Embracing Diversity in Teaching: Practical Strategies and Impactful Solutions

1. Teaching a Diverse Audience Katharine Carter and Lara Meredith

2. Overview • The Diversity agenda • Case studies and discussion • Support at Nottingham • National and institutional context • Changing student population • New legislation • Shift from institutional to personal liability in legislative approach

3. Student population

4. University policies Current policies and practice • Disability, race and gender action plans – for staff & students • DAPs and DLOs in Schools Other domains • From Spring 2009 a new ‘Equality Duty’ on public bodies • Sexual orientation & gender reassignment • Age • Religion and belief • A systematic and evidence-based approach to all equality areas is expected in all documentation and teaching activities

5. Implications for individuals Agendas: • Treating colleagues and students with respect • Knowing how to deal with confidentiality & disclosure • Using non-judgemental language • Supporting colleagues and students according to need, rather than ‘all the same’ • Responding to people as individuals rather than stereotypes • Implementing varied and inclusive teaching

6. Approaching Equality and Diversity Individual student Needs & identities Institutional Policies Teaching & Learning Curriculum development and content

7. Thinking about teaching One example - Gender and Classroom dynamics Do men and women behave differently in the classroom?

8. Student behaviours Female students are : • Less likely to raise their hands to answer • Less likely to call out and demand teacher attention • Less likely to have their comments credited or praised • Less likely to get peer support if they break rules or speak out of turn • More likely to be interrupted

9. Teacher behaviours Teachers are more likely to :- • Call on male students to answer • Remember males students’ names • Give male students more eye contact • Ask harder questions to male students • Wait longer for male students to answer • Give more advice on independent learning (Sadker and Sadker, 1990)

10. Do I do that? How would I know if I did?

11. Practical teaching behaviours • Have materials available in advance • Produce clear materials • Structure sessions clearly • Set ground-rules • Verbalise visual information • Summarise contributions / discussion • Face the group • Have a break

12. Case Studies Discussion with colleagues

13. Conclusion • Need to make reasonable adjustments for disabled students • Implementing fairness, respect and transparency will depend on the situation • Increased personal responsibility • An awareness of equality and diversity issues will support you in developing curricula and teaching practice • Simple actions often have big impact