Embedding belonging into HE curricula | Live Padlet by Kukuczka, Jo

Thinking prompts

jokukuczka4 — 2026-03-09 12:19:45 UTC

Inclusion | What makes a learning activity feel welcoming and accessible to everyone in the room?

Mattering | How can activities signal to students that their contributions and perspectives genuinely matter?

Connection | Which activities create real relationships - not just task completion - between students?

Empowerment | Where could students have more genuine ownership over how they learn?

Thinking prompts

jokukuczka4 — 2026-03-09 12:27:27 UTC

Inclusion | How can assessments work for students with different backgrounds, needs, and ways of knowing?

Mattering | How does your feedback make students feel their work - and effort - is seen and valued?

Connection | Where does assessment create space for collaboration, dialogue, or peer input?

Empowerment | What meaningful choices could students have in how they are assessed?

Thinking prompts

jokukuczka4 — 2026-03-09 12:30:11 UTC

Inclusion | Whose knowledge and ways of knowing are visible in your ILOs?

Mattering | How do your ILOs signal that students' diverse experiences are an asset, not a gap?

Connection | How could ILOs open space for relational or collaborative modes of learning?

Empowerment | How do your ILOs support students to take ownership of their own learning journey?

Start here

jokukuczka4 — 2026-03-10 12:23:21 UTC

To begin, familiarise yourself with:

WIHEA Building belonging toolkit
Embedding belonging in the curriculum RESOURCE (attached here)

Post your examples & ideas below

jokukuczka4 — 2026-03-10 12:26:23 UTC

When you ready, explore the learning activities, assessment, and ILOs prompts below. Post your thoughts/examples/ideas in the relevant rows. Share your disciplinary context (e.g. #Arts).

Quiz

jokukuczka4 — 2026-03-11 14:29:19 UTC

timed quiz might exclude as well as include

#Arts

One size does NOT fit all

jokukuczka4 — 2026-03-11 14:30:58 UTC

options are a must for belonging (e.g., seminar instruction: "complete this task by yourself or with a partner - you pick")

Share the session plan

jokukuczka4 — 2026-03-11 14:32:54 UTC

Some students might appreciate knowing what will happen in the seminar before it happens. This can make them feel the module convenor thought about them when designing the session.

Time for prep

jokukuczka4 — 2026-03-11 14:34:37 UTC

Student: "when a tutor emails me an hour before the seminar with a task, it does not make me feel like I belong, I become an afterthought"

Explicit rationale behind assessment

jokukuczka4 — 2026-03-11 14:37:02 UTC

and how it links to skills and knowledge students need (and know they need) for their success now and in future - is key. When they're told why it's an essay or exam, and that rationale explains and justifies the assessment, and they can see its relevance - that helps them feel they belong, they matter, they've been included.

Peer feedback

jokukuczka4 — 2026-03-11 14:37:50 UTC

when done well - helps build sense of belonging

#Arts

Choice in assessment

jokukuczka4 — 2026-03-11 14:40:35 UTC

Even if it is impossible to add an alternative to an essay, for example, at least giving an option of: "You can choose or suggest your own topic, or go for a topic from the list" is supporting the sense of belonging

#Arts

the same assessment format throughout the programme might exclude

jokukuczka4 — 2026-03-11 14:44:50 UTC

Rigid, the same assessment format (essay or exam) across all (or most) modules on the programme feels repetitive, not constructive. Some students may feel it's designed to make the tutors' lives easier, not designed for students to actually grow.

different formats of assessment and feedback

jokukuczka4 — 2026-03-11 14:47:25 UTC

The same content can be assessed via: essay (written/oral), blog/vlog, podcast, etc. Unless it's the specific skills (e.g., specifically essay writing skills) that's assessed - then a podcast won't make it. But if the essay writing skills were assessed once or twice, do they need to be assessed again? #Arts

the more personalised feedback the better

jokukuczka4 — 2026-03-11 14:50:02 UTC

Students: "use my name, tell me what I did well and why it's good, and tell me what I need to work on, why, and how can I go about it. Do not give me two sentences or two pages - but enough that I can know where I am with my learning and what I need to do next. Connect my feedback to previous and forthcoming assessment if possible."

authentic assessment

jokukuczka4 — 2026-03-11 14:51:16 UTC

Students are thinking about jobs after university - the closer the assessment can bring them to the 'real thing' the better - the more they'll feel they belong

ILOs must connect to the real world and needs of students

jokukuczka4 — 2026-03-11 14:54:51 UTC

If it is analysis that they'll need in their future work, 'analyse' must feature in the ILOs, if it is presenting information, 'present' must be there, if it is creation 'creation'. Any ILO with 'select' in it will signal choices and options - this will help with belonging.

Taking ownership of own learning

jokukuczka4 — 2026-03-11 14:55:46 UTC

ILOs must create opportunities for students to take ownership of their own learning

collaborate or consult

jokukuczka4 — 2026-03-11 14:57:08 UTC

these verbs in the ILOs might create space for belonging, and specifically, inclusion and mattering.