiatives in Employability. Advance HE.
Rowan, A. (2022). Exploring the impacts of the Postgraduate Certificate in HE Teaching and Academic Professional Apprenticeship at Keele University. York: Advance HE.
What were the lessons learned?
Undertake a review of support for early-career academics, in particular the institution’s Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching or equivalent, and engage with all parts of the university to gain feedback: senior staff, Heads of School, current and past participants on the programme85 and professional services staff. Develop a shared understanding of the ways in which such a programme can be transformed to support early-career academics and the design and delivery of their teaching, post-lockdown. Take some time to consider how your programme might stand out, model the practice you discuss in the sessions and support staff to build their educational networks locally, nationally and internationally.