Diversity and Inclusion statement

2019

In Australia and internationally much still needs to occur to promote inclusive practices in education and society with many educators not feeling equipped to recognise or appreciate diversity or cater effectively for inclusion (Hardy & Woodcock, 2015). It is into this space that a University of Southern Queensland team of researchers, practitioners, and academics intends to contribute an open textbook 'Opening Eyes onto Inclusion and Diversity'. With embedded audio–visual components, the Open Textbook is designed to enhance the quality of the reader’s experience with each chapter posing key understandings underpinning inclusion and diversity. Readers are encouraged to answer questions on culture, special learning needs, varied educational contexts, gender diversity and more. The key expected outcome of this open textbook is to engage readers in making meaning of inclusion and diversity and applying their learning to their own individual contexts.

JOM

2019

As teachers, we are privileged to have the opportunity to work in diverse contexts and with diverse groups and individuals. The richness and opportunities within today’s classrooms provide a wealth of opportunities to learn from, and with our students, parents, community and colleagues. By sharing perspectives and histories that may be unfamiliar to us and to others, opportunities are created that must be embraced in order to break down the many social injustices that still exist, and which limit the opportunities of students to fulfil their full potential.

University of Southern Queensland, 2019

is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted. All images contained within this book retain their copyright or original Creative Commons Licences and can only be re-used under their respective licences. A complete attribution list with licencing information can be found at the end of each chapter. Disclaimer Note that corporate logos (such as the USQ Phoenix, and any other company represented) and branding are specifically excluded from the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International Licence of this work, and may not be reproduced under any circumstances without the express written permission of the copyright holders.

Education has not only become increasingly necessary in an ever-expanding digital knowledge economy, but also more visibly less attainable for large portions of our community. Disparities in access coincide with diminishing educational opportunities as inequality becomes more stark. It is in this context that a diversity, inclusion, and equity agenda must focus on educational promise that takes seriously developing critical tools to navigate often unfamiliar educational institutions and increasingly competitive job markets. Moreover, obstacles increasingly common of an information-based society require a range of cultural competencies, i.e. cultural capital, not always easily accessed in university settings. Their absence make increasingly privatized higher education environments all the more difficult to navigate. Acutely aware of the challenges of being an "outsider within," my braided research, teaching, and community interests and commitments remain in service of historically marginalized communities generally, and the ethnic Mexican community to which I belong in particular. My experience and commitments make me a critical resource to support historically marginalized young people to rebuild their academic self-esteem, embrace their intellectual futures, and claim convivial tools for community action. At the core of my commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity in the current context is a commitment to build networked convivial learning spaces; prioritize critical skillshares, open dialogues, and community action; and encourage strategies that prioritize folks in struggle to author new, community-centered programs and projects, including student and community centered learning environments that account for multiple learning styles, competing political interests, diverse cultural practices, and unique social histories.

Focus on health professional education : a multi-disciplinary journal, 2022

Diversity and inclusion are felt to be vital for the growth of health professional education and essential for tackling health inequities, but are diversity and inclusion enough? It is important to first understand what is meant by diversity and inclusion. Shorter Oxford English Dictionary (2002) defines diversity as "the condition or quality of being diverse, different or varied; difference, unlikeness" and inclusion as "the action or an act of including; the fact or condition of being included; an instance of". Calls for diversity and inclusion in healthcare are often broad and include many underrepresented groups based on gender, ethnicity, culture, disability, sexuality, socioeconomic status, age, rural origin and background, all of which have an impact on health professional education, engagement and achievement.

2017

Inclusive Education Is a Right, Right?, 2020

OPSITARA 2021 Research Symposium Proceedings, 2021

Integration of old educational strategy into newly learning techniques is potentially useful in responding to changing needs of learners’ post-COVID-19. Borders shut-down open up new norms of learning opportunities, bringing together learners from diverse backgrounds, practices, and needs. Through deep reflection of our previous and current practices, we have developed a Model of Practice (MoP) that shapes our personal and professional identity as educators. The MoP evolved from, our personal histories and backgrounds that defined our identity and uniqueness as individuals, to our professional growth as practicing professionals in the industry to academics. We have significantly developed our understanding of effective learning and teaching practices through the development of the MoP. We found that learning happens in culturally appropriate social situations, among learners and between teachers and learners, depending on learners’ culture (Vygotsky, 1978). We also found that education should aim for developing a holistic and balanced growth of personality of individuals, achieved through theories and practice. This MoP is driven by the works of Al-Ghazali and Al-Attas which focus on the intertwining relationship between knowledge, human development, and values. The MoP encapsulates three processes namely Ta’lim (transmission of knowledge), Tarbiyah (human development), and Ta’dib (ethics and values); which are interrelated both as a transmissive teacher-centred and a facilitative student-cantered approach.