Tuesday 21st May 2024
9:30am - 3:20pm
Virtual Conference
This implementation-led conference will support your teaching and support staff to explore practical solutions for enhancing outcomes for neurodivergent students in your university.
Participants will gain expert insight on advancing teaching delivery, optimising digital learning and designing an inclusive learning environment.
Through deep-dive workshops and leading case studies, your team will explore how to audit provision, the tools for co-production, designing impactful assessment and the next steps for placing neurodiversity at the heart of your student success agenda.
Objectives
Develop an action plan for embedding neurodiversity into your student success agenda
Audit your existing teaching provision and how to advance inclusive pedagogy
Gain practical solutions on enhancing digital accessibility
Explore how to design and deliver a neurodiverse inclusive learning environment
Headline Speakers
Professor Finola Farrant
Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences
Arden University
Dr Asiya Khan
Associate Professor of Multimedia Communication and Intelligent Control
University of Plymouth
Dr Meg Kiseleva
Systematic Reviewer
Cardiff University
Giorgia Pigato
Education and Recognition Adviser
Queen Mary University of London
Agenda
9:30 am
Chair’s Welcome Address
Dr Sarah Hopp
Student Disability and Neurodiversity Manager
City, University of London (CONFIRMED)
9:40 am
An Action Plan for Embedding Neurodiversity into Your Student Success Agenda
Developing system-wide solutions for addressing barriers to success for neurodivergent students
The building blocks for universal design that supports an accessible environment for neurodivergent students
Equipping teaching staff with the pedagogical tools to enhance outcomes
Developing an environment that supports disclosure and allows student services to offer tailored support
Solutions on breaking the link between neurodivergence and non-continuation
Professor Finola Farrant
Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences
Arden University (CONFIRMED)
10:10 am
“A World that was Not Made for Us”: Understanding the Views and Needs of Neurodiverse Students
Exploring the outcomes from a study of neurodivergent students in the report “An Asset, Not a Problem”, this session will take a deep-dive into the views of students and how universities should be responding. The session will explore:
Transitions across the university lifecycle and barriers for neurodivergent students
Support needs in adapting to university life and where provision is falling short
Obstacles to social connections and belonging
Proposals for enhancing the experience for neurodiverse students
Luke van der Kooij
Regional Student Support Manager for Scotland and North
Unite Students (CONFIRMED)
10:30 am
Break and Networking
10:50 am
Enhancing Teaching Delivery for Neurodivergent Students
This session will offer a deep-dive to allow your team to assess if it is supporting a learning environment that allows to neurodivergent students to succeed. The session will consider how delivery can be enhanced and solutions for optimising your course. The audit will question:
How are resources visualised and distributed?
What is the approach to delivery and interaction and how can this be adapted?
Are students provided with learning options that meet their needs?
How are instructions and expectations managed?
What is the approach to navigation, appearance and structure?
Do assessment methods allow neurodiverse students to fully demonstrate their skills and understanding?
How are feedback mechanisms utilised to explore understanding and the quality of teaching?
Dr Ada Adeghe
Associate Dean, Inclusivity
University of Wolverhampton (CONFIRMED)
11:30 am
A Toolkit for Digital Accessibility: Steps for Enhancement
A practical session focussed on steps you can take to improve the accessibility of your content and resources. This session will introduce you to some core concepts for accessible content design and point you in the direction of great resources to help you develop your skills. The session will touch on:
Does your content match needs on visibility, readability and audibility?
How are resources structured and formatted?
Are your digital resources compatible with text to speech software?
How to develop options and alternatives that reflect diverse needs
How can we optimise the devices of students to support accessible learning?
Is use of colour and contrast suitable for neurodivergent students?
What are the tools to check on accessibility standards and support improvements?
George Rhodes
Digital Accessibility Team Lead, University of Westminster
Chair, London Higher Education Digital Accessibility Working Group (CONFIRMED)
12:20 pm
Break and Networking
1:00 pm
Neurodiversity@Northumbria: Creating Culture Change around Neurodiversity through Multi-Partner Collaboration and Co-Creation
This session will explore how multi-partner collaboration between faculties, centralised support services, and neurodivergent students has created a culture change around neurodiversity at Northumbria University. The session will take a look at:
The law faculty enhancement project – A Place for Us
The development of a Neurodiversity@Northumbria resource toolkit housing a multi-media suite of signposting, co-created resources, student experiences, and student-led events and training on neurodiverse conditions
Student and staff buy-in and feedback on Neurodiversity@Northumbria as a concept and next steps
Case study of the Autism Transition Event – A story of successes
Jean Moore
SpLD Academic Tutor
Northumbria University (CONFIRMED)
Dr Elisabeth Griffiths
Associate Professor
Northumbria University (CONFIRMED)
Joss Barrowcliff
Accessibility Coordinator
Northumbria University (CONFIRMED)
1:30 pm
Designing Inclusive Education for Neurodivergent Students
Components of neurodiverse-friendly design
Desirable difficulties vs discriminatory practices
Approaches to assessment formats and embedding flexibility
Students as partners to drive inclusive practice: a Queen Mary case study
What’s next?
Giorgia Pigato
Education and Recognition Adviser
Queen Mary University of London (CONFIRMED)
Break and Networking
2:00 pm
2:20 pm
Co-Producing Systemic Inclusion with Students
Working with neurodivergent students to design a toolkit of inclusion in course delivery and employment goals
What does ‘systemic inclusion’ look like and how can it be achieved?
Developing an approach to an inclusive culture across all touchpoints of a department
Embracing neurodiversity as an asset for creativity and innovation within teaching
Dr Asiya Khan
Associate Professor of Multimedia Communication and Intelligent Control
University of Plymouth (CONFIRMED)
2:50 pm
The Transition to Employment for Neurodivergent Students: What Needs to Change?
The challenges facing neurodivergent employees in the workplace
Exploring barriers on disclosure and reasonable adjustments in the workforce
How universities can prepare neurodivergent students for work
Supporting students on raising questions and challenging employers on neurodiversity
Dr Meg Kiseleva
Systematic Reviewer
Cardiff University (CONFIRMED)
3:20 pm
Conference Close
* Programme subject to change
Audience
Those in attendance will include:
Heads of Digital Education
Digital Accessibility Team Leads
Digital Learning Developers
Digital Practice Managers
Lecturers and Teaching Staff
Directors of Teaching and Learning
Heads of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Heads of Department
Heads of Disability and Neurodiversity
Heads of Student Services
Heads of Student Success
Pricing
Public Sector
£345 + VAT
Attendance to Neurodiversity in HE
Private Sector
£395 + VAT
Attendance to Neurodiversity in HE
HE Professional
£395 + VAT
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