Asif Sadiq’s TEDs Talk was really interesting and talks about the trouble with EDI training and learning. As part of my role at UAL I have to do a lot of EDI training and staff development which I always thought it was a tickbox exercise. As a neurodivergent person myself, I find that I struggle to take in and retain all the information. As part of the training, especially on E-Learning module on Canvas, there was a lot of policies and theory involved which I understand that they are important to know but I didn’t feel that helped me to understand the lived experiences.
Reading Café was a book club at LCC, where staff members, mainly from the Professional Services, were invited to join and read EDI subject related books. Every term we came together to discuss the chosen book and talk about subjects that we might not felt comfortable to discuss in a different setting. I have to mention that the the main principal of the book club was to create a safe space for uncomfortable conversations with no judgement. Through storytelling, we were able to explore EDI subjects and learn through lived experiences. “Experiences are powerful. This is how we learn” (Sadiq, 2023). Storytelling is a powerful tool and it can be accessible and inclusive way of learning.
Films have always been a powerful form of storytelling. Ali Aksu notes that “In a world grappling with complex challenges, it is crucial for the film industry to take responsibility for the narratives it shares” (Aksu, 2023). The shift to impact-oriented storytelling has the potential to inspire change and raise awareness. Aksu mentions that filmmakers should prioritise authenticity, collaborate with people and organisations that the can provide valuable insights and access to resources and real-life stories. Filmmakers should focus on representation and diversity and their goal should be to educate and create engagement. (Aksu, 2023)
When you learn about subjects like race, discrimination and prejudices, it has to come from a diverse perspective. Sadiq mentions that EDI training is biased, not always diverse, is built with stereotypes and is not inclusive. (Sadiq,2023) He also mentions that we have to look into what we learned at school where we didn’t learn things from a diverse perspective but more from a biased one.
There has been a lot of talks and work on decolonising the curriculum which is really important. Students would be able to have access to diverse resources, perspectives and opinions. They would also be able to learn about and from people who they can identify with. However, we should look into diversifying the academic body but also the people in strategic positions who make the decisions as they would be able to support students in a more understanding and inclusive approach.
Self-led learning is also really important. Through the PGCert workshop as part of the Inclusive Practices unit there were a lot of times that made me want to look deeper into the areas that we talked about. I also learned to be more comfortable around uncomfortable conversations and hear from so many different perspectives. I felt that these kinds of conversation were a lot more informative that any EDI training and staff development that I’ve been involved with.
References:
Aksu, A. (2023) How the film industry can focus toward impact-oriented storytelling, Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2023/07/13/how-the-film-industry-can-shift-toward-impact-oriented-storytelling/ (Accessed: 1 August 2024)
Chanel 4 Entertainment (2020) Heartbreaking Moment When Kids Learn About White Privilege | The School That Tried to End Racism, 30 June, Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I3wJ7pJUjg (Accessed: 1 August 2024)
Muldon, J. (2019) Academics: it’s time to get behind decolonising the curriculum, Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/mar/20/academics-its-time-to-get-behind-decolonising-the-curriculum
TEDx Talks (2023) Decolonising the Curriculum | Feizah Bhatti | TEDxNottinghamGirlsGDST, 8 June, Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3KSRbdlWcw (Accessed: 28 June 2024)
TEDx Talks (2023), Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Learning how to get it right | Asif Sadiq | TEDxCroydon, 2 March Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HR4wz1b54hw (Accessed: 1 August 2024)
The Telegraph (2022) Revealed: The charity turning UK universities woke, 5 August, Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRM6vOPTjuU (Accessed: 1 August 2024)
Trinity University (2016) Challenging Race, Religion , and Stereotypes in Classroom, 1 December, Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CAOKTo_DOk (Accessed: 28 June 2024)