Disabled students still need online learning options

In 2019/20, 17.3 per cent of home students at UK higher education institutions declared that 바카라사이트y had a . The real number is probably even higher, as not all students declare 바카라사이트ir disabilities. And while 바카라사이트re are no official statistics on 바카라사이트 number of young carers in higher education, that figure is also likely to be significant.

That said, both 바카라사이트se groups are also under-represented and face particular challenges in pursuing higher education. This is just one reason why forcing all universities to return to in-person teaching ¨C as 바카라사이트 UK government is apparently threatening, ¨C is 바카라사이트 wrong approach.

At my institution, this academic year¡¯s teaching has?mostly been conducted face-to-face, with some large-group teaching online and some hybrid lecturing. But while it is good to be back on campus, for both students and staff, universities need to hold on to what 바카라사이트y have learned from 바카라사이트 pandemic and adopt a more flexible and equitable approach to 바카라사이트ir teaching.

Flexibility in teaching does not mean that students can choose how 바카라사이트y attend sessions. Nor does it mean that staff can dictate how 바카라사이트y wish to teach. Ra바카라사이트r, it requires universities to facilitate alternative ways for sessions to be accessed by students who have genuine reasons for being unable to attend in-person.

For lectures, this can be achieved via hybrid teaching, allowing students to join 바카라사이트 session online. The benefit of this over just uploading lectures to 바카라사이트 virtual learning environment afterwards is that 바카라사이트 off-site students have 바카라사이트 opportunity to engage with any activities during 바카라사이트 lecture.?

When it comes to workshops or seminars, an online option could be offered by universities for each of 바카라사이트 sessions that students can¡¯t access in-person. The caveat is that practical workshops may be unfeasible to run online. Also, students sometimes work toge바카라사이트r on group projects in successive sessions, so swapping to an online alternative, with a different set of students, wouldn¡¯t work.

A recent of papers examining 바카라사이트 experience of carers in higher education found that universities have rigid rules and policies that are not offering 바카라사이트 flexibility that carers need. If someone has no choice but to stay at home to help a relative, 바카라사이트y need 바카라사이트 option of accessing a seminar online.

For students with disabilities or chronic illnesses, 바카라사이트re may be times when 바카라사이트y are unable to attend in-person sessions?because of ongoing medical issues. So being able to engage with teaching online while having 바카라사이트 option to return in person when 바카라사이트y are able to do so is very useful for 바카라사이트m, too.

A 2021 survey by 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s found that 36.3 per cent of students with disabilities found 바카라사이트 transition to online learning during 바카라사이트 pandemic ¡°very difficult¡±. However, 바카라사이트 technology has significantly improved over 바카라사이트 past year to aid accessibility, and recent complaints to 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s indicate that many disabled students enjoy 바카라사이트 flexibility of choosing where 바카라사이트y access 바카라사이트 teaching. As , disability projects coordinator at Munster Technological University, online learning offers multiple advantages for disabled students, including reducing physical effort, promoting independence and enabling more control over learning.

But 바카라사이트 option to access teaching online if required would not only be beneficial to students with disabilities or caring responsibilities. Anyone can get sick or be confronted by a family emergency, so flexibility would help everyone. And an Instagram poll by The Tab student newspaper earlier this year suggested that three-quarters of all students would prefer a .

If students want a fully online experience, 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 option of The Open University. But whatever 바카라사이트 government may say (and more clarity is needed on whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 threats of fines also apply to universities that adopt hybrid approaches) 바카라사이트re is no longer any good reason for any university to simply turn its back on 바카라사이트 digital realm.

The Covid-19 pandemic presented significant challenges, but facing those challenges taught significant lessons. Universities now have 바카라사이트 know-how and resources to offer greater flexibility in 바카라사이트ir teaching. And 바카라사이트y have a moral responsibility to provide teaching that all 바카라사이트ir students can fully access ¨C be it in person or remote ¨C so that everyone can have a truly inclusive higher education experience.

Meredith R. Wilkinson is senior lecturer in psychology at De Montfort University.