Abstract
In recent years, many higher education providers have looked to audit the inclusivity of their learning and teaching through the use of an inclusive curriculum ‘framework,' ‘charter,' or ‘toolkit.' The development and implementation of just such a ‘toolkit' is one of a suite of measures the Open University is using to address issues around the degree awarding gaps which have been identified as priority areas in our access and participation strategy (APS). The ICT's three principles are: 1) Is the material accessible to diverse groups of students; in terms of the language and images used)? 2) Will diverse groups of students see themselves reflected in the material? 3) Does the material equip students to participate in a global and diverse world? This chapter will share the learning from use of the ICT in STEM, its limitations as an auditing tool, the transformative effect on practice it has had on reviewers, and critical perspectives on the extent to which it enables or inhibits broader inclusivity approaches such as decolonisation.
TopIntroduction
In recent years, many UK Higher Education providers have been concerned with the evaluation and improvement of the inclusivity of teaching and learning. One popular approach to achieve this is via the use of an inclusive curriculum ‘framework’ (Kingston University, n.d.), ‘healthcheck’ (University College London, n.d.) or ‘toolkit’ (Manchester Metropolitan University, n.d.). This chapter will outline a case study in the Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) at the UK’s Open University: a pilot of the use of a bespoke framework – the ‘Inclusive Curriculum Tool’ – for auditing the inclusivity of online, distance learning and teaching materials.
We present our findings as a linear narrative, tracking the way in which our understanding of key concepts such as ‘inclusivity’ and ‘curriculum’ changed as the complexities of what we were trying to achieve became apparent to us. Through our example, we offer readers an instructive case study, focusing on the lessons learned from such an approach, which we hope will guide their own research, design and practice in inclusive online teaching and learning.
In particular, we highlight discipline-based considerations in STEM, and raise the fundamental question: ‘What does an inclusive STEM curriculum look like?’ In seeking to answer this question, we first present the common principal themes which emerged from the Inclusive Curriculum reviews. We then present a meta–evaluation of the review process by centering the voice of practitioners – the auditors who undertook reviews using the Inclusive Curriculum Tool. We present the practitioner voice collected via reflective journals and one-to-one interviews. We discuss critical perspectives on the extent to which the Inclusive Curriculum Tool, and, by extension, inclusivity frameworks in general, can achieve a truly inclusive curriculum. We conclude with some recommendations for practitioners looking to undertake inclusivity reviews using an inclusivity framework.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Critical Reflection: A process of recognizing, assessing and challenging presuppositions or assumptions about issues known, the way the world is perceived and the beliefs and values we foster.
Practitioner: A teacher or educator engaged in the practice of teaching and learning.
Pedagogy: A theory of learning.
Constructivism: The theory of constructivism posits that people make meaning of and produce knowledge based upon their pre-existing experiences.
Inclusion/Inclusivity: Refers to the practice or policy of providing equal access to opportunity and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized.
Equity: Pertains to fairness and impartiality.
Equality: The state of being equal, especially in status, rights, or opportunities.
Decolonization: A theoretical approach to education whereby critical consideration is applied to institutions and assumptions, based on the way in which the legacy of colonialism has shaped, and continues to underpin, the institutions (including academic disciplines) of the modern world.
Reflexivity: This term refers to the interrogation and examination of self-belief in relation to generally refers to the examination of one's own personal values, held beliefs, judgments and practices during the research process and how these may potentially influence research processes.
Higher Education: A term used to describe the institutional providers of undergraduate level education.
Curriculum: In this chapter, refers to materials and content, planned and organized by teaching practitioners, of a particular course of learning.
Positionality: A consideration of the implicit power relations at play in human interactions one has as a virtue of one’s identity, status, or lived experience in a social context.
Change: To alter or modify something from its current state.
Epistemology: A theory of how knowledge is created.
Social Constructivism: Social constructivism posits that all knowledge develops as a result of social interaction and language use and is therefore a shared and collective experience rather than an individual one.
Global South: A term referring to the majority of the world and its population, roughly equating to the areas outside of Europe and North America.