Belinda says “Most of us relate better to visual concepts like Oslin’s ‘Slanted rope’ whereby each learner tackles a level which feels achievable, before we consider Vygotsky’s ‘Zone of Proximal Development’, which identifies what the learner can achieve with appropriate support.
“Of course, that is at the heart of Inclusive Learning; opportunities can only be equal when some receive the necessary additional support to achieve.”
It is this commitment that drives Belinda’s search for excellence. By striving for individual excellence and evidencing her impact, Belinda is able to influence colleagues in support of student learning and crucially, influence senior managers to enhance student support more strategically.
In all the leadership work which she undertakes, modelling inclusive approaches is at the heart of what she does.
Belinda says “however well we reflect on our own practice, we can never hope to appreciate the challenges which learners face, be they students or staff.
Indeed, in my work supporting staff seeking Fellowship, it has been interesting to see them exhibit behaviours we complain about in our students; procrastination, not reading handbooks, not turning up to sessions, handing in late!”
Belinda draws on these examples to remind herself and her colleagues that students deal with many competing priorities and personal challenges and therefore must be provided opportunities for diverse modes of engagement and achievement.
Belinda’s commitment to embedding more inclusive approaches includes transforming assessment to enhance student outcomes. She starts with what it is she wants students to learn and how a level playing field can be created as possible for them to demonstrate what they have learned.
Belinda provides an example, “in a first year practical scenario-based exam, rather than give students with reasonable adjustment plans extra time, I told all students that they could take as much time as they needed. It was interesting to note that the students who were last to leave were the few who had not attended well rather than those with learning support needs and all students on the module reported much reduced levels of anxiety.”
