Professor Christine Hockings University of Wolverhampton Inclusive Learning and Teaching in HE Stifterverband and the German Rectors’ Conference Folkwang University of the Arts 23 rd February 2016

‘…a beacon for widening participation in education’

Student diversity – Students as individuals Social & ethnic backgrounds Differently abled Life, work & educational experiences Entry qualifications Prior knowledge & ways of knowing Approaches to learning When teachers see students as individuals, students become more engaged

Academic engagement Critically exploring one’s own and others’ different knowledge, experiences and backgrounds in a search for deep understanding, meaning and knowing Teachers’ approaches to L&T Teachers’ conceptions of students Teachers’ knowledge & experience Educational background Social / cultural background Aspirations & interests Approaches to learning Life & work experiences Prior knowledge / ways of knowing A key challenge is how to engage all individuals within a large and diverse group… Questioning & challenging Conjecturing & testing Analysing & Synthesising Evaluating & Reflecting

How do teachers academically engage all students within diverse groups? How can we facilitate development of inclusive learning environments? What are the implications for policy and practice in university teaching? Learning and teaching for social diversity and difference in HE Research design…

Academic engagement in diverse groups occurs when teachers… 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 and future aspirations Facilitate uncertainty, confusion & difference Encourage public articulation of thinking & problem solving Teach reflexively and with sensitivity to differences Mindful of impact of own beliefs and identity on student learning Coordinate interaction, mixing different students (with a purpose) Anticipate, prepare & respond flexibly to different and emerging requirements and interests

Learning to Teach Inclusively – The module Unit 2 3 units Content, activities, forum, assessment, links to other resources, etc. Over 100 video clips in a range of subjects. All subtitled. downloadable Module developed using Xerte for accessibility. Down load and repurposing guide with video tutorial Embedded in UoW Academic Development Programmes & used in many other HEIs in UK and internationally Module Project Videos-

Artisans in the craft of engaging all students group size bureaucracy rooms resources time research efficiency We can all become artisan teachers Knowledgeable Mindful Practical Innovative Creative Principled

Principles of inclusive L&T Safe space for reflection & development Structural integration, co-ordination & review Community of Practice of Artisan Teachers Laying the foundations If we can all become artisan teachers, we will retain and engage more students in learning that is relevant and meaningful to them.

Hallmarks of artisan teaching Enhancement of students’ unique qualities and characteristics Confidence in who they are and who they are becoming

Danke schön

Some related papers Hockings, C., Brett, P. and Terentjevs, M. (2012) Making a difference - inclusive learning and teaching in HE through open educational resources. Journal of Distance Education, 33 (2) Hockings, C. (2012) Active Engagement: A case study of the development and impact of OER on inclusive teaching and academic engagement at the University of Wolverhampton. York: Higher Education Academy. 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