CULTURE, DIVERSITY AND RESPECT

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CULTURE, DIVERSITY AND RESPECT

• Induction session
• 12.30 13.00
• Friday 17 April 2009

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• TARGET AUDIENCE
• All staff who will be members of the Campus
  community.
• AIM OF SESSION
• Participants will have learnt how the Scottish
  borders Campus aims to promote a culture which
  values and respects diversity, and some
  implications for themselves.
• OBJECTIVES
• to offer a definition of culture in the
  educational context
• to highlight the range of diversity which will
  exist on Campus
• to identify implications for peoples attitudes
  and behaviours
• to explain processes being put in place.

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CULTURE IN AN EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY
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WHAT DOES CULTURE LOOK AND FEEL LIKE?
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HOW DO EDUCATIONAL CULTURES DEVELOP?
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• Hopkins (2003) argued that it is not enough for
  educational
• institutions to simply debate values these
  need to become
• explicit. To paraphrase his view-
• The important point is that each (educational
  institution)
• should articulate their own values position
  appropriate to the
• context within which they operate, and the
  broad focus on
• student learning and achievement. Simply
  discussing values
• in some abstract way is sufficient. Values
  need to be translated
• into criteria and principles, and form a way in
  which teachers
• and students behave. This ............
  provides the school with a
• clear sense of direction and purpose............
  ..........

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DIVERSITY ON SCOTTISH BORDERS CAMPUS
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• The Scottish Borders Campus will be unique
  nationally in embracing a huge range of diversity
  within the shared campus facilities and across
  the FE-HE spectrum. For example
• significant numbers of learners who are children
  (under 16)
• large numbers of learners requiring Duty of
  Care (up to 18)
• significant numbers of learners with a very wide
  range of
• learning and physical disabilities some
  complex and profound
• large population of part time and mature
  students
• students from many countries, worldwide, e.g
  Malaysia, France,
• India, Pakistan, Syria
• many languages, religions and beliefs
• various sexual orientations
• students from very different social, economic
  and academic
• backgrounds
• staff accustomed to prior work settings,
  cultures and regimes

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A CULTURE WHICH UPHOLDS RESPECT FOR
DIVERSITY Some implications for staff
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• We can choose to comply with legislation which
  protects groups
• from discrimination (cover ourselves).
  Alternatively we can
• adopt values, beliefs and behaviours which
  actively promote an
• accepting, valuing and respectful campus
  community (create a
• culture).
• If you decide to elect for the second option,
  some things worth doing are
• Dont walk past offensive or abusive behaviour
• Make sure others understand that discrimination
  is serious
• misconduct on this campus
• Model the attitudes and behaviour expected of
  others in this
• community
• Challenge people (staff or students) who make
  racist, homophobic, sexist, sectarian remarks or
  jokes
• Help students understand and respect diversity
  through their projects, course work and
  citizenship activities
• TALK TO EVERYONE!

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PROCESSES BEING PUT IN PLACE
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• A joint College University Student Associations
  social event planned for the end of April
• Capability Scotland providing joint seminars on
  Disability Awareness before the summer for staff
  and students
• An ongoing Respecting Diversity campaign will
  feature regular events on campus
• A Scottish Borders Campus Respectful Community
  Statement is being finalised
• A campus Respectful at Work and Study policy
  and guidelines being completed

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ACHIEVING A CAMPUS WHERE THE CULTURE RESPECTS
AND VALUES DIVERSITY IS EVERYBODYS
RESPONSIBILITY