equality and diversity in the curriculum university of wolverhampton biennial conference 2008 berry...

Equality and Diversity in the Curriculum

University of Wolverhampton Biennial Conference 2008

Berry Dicker

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Equality and Diversity in the curriculum.

What this day consists of.

Some points of interest of how we got here.

A short summary of the stage one research.

An end note.

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What this conference covers

10.30 Dr Katherine Pinnock. (Video) Research Project Two Embedding Equality and Diversity in the curriculum: Developing and Disseminating Effective practice

11.00 Dr Glynis Cousin. University of Wolverhampton. The Internationalisation agenda

11.45 Dr Margaret Sills. HEA Mental Well Being in the Curriculum

12.25 Dr Richard Brown. Keele University E and D in the Curriculum. Online E and D in the curriculum.

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Programme continued

After lunch 13.40 Professor Sally Glen. PVC. University of

Wolverhampton Introduction to Sharing good practice

14.00 Sharing good practice Brief presentations from 4 University of Wolverhampton Schools. Paul Lister. School of Engineering and the Built Environment

Barbara Canning. School of Education Meena Dhanda. School of Humanities, Languages and Social

Sciences Patricia Bond. School of Health

14.45 Discussion Groups 15.45 Plenary

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What to do in the discussion groups.

Discussion Groups 1) Select a chair and a spokesperson for the plenary. (Please give the

summary notes to Berry Dicker or Neil Gordon at end) 2) Share comments and observations arising from the conference. 3) Share how you would advise a colleague wishing to design a

curriculum with E&D embedded. What are the main aspects for her/him to consider?

4)How do you think students might be involved in future E&D in the

curriculum research? 5)What would you like to see the E&D in the Curriculum Working

Group/University do to further promote E&D in the curriculum. (Though we make no promises)

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Some milestones local and national, for the University of Wolverhampton

1995 EOC with UW Department of Total Quality Management develops some Equal Opportunities in the curriculum guidance questions

c1996 this guidance dropped by UW as staff seen as dealing with too many demands

March 1997 HEFCE Quality Assessment Division produce guidance notes for academics on Equal Opportunities in the Curriculum

1997 CVCP (now UUK) CRE, CVCP publish ‘HE and Equality’ which has a large (and very useful section on the curriculum.

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No mention of EO in the QAD Quality Assessors Handbook 1996-8 on how to do an HEI visit.

1999 UW Project ‘Tecknowledgable’ on making learning more accessible for students with disabilities.

2000’The Excellence Challenge’ David Blunkett announces target of 50% 18-30 yr olds in higher education by 2010. Funding is made available to support this.

2000 RRAA requires HEIs to have a race policy and has a specific duty to promote good race relations. First of the positive duties

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2002 UW has an Equal Opportunities in the Curriculum biennial conference.

2003 HEFCE consultation on widening participation and curriculum access:

‘developing policies on admissions and curriculum can help widen participation’.

2003 employment regulations on Sexual Orientation, Religion and Belief, and in 2006 Age.

Positive duty to promote also in DDA 2005 and for gender in the Equality Act 2006.

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Some milestones local and national, for the University of Wolverhampton.

2005 HEFCE funds 74 CETLs. UW wins one ‘Enabling Achievement in a Diverse Student Body ‘

2005 Equal Opportunities in the Curriculum Working group of the Equality and Diversity Committee formed.

Research on Equal Opportunities in the curriculum commissioned from PRI

Project One Approaches, resources and barriers to embedding equal opportunities in the curriculum, completed December 2006

Project two on embedding Equality and Diversity in the curriculum completed April 2008

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Project OneApproaches, resources and barriers to embedding

equal opportunities in the curriculum

An in-depth documentary analysis was conducted of: Quality Assurance Agency subject benchmark statements, (10 studied) School policy documents, School Programme Specification Template (PSTs). (UW New PST since Nov includes RRAA and SENDA reqts. At this time only 3

done under the new template. 3 referred to RRAA and 2 to SENDA in defining their module aims and learning outcomes. 20 modules out of about 240 gave explicit consideration to Equality and Diversity )

In-depth interviews were conducted with University staff at two different levels.

Macro-level interviews face-to-face interviews (26 in all) with Associate Deans, Learning and Teaching representatives, Equality and Diversity representatives from each of the 10 schools.

Micro-level interviewing involved conducting telephone interviews with eight other key representatives in the University..

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Approaches, resources and barriers to embedding equal opportunities in the curriculum

Findings from the documentary analysis of 10 QAA subject benchmark

statements: no consistent template for the statements, but that despite some variation in structure, each statement

made reference to: an introduction defining principles nature/extent of the subject subject knowledge subject skills & transferable skills areas of performance learning, teaching and assessment learning environment & resources

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Project One Approaches, resources and barriers to embedding


Subject benchmark statement analysis indicated that they generally place more emphasis on EO/diversity as an area of knowledge as opposed to an issue, which should be considered in relation to the context in which the programme is delivered.

(roughly 55 refs to Equal Opportunities /diversity in the knowledge section, 25 in the skills section, 11 in the introduction, fewer than ten in all others but in the sections on resources, achievement and performance there were none.)

Findings also indicate that very little emphasis is placed on EO/diversity issues within sections of the subject benchmark statements that relate to the student experience of a programme.

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Project oneApproaches, resources and barriers to embedding

equal opportunities in the curriculum… Barriers to embedding EO in the curriculum identified through

the macro-level interviewing phase included: process issues, in terms of how curriculum focus can be

shifted away from EO issues due to administrative tasks, and also included

curriculum requirements from external governing/ accreditation bodies.

gaps in understanding when asked about resources for embedding EO/diversity for each of the six equality strands, sexual orientation/LGBT and religious beliefs showed a greater number of uncertain responses than negative responses. Findings also pointed towards

a need for more practical guidance on how EO/diversity may be further embedded into the teaching curriculum. This practical guidance is what is required to pave the way for a move towards more pro-active activity instead of a reactive response to fit in with legislation.

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Project One Approaches, resources and barriers to embedding


…the focus of the micro-level interviews was on the barriers to embedding EO/diversity in the curriculum.

… variability was highlighted in relation to the extent to which EO/diversity issues were mainstreamed into the curriculum.

Several examples of good practice were highlighted by the interviewees.

The role of teaching staff was seen as crucial in terms of effecting change in this area. However, it was also felt that they had to have the support structures in place to assist them. (Individual and institutional response required)

Some Staff non-attendance at training workshops was felt to be an issue. Negative staff attitudes were mentioned, as was lack of staff time. Students were seen as a vital group whose attitudes needed to be explored further.

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Stage two research project

‘Embedding Equality and Diversity in the Curriculum: Developing and Disseminating Effective Practice’

The stage two project took forward the recommendation from stage one:

Follow -up research is required to compare the opinions of those interviewed for this research, to those who are at the fore front of curriculum delivery.

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A ground swell of staff have been engaging with Equality and Diversity in the curriculum as a matter

of good practice throughout this period.

Source of pictures The Open University

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.Questions to think about during course development:

Every course is different, but the following questions may be useful as you develop your thinking:

Can you incorporate materials representing non-traditional perspectives of your subject area?Are there specific issues relating to diversity and equal opportunities for this subject that should be incorporated?Does your course encourage students to be curious beyond their own cultural boundaries?Is it possible to include global perspectives of your subject within the course?Are you able to acknowledge and incorporate within your materials the knowledge and understanding that students from diverse backgrounds will bring to your course?Can you give students the opportunity to recognise the influence of their own cultural experience and identity in their response to course materials?Will there be consistency across an award in the handling of diversity issues for students?

The Equality and Diversity Office, The Open University, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA

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Ongoing work as the ground swell continues

Inclusive-curriculum mailbase (Jiscmail)

‘What I did in The Netherlands was indeed curriculum-oriented: review the curriculum (approaches, materials, assessment et cetera), on diversity and develop an action plan to infuse the curriculum with (more) diversity where necessary. I intend to …. broaden it by looking at students’ and staff representation as well as their experiences, and policies and procedures (e.g. recruitment, workload allocation, promotion) that are related to this. I could even go further and look at the diversity ‘subtext’, i.e. how values and beliefs prevent the curriculum, staff and students from becoming more diverse.’Gaby Jacobs. Keele University

Anglia Ruskin University are running a project on equality proofing the curriculum.

HEA conferences, dissemination events, special interest groups Equality and Diversity in the curriculum

The InCurriculum project is a 3-year project that began in August 2008. It is a collaboration between Norwich School of Art and Design, University of Westminster and De Montfort University. The website link is http://www.incurriculum.org.uk/ however it is still under development

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End of Presentation

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