The series of videos on this page show University of Plymouth students talking about the impacts of their identities and experiences on their studies. It is important not to make assumptions about students based on simple categorisations e.g. mature or international. Talk to students about how specific issues affect them, if at all. Ask the student if they have specific requirements or concerns and negotiate together how you will address this in your teaching practice. As an individual reflective activity or within a staff development session you may want to reflect on the following questions:
- What do we understand are the consequences for student’s learning experiences of having certain experiences/identities such as being a mature or international student? What is the evidence for our assumptions?
- How could universities, academic staff and fellow students support students with such experiences/identities?
- What could you do in your role with your students?
The pages on inclusive teaching with international students and inclusive teaching with mature students provide examples of working through these questions, as well as suggestions for how best to support students. These are provided as documents below to use in staff development activities.
The pages on inclusivity case studies and how can I be more inclusive provide ideas and links to further resources about teaching and learning inclusively. For further discussion see key issues in thinking about inclusivity and inclusivity research.
