Case studies of diversity in courses and subjects

Case Study 1: Inclusive Subject Design
Case Study 2: Enhancing staff awareness of cultural diversity

Inclusive Subject Design

Penny Crofts
Criminology and Women in Law, UTS Faculty of Law

The Criminology and Women and the Law courses are taught in a way which recognises and values diversity.

An explicit objective of the courses is to think critically about the law. A great deal of time in both courses is spent analysing legal claims of objectivity. The Women and the Law class does this from an explicitly gendered perspective, however both classes allow students to critically evaluate claims of objectivity from perspectives of class, gender, race, age, and sexuality. This critique of objectivity, and the recognition of perspectives which may be silenced or devalued by the law, results in a recognition and valuing of alternative perspectives and experiences. Class discussions promote the recognition of diversity in the classroom, as students are able to discuss their personal experiences according to variables such as race, class, age, and sexuality.

Recognition of diversity is particularly furthered in the flexible assessment regimes, consisting of any combination to the total of 80% of:

The remaining 20% of available marks is for class participation. This was recommended by the Criminology class, in order to ensure that students prepare for classes, and to foster stronger class discussion. This component is self-assessed, and students are given guidelines as to what amounts to good class participation. This includes being a good listener and fostering class discussion. This enables students to recognise diversity within the classroom.

Such a flexible assessment scheme has had several effects on the recognition of diversity.

  1. Students pursue topics which are of interest to them. This allowed students to discuss and research issues which had personally affected them. Topics have included research on ethnicity and football hooliganism, gender and crime, representations of gender in the media, and analysis of the intersection of class and crime. Topics which were personal to the students tended to be well researched and passionately argued, allowing the student to question their own assumptions, and articulate their ideas.

  2. The Community Law and Research Centre Projects gives students the opportunity to listen to alternative perspectives. These projects are of benefit to the community, but also allow students to recognise the ways in which the law may impact upon groups in different ways. Students involved in the gambling and crime project were amazed at the ways in which race and gambling intersected, and how the sydney casino aimed advertising at specific race groups. Students involved in the Sex Workers Outreach Programme are able to analyse their own ideas about sex work and realise the ways in which legislation and regulations affect the position of sex workers.

  3. The flexible assessment regime also affects the teaching of the subject. Because the regime is so flexible, more time can be spent analysing ideas behind specific pieces of legislation, and students are able to adopt a particular perspective in class discussions. Students are provided with materials for preparation of classes, however actual class teaching is not always content driven. Students are able to discuss areas of special interest. This allows the articulation of different perspectives and backgrounds, resulting in students crystallising their own ideas, while recognising the validity of other perspectives.

  4. Students are encouraged to present the results of their research to the class, either in discussions, or during presentations. This also results in a valuation of diversity in the classroom.

In summary, these courses are based on a strong recognition of diversity in the classroom and the community. By allowing students the opportunity to critique the legal myth of objectivity, students own perspectives and ideas are valued. In the law degree this is particularly valuable, as students own reality may not concord with dominant perspectives of reality. The class discussions allow students the opportunity to hear other perspectives, and to recognise that their own ideas are not universal. Giving students reading materials means that discussions are based on strong foundations, and give students confidence to articulate their ideas. The flexible assessment regime allows students the opportunity to follow through with any ideas which the courses have given. The majority of students have wholeheartedly embraced this challenge.

Enhancing staff awareness of cultural diversity

Jenny Edwards
UTS School of Computing Sciences

This is an example of a project which aims to improve teaching and learning for culturally diverse student groups through raising staff awareness.

In 1997, the University was awarded a grant from the Commonwealth Staff Development Fund for a project to enhance the teaching and learning of students from a diversity of backgrounds. The project was initiated by Jenny Edwards, Head of Computing Sciences. "Over 50% of our students come from non English speaking backgrounds and a wide variety of countries and cultures, as do about 30% of our staff", she said. "I felt we weren't adapting our teaching to this diversity as well as we could to ensure effective learning. " Susan King, a Senior Lecturer from Adult Education was seconded half time to manage and develop the project. She worked from three Schools absorbing their academic culture and setting up pilot projects.

In Computing, the emphasis was on the language of assessment. Two workshops were run for staff looking at what the objectives were for different subjects, especially in terms of communication skills and how students were expected to achieve them. These resulted in discussion of effective ways of getting the messages across to the students. This work resulted in a substantial manual on writing assessment tasks which was prepared by Terri Morley-Warner from Education.

In Mechanical Engineering, the emphasis of the pilot project led by Helen McGregor was on effective student teamwork in a multicultural environment. Again a workshop was held for staff and documentation prepared.

Incorporating an international viewpoint into all teaching is important in Leisure and Tourism. This component of the project has so far involved the development of supporting material aimed at internationalising the curriculum in a pilot subject.

An important part of this project was that Susan King actually had a room in Computing during the first half of the project. This not only enabled her to become part of the local culture but also encouraged staff to drop by for informal discussions on many aspects of concern about their teaching to the wide variety of students we have. Similarly, Susan then moved to Mechanical Engineering to absorb the atmosphere there to inform her workshops.

While the workshops so far have been for specific groups, they are intended to be made available to the wider University community. A substantial book has been written incorporating all the material and findings from the project. This will be made available outside UTS as well.