Strategizing inclusivity in teaching diverse learners in higher education

Abstract

Purpose - As the classrooms in higher education are growing increasingly diverse, it is imperative that higher education practitioners build a responsive learning environment for diverse learners to optimize their potential. Continuing professional development programmes (CPD) are central to such strategic approaches that equip educators with essential knowledge and skills to handle diversity related issues, achieve equity and increase student participation. Therefore, the present study aims to examine strategies used by higher education practitioners to address diversity and inclusion in teaching and learning. Methodology - Participants comprised nine academicians (six men and three women) who emerged from natural retention along the iterative cycles on community of practice (CoP) participation. This study adopted CoP as the theoretical lens and methodological tool to understand the strategies higher education practitioners have devised for their inclusive teaching and learning practices in response to diversity related challenges. The data was collected through a series of observations and reflective journals. Initially, thematic analysis techniques were used to reduce data into two categories-strategies and challenges. Later, according to prevalence and frequency counts, the strategies were analysed against the challenges reported and finally the strategies were reduced to major themes. Findings - Three major themes emerged which reported on the inclusive strategies conceived by the participants. The themes were inclusive/differentiated assessment which suggested that creating differentiated assessment that were inclusive in nature could provide equal opportunities for each and every student to participate. The second theme, motivation and goal strategies revealed that students were diverse in their goals for learning. Hence, a variety of motivational strategies such as including students' voice, providing them with a clear rationale for studying and fostering relatedness were deemed suitable to address these differences. The final theme, inclusive pedagogy suggested a variety of accommodation to be made in pedagogy such as integrating technology, adopting culturally responsive material and initiating collaborative learning to address students' differences. Significance - The findings have implications for faculty professional development, classroom teaching practices employing inclusive pedagogy in higher education institutions and the use of CoP as a framework for such developments.