The effects of diversity and inclusivity strategies on students’ perceptions and learning: an experimental study

Higher education plays an important role in promoting diversity and inclusion in wider society. Although institutions have introduced initiatives to enhance diversity and inclusivity, limited research has examined whether such strategies influence students' perceptions of diversity and inclusivity in teaching and learning. This study, one of the first of its kind, experimentally examined the effects of diversity and inclusivity strategies on students' perceptions and immediate learning. Sixty-four participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions and watched a 10-minute pre-recorded lecture: control (no explicit inclusivity strategies), non-inclusive (reinforcing stereotypes and excluding diverse perspectives) or inclusive and diverse (incorporating inclusivity strategies). After viewing the lecture, participants rated its inclusivity and diversity across multiple domains, provided open-ended explanations for their ratings, and completed a learning test. Participants in the inclusive and diverse condition rated the lecture significantly higher in overall inclusivity and diversity and across several domains compared with those in the control and non-inclusive conditions. No significant differences were observed between the control and non-inclusive conditions. Qualitative responses supported the quantitative findings, indicating that participants recognised the intended manipulations. However, learning outcomes did not differ significantly across conditions. The findings suggest that these strategies improved perceptions but not immediate learning.