Working with a diverse range of students

1. Working with a diverse range of students Carol Arlett, Engineering Subject Centre Julian Sulley, Loughborough University

2. Session overview Introduction to diversity issues Raising some of the issues for technicians in engineering and science departments Small group discussions of scenarios Feedback

3. Diversity includes �. Race Religion or belief Disability Gender Age Offender status Sexual orientation Non-traditional background Personal circumstances Focussing on top 3 � others may come into the scenariosFocussing on top 3 � others may come into the scenarios

4. Definitions Culture: The symbolic and expressive aspects of human behaviour Cultural traditions: Norms about how and what we do, often passed down through families and communities Faith: A person�s beliefs and values Religion: A set of observances connected to faith and often shared by a community Race: Social divisions based on skin colour and physical features Ethnicity: Membership of a social group, often related to geographical region or place of origin, with a distinctive language, customs, attitudes and values (False ssumption that race identifies faith. Religions is often not seen as intrinsic to identity � where race is) Different legislation covering religion and race (False ssumption that race identifies faith. Religions is often not seen as intrinsic to identity � where race is) Different legislation covering religion and race

5. Culture and religion � legislation Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003, introduced in response to the Employment Directive, outlaws discrimination on grounds of religion or belief in employment and vocational training. http://www.acas.org.uk Applies to employment but will have implications for education. eg students engaged in work-based learning. Applies to employment but will have implications for education. eg students engaged in work-based learning.

6. Legislation (cont.) The Race Relations Act (Amendment) Act 2000 outlaws discrimination on grounds of race by most public authorities. It outlines an obligatory and enforceable general duty for Universities. They must have �due regard to the need� to: Promote equality of opportunity Eliminate unlawful racial discrimination Promote good relations between people from different racial groups Further information about this legislation at http://www.cre.gov.uk/legaladv/rra_amend.html and http://www.cre.gov.uk/duty/pdfs/rep_he.pdf Implications for learning and teaching? And curriculum? Implications for learning and teaching? And curriculum?

7. Some of the issues Daily, weekly, monthly and annual schedules Diet Food at events Alcohol at social events and in labs Dress code Health and safety: lab work Staff wearing sleeveless tops! Language Avoid patronising, offensive and exclusive Use of humour Facilities Toilet facilities Provision of prayer facilities Daily, weekly, monthly and annual schedules Timetabling issues Extensions to course work deadlines Clashes with preferences of other students Timetabling with regard to Ramadan. Some Muslims have flexibility about saying prayers, though some events are obligatory. Asian women students who had problems balancing home, religious, study and work pressures eg Preaching to the converted� and �Singing from the same hymn sheet� What�s a �seminar�? And barriers of poor language Non-verbal � eye contact Refer to Cultural Diversity Guide for more information Daily, weekly, monthly and annual schedules Timetabling issues Extensions to course work deadlines Clashes with preferences of other students Timetabling with regard to Ramadan. Some Muslims have flexibility about saying prayers, though some events are obligatory. Asian women students who had problems balancing home, religious, study and work pressures eg Preaching to the converted� and �Singing from the same hymn sheet� What�s a �seminar�? And barriers of poor language Non-verbal � eye contact Refer to Cultural Diversity Guide for more information

8. Staff experiences Answering with �yes� and nodding Never admitting they don�t understand and not willing to ask for help Difficulty adapting to teaching styles eg group work Reluctance to handle certain food substances and alcohol Over demanding Not understanding the seriousness of plagiarism Giving presents

9. Resources Religious calendars on-line http://www.support4learning.org.uk/shap/. And www.interfaithcalendar.org/ Cultural Diversity: A Resource booklet on religious and cultural observance, belief, language and naming systems Faith Guides: Philosophy and Religious Studies Subject Centre: http://prs.heacademy.ac.uk/publications/

10. Working with students with disabilities Well, this certainly scuppers our plansto conquer the universe!

11. Legislation and Code of Practice The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) and the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 (SENDA),which amended the DDA, places obligations on HEI�s regarding the provision of post-16 education and related services for people with disabilities. The QAA�s Code of Practice on Students with Disabilities provides clear guidance for institutions on ways of ensuring that students with disabilities have access to a learning experience comparable to that of their peers.  SENDA is also known as the DDA part 4SENDA is also known as the DDA part 4

12. How does it effect your department? Departments need to understand the legislation and its implications, and to develop good practice in response to it. The DDA makes it unlawful for a university, or department within the university, to discriminate against a disabled person. In admissions in the terms on which admission offers are made by refusing or deliberately omitting to accept an application for admission in the provision of services provided wholly, or mainly, for students. This includes all aspects of teaching and learning (including field trips, lab work) and assessment

13. The role of the Technician? Safe working practices in labs Making reasonable adjustments to ensure accessible labs Working with students and their assistants Providing instructions in appropriate formats Making students aware of support services and facilities Liaising with support services and academics Signage on doors, labelling in labs Ask for other examples?Ask for other examples?

14. Resources Engineering Subject Centre Guide to Working with Disabled Students and other resources on our web site www.engsc.ac.uk SKILL: the National Bureau for Students with Disabilities - www.skill.org.uk DART Tool: On-line advice on accessible curriculum �http://dart.lboro.ac.uk/tool

15. Scenarios 1. A blind student has been accepted onto one of your courses which includes lab work. What are the potential issues? How would you deal with them? Would you have training needs? 2. You have a group of non-European students who don�t have the same safety and environmental awareness. What might be the cultural issues here? How would you make them aware of their obligations and responsibilities? 3. A student is finding it difficult to follow lab instructions and to write reports. You think he might be dyslexic but he has not discussed this with any member of staff. What actions would you take? What could you suggest to help him? 3. Universities have a right under DDA to monitor and evaluate placement employers to make sure that they meet our SENDA requirements Find out if other problems eg notetaking, organisation, Refer to Dyslexia checklist May also be having trouble with Maths Consult Disability Office � for assessment Suggestions � tape record lectures or use a note-taker. Good quality handouts � small chunks of text. Coloured paper/filters if it helps. Spider diagrams. Confidentiality may be a concern � clause in DDA. 3. Universities have a right under DDA to monitor and evaluate placement employers to make sure that they meet our SENDA requirements Find out if other problems eg notetaking, organisation, Refer to Dyslexia checklist May also be having trouble with Maths Consult Disability Office � for assessment Suggestions � tape record lectures or use a note-taker. Good quality handouts � small chunks of text. Coloured paper/filters if it helps. Spider diagrams. Confidentiality may be a concern � clause in DDA.

16. Scenarios 4. A student with one arm has requested to use the machine tools in the workshop. What are the potential issues? How would you deal with them? What �reasonable� adjustments could be offered? 5. A female Muslim student attends laboratory classes wearing hijab (Islamic clothing worn by women to protect their modesty including a headscarf). What are the potential issues? How would you deal with them? 6. A student (or academic) is becoming increasingly demanding of your time. He is generally impatient. How might this make you feel? How would you manage the situation? May be able to turn to female member of staff to express problems � sexism, racism Find out what groups exist in your university � try to put her in touch with others in her situation Does she need professional help � Counselling, Welfare services May put staff under undue stress. Be assertive especially if you are busy with something. Don�t feel bullied. Give as much information as possible in form of written guidelines and information Seek help if needed. Suggest forms of helpMay be able to turn to female member of staff to express problems � sexism, racism Find out what groups exist in your university � try to put her in touch with others in her situation Does she need professional help � Counselling, Welfare services May put staff under undue stress. Be assertive especially if you are busy with something. Don�t feel bullied. Give as much information as possible in form of written guidelines and information Seek help if needed. Suggest forms of help

17. Scenarios 7. A male student from a Middle Eastern country will not respond to you as a female (or to a female colleague). They ask to be referred to �a male member of staff� How would you react to this if it happened to you, or a colleague? 8. A Japanese student struggled to meet his deadlines and high levels of stress resulted in a mental health difficulty. What might have contributed to his high levels of stress? What reasonable adjustments might have been made to help him to cope? This is discriminatory and should not be allowed. Best practice is to ensure that all staff and students, irrespective to country of domicile should be breifed on and be trained to adopt the LAW of this country � and all Equality regulations and legislation is LAW Offering support � dealing with written materials. Extensions � although this may be seen as failure. Consult mental health adviser in university � if there is one. Or counselling, Health Service. Note under DDA cannot reject students because they need too much inputThis is discriminatory and should not be allowed. Best practice is to ensure that all staff and students, irrespective to country of domicile should be breifed on and be trained to adopt the LAW of this country � and all Equality regulations and legislation is LAW Offering support � dealing with written materials. Extensions � although this may be seen as failure. Consult mental health adviser in university � if there is one. Or counselling, Health Service. Note under DDA cannot reject students because they need too much input