Inclusions In Spaces Research Articles

Putting Inclusion into Practice: Five Commitments Toward Equity in Teaching

Instructors make day-to-day decisions grounded in their own experiences, and this practice may be appropriate for the students who share similar experiences and backgrounds. But for students who come from a different socioeconomic status, nationality, racial or ethnic identity, gender or sexual identity, or ability status, the instructor’s experiences may be insufficient to provide guidance for how to create an inclusive space for all learners. This manuscript describes interviews collected with students with disabilities regarding their experiences having their disability accommodations implemented in their courses. From these interviews and personal reflections on teaching, the author piloted and refined several teaching practices to improve the accessibility and inclusion in her own classroom. The author summarizes the principles underlying these pedagogical decisions as five commitments toward equity in teaching.

Library Transformation Based on Social Inclusion in the Balai Buntar Village Library Central Bengkulu

The Balai Buntar village library as an educational institution for the Pondok Kelapa village community in Central Bengkulu has the aim, function and role of a library based on social inclusion. The library plays an active role in community empowerment in the development of Pondok Kelapa village. This research aims to determine the transformation of social inclusion-based libraries at the Balai Buntar village library in empowering the Pondok Kelapa village community. The research method used is a qualitative research method with a case study approach, data collection techniques used are interviews and literature studies, the data that has been obtained is analyzed using the data reduction stage, display data, and conclusion drawing. The research results show that the Balai Buntar village library plays an active role as an inclusive space in supporting the local potential of the Pondok Kelapa village community. Various programs were created to facilitate public education in the fields of agriculture, plantations and crafts which were developed creatively and innovatively by library managers. Partnerships are carried out in various ways stakeholder, both from the village and outside the village collectively in community empowerment. The conclusion of this research is that the Pondok Kelapa village community received the impact of social inclusion-based library transformation from the Balai Buntar village library by increasing community welfare in social, educational and economic aspects by utilizing the resources of various sectors to become economic capital, and increasing knowledge through facilitated collections. Balai Buntar village library.

Transforming Libraries into Inclusive Spaces: The Paradigm and Functions of Living Collection in Academic Library of Indonesia

Objective. This research aims to understand the paradigm underlying the implementation of living collection services and the functions of living collection presented at Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University library. Method. This research uses qualitative methods, with collecting the data through observation, interviews, and documentation. The data that has been obtained is then analyzed by performing data reduction. After that, the data is presented in the form of text, images, and tables, followed by drawing conclusions related to the research questions. Result. The research results show that the living collection at Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University library refers to inclusive and knowledge management paradigm. The inclusive paradigm helps libraries strive for the dissemination of information to all users without exception, while the knowledge management paradigm allows libraries to manage and maintain rare information that can be accessed into the future. Living Collection as inclusive service present any functions namely educational, information, preservation, research, and recreational functions. Conclusions. By using an inclusive and knowledge management paradigm, living collections represent many functions that help libraries transforming new face to become inclusive-based libraries that can be enjoyed by all communities.

On the Makhanda Education Summit

The Makhanda Education Summit, a convening of the basic sector in Makhanda, was called by Professor Sizwe Mabizela following more than a decade of deliberate, intentional and collaborative intervention in schools in Makhanda focused on improving learner performance. The Summit sought to be an inclusive space for members of the education sector in the city of Makhanda, and in doing prioritized ensuring that its delegates included representatives from early childhood development centres, primary schools, high schools and non-profit organisations that work in the education sector.In doing so, the Summit has been situated within the context of the city’s education sector as a crucial co-created reflection point by the community on the development of the education sector following its gradual upliftment through engaged partnership. In addition, it served as a strategic space to collectively identify key goals to shape the future of education in Makhanda and map out the shared pathway towards building a city of education excellence.Explored through the lens of Social Movement Theory, the presenters assess how the Summit’s hyper-local approach to bringing together school leaders and educators after impactful engagement over several years enabled the development of an organic community-driven social movement to emerge. The Summit demonstrated the necessity and endless potential of collaboration for common good, and the essential role of higher education institutions in driving community development. The paper will provide an overview of the decade's journey towards convening the Summit, reflect on the strategic approaches taken to mobilise buy-in and build a common purpose within the city’s stakeholder network, and share some of the key outputs that will undoubtedly inform the work of the invested stakeholders for the years to come.

On the Makhanda Education Summit

The Makhanda Education Summit, a convening of the basic sector in Makhanda, was called by Professor Sizwe Mabizela following more than a decade of deliberate, intentional and collaborative intervention in schools in Makhanda focused on improving learner performance. The Summit sought to be an inclusive space for members of the education sector in the city of Makhanda, and in doing prioritized ensuring that its delegates included representatives from early childhood development centres, primary schools, high schools and non-profit organisations that work in the education sector.In doing so, the Summit has been situated within the context of the city’s education sector as a crucial co-created reflection point by the community on the development of the education sector following its gradual upliftment through engaged partnership. In addition, it served as a strategic space to collectively identify key goals to shape the future of education in Makhanda and map out the shared pathway towards building a city of education excellence.Explored through the lens of Social Movement Theory, the presenters assess how the Summit’s hyper-local approach to bringing together school leaders and educators after impactful engagement over several years enabled the development of an organic community-driven social movement to emerge. The Summit demonstrated the necessity and endless potential of collaboration for common good, and the essential role of higher education institutions in driving community development. The paper will provide an overview of the decade's journey towards convening the Summit, reflect on the strategic approaches taken to mobilise buy-in and build a common purpose within the city’s stakeholder network, and share some of the key outputs that will undoubtedly inform the work of the invested stakeholders for the years to come.

Virtual Influencer with Disability: Representation of Inclusion or Exploitation

In recent years, the virtual world has been filled with virtual influencers (VIs). @itskamisworld is the first VIs with disability as a digital inclusive space for people with disabilities. When VIs are becoming a digital marketing trend and there are allegations of objectification of women's bodies in them, it is important to question the inclusivity and presence of women with disabilities in virtual spaces which in many ways are still marginalized. Using Stuart Hall's representation theory and multimodal discourse analysis on every Instagram post @itskamisworld. The results demonstrated that Kami appears as a form of inclusiveness in the virtual world as well as being a space for advocating the domination of the construction of ideal women by representing perfect women and subjects who actively determine her needs. However, the desires and needs that Kami obtains are only virtual, fantasies that have the potential to become objects of capital exploitation.

Promoting diverse and inclusive spaces with intentionality.

Developing spaces that foster and embrace diverse perspectives and backgrounds with intentionality benefits everyone involved.

Enhancing group interactions and story quality in primary school students: an investigation into the impact of collaborative storytelling methodologies

AbstractThis study examines the impact of collaborative storytelling methods on group interactions and story quality in primary school students. Participants (97 students, grades 1–3) engaged in tangible digital collaborative storytelling (TDST), collaborative digital storytelling (DST), and traditional storytelling (TST). The research explored three hypotheses: (1) TDST promotes more inclusive and prosocial interactions than DST, (2) collaborative stories show higher formal and content quality than individual stories, and (3) collaboration parameters influence story quality across methodologies. Employing a cross-sectional design, the findings demonstrated significant differences in group interactions and story characteristics In our study, students engaged in tangible digital collaborative storytelling (TDST) demonstrated reduced interruptions and enhanced task focus compared to traditional methods. Collaborative stories, particularly in TDST, were concise, with fewer off-task elements and higher narrative cohesion than individual stories. Notably, a significant correlation between story cohesion and inclusive space was observed. These findings highlight the significance of integrating tangible digital tools, providing valuable insights into enhancing collaborative storytelling for positive group dynamics and improved story quality among young students. This research holds implications for educational environments and therapeutic interventions, emphasizing the role of collaborative storytelling in fostering communication and group cohesion.

Conversion of Isolated Voids into Channel Spaces by Modulating the Stacking Manner of Hydrogen-Bonded Ladders.

1,2,3,4-Tetrakis(carboxyphenyl)benzene (CPB) forms a predictable ladder-shaped porous motif through intermolecular hydrogen-bonding of the carboxy groups. The stacking manner of the ladder motif, on the other hand, cannot be controlled, yielding a crystal structure with discrete inclusion spaces. To modulate the stacking manner, its derivative CPB(OMe) with methoxy substituent groups at 5,6-positions was synthesized and crystallized to yield a crystalline hydrogen-bonded organic framework (HOF), in which the ladder motifs are stacking with a different manner to form 1D inclusion channels, instead of discrete voids. Because of the channel structure, removal of the included solvent molecules can be easily conducted, and the resultant activated HOF CPB(OMe)-a exhibited micropores with BET surface area of 199 m2 g-1, which is larger than that of the other HOF CPB-a.

Features of architectural environment formation: A case study of public spaces in the regional context of Northern Kazakhstan

The purpose of the study was to analyse the changes in approaches to the design and organisation of urban environment by comparing architectural solutions of the past and the present. The study examined key elements of the urban environment, including parks, squares, embankments, squares and boulevards, and their role in improving the quality of life of the local population. The methodology included analysing climatic conditions such as temperature fluctuations, precipitation levels and wind activity, as well as their influence on the choice of building materials and architectural solutions. The main results showed that the use of modern heat and moisture resistant materials is important to ensure the durability of facilities in the harsh climate of the region. The paper analyses the formation and development of public spaces in the cities of Northern Kazakhstan with a focus on architectural solutions and spatial organisation of urban environment. Modern approaches to design, including integration of natural elements into the urban environment, creation of pedestrian zones and improvement of transport accessibility are studied. The efficiency of multifunctional spaces was assessed, and examples of reconstruction of public spaces in such cities as Kokshetau, Pavlodar, Petropavlovsk, Kostanai and Astana were analysed. The results of the study showed that the introduction of environmentally friendly materials and technologies contributes to the creation of a sustainable and comfortable urban environment. The paper concludes on the importance of creating inclusive spaces that take into account the needs of different population groups, thus improving the quality of life in the harsh climate of the region. The results obtained can be used to develop recommendations for improving public spaces in similar climatic zones

“I’d just love to hear what the community has to say”: Exploring the potential of community-driven vaccine messaging amongst ethnic minority communities

ABSTRACT Community-based communication interventions improve health outcomes and foster positive behavioral changes across diverse populations. However, their potential to support vaccine readiness remains underexplored. This paper addresses this gap by investigating the opinions and preferences of ethnic minority community members who attended a health information session regarding community-delivered vaccine messaging. The study explored the perceptions and willingness to engage in community-led communication efforts about vaccination, focusing on COVID-19 booster vaccines. In-depth interviews were conducted between November and December 2023 with individuals from ethnic minority communities in Central Eastern Sydney who attended an information session about COVID-19 boosters. Four key themes emerged from speaking to this specific group, highlighting diverse communication preferences and intentions. Participants emphasized obtaining vaccine-related knowledge from various sources, particularly through interpersonal discussions. Trusted voices like general practitioners (GPs) and targeted media campaigns were deemed to be crucial. Recommendations included leveraging community champions and establishing a central body for efficient vaccination campaign management in multicultural communities. Personal engagement through community discussions was stressed, with inclusive spaces recommended in various settings. Effective strategies include transparent communication, credible health professional endorsement, and addressing concerns with balanced responses. The findings accentuate the potential effectiveness of grassroots, community-centric initiatives in promoting informed vaccine messaging, countering misinformation, and engaging communities in meaningful health dialogs. Further research on tailored communication and strategic partnerships could enhance this initiative and promote sustained health literacy within ethnic minority communities.

Aquatic engagements, cultures of immersion and practices of well-being in India

This article explores aquatic engagements – particularly the practice of therapeutic sea bathing – in Goa, a coastal state in India. Goa accommodates a number of natural water bodies and residents engage with them in various ways, including by participating in sea bathing and swimming activities. This article uses the practice of sea bathing as a departure point to examine embodied aquatic engagements among women in Goa. It situates these practices within broader constraints imposed by structural and material restrictions while simultaneously showing how these embodied aquatic engagements create an inclusive space that offers new ways of thinking about well-being. The article argues that multiple framings of sea bathing provide a lens through which to understand the diverse domains that constitute well-being in India. In doing so, this article provides novel insights on the relationship between blue spaces and well-being.

Creating online, inclusive spaces for learning: ‘Study Together’ with the personal learning advice service

There is a wealth of scholarship on the benefits of synchronous writing sessions for staff and students in higher education (Kornhaber et al., 2016; Eardley et al., 2021; Morley and Aston, 2023). In the Personal Learning Advice (PLA) Service at the Open University UK (OU), we developed bespoke, online study spaces for students from groups currently underrepresented in higher education – known as ‘Study Together’ sessions. The sessions prioritise students from minoritised ethnic groups, students with disabilities, and students with mental health needs who are at risk of poorer study outcomes. This presentation charted the development of Study Together in response to student feedback and evaluation and sought to show the value of ‘targeted’ invitations to engage students with spaces for learning development. Our presentation began by outlining the rationale for a 2022-23 Study Together pilot and its impact on community and belonging for students with mental health declarations (Lavery et al., 2023). We shared our approach to hosting Study Together and the techniques used to create an inclusive, productive study space; we showed how these approaches allowed us to incorporate timed study bursts and reflective practice, building positive study habits among students. Finally, we presented findings from the evaluation of Study Together in 2023-24 and situated this within the wider literature on the benefits of virtual communities of practice for learning. Our presentation spoke directly to the ALDcon24 theme ‘Building inclusive learning development spaces’ and invited delegates to consider the place of virtual, guided study spaces in their own practice.

When the ‘inclusive turn’ fuels the entrepreneurial city: Critical perspectives from Singapore

The rise of the notion of ‘inclusion’ in urban planning, seen in phrases like inclusive city, calls for a critical analysis of its evolving meaning and its spatial, social and political implications. Paradoxically, the meaning of urban inclusion has narrowed such that it now primarily refers to accessibility for people with disabilities. At the intersection of urban studies and critical disability studies, our article investigates the conceptions, criteria and modes of production underlying the implementation of urban inclusion in Singapore's ‘Enabling Village’, a purportedly inclusive space opened in 2015. We use a mixed‐methods approach, analysing official narratives and conducting site visits to understand the site as both an appropriated and a branded space. We show that, in Singapore, the inclusion agenda interacts with the city‐state's distinctive approach to planning and governance, where social issues are ‘engineered’ and give rise to replicable operational models. Our hypothesis is that implementing the inclusive city through the production and promotion of ‘inclusive’ urban projects such as the Enabling Village fuels the expansion of Singapore as a state‐led ‘entrepreneurial city’ (Harvey, Geografiska Annaler. Series B, Human Geography 1989; 71(1):3–17). In particular, operationalising ‘urban inclusion’ in this way allows for the reinvention of Singapore as a global urban model.

Inclusion of Students With Disabilities in Physical Education: The Crossroads of Systemic Coherence

Abstract This study aims to identify and comprehend the factors and pedagogical practices that facilitate or hinder the inclusion of students with disabilities in physical education classes at school, considering micro and macrosystemic levels. The methodology employed in this study was a case study approach, using an interpretative phenomenological analysis to construct thematic categories of analysis. These categories include: 1.Flexibility of the physical education teacher’s practices and strategies, 2. Teacher training, 3. Inclusive spaces and infrastructure, 4. Involvement of the educational community. The various data collection tools (interviews, focus groups and observations) allowed to portray and illuminate each of the topics of analysis and the contextual differences of the three schools analyzed. The findings demonstrate that inclusive strategies must be coherent and systemic in accordance with the contexts. However, it is possible to highlight inclusive strategies that reveal the importance of teacher commitment, the interconnected work between teachers and school management, the use of expeditious communication channels within the educational community and with governmental levels, the use of implements related to the practice of physical education and the use of the teacher’s voice as the primary agent for the implementation of inclusive learning strategies.

LGBTQ+ themed public art: promoting an expanded view on genders and advancing gender education

This essay explores the transformative role of LGBTQ+ themed public art in promoting an expanded view of genders and advancing gender education. By engaging with Judith Butler’s theory of gender performativity, I want to stress how public art both serves as a medium for aesthetic expression and also acts as a crucial participant in the performative act of gender identity construction. From the vibrant defiance of rainbow crosswalks to the poignant narratives of the AIDS Memorial Quilt and the impactful murals by Keith Haring, LGBTQ+ themed public art challenges traditional gender roles and identities, offering alternative visions that resist binary classifications. These public artworks create inclusive spaces that foster community engagement, historical commemoration, and activism, effectively enhancing public pedagogy in gender education. By embedding diverse and non-normative expressions of gender and sexuality in public consciousness, such art prompts a reevaluation of societal norms, thereby contributing to a broader understanding and acceptance of gender diversity. This essay emphasizes the potential of LGBTQ+ -themed public art to serve as a dynamic medium for communicative pedagogy, manifesting its significance in shaping social consciousness and advancing the cause of gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights.

“The Kids can Handle it”: A Culturally Responsive Case Study of Four Detracking School Leadership Teams

Purpose: This comparative case study focused on high schools in California, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia using the lens of Culturally Responsive School Leadership to investigate the actions of school leaders in implementing detracking and asks How do school leaders’ actions regarding detracking fit into the larger framework of Culturally Responsive School Leadership? Research Methods: This study uses a qualitative comparative case study method involving interviews with leadership team members at detracking high schools. Findings: Leaders in all the schools explicitly demonstrated creating inclusive spaces, embracing community assets, and enacting culturally responsive instructional leaders. Leaders at three of the schools explicitly celebrated students’ identities. Leaders at two of the schools suggested they engage in critical self-reflecting aimed at combating biases against minoritized students but did not explicitly mention this self-reflection. Implications for Researchers and Practitioners: Though emergent in nature, these findings add to our collective knowledge about practices in detracking schools that may be beneficial elsewhere and being to fill in gaps in our knowledge about specific detracking conditions over which school leaders have control. These findings also demonstrate a need for researchers, professors of leadership education, and policy makers to support school leaders in becoming culturally responsive and sustaining the practices at the heart of CRSL. Applying this framework allows for a rigorous discussion of leaders’ specific actions along with avenues of detailed consideration for researchers, educators of future school leaders, and policy makers in a coherent manner to create and sustain schools that can serve all children well.

From hopelessness to hope: using a desire-based approach to investigate the perspectives of museum specialists in Ghanaian museums

ABSTRACT Drawing on Eve Tuck's (2009. “Suspending damage: A letter to communities.” Harvard Educational Review 79 (3): 409–428. doi:10.17763/haer.79.3.n0016675661t3n15) desire-based research framework, we investigate the perceptions and aspirations of experts within Ghana's museums regarding the future development and improvement of museums in Ghana. We conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews of nine museum experts who work in Ghanaian museums. While the study’s findings revealed the museums experts’ challenges, including, lack of training, technological deficiencies, and underfunding, their narratives also revealed a profound desire for community engagement, external collaborations, organizational restructuring, and the support of the next generation and the government, all resources they believe will transform their institutions into vibrant, inclusive spaces that are prepared to serve their communities. This study contributes to the literature on museum education and organization in West Africa by moving beyond the prevailing narratives of damage and challenges present in the literature and highlighting the optimism and eagerness of museum specialists who can drive the transformation of these cultural institutions.

A History of the Eastern Economic Association: 50 Years of Finding Space for Pluralism and Inclusion in Economics

Drawing on archival data and oral histories, this paper examines the history of the Eastern Economic Association from its beginnings in 1974 to its 50th anniversary in 2024. It sheds light on the ideological, social, and political motivations behind the EEA’s founding, focusing on its commitment to addressing the narrowness of the economics profession and the marginalization of women and underrepresented minorities. It also documents some of the problems that the Eastern Economic Association and the Eastern Economic Journal faced over time and how they have resolved these problems. Based on this history and analysis, the paper contributes to a deeper understanding of the EEA’s enduring impact on the field of economics and its continuing relevance in fostering a more inclusive and pluralistic academic community.

Promoting civil discourse on social media using nudges: A tournament of seven interventions.

In this article, we test and compare several message-based nudges designed to promote civil discourse and reduce the circulation of harmful content such as hate speech. We conducted a large pre-registered experiment (N = 4,081) to measure the effectiveness of seven nudges: making descriptive norms, injunctive norms, or personal norms salient, cooling down negative emotions, stimulating deliberation or empathy, and highlighting reputation. We used an online platform that reproduces a social media newsfeed and presented the nudge as a message when entering the platform. Our findings indicate that none of the nudges significantly impacts participants' engagement with harmful content. At the same time, nudges making descriptive norms salient selectively increase participants' overall engagement with relatively harmless content. Additionally, making injunctive norms salient increased the likelihood of liking harmless posts. Exploratory text analysis also reveals that highlighting reputation leads to more substantial and coherent comments on harmful posts. These results suggest that nudges that activate norm considerations represent a promising approach to promoting civil discourse and making social media a safer and more inclusive space for all.