Jisc Change Agents' Network Conference 2024

This lightening talk will review the benefit and challenges of a diversity in the educator profile. Diversification is often discussed as diversity of student and equality for students. However, what about the role models they see. Whilst Office for National Statistics data shows 17.7% of population is disabled, only 1% of teachers are disabled. (DfE told to fix disability data gaps for half of teachers, 2023). There is there for limited awareness of what true diversity really is. 

The session will reflect on the perception from educators and students and the benefits (and challenges) of employing a disabled educator in a higher education setting. This will discuss how to approach supporting and adjusting provisions not just for students but also educators. The session will be based on a discussion around the decision of employing a new workshop tutor for the Global MBA program. The new tutor is a full-time wheelchair user and travels with a personal assistance. 

The session will reflect on prejudice (mainly educators) and additional benefits and learnings (mainly students) for trying to support a more diversified learning environment and diversified educator profile. The session will also reflect on perceived obstacles versus real obstacles from support staff. This will be contrasted with the opportunities, inspiration and increased motivation perceived from students experiencing true diversity in their learning journey. The session has the aim to open your mind and cement the idea that diversity can be exceptional in many ways. And it is not just about the student diversity…