Manage your account
To join the networks you need an account. To create a profile select "set up a web profile" from the login page. Click the link below.
Introducing the GTC Networks.
Good teaching needs good networks and good networks need good teachers.
The GTC Networks provide support by linking teachers nationally and putting them in touch with the latest research and evidence. They let teachers have a voice at national debates on changes to education.
Promoting diversity in the school learning environment through ICT
Uberta Casely-Hayford teaches at the Lordswood Junior School in Medway local authority. She is the school’s ICT Coordinator.
Uberta was interested in how race equality and diversity can be promoted through the curriculum in a largely monocultural school. She wanted to investigate how ICT could help to achieve this, and how it would impact on the school’s community.
What actions did Uberta take?
Uberta was concerned about the lack of diversity in her school’s curriculum and the lack of awareness about the wider world among children in the school. She met with the senior leadership team and proposed a project to promote and celebrate diversity.
It was agreed that Uberta would support curriculum leaders by providing them with resources and opportunities. She:
- provided DVDs and information regarding useful websites to support colleagues in history, art, music, RE and geography
- following discussion with the literacy coordinator, held an international story day, with the whole school immersing itself in a book (eg, a class roleplays and dresses up as the characters of the book)
- provided culturally diverse resources to staff for assemblies
- modelled appropriate behaviour and teaching styles.
What did Uberta learn from implementing a more diverse curriculum?
Following the changes she implemented, Uberta feels that she has gained certain insights with regard to race equality. She found that:
- teachers who teach in monocultural schools find promoting diversity in the curriculum more of a challenge
- including diversity in the curriculum impacts positively upon race relations in the school community
- teachers broaden their own cultural knowledge through promoting diversity
- teachers become more confident through teaching and learning about cultural differences
- ICT can provide schools with access to resources for diversity and global education
- diversity in the curriculum results in more parents being involved and promotes greater understanding between parents and school
- the headteacher’s role is important in providing leadership when promoting diversity in schools
- all staff members can participate in promoting diversity at their own level of confidence.
What effect did this have on students’ learning? How has practice in her school altered?
Uberta believes that the school has now begun to undertake the continuing process of:
- introducing a cultural vocabulary to the school that enabled dialogue about other cultures to take place
- changing the ethos of the school to be more globally aware
- promoting positive race relations within the school community
- enriching the school curriculum
- embedding diversity into the school development plan
- reducing the number of racist incidents in school.
How will Uberta take this learning forward?
Together with the school, and building on these achievements, Uberta plans to:
- ensure that the learning environment continues to reflect the wider global community
- work to include all parents in diversity projects
- extend the scope of diversity to include the infants’ school
- ensure that the school’s new ICT suite will include access to relevant online resources.
How could this inform your practice?
- What do you think of Uberta’s project?
- Do you think you could use ICT in your context to promote diversity in the school learning environment?
- What steps would you undertake to develop diversity in your context?
- What professional support and coaching would be useful for you?
- How would you implement and evaluate your project?
Taking your learning forward
If you try out any of the ideas you get from Uberta’s work and notice the impact, let us know by emailing achieve@gtce.org.uk
You might also be able to support your project by using the Teacher Learning Academy.
Sources of professional support for Uberta
