What does HE in FE have to contribute to the future of learning development?

This presentation provided a viewpoint on the complex relationship between HE in FE and learning development, drawing on two pieces of research carried out during 2023 as part of PhD study at Lancaster University. Both studies support the premise that HE in FE is often overlooked in research and that practitioners have limited access and time to participate in research, leading to a lack of FE practitioner voices in discussions about learning development. The first study focuses on the relationship, and potential clash, between policy and inclusive classroom pedagogy in an environment where most students have non-traditional routes into HE (Benson-Egglenton, 2022). It used a Bourdieu-infused critical discourse analysis to look at how inclusive pedagogy is viewed in HE in FE strategy documents and how this can contribute to wider discussions about learning development (Fairclough, 2003; 2015; Bathmaker, 2015; Ferrare and Apple, 2015). In the second study, an adapted version of the Delphi method was used to develop a collaborative and iterative approach between researcher and participants to look at how developments including AI have influenced inclusive pedagogical practices from a social justice perspective. It was found that whilst HE in FE practitioners are often at the forefront of inclusive pedagogy, and are enthusiastic advocates for it, they are resource-limited in terms of the reach and impact of this expertise. Pedagogical approaches that might be retrofitted to large institutions grow organically in HE in FE due to factors such as proximity, necessity, and student/tutor relationship development over an extended period. This can provide valuable lessons for colleagues in other institutions about how to implement and encourage similar approaches. There are clear benefits to be gained for learning development and developers increasing engagement with colleagues in FE and fostering opportunities for them to share their wealth of knowledge.