Deakin University

PRE-ACCESS ACCESS PARTICIPATION ATTAINMENT/TRANSITION

ICCB

DESCRIPTION

Deakin University’s Inclusive Curriculum and Capacity Building (ICCB) program has enabled more than 25 projects to transform curriculum and develop a stronger university culture of inclusive teaching and learning over the past three years. The HEPPP funded program has brought together academic and professional staff to work closely on a range of initiatives, each identified by the partners themselves. Informed by Universal Design for Learning principles, each project has aimed to embed and scaffold inclusive pedagogy and practice, academic skills and literacies, and digital literacy into the curriculum at unit and course level.

Partners: • internally with all faculties • Institute of Koorie Education • Deakin Learning Futures • Library, Student Academic & Peer Support, Careers Education.

OBJECTIVES

The Inclusive Curriculum and Capacity Building program supports students from diverse backgrounds, particularly low SES. It aims to develop awareness and appreciation of diversity as a valuable resource.

Inclusive design, development and delivery of curriculum addresses the learning needs of our diverse student population. The program builds a more inclusive approach to curriculum, and supports staff to manage the challenges and opportunities this presents.

““ ACTIVITIES AND PROGRESS 1. Faculty of Health ‘Inclusive Feedback’: The first project formed a community of practice with academics and sessional staff and surveyed students to develop an inclusive feedback model and resources, run professional development literacies using resources and ideas relevant to their discipline in an accessible, engaging and collaborative way. The template has been trialled in two faculties, with further customisations underway for multiple units in the remaining faculties. OUTCOMES Some have attracted further funding. Evaluation suggests that the ICCB program has produced systemic changes. Faculty teaching and learning planning documents are now listing explicit inclusive teaching and learning goals. Several recent program and course redesign documents have included inclusivity goals. At least six staff employed casually for ICCB [The ICCB project] has changed practice and influenced the systems and the way that this university is doing its business. I think that is significant and we should not underestimate that achievement ... I think that is what is being achieved, one course at a time. – ICCB project participant workshops, and pilot video feedback. The second project, projects have been retained as permanent staff and continue still underway, surveyed academics and inclusion experts to An ongoing action research approach is used to ensure that to apply their knowledge of inclusive design and teaching. develop a model of inclusive feedback. The team has also achievements are highlighted, continuously improved and Many project leaders have leveraged their ICCB work to submitted for publication a literature review on video feedback sustained into the future. Student statistics, surveys, web log develop inclusive curricula in other units and courses. in collaboration with the Centre for Research in Assessment data, focus groups and interviews are used to identify student and Digital Learning at Deakin University. impact, successful practices and models, and systemic issues. SUSTAINABLE IMPACTS 2. Faculty of Arts and Education ‘Introduction to University For example, the Introduction to University Study retention and Study’: A team of Equity and Diversity, Faculty, Library, and success outcomes for the 2015 unit cohort include: The ICCB program grew out of several independent HEPPP Academic and Peer Support staff collaboratively redesigned • pass rate increased by 7.5 per cent for all students, 13 funded projects initiated by faculty and divisional teams this accredited unit in late 2014. The partners continue to per cent for low SES, 10 per cent for Non-English Speaking beginning in 2011. Equity and Diversity combined these team-teach the unit across three campuses and online to Background, and six per cent for students with disability in collaboration with professional staff to create the ICCB large cohorts of students. An evaluation of the new • students had a 10 per cent greater pass rate in other program. This has multiplied opportunities to share ideas, curriculum was conducted in 2015, and the evidence units they studied resources and evidence around inclusive teaching and gathered was used to further improve the unit. • students had a seven per cent greater retention rate to learning, and has deepened relationships between academic 3. Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment the end of 2016. and professional staff. A major effort is now underway to and Graduate Employment ‘Start Anytime’ Work disseminate learnings, models and exemplars widely: Integrated Learning units: A team of staff developed online Introduction to University Study program pass rate increase for 2015 cohort • Equity and Diversity have just launched a comprehensive units to support more than 2,000 students each year prepare ‘Inclusive Teaching and Learning’ website for all Deakin staff, for and complete work placement. The ‘online flipped All students (average) 7.5% showcasing fully accessible web design and including inclusive classroom’ design streamlines students’ progress and Low SES 13% teaching tips, exemplars, resources and discussions. This feedback. The fully accessible units include built-in pre- and Non-English Speaking Background 10% builds on an existing successful university-wide online staff post-tests to continuously evaluate learning. Disability 6% development module. 4. ‘Perspectives’ online role-play: The Library worked with • The Faculty of Health has published its own Inclusive Learning student designers and faculty staff to develop an online role- The other successful practices and models have been similarly Series to support its professional development program. playing interface and activity. This can be re-used in multiple scrutinised. Most initiatives are ongoing, having been • More than 30 journal articles and conference presentations units with customised content, to help students develop digital embedded in curriculum and professional development. have been written/presented on ICCB initiatives/outcomes.