{"id":1239,"date":"2025-04-07T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-07T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/learning-matters\/?p=1239"},"modified":"2026-03-26T10:02:59","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T10:02:59","slug":"inclusivity-week-monday-31st-march-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/learning-matters\/2025\/04\/07\/inclusivity-week-monday-31st-march-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Inclusivity Week | Monday 31st March 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Workshops: Reading and Note-Making with AI (Martin Brown) and Designing Inclusive Learning Activities (Brena Collyer de Aguiar & Alice Taylor)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sun was shining on the first day of Inclusivity Week\u2014a fitting backdrop to a day that centred student voice, inclusive learning, and creative approaches to teaching.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Workshop 1: Reading and Note-Making with Generative AI<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Led by Martin Brown<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Facilitated by Dr Martin Brown<\/a>, this session offered a deep dive into how academic writing confidence can be built through strategic note-making\u2014particularly for students for whom English is an additional language. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Martin\u2019s session was split into two halves: the first half was directed at educators; the second encouraged participants to put themselves in the students\u2019 shoes and try out Martin\u2019s note making framework<\/a>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Martin\u2019s aim was to support students with heavy reading loads and low confidence in academic writing\u2014challenges often heightened by linguistic and cultural barriers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the heart of the session was a note-making framework, designed to help students demystify academic expectations and develop their own academic voice \u2013 what do I need to capture in my notes, how long do my notes need to be, what information is relevant? Importantly, this framework incorporates the use of AI (such as Microsoft Copilot) in a purposeful and ethical way.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

AI is used within Martin\u2019s note-making framework as a support tool to help students structure and refine their understanding of academic texts. Students begin by reading the text themselves and making their own notes (using the headings from the framework), before using AI\u2014such as Microsoft Copilot\u2014to complement their thinking. Martin recommends using Microsoft Copilot because it is licenced by the University and all students and staff have access to it, and also because it protects user data. Prompts within Copilot must be clear and specific to be effective. For example, a student might copy and paste a section of a journal article into Copilot and ask: \u201cSummarise the author\u2019s main argument from pages 44\u201347,\u201d or \u201cIdentify and explain the research methods used in this excerpt.\u201d AI can also be asked to evaluate strengths and weaknesses or define key terms. Crucially, students are reminded never to rely on AI alone\u2014the process is co-authored with AI, not outsourced. AI can make mistakes. The work generated by AI needs to be checked by the student. However, AI is a tool that can speed up the note-making process for students. Martin\u2019s approach, therefore, not only strengthens critical engagement with reading material but also helps students see AI as a tool for learning, rather than a shortcut. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This workshop wasn\u2019t just about AI\u2014it was about empowering students in their note-making strategies and academic skills more broadly. It encouraged students to find their own voice rather than rely on a borrowed one, humanising the writing process, reducing fear, and making space for personal expression. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

See Martin\u2019s slides<\/a>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Workshop 2: Designing Inclusive Learning Activities<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the afternoon, Brena Collyer de Aguiar and Alice Taylor led a session rooted in Universal Design for Learning (UDL)<\/a> and inclusive instructional design. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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After an opening activity (spot the difference) exploring barriers to learning, we were introduced to the three pillars of UDL: <\/p>\n\n\n\n