Contextual Background
As Climate Advocate Coordinator, I oversee a program that employs and mentors students each year to serve as Climate Advocates. These students work on curriculum co-design projects in collaboration with Program Directors and Course Leaders, embedding climate, racial, and social justice into all courses. In this role, I am responsible for recruiting and training them, providing mentorship, and facilitating their engagement with academic staff.
Evaluation
I have prioritized recruiting a diverse cohort of Climate Advocates, ensuring representation across race, disability, geography, language, gender, LGBTQIA+ identities. This diversity enriches discussions on climate justice, allowing students to challenge assumptions and support each other as critical friends. However, it also creates a complex learning environment requiring me to facilitate spaces that accommodate a wide range of needs. Students face barriers such as language differences, neurodivergence, disabilities, and part-time employment, all shaping their engagement. My role involves balancing these needs while fostering an inclusive space where differences are acknowledged and explored as strengths, rather than seeking a one-size-fits-all approach to accessibility.
Moving forward
To create an inclusive and accessible learning environment, I continuously refine my teaching strategies. A key approach is mapping student needs at the start of the program, allowing me to tailor materials and teaching methods. However, students may not always be aware of their own needs, or these needs may evolve over time. Some may also feel uncomfortable voicing them initially. To address this, I aim to embed regular reassessments and check-ins, creating ongoing opportunities for dialogue. Providing a list of accessibility resources—such as software and tools— (similar to the one Victor shared at the start of the PgCert, which I found incredibly useful). I don’t usually share those tools, but I would like to embed this in a first week induction process.
Reducing heavy written content by integrating visuals, infographics, diagrams, and interactive elements is something I already do, but I’d like to explore more tools like mind maps on Miro or short recorded videos to further support students with dyslexia or language barriers.
I recently attended a workshop on neurodivergence, where facilitators provided fidget toys to help maintain focus. Fidget toys offer a subtle outlet for excess energy, helping neurodivergent students—especially those with ADHD or autism—regulate sensory input and manage anxiety without becoming overstimulated or distracted. I plan to purchase a fidget toy box and implement this in my sessions.
I am also keen to explore alternative learning formats. I already incorporate “walking feedback sessions”, which create a relaxed setting for discussions, particularly beneficial for neurodivergent students. When I was a student in my MA in Social Design, I experienced an impactful “Project Swap” exercise, where we temporarily exchanged projects to provide new ideas and directions. I would like to introduce this in the third term when CAs define their projects, encouraging diverse perspectives and peer collaboration.
Consistency is crucial for accessibility. I currently hold weekly Wednesday sessions, allowing students with part-time jobs or caregiving responsibilities to plan ahead. While this has improved attendance, occasional conflicts remain, so I plan to offer additional one-on-one sessions to those students who can’t join the Weds sessions.
I also embed identity-based exercises, such as object-based learning focus on “belonging”, where students can share where they are from, stories about their cultural background and identity. This is my first year testing these methods, and I have found them highly effective in building a sense of belonging—an approach I am eager to expand.
References
Hooks, B. (2014). Teaching To Transgress. Routledge.
Armstrong, T. (2012). The Power of Neurodiversity: Unleashing the Advantages of Your Differently Wired Brain. Da Capo Lifelong Books.
Sotiropoulou, P. (Peny) and Cranston, S. (2022). Critical friendship: an alternative, ‘care-full’ way to play the academic game. Gender, Place & Culture, pp.1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/0966369x.2022.2069684(Accessed: 10 February 2025)