Overview

Inclusive practice fosters a welcoming environment where all students feel valued and respected, enhancing their overall learning experience. It promotes diversity, equality, and accessibility, which can lead to improved academic performance, increased retention rates, and better social integration. All students benefit from living in a diverse and inclusive society, and from receiving a diversified, decolonised and inclusive education:

“Students cannot learn or progress unless they are engaged; students who feel they belong more easily succeed. Developing an inclusive institution and embedding inclusive values and approaches within learning and teaching policy and practice, is a process that requires a wide range of stakeholders to engage and collaborate to ensure student success” (Advance HE, 2019).

Students are the leaders of tomorrow, and the values we demonstrate and embed through our approach to education will be those that they will take into society (Gibson, 2016); inclusive practice prepares students for a diverse workforce and promotes a culture of empathy and understanding.

University of Bedfordshire approach to inclusivity

The University's approach is informed by two dedicated frameworks:

Framework to embed EDI in curriculum and learning and teaching practices

Mental health and well-being framework [PDF]

Reflecting on your practice

The following questions support reflection on the inclusivity of your practice:

• Do you actively emphasise the importance of inclusivity and respect for diverse perspectives?
  
  
• Are you using a diverse range of learning materials, such as case studies, and readings from a variety of cultural backgrounds and perspectives?
  
  
• Is your course content provided in multiple formats to accommodate learning preferences/disabilities/differences?
  
  
• Do you encourage student collaboration to promote interaction and cooperation among students from diverse backgrounds?
  
  
• Do you offer flexibility in assessment to provide students with options for demonstrating their understanding?
  
  
• Do you take care to use inclusive language and avoid assumptions about students' backgrounds, experiences, or identities?
• Do you respect preferred names and pronouns?
  
  
• Do you provide opportunities for reflection, actively encouraging students to reflect on their own biases, assumptions, and perspectives?
  
  
• Do you create safe spaces for discussion, encouraging students to share their opinions and experiences whilst listening to and considering those of others?
  
  
• Are you proactive in addressing bias, stereotypes, and discrimination that may arise in the classroom?
  
  
• Do you seek feedback from your students about their experiences and suggestions for improving inclusivity in the classroom, and do you act on their suggestions?

References

Gibson, S. (2016) A time for change in the higher education discourse of ‘widening participation’ and ‘inclusion’. pp. 34-47 IN Brown, Z. (ed.) Inclusive education; perspectives on pedagogy. New York: Routledge.