Regional institutions with online options attract people from diverse backgrounds, abilities, caring situations, and geographical locations. The cohort often contains people experiencing barriers to completing their studies. Student-directed teaching and learning strategies that address accessibility barriers can help people complete their studies. This presentation explains how a Charles Sturt University social work intensive pilot provided a more equitable skills-based learning opportunity, focusing on positive interactions, engagement, trust, and respect.
The aim of this presentation is to reimagine and rethink skills-based learning and to share themes from:
i) A scoping literature review that addressed the question: What does the literature published since 2019 say about how educational institutions can maximise inclusion, equity and accessibility to intensives for social work skills-based learning?
ii) A focus group research project that addressed the question: From the perspective of the person studying social work, how can face-to-face skills-based intensives be designed to celebrate differences and maximise inclusion and accessibility?
(i) A scoping literature review was undertaken to map the extent, range and nature of the literature on this topic.
(ii) A focus group was undertaken to hear the perceptions of people attending a skills-based satellite intensive.
The scoping literature review shows that minimal data exists about effective ways social work practice skills are taught and learned. This is even though accessibility barriers to studying are a dominant theme, particularly for people experiencing multiple marginalisations, such as poverty and isolation. As a result, the literature encourages educators to: radically reimagine and rethink intensives, embrace innovation, consider how the barriers can be addressed so that people can engage and complete studies, and move beyond the numerous debates over how to address the barriers such as regarding online versus face-to-face delivery of skills-based teaching.
Our focus group research shows that providing people with the option of satellite intensives in locations with CSU campuses improved accessibility, responsiveness, and affordability for both the intensive participants and those for whom they care. Participants in the pilot particularly appreciated the sense of community that emerged in a smaller cohort, the opportunity to connect with place and country, and the focus on kindness that prompted their well-being and life balance.
The people studying who participated in the pilot had considered changing universities or delaying their studies due to the accessibility barriers they were experiencing. However, the research shows that applying universal design principles and engaging a pedagogy and theology of kindness can encourage retention and inclusion. People from diverse backgrounds, abilities, caring situations, and geographical locations can feel less anxious about their studies and experience a sense of belonging to their regional university.
Engaging in satellite intensives that are purposefully designed to be flexible and respectful and overcome barriers to study can help people remain in their courses, feel more connected to their regional university, and achieve their study and career dreams.
