WS G - Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion at conferences and in research

• Session: 00 SES 0.5 WS G: Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion at conferences and in research
• Time: 9:15 - 11:45
• Facilitator: Nicole Brown
• Pre-registration NOT required
• To bring with you: Laptop and your own presentation that will be presented during ECER 2024

This workshop is aimed at all members of the academy so they may gain confidence in developing more accessible practices in carrying out and disseminating research.

Over the past few years, academia has become more consciously aware of the need for fairer approaches to delivering research and conferences (e.g. Irish, 2020; Walters, 2019; Brown et al., 2018) and its own role in fostering equality, diversity, and inclusion, with EDI strategies and initiatives springing up continually. However, academics, researchers, as well as conference and events organisers often feel overwhelmed when it comes to implementing such strategies (Brown, 2021) and putting into practice activist demands.

This hands-on, interactive workshop offers delegates the opportunity to practically engage with ways and measures to make their own research practices more inclusive and accessible for all.

Considering all phases of the research, and drawing on our own experiences in and with research, we will examine what it means to foster Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion in data collection, analysis and dissemination. Delegates will experiment with alternative forms of data collection and analysis, whilst also considering their own circumstances as researchers needing to guarantee their own safety and wellbeing. When exploring accessible research dissemination, delegates will have the opportunity to put their learning into practice immediately during the ECER Nicosia conference by considering good microphone etiquette, and/or colour schemes for slides, for example.

In line with the pedagogical principles of social constructivism the course is delivered as a mixture of interactive group tasks, discussions and mini-lectures to enable active and experiential learning.

References
Brown, N. (2021). Lived Experiences of Ableism in Academia: Strategies for Inclusion in Higher Education. Bristol University Press.

Brown, N., Thompson, P., & Leigh, J. S. (2018). Making academia more accessible. Journal of Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice, 6(2).

Irish, J. E. (2020). Increasing participation: Using the principles of universal design to create accessible conferences. Journal of Convention & Event Tourism, 21(4). pp. 308-330.

Walters, T. (2019). A tripartite approach to accessibility, diversity, and inclusion in academic conferences. In: Finkel, R., Sharp, B., & Sweeney, M. (eds.). Accessibility, Inclusion, and Diversity in Critical Event Studies. Routledge. pp. 230-241.