Work and Learning Network: Network News: July 2021

UALL Work and Learning Network: Network News: July 2021

Welcome to the July edition of the newsletter.

Editorial

The EDI colloquium held at the end of June 2021 was a positive and thought provoking exchange that brought together a fantastic range of professionals to discuss this important area of practice. We will continue to develop these themes with an EDI focus in the autumn as universities begin their post-pandemic shift back to a ‘new normal’ schedule. As many in higher education now take advantage of the summer break, we hope that the holidays allow some time for reflection and rest.

Spotlight

This month we feature the Speakers from the colloquium Equality Diversity and Inclusion: championing work and learning that empowers and sustains change. Please read the abstracts on this link: https://www.uallworkandlearning.org/abstracts-and-case-studies

Thanks again to the delegates who added comments and questions during the colloquium.

Introduction to Colloquium Paula Nottingham Middlesex University

Paula introduced the need to consider EDI in work and learning practice and research and used the personal narrative of being ‘bussed’ in the American south as a relational tool.

Keynote Address and Q&A: Jenny Rodriguez, University of Manchester and Carol Costley, Middlesex University, ‘Social justice, intersectionality and power relationships in work situations’.

In this inspirational address, Jenny challenged a simplistic approach to EDI and sought to bring out a deeper understanding of equality in context. She stressed the need to view diversity with an intersectional point of view in order to provide structures and arrangements for inclusiveness and ‘being in place’. Carol considered the implications of this framing and engagement within higher education as praxis, and brought out discussion points with Jenny about how we can develop our understanding of power and codified knowledge within the existing policy environment.

Anastasia Christou ‘Affordances of 'unhoming pedagogies'’, Middlesex University

Anastasia explored the concept of ‘unhoming’ as a ‘discomforting’ but necessary reflexive practise in order to develop new ways of working that recognise intersectionality and ethical academic citizenship within the university.

Glenis Wade ‘Focus on the Poetry: Exploring BAME learner engagement with new work based learning reading’, QA Ltd

Glenis exposed the compelling need to redress an imbalance in learning resources that championed diversity while leading practise for work based learners.

Mary Makinde and Claire Thurgate ‘Closing Our Gap: How a School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work is Improving the Experience of BAME students’, Canterbury Christ Church University

Mary and Claire presented an evidence based framework that championed improving disparity within higher education assessment outcomes and tackling inequality through a programme of institutional change.

Iro Konstantinou and Elizabeth Miller. ‘Understanding the experience of mature students completing a degree apprenticeship’, Pearson College London

Iro and Elizabeth introduced emerging findings from their research about the challenges for mature learners returning to study on an apprenticeship degree programme.

Margaret Linehan ‘Let's Talk Menopause’ and ‘Creating an Age Friendly University’, Munster Technological University

Margaret discussed research that provided a platform for marginalised individuals such as older women and establishing the designation of an ‘Age-Friendly University’, using the ten principles from Dublin City University, to lead and champion campus-wide change and encourage the greater mature learner participation.

Marty Wright (and Raymond Johnston) ‘Equality, Diversity and Inclusion is at the heart of everything we do’, Glasgow Caledonian University

Marty discussed the technological affordances of students who work at a distance, in this case taught within an international context, that focused on progressive delivery during the Covid-19 pandemic

Carol Costley, Elda Nicolou-Walker and Paula McIver Nottingham, Middlesex University

Please note there is also a work-in-progress paper posted that has begun to speak to how EDI issues have been and remain fundamental to practitioners and research for those who focus on higher education learners in the workplace.

Looking forward to the summer and autumn… what should we expect?

Quarantine free travel

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/quarantine-free-travel-to-resume-on-19-july-for-fully-vaccinated-passengers-returning-from-amber-list-countries

Campus returns

https://blogs.brighton.ac.uk/studentnewsandevents/2021/06/08/2021-22-return-to-campus-looking-ahead-to-autumn/

https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/news/Pages/Most-universities-will-teach-in-person-this-autumn.aspx

Creative Commons and Open Educational Resources – making a resurgence

Here are a few samples.

https://oro.open.ac.uk/44963/1/227-1106-2-PB-3.pdf

https://creativecommons.org/about/program-areas/education-oer/education-oer-resources/

https://commons.erau.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1011&context=oer-textbook

Ulf-Daniel Ehlers @uehlers

‼CALL FOR PARTICIPATION‼

OER is getting more and more important. Please take your time and tell us about your experiences by taking part in our survey about OER in Higher Education Systems and European Business.

https://ww3.unipark.de/uc/Encore/90c3/

…and a free downloads from some old friends Leo Haverman and Sarah Sherman

https://www.ble.ac.uk/ebook.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_educational_resources_policy

Finally:

A big thanks to all the Work and Learning Network News contributors from September 2020 to July 2021 in the spirit of keeping in touch and sharing during the Covid-19 pandemic. The experience has changed the world. We sincerely hope that those of us who have focused on work and learning in community partnerships, business sectors, and further and higher education will be able to use this experience to lead to sustained change and social justice in this current and post-pandemic world ahead.