Activity Four -Access & equity, diversity & inclusivity (part 1)

I have been reading around the topic of Universal Design and inclusiveness in learning particularly with relevance to my own situation as a facilitator and with regards to the students I work with. To me Universal Design and inclusiveness in learning mean designing courses of study which, from the initial conception of the idea for each specific paper in the course, takes into consideration the ability of individual students to not only access the whole course but considers different ways they may participate to demonstrate learning in each paper. The aim/hope is that courses designed in this way would enable the programme to be accessible by learners who would previously not have considered themselves able to complete.

For example, in midwifery we need far more midwives who identify as being Maori or Pacific than are currently in practice. We have approximately 13,500 babies being born in NZ per year identified as being Maori. 12,500 of these babies are being born without a midwife of the same culture present. Is this an issue? Well, it is if you are Maori or Pacific. The issue is not about whether or not midwives of other cultures are able to provide care to Maori  and Pacific women and their families. The issue is about choice and the choice to have a midwife of the same culture providing your care to ensure the care you receive is appropriate and optimal for you and your family.

So how do we encourage more Maori and Pacific women to apply for our midwifery programme? The programme is a blended learning model which enables flexibility for the learner eg, they no longer need to move themselves and their families to Dunedin to study for three years as the programme comes to them via Elluminates, Moodle modules accessed online, Intensive blocks and Satellite groups, plus they have clinical placements in their geographical area.There is an acaedemic standard for level of entry into the programme. There is a National Midwifery Exam all students must successfully pass at the completion of the degree programme if they wish to gain entry to the Register of Midwives and take up a Practising Certificate in order to practise as a midwife. Each paper in the programme has assessments which must be successfully completed. There is flexibility throughout the programme in that there is a variety of assessments throughout the papers (but not all these types of assessments are available in each paper) eg MCQ, group presentations, exams, acaedemic essays, presenting a representation to illistrate a topic. There is also the ability to access learning support for any student.

There has been an increase in the number of Maori and Pacific students enrolling in the programme. As these students work their way through the programme their success or otherwise is monitored -as with every student. What variables affect their success? These will be looked at in part 2 of this posting.