Decolonising learning development through reflective and relational practice

Abstract

The Decolonising the Curriculum (DtC) movement questions the very values we take for granted as learning developers. If our role is to develop academic literacies and support students to succeed in the curriculum as it is, can we as learning developers be decolonisers? This opinion piece argues that we can and should. It outlines where we can integrate the DtC agenda into our work through reflective and relational practice. The piece stresses the importance of reflection about our role as practitioners within a colonial Higher Education system and of relating to our students as individuals by learning their names and breaking barriers to participation with rapport and community building activities.

Keywords

• decolonising the curriculum
• reflective practice
• relational practice
• inclusion
• academic literacies