The document discusses the importance of inclusivity in curriculum design. It defines inclusivity as not excluding any groups and avoiding exclusionary language. The key points are: 1) Inclusivity in curriculum design is important to promote participation in higher education and equality of opportunity for all learners. 2) Inclusivity faces major challenges in higher education institutions and requires addressing barriers to engagement, admissions, retention, and sense of belonging for diverse students. 3) An inclusive curriculum considers students' diverse learning styles, languages, cultural capital, and identities through varied content, delivery, and assessment methods.

1. Inclusivity: Implications for Curriculum
Design
Sarra Saffron Powell
Educational Development
sarrasaf@liv.ac.uk

2. A quick riddle…
A father and son are in car crash. The father is killed
instantly, the boy is critically ill, is taken by ambulance
and rushed to theatre. The surgeon takes one look at
him and says, “I can’t operate on him, he’s my son!”

3. Why is inclusivity important?
“Promote participation in higher education and
equality of opportunity for learners” (HEA, 2012)
PGCert/HEA
accreditation
Inclusive
practice
Best practice
=

4. What is inclusivity?
• not excluding any section of society or any party
involved in something
• (of language) deliberately avoiding usages that could
be seen as excluding a particular social group
(Oxford Online Dictionary)

5. Pedagogically…
Principles of inclusivity = robust, effective
curriculum design
Robust, effective curriculum design = inclusive
practice

6. “Discourses” of Inclusion
“At a time when prevailing neo-liberal policy aims to position
higher education as an economic venture and students as
customers, discourses of inclusion are vital.
Terms such as access, widening participation, equity, equality
and diversity, and lifelong learning commonly feature in
discourses of inclusion related to higher education. The
shifting meanings and fluid uses of these terms serve as an
indication of the increasing tensions between neo-liberal
economic forces and the role of higher education in modern
society”
Widening Participation Conference 2012 - Discourses of
Inclusion in Higher Education

10. “Toxic correlations - Access and social
identities”(Morely, 2012)
• UK poorer young people
enter higher education?
• More black young men in prison in UK and US than
in HE
• Attainment gap in UK HE highest between black
and white students (Morely, 2012)
4%
• Of this group enter UK’s
top 7 universities?
5%

11. Challenge-laden
• Major structural/cultural challenge to HEIs,
requiring higher rates of involvement and
rates of achievement to those who have been
traditionally under-represented excluded
• Inclusivity is an institutional response to those
challenges AND
• individual pedagogical decisions – YOUR
practice – your curriculum design decisions

12. Barriers
• Engagement (pre-admission)
• Admissions procedure
• Retention
• Engagement in university culture ‘student
experience’
• Language
• Physical barriers
• Lit. indicates identity ‘simple sense of belonging’
– is key.

13. Implications for Curriculum Design?
How do we design out barriers?
Recognise our students are diverse:
• Different learning styles
• Different languages
• Different cultural capital
• Complex identities
Need diverse ways of engagement
Consider content, delivery and assessment

14. UoL position
“An inclusive culture recognises, respects and accommodates the
diversity of all staff and students. This means acknowledging that
individuals possess a range of learning and teaching differences
and are members of diverse communities. The evolution of an
inclusive approach is underpinned by change processes that
influence both structural and day to day activities at all
institutional levels across local, national and international
contexts. Inclusivity can only be embedded in a culture where
diversity is assumed, welcomed and viewed as a rich resource for
all, whilst acknowledging and promoting education as an
empowering and transformative process.”
UoL definition, based on Booth, T., & Ainscow, M. (2002) Index
for Inclusion. Bristol, CSIE.

15. Institutional responses
• Russell group cf post-1992 HEIs = exceptionally
poor
• Russell group cf Russell group = exceptionally
good
• WP a key strategic aim
• High levels of resourcing
• HEA inclusive cultures programme – high levels of
commitment
• Go Higher access programme (revised, resourced)
• Policy auditing/implementation
• Student representation (LGoS)

16. • Student support infrastructure (student services)
• Student support learning skills development
(iLearn, workshops)
• Curriculum Review/design (diversifying
assessment, delivery, internationalising curricula)
• Teaching qualifications (improving teaching
practice)
• Induction Review (transition support)
• Peer mentoring system
• Faculty Skills Advisors
• Development of Digital Literacies/elearning
• ..more

17. Good practice
• Inclusive pedagogy = good practice
• takes a coherent approach which is anticipatory
and proactive
• has a strategy for delivering equal opportunities
and diversity policies
• involves the whole institution
• matches provision to student needs
• incorporates regular reflection, review and
refinement of strategies and methods that
actively involve students.
• (www.open.ac.uk)

18. A check list
• Resource design (word, ed.pdf)
• Visuals/text/auditory
• Clarity (space/colour)
• Learner styles/types of learner (multimodalities)
• Delivery (diversify)
• Curriculum/module design (think barriers/opportunity
to practice for assessment)
• Assessment and feedback
(diversity/timeliness/transparency)
• Formative assessment
• Group work (+peer assessment)

19. • elearning/flexible delivery (+VITAL)
• Developing digital literacies (multi modalities)
• Student engagement/choice (voice/feedback)
• “Mindfulness” Language (academic speak/
novice-expert continuum)
• Expectation (motivation/confidence)
• Constructive alignment
• Transparency (communication)
• Developing sense of belonging and value

20. Inclusivity is “more + more”
Inclusivity is a mindful approach to curriculum
design that builds in the most opportunities for
the most learning for the most students for the
most time.
It is a more + more approach that embraces the
actuality of diversity by removing (unnecessary)
barriers (physical and attitudinal) and enables
learners to achieve their potential.

21. References
Booth, T., & Ainscow, M. (2002) Index for Inclusion. Bristol, CSIE.
Oxford Online Dictionary,
http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/inclusive?q=inclusivity#inclusive__16
[accessed 19/04/2012]
Higher Education Academy (2011)The UK Professional Standards Framework for teaching and
supporting learning in higher education 2011
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/documents/ukpsf/ukpsf.pdf [accessed 19/04/2012]
Human Resources, University of Birmingham, Probation: academic teaching staff,
https://intranet.birmingham.ac.uk/hr/documents/public/probation-teaching.pdf
[accessed 19/04/2012]
Morely L., (2012) Imaging the inclusive university of the future,
http://www.slideshare.net/johnroseadams1/louise-morley-imagining-the-inclusive-university-of-
the-future
[accessed 19/04/2012]
Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, (2011) UK Quality Code for Higher Education
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Documents/Quality%20Code%20-
%20Chapter%20B4.pdf
[accessed 19/04/2012]

22. Further resources
• Beyond Prejudice: Inclusive learning in practice from the Learning and Skills Development Agency
offers strategic and practical pointers for the provision of an inclusive learning environment.
• DEMOS: Online Materials For Staff Disability Awareness (2002) is an online resource aimed at
academic staff, and examines the issues faced by disabled students in higher
education. Modification of examination and assessment arrangments are also discussed.
• Engineering Subject Centre Guide to Working with Disabled Students (2nd Edition June 2005)
includes practical ideas and case studies.
• Premia resource base awareness and development materials are for everyone involved in making
the research environment more accessible for disabled students.
• SCIPS (Strategies for the Creation of Inclusive Programmes of Study) database provides information
to support academic staff in improving access to the curriculum for disabled students.
• SENDA compliance in Higher Education: an audit and guidance tool to accessible practice within the
framework of teaching and learning 2002, including a useful section on assessment.
• Teachability (2000) offers information and resources for academic staff to help in the provision of
an accessible curriculum.
• Techdis has relevant resources and references, including a database of information and products to
assist disabled students and staff.
• University of Bristol Access Unit provides fact sheets for supporting disabled students.
• University of Wolverhampton - Learning, teaching and assessment: good practice guides for staff
teaching d/Deaf students in art, design and communication and in science and engineering.