- Racial equality strategies in learning and teaching
- Classroom environment
- Meeting the needs of UK and international bilingual students
- Learning styles
- Placements and field trips
RACIAL EQUALITY STRATEGIES IN LEARNING AND TEACHING
Placements and field trips
Are field trips, practical activities and/or social activities related to the course organised in ways that take into account race and faith issues?
During fieldwork, there may be racial issues from the locals. Black minority students may not be received well due to their ethnicity and colour.
Academic staff comment
To maximise participation of all students, matters of diversity, whether racial, sexual or related to ability, need to be considered seriously.
- Learning contracts with placement providers should explicitly set out how any discrimination experienced will be addressed.
- Social activities that are centred on alcohol may prevent the participation of students from some faith groups in which alcohol is forbidden or not encouraged.
- Ensure that the provision of food meets diversity needs: food options should include vegetarian, kosher, halal food etc.
- Some types of field trips, such as trips to farms, can be potentially problematic for students from some faith groups. Consider if other arrangements can be made to ensure that all students can participate.
- Students can be asked if they wish to opt out from practical activities such as dissection in a lab or from watching videos that may contain sexual content.
- Organise opportunities for students to increase awareness on diversity matters by visiting workplaces where there are diverse (in terms of ethnicity, gender etc.) professionals (e.g. scientists/engineers) at work.
- There may be many more issues that educators will need to take into account. One suggestion is for educators to engage in comprehensive cultural awareness training programmes.
