EDI in Teaching and Learning

Disability awareness training

On Thursday, 24 February 2022 staff attended a workshop, ‘Ableism in Academia: The staff/student experience disconnect’

In this session, led by Dr Kelly Pickard-Smith, we explored

  • the term ableism and the social model of disability as it manifests in a current disconnect between disability support for staff and students - that can lead to unintended consequences that undermine disability support;
  • opportunities to develop practice that betters connect staff and student experience in order to provide better insights and workable solutions.

Dr Pickard-Smith has over 20 years’ experience in equity work in education and employment.  She completed her PhD in Education at the University of Manchester in 2016. Kelly currently heads EDI at the Christie NHS Trust, is a co-founder and Director of the professional network and charity Women in Academia Support Network.  Kelly is a Steering group member and the current Secretary of the National Association of Disabled Staff Networks (NADSN).  Kelly grounds her professional practice and research in her lived experience at the intersection of disability, class and gender.

The presentation slides are available here.

Diversity in the curriculum plenary and workshop

On Tuesday, 15 February 2022 staff attended a plenary session and workshop.

The plenary event included academics with experience of diversifying and/or decolonising their curricula in Economics, Politics, Philosophy and Social Anthropology.

The workshop was facilitated by Nicola Scott (BA Econ, UoM) and Soumhya Venkatesan (Social Anthropology) addressing:-

  • Reflections on who are knowledge creators/experts with their discipline, what is their background, what topics are important, and whose lived experiences are represented in research topics and why it is important to do this. Participants began to audit their own curricula using such criteria.
  • Ideas were explored about how to create an equitable learning environment.

Trans Awareness training May 2022

The session provided a non-judgmental space to increase confidence and familiarity around trans issues and to learn how to create a positive experience for trans staff and students. The session covered the basics of trans identities and related terminology alongside practical aspects of trans inclusivity in HE, including pronouns, supporting trans staff and students pastorally and practically, and how to be a good trans ally in the University.

The session included Q&As, including an opportunity to ask anonymous questions.

Dr Kit Heyam delivered the session. Kit is an academic, trans awareness trainer and queer history activist. Since 2015, they have been delivering trans awareness workshops and consultancy at organisations across the UK, specialising in the practical aspects of trans inclusivity in higher education. Their academic research focuses on finding new ways to approach transgressive gender and sexuality in the past, and on inclusive pedagogy.

Presentation slides

The recording is now available in the video portal with subtitles:

 *Further resources recommended by Dr Kit Heyam as part of the staff training session: