Inclusive teaching and learning in higher education: theory and practice
21st – 25th June 2021
Co-hosted with the Cambridge Centre for Teaching and Learning and the Disability Resource Centre, University of Cambridge
As higher education strives to close the gap on student outcomes for groups of marginalised learners our conference aims to discuss how institutions can provide coherent approaches to increasing diversity in the classroom. On the face of it, university campuses appear to adhere to traditional delivery models which are aimed at a one size fits all idea of teaching and learning. However, such approaches often rely on individualised models of student support and expectations that adjustments to teaching are negotiated settlements between disabled students and academic staff. Approaches such as universal design for learning offer a way forward in which institutional barriers in learning contexts are removed from the provider side of the equation.
The International Network of Inclusive Practice invites you to submit a proposal to present at the conference. There are three session formats:
Workshops: 75 minutes – workshops should explore a research or practice-informed topic and are designed with high levels of interaction in mind.
Discussion papers: 30 minutes – presentation of project findings, examples of practice, theory into practice from within your institutional or broader context, including no more than 20 minutes presentation and at least 10 minutes of questions and discussion.
Reading group: 45 minutes – propose a paper/book/blog/report that you wish to discuss in a reading group forum. Proposers will provide an overview of the paper followed by facilitation of the group discussion relating to lessons learned from the reading, theoretical exploration, practical applications etc.
To submit a proposal please send us a completed abstract template by midnight on Friday 12th February 2021. The conference will be free of charge for up to 2 workshop presenters.
Please be aware that all sessions should adhere to inclusivity principles and will be delivered online. You should consider the implications of this when developing your proposal and when designing your session.
Please return your proposal to mike@inclusioninhe.com
Session proposals might expand on ideas such as:
- How do theoretical models such as universal design for learning and the social model of disability translate into classroom settings?
- What are the challenges for approaches such as UDL? Can we assume that the need for individual adjustments is removed for example? Are external pressures such as the neo-liberalisation of higher education intractable problems when applying such models?
- Practical examples of inclusive teaching and learning and how these can be applied to other institutional settings
- Cross institutional approaches which utilise theoretical underpinnings to develop practice
- Scholarship of teaching and learning: approaches to supporting disabled students in the classroom
- What lessons can be learned from inclusive approaches to teaching and learning applied during the global pandemic?
Inclusion in higher education 