Culturally responsive teaching in higher education: Exploring practices and enhancing inclusivity

Cultural factors strongly shape how students learn. To improve engagement and success, teaching must be culturally aware and inclusive, supporting motivation. However, most existing research focuses on primary and secondary education in the US and Europe, often using qualitative methods, which limits generalisability. This study addresses this gap by testing a Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) survey with higher education lecturers in the UK. A mixed-methods approach was used, combining a quantitative survey (N=49), interviews (N=9), and a focus group (N=6) to explore CRT practices in UK higher education for diverse adult learners. All participants were adult lecturers working in a HE university. Barriers to CRT included language differences, cultural misunderstandings, and differing expectations between students and staff. Key strategies for enhancing CRT were learning about student backgrounds and using culturally relevant materials. The paper concludes that Future lecturer training should focus on addressing these barriers and promoting inclusive practices to improve cultural responsiveness in higher education.