Presentation during OOFHEC2018 Conference (10-12 October 2018) at Aarhus University in Aarhus, Denmark

1. Kate Lister, The Open University (UK)
Embedding and sustaining
inclusive practices in online
and blended learning
A HEFCE (OfS) Catalyst funded project

2. 2
Differential student outcomes
Progression in qualification Degree classification
Module completionAttainment
Employment
Satisfaction

3. • Embedding and sustaining inclusive practices in STEM (Inc STEM)
• Scaling up inclusive educational practices within STEM module design
and delivery to benefit all students, while lowering and removing
barriers impeding students with disabilities
• Gathering and sharing case studies that evidence inclusive design
• Produce cross-institutional guidance and recommendations for
dissemination to HE sector and professional associations
• Supporting UK HEIs to
• Embed inclusive resource, module and curriculum design practices
• Sustain inclusive module and curriculum delivery practices
3
PROMOTING INCLUSIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING

4. • Baseline data collection
• Institutional documentation
• Staff and student surveys
• Community engagement
• Institutional: Heads of
schools and directors of
teaching (e.g. OU: SPS, EEE,
LHCS, E&I, M&S and C&C)
• Higher education networks
(e.g. HUBS, CHES, UGUK)
• Professional associations
(e.g. RSB, IoP, IES, GSL, LMS)
• OU case studies / mini projects
1. Online practical work (OpenSTEM
Labs e.g. observatories, remote labs)
2. Inclusive language
3. Inclusive group work
4. EDI specification processes in new
teaching and learning
5. Accessibility in procurement
6. Development of an institutional
accessibility policy
7. Disciplinary working groups:
investigation of impact
8. Accrediting bodies and inclusive
practice within STEM 4
ACTIVITIES TO DATE

5. • Baseline data collection
• Institutional documentation
• Staff and student surveys
• Community engagement
• Institutional: Heads of
schools and directors of
teaching (e.g. OU: SPS, EEE,
LHCS, E&I, M&S and C&C)
• Higher education networks
(e.g. HUBS, IoP, CHES, UGUK)
• Professional associations
(e.g. RSB, IoP, IES, GSL, LMS)
• OU case studies / mini projects
1. Online practical work (OpenSTEM
Labs e.g. observatories, remote labs)
2. Inclusive language
3. Inclusive group work
4. EDI specification processes in new
teaching and learning
5. Accessibility in procurement
6. Development of an institutional
accessibility policy
7. Disciplinary working groups:
investigation of impact
8. Accrediting bodies and inclusive
practice within STEM 5
ACTIVITIES TO DATE

6. A survey with comparable, Likert-scale
questions asking for perceptions of:
• Knowledge
• Skills
• Attitudes
• Support context
‘Knowledge’ was self-assessment and tested
Survey will be repeated every two years to
measure longitudinal change (legacy from the
funded project)
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Group Responses / sample (%)
Lecturers and
curriculum
managers
All: 261 / 871 (30%)
STEM: 72 / 284 (25.3%)
Student support
teams
82 / 251 (33%)
Associate lecturers 66 (post on intranet)
Development and
production teams
57 / 248 (23%)
Disabled students 84 / 1,000 (8%)
BASELINE DATA: SURVEY TO STAFF AND STUDENTS

7. KEY MESSAGES FROM THE DATA
- Most staff (73%, N=187)
felt comfortable with their
level of role-related
accessibility knowledge
- Most staff (60%, N=157)
were not aware of sector-
wide issues such as
attainment gaps
- Most staff (81%, N=213)
were comfortable with
their role-related
accessibility skills
- Fewer staff (66%,
N=169) were confident
they could signpost
students to further
sources of support
- The vast majority of staff
(96%, N=252) felt
committed to
accessibility
- Most staff (78%, N=206)
felt all teaching and
learning should be made
inclusive and accessible to
all students
KNOWLEDGE SKILLS
ATTITUDES
- Most staff (83%, N=214)
were confident that the
institution and their
colleagues were
committed to accessibility
- Fewer staff (45%,
N=115) were satisfied
with institutional training
and guidance relating to
accessibility
SUPPORT CONTEXTS
30%
23%
15%
15%
14%
12%
11%
10%
9%
24%
28%
16%
19%
22%
17%
16%
14%
14%
46%
48%
69%
66%
64%
71%
73%
76%
76%
Autism spectrum disorder
Mental health issue
Specific learning difficulty
Unseen disability
Speech impediment
Condition causing fatigue and/or pain
Visual impairment or sight issues
Hearing impairment or d/Deaf
Mobility or manual dexterity issue
Disagree Neither disagree nor agree Agree
Staff confidence supporting specific disabilities:
Next steps:
• Improve training, guidance and human support for staff
(support context)
• Raise awareness of accessibility and sector-wide issues for
disabled students

8. 8
SPOTLIGHT ON THE CASE STUDIES: Online practical work

9. 9
SPOTLIGHT ON THE CASE STUDIES: Online practical work
The STEM labs were created to
enable access. However, technology
can create as many barriers as it
resolves.
Practical previews:
• A chance to try the tools off-
module
• Demo, hands on and expert
support
• Time to identify and address
accessibility issues
• Time to identify and address
technology/skills gaps

10. Not everyone identifies as ‘disabled’. Inclusive approaches to language can make a real
difference to whether/how students seek support.
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SPOTLIGHT ON THE WORK PACKAGES:
Inclusive Language
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
Disabled Have a disability Study needs Study requirements Additional study
needs
Barriers to study Obstacles to study
Very comfortable Comfortable Neither comfortable nor uncomfortable Uncomfortable Very uncomfortable

11. Building on a previous project, turning knowledge into practical guidance
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SPOTLIGHT ON THE WORK PACKAGES:
Inclusive Language
How to engage
with language
used in HE
How to
advocate for
preferred
language
Students
Importance/
impact of
language
How to mirror
students’
language
Staff
Methodology
report
Ideas to
replicate the
study for other
contexts
Policy
makers

12. 12
SPOTLIGHT ON THE CASE STUDIES:
Inclusive group work
Issues with group work for disabled students can be exacerbated in distance learning.
Students raise issues around facilitator
tone, icebreakers, peers, logistical
information.
Staff raise issues around design, timings,
group roles, authenticity.
This work package will produce:
• staff development guidance (i.e.
student experiences)
• student-facing guidance (i.e. inclusivity
in groups)

13. Scaling up the work packages
1. Online practical work (OpenSTEM Labs e.g. observatories, remote labs)
2. Inclusive language
3. Inclusive group work
4. EDI specification processes in new teaching and learning
5. Accessibility in procurement
6. Development of an institutional accessibility policy
7. Disciplinary working groups: investigation of impact
8. Accrediting bodies and inclusive practice within STEM
Looking for partners to trial/pilot new approaches.
Interested? Email kate.lister@open.ac.uk or trevor.collins@open.ac.uk
13
NEXT STEPS

14. Kate Lister
Learning and Teaching Innovation
kate.lister@open.ac.uk
THANK YOU