The University of Lincoln is renowned for its student-centred, co-creational approach to teaching and learning, namely ‘student as producer’. When focusing on inclusive education, the student as producer ethos is core to how knowledge is produced, created, shared and understood.
It is important to consider students as producers, co-creators, partners and collaborators within teaching and learning spaces and practices. If students are active in their own learning, engaged with their course and committed to shaping their own experiences then satisfaction, belonginess and wellbeing will be high. There are many ways in which programme design, content, delivery and assessment can celebrate and represent students and their voices. The following list provides some starting points for consideration:
- Listen to students, hear what they have to say and know them and their experiences through engagement.
- Where appropriate ensure educational activities are contemporary, thought-provoking, diverse and international.
- Employ a diverse range of teaching styles to encourage active student participation.
- Utilise a diverse range of assessment styles and platforms to encourage ‘voice’ to be represented across various forms and formats.
- Think about formulating activities and /or assessments which ask students to express themselves/their experiences and/or their own values and traditions.
- Create flexible learning opportunities to empower students to share their voice in a comfortable environment.
- Use assessments to actively challenge inequalities and allow students the freedom to problem solve and address wider-social issues.
- Facilitate extra-curricular opportunities for students to learn and gain new experiences outside of the standard classroom environment.
As an example, students in the School of Education have created digital outputs focusing on inclusion and exclusion in education as part of their third-year assessments. This assessment allowed for student voice to be embedded within the assessment design as well as positively contributing to the development of students’ future skills. The students’ finished work can be found here in relation to ‘what inclusion means to us’ and also a video about creating inclusive teaching resources. These videos provide a tangible example of how issues relating to inclusive education can be innovatively embedded into curriculum and assessment design and content.
Additional materials:
Students in the School of Education have created digital outputs focusing on inclusion and exclusion in education as part of their third-year assessments. This assessment allowed for student voice to be embedded within the assessment design as well as positively contributing to the development of students’ future skills. The students’ finished work can be found here in relation to ‘what inclusion means to us’ and also a video about creating inclusive teaching resources. These videos provide a tangible example of how issues relating to inclusive education can be innovatively embedded into curriculum and assessment design and content.
The following interview with Student’s Union (SU) Natasha Kirchin (VP Campaigns & Environment) highlights the practical advice around inclusive practice from an SU perspective:
This interview with Zaib Janjua, an MSc International Business student discusses belonging in relation to culture and acceptance.
In this video, Sajid Nawaz (MSc Management student) highlights the importance of extra-curricular resources and support in facilitating belonging.
Katie Donnelly a BA (Hons) Journalism student speaks with Hanya Pielichaty about dis/ability, belonging and empowerment.