Using Creativity and Reflection to Empower a Diverse Learner Community

Stan, Ina and Eaglesfield, Sara (2023) Using Creativity and Reflection to Empower a Diverse Learner Community. In: The 11th European Conference on Education (ECE2023), 13-17 July 2023, SOAS and University College London (UCL), United Kingdom.

Slideshow ECE 2023 conference presentation.pptx Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (24MB)

Abstract

There are traditional expectations informed by White, Eurocentric and masculine paradigms that dictate who belongs in Higher Education (HE) (Burke, 2012). To achieve equity in HE, universities need to ensure that students from under-represented backgrounds have access to the necessary resources and opportunities to develop their writing, reading, speaking and learning to navigate ‘privileged forms of being and knowing’ (Burke, 2018, p. 378). Learner diversity is at the forefront of Buckinghamshire New University’s Foundation Year (FY) provision with students from a variety of widening participation backgrounds, and a range of non-traditional educational pathways. The FY approach has moved away from using a deficit model with these students towards a creative process for development of meaningful and relevant knowledge, whilst retaining a strong sense of their self. The FY team developed a board game project on the theme of student life, as an inclusive teaching approach, to enable all FY students to bring their strengths and resources to the task, validating their existing skills and life experiences. The main outcome is the demonstration of creativity and innovation through group work and the application of generic academic skills. The game itself is not assessed, instead the students’ reflections on the process are. The students map the process to the institutional model of employability underpinned by metacognition and self-efficacy, providing more meaningful learning outcomes. Hence, from the very beginnings of their university journey, the students’ individual goals are embedded within their academic learning.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Depositing User:	Dr Ina Stan
Date Deposited:	09 Nov 2023 09:07
Last Modified:	09 Nov 2023 09:07
URI:	https://bnu.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/18782

Actions (login required)

Edit Item