Inclusive learning strategies at university: the perspective of Spanish faculty members from different knowledge areas ( Estrategias de aprendizaje inclusivo en la universidad: la perspectiva del profesorado español de distintas áreas de conocimiento )
Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online June, 2022
Inclusive learning strategies at university: the perspective of Spanish faculty members from different knowledge areas ( Estrategias de aprendizaje inclusivo en la universidad: la perspectiva del profesorado español de distintas áreas de conocimiento )
This paper explores the most effective methodological strategies used by inclusive faculty from different knowledge areas to ensure that all students learn and succeed in their courses. A qualitative study was carried out and interviews were held with 119 Spanish faculty members from arts and humanities, STEM, health sciences, social and legal sciences and education sciences. The results are presented by knowledge area, followed by an analysis of the differences and similarities between them. The findings reveal that, despite belonging to different disciplines, inclusive faculty members use similar methodological strategies that welcome all students and do not differentiate in their practice between students with and without disabilities. The findings also indicate that faculty use a variety of methodological strategies, with active and participatory ones being considered most effective. This study shows that the methodological strategies that are effective for students in general are also effective for those with disabilities.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BainK. (2004). What the best college teachers do. Harvard University Press.
2.
BanduraA. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Prentice Hall.
3.
BarabS. A.KirshnerD. (2009). Guest editors’ introduction: Rethinking methodology in the learning sciences. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 10(1–2), 5–15. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327809JLS10-1–2_2
4.
BarringtonE. (2004). Teaching to student diversity in higher education: How Multiple Intelligence Theory can help. Teaching in Higher Education, 9(4), 421–434. https://doi.org/10.1080/1356251042000252363
5.
CarballoR.OrozcoI.Cortés-VegaM. D. (2021). Inclusive pedagogy in Health Sciences Spanish faculties: Educational resources and methodologies for all students. Health & Social Care In The Community, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.13274
6.
CassidyR.AhmadA. (2021). Evidence for conceptual change in approaches to teaching. Teaching in Higher Education, 26(5), 742–758. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2019.1680537
7.
CAST. (2011). Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines: Full text representation. Version 2.0. Center for Applied Special Technology.
8.
ClémentF.DukesD. (2017). Social appraisal and social referencing: Two components of affective social learning. Emotion Review, 9(3), 253–261. https://doi.org/10.1177/1754073916661634
9.
CohenL.ManionL.MorrisonK. (2000). Research methods in education. Routledge/Falmer.
10.
Currin-PercivalM.GulahmadS. (2020). Adapting experiential learning opportunities: A political science research methods course case study. Journal of Political Science Education, 17(1), 311–325. https://doi.org/10.1080/15512169.2020.1713800
11.
Darling-HammondL.OakesM. (2019). Preparing teachers for deeper learning. Harvard Education Press.
12.
DebsL.MillerK. D.AshbyI.ExterM. (2019). Students’ perspectives on different teaching methods: Comparing innovative and traditional courses in a technology program. Research in Science & Technological Education, 37(3), 297–323. https://doi.org/10.1080/02635143.2018.1551199
13.
EadensD. W.EadensD. M.LantermanC. (2021). Disabling injustice in the higher education classroom. In MullenC. A. (Ed.), Handbook of social justice interventions in education (pp. 1–25). Springer.
Fernández-GámezM. A.Guzmán-SánchezP.Molina-GómezJ.Mercade-MeleP. (2021). Innovative interventions and provisions of accommodations to students with disabilities. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 36(5), 834–843.
16.
FlemingA. R.OertleK. M.PlotnerA. J.HakunJ. G. (2017). Influence of social factors on student satisfaction among college students with disabilities. Journal of College Student Development, 58(2), 215–228. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2017.0016
17.
FraserS. P. (2016). Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK): Exploring its usefulness for science lecturers in higher education. Research in Science Education, 46(1), 141–161. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-014-9459-1
18.
GrossmanP. (1990). The making of a teacher. Teachers College.
19.
HagenauerG.VoletS. E. (2014). Teacher–student relationship at university: An important yet under-researched field. Oxford Review of Education, 40(3), 370–388. https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2014.921613
20.
HeblesM.Yániz-álvarez-de-eulateC.Alonso-Dos-SantosM.Villardón-GallegoL. (2021). Towards a cooperative learning environment in universities through in-service training. Sustainability, 13(3), 1112. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031112
KolbD. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Prentice Hall.
23.
KonstantinouI.MillerE. (2020). Investigating work-integrated learning and its relevance to skills development in degree apprenticeships. Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, 10(5), 767–781. https://doi.org/10.1108/HESWBL-05-2020-0112
24.
LiH.LinJ.WuH.LiZ.HanM. (2021). “How do I survive exclusion?” Voices of students with disabilities at China’s top universities. Children and Youth Services Review, 10, 105738. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105738
25.
LlorentV. J.ZychI.Varo-MillánJ.-C. (2020). University academic personnel’s vision of inclusive education in Spanish universities. Culture and Education, 32(1), 147–181. https://doi.org/10.1080/11356405.2019.1705593
26.
LouiseE.SwartzL. (2020). Integration into higher education: Experiences of disabled students in South Africa. Studies in Higher Education, 47(2), 367–377. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2020.1750581
27.
MeleroN.DomenechA.Cabeza-RuizR. (2020). Beliefs and actions of university lecturers of Sports Sciences and Physical Activity regarding students’ learning motivation. Pedagogika, 137(1), 45–60. https://doi.org/10.15823/p.2020.137.3
28.
MilesM.HubermanA. (1994). Qualitative data analysis. Sage Publications.
29.
MoriñaA. (2019). The keys to learning for university students with disabilities: Motivation, emotion and faculty-student relationships. PLoS ONE, 14(5), 1–15, e0215249. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0215249
30.
MoriñaA. (2020). Faculty members who engage in inclusive pedagogy: Methodological and affective strategies for teaching. Teaching in Higher Education, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2020.1724938
OlesonA.HoraT. (2014). Teaching the way they were taught? Revisiting the sources of teaching knowledge and the role of prior experience in shaping faculty teaching practices. Higher Education, 68(1), 29–45. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-013-9678-9
33.
PostareffL.Lindblom-YlänneS. (2008). Variation in teachers’ descriptions of teaching: Broadening the understanding of teaching in higher education. Learning and Instruction, 18(2), 109–120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2007.01.008
34.
QuinlanK. M. (2016). How emotion matters in four key relationships in teaching and learning in higher education. College Teaching, 64(3), 101–111. https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2015.1088818
35.
RollsN.NorthedgeA.ChambersE. (2018). Successful university teaching in times of diversity. Macmillan.
36.
SagyO.HodY.KaliY. (2019). Teaching and learning cultures in higher education: A mismatch in conceptions. Higher Education Research & Development, 38(4), 849–863. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2019.1576594
37.
Sánchez-DíazM. N.MorgadoB. (2021). Moving toward the Inclusion of University Students with Disabilities: Barriers, Facilitators, and Recommendations Identified by Inclusive Faculty. The Journal of Continuing Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/07377363.2021.1946635
38.
Scarff SeatterC.CeulemansK. (2017). Teaching sustainability in higher education: Pedagogical styles that make a difference. Canadian Journal Higher Education, 47(2), 47–70. https://doi.org/10.47678/cjhe.v47i2.186284
39.
SealeJ.ColwellC.CoughlanT.HeimanT.Kaspi-TsahorD.Olenik-ShemeshD. (2021). ‘Dreaming in colour’: Disabled higher education students’ perspectives on improving design practices that would enable them to benefit from their use of technologies. Education and Information Technologies, 26(2), 1687–1719. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-020-10329-7
40.
ShulmanL. S. (2005). Signature pedagogies in the professions. Daedalus, 134(3), 52–59. https://doi.org/10.1162/0011526054622015
41.
SkinnerB. F. (1953). Science and human behaviour. Free Press.
42.
SvendbyR. (2021). Learning by doing it wrong: An autoethnography inviting critical reflection of lecturers’ disability awareness. Teaching in Higher Education, 26(4), 636–643. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2021.1872528
43.
TombakB.AltunS. (2016). The effect of cooperative learning: University example. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 16(64), 173–196. http://doi.org/10.14689/ejer.2016.64.10
44.
Tremblay-WraggE.RabyC.MénardL.PlanteI. (2019). The use of diversified teaching strategies by four university teachers: What contribution to their students’ learning motivation?Teaching in Higher Education, 26(1), 97–114. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2019.1636221
VygotskyL. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
47.
WilliamsA. E.O’DowdD. K. (2021). Seven practical strategies to add active learning to a science lecture. Neuroscience Letters, 743, 135317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2020.135317
