December 16, 2021
How online learning can support a more inclusive approach to higher education
The challenges presented by the pandemic have prompted a sector-wide re-think of higher-education provision in a radically changed world. It’s also sparked fresh discussions on how universities and other institutions can use what they’ve learned over the past eighteen months to deliver more assertively on access and participation and to accelerate recovery.
The lockdown-driven shift to online educational provision created a massive disruption to learning programmes for all age groups and demographics, taking lessons off campus and – initially, at least – leaving students more vulnerable and less likely to receive the support they needed.
An OECD study examining the impact of COVID-19 on student equity and inclusion found that, globally, those from low-income families, from immigrant and ethnic minority backgrounds or with special education needs, among others, faced additional barriers as a result of being deprived of physical learning opportunities, as well as in-person social and emotional support.
Many experts were concerned that, after years of work, their diversity equity and inclusion (DE&I) programmes would falter. However, the forced move to online provision not only offered students and educators a temporary lockdown lifeline but also gave fresh credence to an alternative approach to learning in a digital-first world, one that could meet the needs of diverse groups worldwide.
We already know that higher education can be a powerful way to create a more diverse workforce. But we also know that existing programmes can be inaccessible for those who may already face barriers – social, physical, geographical, and economic – that are exacerbated by traditional in-person learning provision.
How can online learning resources be designed to attract and support a more diverse student population that will, in turn, lead to greater diversity in the workplace?
Online learning can offer greater flexibility over how and where students learn, helping them to juggle studies with careers, caring responsibilities, and other personal commitments. Short ‘taster’ courses allow those without relevant background to explore subjects before committing to a full-time degree – and may even accrue credits towards further qualifications. Importantly, online degrees can cost less than on-campus programmes, providing additional flexibility for those who most need it.
When considering the framework around online learning programmes, as well as the course content itself, it’s important to consider accessibility for learners with varied abilities or who may come from a different cultural context. Some useful questions for consideration:
Although campus-based courses attract students looking for a rounded university experience, others may find it daunting – especially those who feel marginalised, underrepresented, or overwhelmed in large groups and unfamiliar settings.
Research by the University of Cambridge, for example, showed that women are two-and-a-half times less likely than their male counterparts to ask questions in seminars. It’s easy to see how similar biases could restrict responses from people with different cultural or ethnic backgrounds, divergent thinkers, and those with disabilities.
In fact, for students with disabilities, inclusion can be even more challenging. Studies have shown that these students are less likely to participate in on-campus clubs and activities and are more likely to drop out of university.
Moving away from the campus-only model and making resources and tuition support available in different ways offers a curated space for diverse learners to freely and safely communicate and collaborate. By default, this highly flexible and inclusive approach also makes it easier for international students to enrol in UK universities – a correction that’s desperately needed following the fluctuation in international applicants as a result of Covid-19 and changes to tuition fees for EU students following Brexit.
One of the key benefits of the remote learning model is the ability to pace and personalise learning to suit the individual students’ needs, tailored to their strengths:
The move to online learning doesn’t mean that students should lose their real-life connection with their university. It’s still important for educators to form meaningful relationships with students from the start of their educational journey – more so, if anything, than when students attend campus-based courses. By helping students feel included and valued – like they genuinely belong – from the outset, course leaders will build a sense of community that transcends physical space.
Recognising and using resources that represent the voices and experiences of those from different heritages and backgrounds and experiences will broaden a group’s outlook, at the same time making more people feel more comfortable and more included. Collaborative learning activities are key: establishing online discussion groups that encourage people to explore themes, challenge ideas and spark constructive dialogue within a structured model enables students to take on new roles and interact with their peers in a safe and supportive way.
It can be a difficult path to navigate; EdTech offers a platform for universities to engage with their students in more personalised ways while retaining the high level of interaction necessary to support individuals from all walks of life.
Universities in the UK have already been assigned a role in the government’s ‘levelling up’ agenda, via the development of access and participation plans (APP) created in collaboration with communities and employers to diversify graduate intakes and create programmes that deliver the skills they need.
This provision needs to be fortified in the wake of Covid-19. In its 2021 annual review, the Office for Students (OfS) stated that the pandemic has resulted in disadvantaged students falling ‘further behind’; the independent regulator for higher education in England has recently appointed a new Director for Fair Access and Participation to ‘think innovatively’ about accelerating social mobility.
Against this backdrop, education providers now have an opportunity to create a new framework that will make education more accessible and more inclusive, at the same time improving learning outcomes for all by creating dynamic career pathways for students from more diverse backgrounds.
*Your email address will not be published.
The future of work: how universities can prepare students for an uncertain future
More people than ever are going to university. In the UK, well over a third of all 18-year-olds (37.8 percent) enrolled on a full-time undergraduate course last year, according to UCAS. And, while some students are drawn to higher education to increase their academic knowledge and enjoy the university experience, most will also be looking to improve their employment and earning prospects. Government figures for 2020 show a graduate employment rate of 86.4 percent, with median graduate earnings standing at £35,000 (£9,500 more than their non-graduate counterparts).
Creating a rich social and cultural experience for online degree learners
Much of the discussion around the recent global shift from campus-based to remote-learning models has centred on the quality of online programmes of study – more particularly on how universities can effectively motivate, support, and assess individuals as part of a dispersed student population.
Breaking the bias: addressing the higher education gender pay gap
As participation continues to widen in the UK’s higher education sector with increasing numbers of applications from previously underrepresented sectors, many gender-based anomalies remain. For example, while women are much more likely to go to university than men (as well as to complete their studies and to achieve a good degree), figures show that women graduates cede their professional advantage in a matter of months.
EdTech: How technology is empowering universities to deliver high-quality online programmes
When universities were compelled to pivot from providing primarily campus-based programmes of study to delivering remote-first instruction, teachers and students alike found themselves navigating systems largely designed to deliver a facsimile of the traditional classroom experience, relayed via videoconferencing and other related connectivity tools.
Successful strategies for designing and delivering high-quality online learning
As demand grows for online learning options that are as comprehensive and effective as their campus-based counterparts, forward-thinking higher education organisations are exploring strategies that will help them deliver high-quality, full-featured programmes of study in remote, blended and hybrid formats.
The great unbundling: diminishing or democratising higher education?
Back in 2011, academic eyebrows were raised when news of a ‘no-frills’ higher-education path in an offshoot of Coventry University emerged, offering degree-level qualifications for around half the price of traditional universities. Students at the Coventry University College (CUC) were promised modular study routes in a variety of professional programmes, with part-time, full-time, and accelerated options, as well as the opportunity to pay in instalments.
Taking the lead: tackling the challenges of moving campus-based courses online
Events of the last two years have heralded unprecedented developments in the higher-education sector, forcing organisations to transition to remote learning at a highly accelerated pace.
Aiming high: 10 ways universities can optimise the student experience in 2022
As the Covid-19 pandemic enters its third year, the temporary disruptions that rocked higher-education provision in the early weeks of 2020 have since escalated into the existential challenges the sector is facing today.
University career services: A critical tool in a competitive climate
It’s a tricky time for graduates. As class-of-2021 graduates collide and compete with their 2020 peers, who lost out due to the pandemic-induced suspension of graduate programmes, fewer opportunities are being spread even more thinly across a bumper crop of applicants in super-competitive jobs market – with predictably diminishing returns.
How online learning can support a more inclusive approach to higher education
The challenges presented by the pandemic have prompted a sector-wide re-think of higher-education provision in a radically changed world. It’s also sparked fresh discussions on how universities and other institutions can use what they’ve learned over the past eighteen months to deliver more assertively on access and participation and to accelerate recovery.
Can online education help plug the global skills gap?
Employment rates have been hitting the headlines recently, as businesses everywhere struggle to recruit staff in a number of key areas.
What’s driving universities to go online?
The pandemic pushed distance learning into the mainstream as lockdown shuttered school and college campuses all over the world in spring 2020. Once the province of a relatively small cohort of specialist organisations, online study became the de-facto option for millions of students almost overnight.
COMMENTS
No comments found.