Building Inclusive Practices in STEM Education: Insights and Recommendations
This resource explores the importance of building momentum towards inclusive teaching and learning in undergraduate physics courses. It highlights key themes identified across departments, such as leadership, policies, training, and student support. The content delves into the need for clear and consistent policies, ongoing training, and effective communication to create an inclusive learning environment for all students, including those with disabilities. Practical recommendations are provided to enhance inclusive practices in STEM education.
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Developing inclusive practices within science courses bit.ly/STEM-Dec17 Building momentum towards inclusive teaching and learning: A guide to good practice for undergraduate physics by Institute of Physics Presenter: Abi James Other authors: Jenni Dyer, Margret Meehan
Building momentum towards inclusive teaching and learning Insights into department level support and realities of inclusive teaching and learning through 11 physics dept. visits in England June Dec 2016 Captured student experiences though a student survey as well as focus groups
Building momentum towards inclusive teaching and learning Identified eight themes common across all departments Strong and effective leadership Clear and consistent policies Ongoing training and development Encouraging disclosure Ensuring adjustments in all assessment conditions Engagement with central support services Communicating student support Lab accessibility and assessment
IOP Student survey responses by disability 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0% Social / Deaf or have a serious hearing impairment Mental health condition Physical impairment or mobility issues Multiple disabilites SpLD communication impairment Survey respondents HESA all disabled Student data 2015 HESA Physical science disabled students
Clear and consistent policies All universities were making moves towards inclusive learning policies such as lecture capture Need for ALL staff to be engaged in this Need more understanding the limitations of this in the STEM environment A few departments starting to embed inclusive learning into review processes Need to Improve how to identify feedback specifically from disabled students in order to improve polices and practice More training and development needed on inclusive practices, but it has to be specific, relevant, targeted and embedded
89% of students had declared their disability to their university: 100.0% 80.0% 60.0% 40.0% 20.0% 0.0% On application to my course or programme When I enrolled became disabled during studies
Encouraging disclosure Need to promote positive culture of disclosure, emphasising the benefits at departmental level with clear signposting routes on disclosure. At the beginning I felt like I wanted a fresh start but now I wish that I had disclosed at the beginning before problems escalated. 3rd Year MPhys student with physical/mobility impairments and mental health conditions
Communicating Student Support 58% of respondents had a document or plan from the disability service Most likely to cover exams and assessments (84%) and lectures (60%) Least likely to cover problem-solving tutorials (25%) yet these are a core requirement for a physics degree Many departments felt the plans were too generic, lacked detail and took too long to process Departments and disability offices need to work together to create STEM plans Ensure that everyone involved in teaching and learning understands the plans and how to implement support
Student experience I have had mostly good experiences but there have been times where I wish staff had to learn about disabilities and how they affect students so that help could be given less begrudgingly 3rd Year MPhys student with mental health conditions and specific learning difficulties The high workload compared to other subjects puts a lot of pressure on students with mental health conditions, and it's important that departments are understanding of this. 1st Year MPhys student with a mental health condition
Student feedback on support plans I had a document produced based on a meeting and interview at the beginning of my studies. However, as circumstances change I find it difficult to make the disability office understand that. True, the medical condition of blindness does not change, but the level of access needs increases as you progress in the degree and it is difficult to assess when you are 17/18 years old and only just about to start a science degree. 4th year MPhys student with a visual impairment 18% of students said they had had an individual discussion about support within their department
Laboratory work Lab work essential for an accredited physics degree Most departments managing well on an individual basis but Need to use technology to better effect Confusion about how dyslexia sticker schemes in lab & problem class environment Need to understand core competencies and adjust support plans accordingly Systems for ensuring demonstrator & support staff were aware of disability needs were not always robust. Encourage students to discuss their needs with lab staff Ensure all staff involved with teaching and assessing staff have received appropriate disability awareness training
Questions raised Lecturer: Students can put a dyslexia sticker on their lab reports but we don t know how to apply these. Student: All the advice I was given was about writing essays but my problems are to with attention and memory Lecturer: The support plans for dyslexic students are generic and are not suitable for science students. Student: When I applied I was told that lecture capture would be used and this was why I chose the department over others. Nobody in the department uses it or provides enough resources.
Next Steps for IOP STEM Enable: Collaboration with University of Bath for a new national online resource for accessibility in STEM http://stemaccess.referata.com IOP networks to share good practice and support HEFCE funded IncSTEM project collating case studies: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/sas/barriers/projects/ou- leeds-plymouth/ IOP report available at http://www.iop.org/publications/iop/2017/page_6935 2.html
Thank you! Abi James a.james@soton.ac.uk abi@assistivelearning.co.uk Jenni Dyer, Head of Diversity, Institute of Physics diversity@iop.org, @iopdiversity, #iopinclusion
