Inclusive Classrooms

This short course introduces students to develop more inclusive classrooms.

The module explores concepts, legislation, theory, social issues, and transformative pedagogical practice as they relate to inclusive education.

The course will cover the following 10 topics over a 12-week period.

1. Introduction: Concepts, Principles, Legislation: Equality, Inclusion, Equity, Social Justice
2. Educational Theories used to interrogate and understand those key concepts and principles
3. Society and inclusive education: Disability and ALN part 1
4. Society and Inclusive Education: Race and Religion
5. Society and Inclusive Education: Sex, Gender, and Gender Identity
6. Society and inclusive education: Intersectionality
7. Transformative classrooms as inclusive education: Global Perspectives
8. Transformative classrooms as inclusive education: in a devolved context
9. Inclusive pedagogical practice: case study-based focus on supporting students and their families
10. Reflection and action planning

Learning and teaching

In this module, you'll be introduced to contemporary issues in equity, inclusion, and social justice in educational practice.

You'll use different theoretical tools to explore a range of issues and debates around inclusive practice in education, including disability, gender, poverty, and race.

In each case, you'll consider what may inhibit or facilitate equality in classrooms, societies, and communities.

At the heart of this module is a reflective discussion around what constitutes inclusive practice in education, which will allow you to challenge, acknowledge, and analyse your own and others' experiences and assumptions related to inclusion, equity, social justice and learning.

On successful completion of the module, a student will be able to:

• Explain and discuss key concepts and related legislation for inclusive education
• Outline and discuss key theories that helped define and help us to understand those key concepts
• Analyse and explore key societal structures and systems that relate to relevant social categories and identity for inclusive education
• Compare and assess ways in which inclusive education can be transformative from a global and national perspective
• Apply analytic thinking on inclusive education to pedagogical practice in the classroom
• Reflect on personal experience and practice, and how to apply learning from this module/course in future classroom practice

Coursework and assessment

Type of assessment	% Contribution	Title
Summative	50%	Case study essay on one area of inclusive classroom practice selected from a prescribed list of essay titles
Summative	50%	Reflexive essay on theory and practice
Formative		A short, informal presentation on one key education theory

Reading suggestions

Indicative Reading and Resource List:

• Gillborn, D. and Mirza, H.S., 2000. Educational Inequality: Mapping Race, Class and Gender. A Synthesis of Research Evidence.
• Mirza, H.S., 2014. Decolonizing higher education: Black feminism and the intersectionality of race and gender. Journal of Feminist Scholarship, 7(7), pp.1-12.
• Hooks, B., 2014. Teaching to transgress. Routledge.
• Mezirow, J., 2015. Transformative learning. Challenging Educational Theories, p.319.
• Wenger, E., 2009. A social theory of learning. In Contemporary theories of learning (pp. 217-240). Routledge.
• Lingard, B., Rawolle, S. and Taylor 1, S., 2005. Globalizing policy sociology in education: working with Bourdieu. Journal of education policy, 20(6), pp.759-777.
• Bourdieu, P. and Passeron, J.C., 1990. Reproduction in education, society and culture (Vol. 4). Sage.
• Freire, P., 1972. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. 1968. Trans. Myra Bergman Ramos. New York: Herder, pp.167-191.
• Lindsay, G., 2003. Inclusive education: a critical perspective. British journal of special education, 30(1), pp.3-12.
• Evans, J. and Lunt, I., 2002. Inclusive education: are there limits?. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 17(1), pp.1-14.
• Connor, D.J., Gabel, S.L., Gallagher, D.J. and Morton, M., 2008. Disability studies and inclusive education—implications for theory, research, and practice. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 12(5-6), pp.441-457.
• De Bruin, K., 2019. The impact of inclusive education reforms on students with disability: an international comparison. International Journal of inclusive education, 23(7-8), pp.811-826.
• Liasidou, A., 2012. Inclusive education and critical pedagogy at the intersections of disability, race, gender and class. Journal for Critical Education Policy Studies, 10(1), pp.168-184.
• Haberland, N. and Rogow, D., 2015. Sexuality education: emerging trends in evidence and practice. Journal of adolescent health, 56(1), pp.S15-S21.
• Parker, R., Wellings, K. and Lazarus, J.V., 2009. Sexuality education in Europe: An overview of current policies. Sex education, 9(3), pp.227-242.
• Renold, E.J., Ashton, M.R. and McGeeney, E., 2023. What if?: becoming response-able with the making and mattering of a new relationships and sexuality education curriculum. In Non-Linear Perspectives on Teacher Development (pp. 342-359). Routledge.
• Gater, R., 2024. Amalgamated masculinities: The masculine identity of contemporary marginalised working-class young men. Sociology, 58(2), pp.312-329.

Library and computing facilities

As a student on this course you are entitled to join and use the University’s library and computing facilities. Find out more about using these facilities.

Accessibility

Our aim is access for all. We aim to provide a confidential advice and support service for any student with a long term medical condition, disability or specific learning difficulty. We are able to offer one-to-one advice about disability, pre-enrolment visits, liaison with tutors and co-ordinating lecturers, material in alternative formats, arrangements for accessible courses, assessment arrangements, loan equipment and dyslexia screening.