Trinity Inclusive Curriculum Annual Report (July 2009 July 2010)

Trinity Inclusive Curriculum Annual Report (July 2009 July 2010)

Trinity Inclusive Curriculum Annual Report (July 2009 – July 2010)

Michelle Garvey

Inclusive Curriculum Development Officer

TrinityCollegeDublin

September 2010

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Contents

Introduction

What is Inclusive Curriculum?

The Rationale for, and benefits of, Inclusive Curriculum

TIC Structure and Oversight

Objectives 2009-2010

Detailed review of the Year 2009-2010

Objective 1:

Objective 2:

Objective 3:

Objective 4:

Areas for further work and Objectives 2010-2011

Issues and Areas for further work

Introduction

In October 2008 the SIF II funded Trinity Inclusive Curriculum (TIC) initiative was initiated, tasked with embedding inclusive principles within the mainstream curricula of College. TIC was developed in partnership between CAPSL, College access initiatives and the academic community. The TIC project was developed in response to the growing diversity of the student population, and through TICCollege has asserted its commitment to the creation of an inclusive teaching and learning environment. TIC aims to establish inclusive curriculum via:

  • the raising of awareness of inclusiveness amongst College staff;
  • the introduction of online guidelines and resources to help staff create a more inclusive learning environment;
  • the introduction of an inclusive curriculum evaluation tool.

Aim: Enhance support for learner diversity by mainstreaming inclusive practices in the teaching, learning, and assessment environment of College through guidelines and audit tools for universal design-proofing programme curricula.

What is Inclusive Curriculum?

There are three central principles of Inclusive Curriculum:

  1. Students should be viewed holistically, taking account of social and cultural backgrounds.
  2. Multiple approaches to teaching methodology, teaching materials, and assessment are necessary to meet the needs of a diverse student body.
  3. Curriculum should be designed to be student centred, and proactive in dismantling barriers to learning.

Clear communication and flexibility are central to inclusive teaching and assessment practices. It involves:

-flexible modes of representation: using varied sources of information,

-flexible modes of engagement: using varied teaching methods, and

-flexible modes of expression: providing alternative assessment.

The Rationale for, and benefits of, Inclusive Curriculum

Students enter College from diverse backgrounds. Over recent years there has been a great increase in the numbers of mature students, students with disabilities, students from lower socio-economic backgrounds and international students. College acknowledges that it has a commitment to support this increasingly diverse student population. The central principle of inclusive curriculum is that clear and flexible approaches to teaching methodology, materials, and assessment are necessary to meet the needs of a diverse student body.

Because inclusive curriculum design involves the creation of curricula accessible to all the students in a diverse student body it is of benefit to all students, both traditional and non-traditional. Inclusive curriculum involves reflection on, and reorganisation of, curricula so as to create clear, comprehensive, and varied teaching methods and tools. This, furthermore, leads to stronger third level teaching, which benefits students, academic staff, and the institute as a whole.

TIC Structure and Oversight

There is one Inclusive Curriculum development employed full time on the project who operationally reports to the Director of College Disability Service. An Inclusive Curriculum Steering Group was created to oversee the development, activities, and objectives of the TIC project. Membership of the Steering Committee in 2009-2010 included:

  • Clodagh Byrne, Mature Students’ Access Officer
  • Ashley Cooke, Education Officer, Students’ Union
  • Brian Foley, Director of CAPSL
  • Michelle Garvey, Inclusive Curriculum Project Officer
  • Jen Harvey, External
  • Ronan Hodson, Graduate Students’ Union President
  • Claire Laudet, Undergraduate Director of Teaching and Learning for the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies
  • Dimitri Paraskevas, Office of the Vice Provost
  • Kathleen, O’Toole, TAP representative
  • Michael Shevlin, Head of the School of Education
  • Declan Treanor, Director, Disability Service
  • John McPartland, Head of International Student Affairs

Director of CAPSL, Dr. Brian Foley acted as Chairperson of the Committee.

The Committee met three times (once a term) over the academic year 2009-2010.

Objectives 2009-2010

The following objectives were identified for phase two of TIC, which ran over the academic year 2009-10 (July 2009-July 2010):

Aim – To embed inclusive practices within the mainstream college curriculum via the creation of online resources for use within curriculum design and review procedures.

  1. To design and pilot an inclusive curriculum teaching, learning and assessment self-evaluation tool.
  2. Embed the use of this tool within the college systems that presently exist.
  3. To design a national resource via a TIC website, incorporating inclusive resources, advice on creating, and the rationale for, inclusive curriculum.
  4. To continue to promote Inclusive Curriculum within TrinityCollege via contributions to staff training and the dissemination of the results of phase one activities.
  5. Strengthen the links between TIC and the other institutions of the DRHEA ensuring TIC has a presence in future developments of the Enhancement of Learning strand.
  6. To contribute to the AHEAD Charter for Inclusive Teaching and Learning.

Detailed review of the Year 2009-2010

Work commenced on phase II of the SIF II TIC project over the academic year 2009-10. Phase II aimed to: begin embedding inclusive practices within the mainstream college curriculum via the creation of online resources for use within curriculum design and review procedures. Four objectives were identified for 2009-10.

Objective 1: To design and pilot an inclusive curriculum teaching, learning, and assessment self-evaluation tool.

  1. Embed the use of this tool within the college systems that presently exist.

First draft of the inclusive curriculum teaching, learning, and assessment self-evaluation tool was created over the summer 2009. This tool was then piloted across ten programmes and two modules over the academic year 2009-10. Throughout this process the tool was amended and refined in response to user feedback.

The pilot two place in two phases:

Phase 2.1 took place in Semester 1 and involved:

-Msc in International Management (School of Business)

-TR071 (Common Entry Science)

-Bsc in Geology (School of Natural Sciences)

-Batchelor in Nursing Studies (School of Nursing and Midwifery)

-Msc in Mental Health (School of Nursing and Midwifery)

Phase 2.2 took place in Semester 2 and involved:

-BSS in Social Studies (School of Social Work and Social Policy)

-H. Dip in Midwifery (School of Nursing and Midwifery)

-Bsc in Nursing (School of Nursing and Midwifery)

-Postgraduate Diploma in Education (2nd Level) (School of Education)

-Occupational Therapy (School of Medicine)

And the following Modules:

-SS1760: The Irish Welfare State (School of Social Work and Social Policy),

-EE2E6: Analogue Electronics (School of Engineering).

The pilot involved the following stages:

-Classroom observation,

-Resource review,

-Staff and student feedback,

-Completion of the TIC self-evaluation teaching and learning tool.

-Creation and presentation of an action report.

The content of the TIC self-evaluation tool has now been piloted and is ready to be put online. The creation of a web-based version of the tool will be completed over the summer 2010 and will be piloted in 2010-11.

The option to discuss the inclusive nature of your teaching was added to the revised Provost Teaching Awards application form this year. And in response to feedback from the TIC project, the Quality review guidelines were revised to comply with clear print guidelines and to raise questions regarding the diversity of teaching and assessment methods used on programmes. This version of the guidelines will be used by schools completing their quality review in the academic year 2010-11.

As we move into the next academic year we will seek to further incorporate TIC within current College processes.

Objective 2: To design a national resource via a TIC website, incorporating inclusive resources, advice on creating, and the rationale for, inclusive curriculum.

Work populating the Trinity Inclusive Curriculum website ( commenced early in the 2009-10 academic year. The website was launched on December 2nd at the Accessible Information and Inclusive Practice workshop coordinated by TIC and the Centre for Learning Technology.

The website holds guidelines, resources and templates to help staff involved in teaching and learning to enhance the inclusivity of their practices. The website also holds information regarding the project, latest news and events.

As the project progresses the website is developing and expanding. As the project moves forward it is planned to locate the online version of the teaching and learning self-evaluation tool within the website. Work has also commenced to create audio-visual materials to further the usability and scope of the guidelines and information held on the website.

Objective 3: To continue to promote Inclusive Curriculum within Trinity College via contributions to staff training and the dissemination of the results of phase one activities.

Throughout the academic year three TIC newsletters were circulated to relevant stakeholders within and outside of College.

Phase one activities were disseminated at the 2009 AISHE international conference in NUIM in August 2009 in a paper titled ‘Trinity Inclusive Curriculum: Surveying and Responding to Diverse Student Needs’.

Training workshops and presentations were organised within College throughout the academic year including a CAPSL lunchtime seminar in November, TAP tutor inclusive teacher training in October, and a series of Accessible information workshops throughout March. Information on inclusive teaching was presented at various CAPSL events, including the module for post-graduates who teach, the three day workshop for new academics and a workshop on creating a teaching philosophy.

In December 2009, TIC and the Centre for Learning Technology collaborated in the organisation of a day long workshop on Accessible Information and Inclusive Practice, facilitated by Simon Ball from Jisc TechDis.

Objective 4: Strengthen the links between TIC and the other institutions of the DRHEA ensuring TIC has a presence in future developments of the Enhancement of Learning strand.

  1. To contribute to the AHEAD Charter for Inclusive Teaching and Learning.

In November 2009 the AHEAD charter on inclusive teaching and learning was launched. The TIC project officer contributed both to the final draft of the charter and spoke at the launch regarding the experiences of Trinity College as it works to create an inclusive curriculum.

The results of phase one and two of the project were further disseminated outside of College through the following activities:

  1. The project officer met and spoke to representatives from the IUQB, the HEA Access Advisory group, and the DAWN network regarding project plans and possibilities for external collaboration.
  2. The steering committee chairman presented the TIC annual report 08/09 to the DRHEA for consideration in future developments.
  3. The project officer presented papers at the AISHE international conference in NUIM in August 2009 and the Pathways: Are we Making the Right Connections Conference in Cork in April 2010.

Areas for further work and Objectives 2010-2011

Statistics were collated from TAP, the Mature Students’ Office and the Disability Service in a follow up of statistics collated in 08/019. Statistics showed:

-685 students registered with the Disability Service (4.1% of total population, 5% of level 8 students)

-604 students registered with TAP (3.6% of total population, 4.2% of level 8 students)

-1270 students registered with the Mature Students’ Office (7.5% of total population, 10.1% of level 8 students)

TIC has collaborated with the library to further the reading list guidelines created as part of the reading list audit in phase one of the project. In consultation with library staff a set of guidelines for ensuring clear communication between academic areas and the library were created. These guidelines have since been circulated to a selection of academic areas for feedback and will be brought to the Undergraduate Studies committee meeting for noting next academic year.

Issues and Areas for further work

TIC is now entering phase three. In phase three TIC aims:

  1. Create and pilot an online version of the TIC Self-evaluation tool.
  2. Further develop web resources to enhance the usability of the online tool.
  3. Consider how to fully automate, and embed the self-evaluation process within College so as to ensure sustainability after the end of the project.
  4. Collaborate with external higher level institutions to pilot the self-evaluation tool outside of College so as to assess its applicability across the third level sector in Ireland.

Phase three of the pilot will require buy in from stakeholders within and external to College.

Within College:

In phase three we will seek to blend the use of the self-evaluation tool into existing college systems such as: the school/ discipline quality review systems, Bologna, learning outcomes and new course design. For this project to succeed there is a need for synergies to be developed with core quality control systems in College such as Bologna, departmental review systems and course reviews.

Externally:

In phase three we will seek to extend the use and applicability of the self-evaluation tool beyond College. This will involve the time and collaboration of colleagues within the other higher level institutions of Ireland. In a climate of funding and staff cuts getting this level of collaboration may prove more difficult.

Appendix – Processes and outcomes of the TIC Pilot.

Introduction

Background and Objectives of the TIC project

TIC Pilot of the Teaching and Learning Self-Evaluation Tool.

Pilot Methodology

Pilot Stages

Stage one: Teaching Observation

Stage two: Resource Review

Stage three: Stakeholder Feedback

Stage four: Tool Completion

Stage five: Creation and presentation of an action report

Outcomes and Lessons Learnt

Lesson 1: Importance of visible buy in

Lesson 2: Design the tool to be quick, easy, and informative

Lesson 3: Ensure the process is collaborative in nature

Lesson 4: Highlight the progress to date

Future Work on the TIC project

Appendix – Example of Key Suggestions template

Works Cited

Introduction

In October 2008 the Strategic Innovation Funded (SIF II) Trinity Inclusive Curriculum (TIC) project was established in Trinity College Dublin (TCD) with the aim of embedding inclusive practices within the teaching, learning and assessment environment of TCD. This was a response to the increase in students entering TCD from non-traditional routes. The TIC project recognises that while non-traditional access routes have enhanced the opportunity of non-traditional students to enter TCD, it has not addressed inequalities in the teaching and learning environment. TIC addresses this issue, aiming to enhance the accessibility of the teaching and learning environment, thereby levelling the playing field for students from a variety of backgrounds.

This paper looks at the work done by Trinity Inclusive Curriculum project in phase II, which ran between October 2008 and June 2010. It reports on the progress made in embedding inclusive practices within the teaching and learning environment in TCD, and shares the lessons learnt along the way.

Background and Objectives of the TIC project

In 2008 Trinity College Dublin (TCD) obtained funding from the HEA to embark up a three-year project aimed at embedding inclusive practices within the mainstream curriculum of College. The Trinity Inclusive Curriculum (TIC) project was thus created with the following objectives:

-identifying actual and potential barriers to teaching, learning and assessment.

-identifying enabling strategies for overcoming these barriers.

-introducing these enabling strategies into the mainstream curriculum via

  • the creation of teaching and learning self-evaluation tools to be embedded into College policies and procedures,
  • training and awareness activities,
  • creation of resources:

-collaborating, and disseminating information externally to other higher level institutions.

Following a period of research; in which the current teaching and learning environment in TCD was examined, and the TIC project officer engaged in consultation with key stakeholders (e.g. students, academic staff and access staff); a draft teaching and learning self-evaluation tool was created.

TIC has been engaged in a pilot of this self-evaluation tool over the academic year 2009-10, and will take this opportunity to report on this pilot.

TIC Pilot of the Teaching and Learning Self-Evaluation Tool.

The TIC pilot incorporates two phases, phase 2.1 and phase 2.2. Phase 2.1. ran from October to December 2009, with action reports produced in January 2010, and involved five programmes representing all three faculties in TCD, and included both level eight and level nine programmes. Phase 2.2 ran through semester two with action reports produced over early summer and involved five programmes and two individual modules.

The aims of this pilot are to:

•Develop a user-friendly self evaluation system that can blend into design, review and quality enhancement systems ,

•Ensure that recommendations arising from the tool are realistic and attainable considering resources available through consultation with staff and students.

The pilot therefore sought to assess the content and format of this self-evaluation tool, the process through which it is used, and the feasibility of suggested actions within the resulting action report along with the process through which they are enacted.

Pilot Methodology

Pilots included the following stages:

  1. observation of teaching and learning by the project officer,
  2. resource review,
  3. staff and student feedback,
  4. tool completion and feedback, and
  5. creation and presentation of an action report.

Stages one to four, the data gathering stages, ran concurrently. The final stage followed the data gathering.

Each stage will now be described in detail, including lessons learnt along the way.

Pilot Stages

Stage one: Teaching Observation

A sample of classes and events were observed for each participating programme / module. On average, three or four lectures were observed per programme. Where students engaged in a variety of teaching methods, (e.g. lectures, labs, seminars) the TIC project officer endeavoured to attend these. A selection of other events, including orientation events and committee meetings were also attended where possible.

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