Trinity-INC Student Partner Programme
An Inclusive Curriculum in Trinity can only be achieved with the involvement of students from communities who are commonly underrepresented in Higher Education and/or often face the most barriers to their learning.
The Trinity-INC Student Partner Programme is a student-as-partner initiative involving Trinity students from all walks of life and communities which are commonly underrepresented and/or disadvantaged in HE, from across the nine grounds of equality (gender, Travelling Community, disability etc.) and others, e.g. socio economic circumstances, caregiving responsibilities, homelessness, etc.
Following on from a summer workshop series in 2021, the Trinity-INC Student Partner Committee was formed comprising 20+ Trinity students. The role of the Committee is to work with the Trinity-INC team to raise awareness of experiences of inclusion and exclusion within curricula at Trinity, and inform the direction of Trinity-INC project, including training for teaching and learning staff. Involvement includes monthly meetings, workshops and training opportunities; is flexible to students' schedule; and students are paid the living wage for their contribution. Interested in learning more or taking part? Contact Sean, our Student Partner Liaison Officer, on trinityinc@tcd.ie
Trinity-INC Ongoing Student Consultations
Trinity Student - We would like to speak with you!
As you know, Trinity-INC is tasked with embedding inclusivity, equality and diversity into the curriculum, so that all students feel represented and engaged within Trinity. Our door is always open to listen to students' realities.
We want to hear from students in Trinity - undergraduate, postgraduate, PhD / part-time and full-time - from communities which can be underrepresented or face barriers in higher education (for example, race, ethnicity, Traveller Community, LGBTQ+, gender, disability, etc), as well as those with additional responsibilities and/or challenges, e.g. student parents, socio-economic disadvantage. We understand diversity takes many forms and is often intersectional in nature, so these are only examples.
We're available on Zoom/Teams, and will work with you to arrange a time that suits you. We're always here to answer any questions you may have also. Get in touch with Sean Adderley, Trinity-INC Student Partner Liaison Officer, on trinityinc@tcd.ie
Student Perspectives in Inclusive Teaching and Learning
In a recent workshop, our Student Partners reflected on learning in Trinity during COVID-19. We asked them to consider 1. Trinity’s response during COVID-19 lockdown / restrictions, and 2. Trinity’s transition back to full capacity / hybrid models. While each of the students had their own personal experiences, there were also many common positives as well as negatives. The students also had suggestions for how Trinity could move forward in the current transition / hybrid space.
Trinity-INC Summer Student Partner Programme June-September 2021
The Trinity-INC Summer Student Partner Programme involved 18 Trinity students from all walks of life and communities, which are commonly underrepresented and/or disadvantaged, across the nine grounds of equality (gender, Travelling Community, disability etc.) and other circumstances, e.g. socio economic background, caregiving responsibilities, homelessness, etc. They took part in a series of workshops covering key terminology, concepts and theories regarding inclusivity within the curriculum and exploring their own experience of inclusion, and exclusion, within the teaching and learning experience in Trinity. Students were paid the living wage for their involvement.
The aims of the Summer Student Partner Programme were:
- To engage collaboratively with students to inform and shape Trinity-INC’s work through the Student Partner Programme commencing in the 2021-2022 academic year
- To introduce students to language, terminology and concepts around inclusivity, and inclusive curriculum;
- To hear and learn from students’ experiences through workshops, discussions and material development, and to present these a showcase event in September 2021.
Student Materials
#InclusiveTrinity Festival 2022 Poster Exhibition
As part of the #InclusiveTrinity Festival 2022, students from across College, including our very own Trinity-INC Student Partners, developed posters focusing on many different aspects of inclusion, diversity, and accessibility. Take a look!
Making Trinity a Place for Everyone | a Student Perspective
As part of the Trinity Inclusive Curriculum Summer Student Partner Programme, we looked at the Universal Design for Learning Framework (AHEAD, 2017). This handbook draws on the UDL Framework to offer teachers and staff suggestions of actions that can be taken to enhance different aspects of college life.
Mature Student Perspectives | Survey
Martin Doolan and Jimi Donohoe heard from 21 Mature Students about their perspectives on inclusion within the curriculum at Trinity College Dublin. They asked questions including: "As a mature student, do you feel that the curricula set by lecturers are sufficiently inclusive of you?" Here are a few insights into what the students told them.
How to be a Trans* ally in the classroom | Poster
Alex Siekmann, Sarah Lawler and River Gilles Cooke from QSoc developed this poster to guide teaching staff on how to respond sensitively and appropriately to Trans* students. Key message: it’s ok to make mistakes, what’s key is to catch yourself, apologise, and continue on! Scan the QR code on the poster for alternative formats and further information, or see the Plain text version below.
Inclusivity in Trinity from a Black Muslim perspective | Podcast
This podcast by Amirah Ayeinde and Zainab Kareem deals with issues regarding race and microaggressions in Trinity that can result in students from diverse backgrounds feeling excluded, ‘othered’, and can subsequently result in lack of self esteem. We use our personal experiences to try and open the eyes of a listener to the unfortunate reality that many of us face on a daily basis. See Audio Transcript below.
Traditional Academic Practice vs An Inclusive Academic Practice - A Case in the Court of Diversity and Inclusion
In this poster, Fadilah Salawu, Law student, presents the "case", concluding with suggestions for a greater focus on interactive learning, a teaching practice and content that inclusively reflects the diverse social backgrounds of students, maintaining the accessibility advantages of online learning post-COVID, creating safe spaces to address the concerns and needs of every learner, and a shared sense of care for student morale and mental health, with higher consideration of student needs through greater avenues for communication and feedback.
Mind the Gap
In this poster, Husna Yassin, Trinity-INC Student Partner and a Trinity Health Science Student, highlights the need to incorporate depictions of dermatologic conditions on skins of colour. This increases student knowledge of how skin conditions can present differently across skin colours, preparing them to treat patients from all walk of life.
Accessible Reading List
English Student, Alice Payne, provided advice on how to create an accessible reading list.
Students with Hidden Burdens
The Meaningfulness of Diversity among Teaching Staff - a Student Perspective
Exploring Student Inclusion using a Mid-Term Module Evaluation Form
Suggestion from Navika Mehta for the Trinity Inclusive Curriculum Project Summer Student Partner Programme 2021
Students do not have a stake in filling out end of module surveys - due to lack of incentive and interest. Furthermore, waiting for feedback until the end of the module means lecturers may not be aware until much later if there is something they could change during the module that could make a huge difference to some students.
By carrying out a module interim feedback process, you can understand the inclusivity needs of students in real time. It can be flexible in terms of when and how you want to organise it.
Flexibility of the survey: The format is entirely up to the lecturer – it can be in-person/zoom using smaller focus groups conducted by TAs, it can be a quick online survey, it can be in the form of an informal assignment e.g. – “max. 500 words on inclusivity in relation to this module”?
Fair is not always equal
In this poster, Kristen Anderson, a student from the Trinity School of Medicine, highlights the differences and importance of equity and justice over equality in a system which seeks to address the needs of all.
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What does inclusion mean to you? (TCPID)
We asked the students from the Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities (TCPID) what inclusion meant to them. Check out the poster below to see some of their responses.
