The SERA Inclusive Education Network was established in 2020 to provide a forum for the interface between researchers, practitioners, students and other stakeholders in Scottish education.
Inclusive education is an educational approach aiming to ensure that all learners, regardless of background or characteristics, can access and participate fully in quality education. It aims to promote social justice through:
- valuing the diverse assets, cultures, languages, abilities and skills in the student body and in the local and wider community;
- giving voice to those who are marginalised or at risk of marginalisation;
- addressing prejudice and discrimination;
- contributing to the development of a fairer society for all.
Inclusive education is supported by international agencies such as UNESCO and is one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. In Scotland, a raft of legislation, policy and guidance including the Additional Support for Learning Act 2004 (amended in 2009 and 2017) and the National Framework for Inclusion (SUIG, 2022) promote inclusive education and position Scotland at the forefront of the development of inclusive practice internationally.
Therefore, this SERA network provides a forum to support the development of such practice by informing and influencing debates on current issues such as the presumption of mainstreaming, gender identity, underrepresentation of Black and Minority Ethnic teachers in schools.
Aims
- Provide networking, professional development and knowledge exchange opportunities for researchers, practitioners, students and other stakeholders in Scottish education.
The network organises a series of seminars and workshops, which are advertised through the SERA website and the SERA Twitter account. We have welcomed speakers on topics including promoting inclusion and equality in education; racism and race equality; teaching and learning in lockdown; and the promotion of equity, inclusion and social justice in Mathematics classrooms.
We were pleased to be invited to work with the Poverty and Education Network to facilitate an event for student teachers in June 2022, where the National Framework for Inclusion 3rd edition was highlighted as a resource to support reflective practitioner enquiry.
All future updates regarding the Inclusive Education Network can be found in the SERA Latest section of this website under the Inclusive Education Network category.
If you want to be involved, for example, you wish to become a Network member, or wish to propose a topic or guest speaker for a Network event, please contact the network convenors using the details below. We will be delighted to hear from you.
Network Convenors:
Stella Mouroutsou, University of Stirling
Lisa McAuliffe, University of the West of Scotland
Dianne Cantali, University of Dundee
We can be contacted via our Network email address: sera.inclusiveducation.network@gmail.com