A Reflective Assessment of My Practice as a Geography Teacher in Inclusive Higher Education
James Leigh *
Department of Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management, School of Business, University of Nicosia, P.O. Box 24005, Nicosia, 1700, Cyprus.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This paper considers, through a review of literature, the nature of inclusive higher education, and the contributions that Maslow, Bloom, and Kolb, and learning styles, have made to enhance the function of this educational setting. Within this context, I appraise key learning and teaching strategies, towards a critical reflection on my own practice as a teacher of Cultural Geography at the University of Nicosia in Cyprus. This study highlights that after World War Two increasing access to higher education led to diversified student populations. This facilitated the rise of mass higher education to challenge college and university professors towards more inclusive education theories, to underpin comprehensive educational practice, which attempts to cater for diverse student cohorts. Obviously learning, teaching and assessment ideas and strategies, have undergone considerable development in these post-war decades from the liberal influence of inclusive educational ideas, theories and practice. The challenge for higher education teachers, and me, is to align our ideas, attitudes and good-practice to enhanced teaching, learning and assessment strategies within liberal inclusive approaches, and accept student differences as equal, with the right for each student to be encouraged towards excellence in education.
Keywords: Inclusive higher education, learning, teaching, strategies, reflection, good practice, Maslow, Bloom, learning style, Kolb, Geography