University of Brighton’s Inclusive Curriculum Framework

There has been a major change in approaches to inclusive learning and teaching in recent years that moves away from identifying individual students’ educational needs and adapting practice, to anticipatory and proactive design of curricula, which values diversity and that all can access. As such, an inclusive design for Higher Education curricula has at its heart a commitment to promoting equality and diversity (Morgan & Houghton, 2011). Research has shown that inclusive approaches to learning and teaching can not only overcome learning and other barriers to participation (Ainscow in Hockings, 2010) but they can also increase student engagement, as the curriculum becomes more representative of and relevant to students’ lived experiences, backgrounds and futures (see for example, Livingstone Hughes et. al., 2019). With Advance HE’s decision to have a greater emphasis on inclusivity in the re-design of the sector’s Professional Standards Framework (PSF), there is encouraging evidence of a culture shift towards inclusive learning and teaching being seen as part of general pedagogic competence (Lawrence, 2022).

So, how can colleagues make their learning and teaching practices more inclusive? There are many Inclusive Curriculum checklists and toolkits available out in the sector, each one having being developed to reflect the specific local context and culture of that institution. At Brighton, inclusivity is one of the four core values of the University Strategy: Brighton 2025, and one of the over-arching principles of the Curriculum Design Framework (CDF). To reflect this local context, the Learning and Teaching Hub have developed our own Inclusive Curriculum Framework and guidance material. The diagram, pictured above, identifies the four key areas of the Framework, demonstrating a commitment to designing and delivering inclusive and accessible learning and teaching experiences, but also to developing a sense of belonging to the University and it’s learning communities for all students. Student partnership sits at the centre of the Framework, emphasising the importance of valuing student voice in the co-design of curricula.

The associated guidance document is not presented as a ‘checklist’ to encourage on-going reflection and enhancement and to add accessibility of the document.

For further information on the Inclusive Curriculum Framework, please contact Dr Jo Hall in the Learning and Teaching Hub.

References:

Hockings, C. (2010) Inclusive learning and teaching in higher education: A synthesis of research York: Higher Education Academy.

Lawrence, J. (2022) Inclusive Academic Practice as Pedagogic Competence thesedablog, May 12^th 2022, available 26^th September 2022: https://thesedablog.wordpress.com/2022/05/12/inclusive-academic-practice-as-pedagogic-competence/

Livingstone Hughes, A., Michener, C., Mohamed, K. & McDuff, M. (2019) ‘Curriculum co-creation as a transformative strategy to address differential student outcomes: the example of Kingston University’s Student Curriculum Consultant Programme’ in Compass: Journal of Learning and Teaching, 12, 1.

Morgan, H. & Houghton, A. (2011) Inclusive curriculum design in higher education: considerations for effective practice across and within subject areas Higher Education Academy Report, pp. 1-20.