Importance of names in inclusive education

About

Our names are entwined with our personal identities, often chosen with care and laden with meaning, yet for many students and staff their educational experience is spent with a name they do not feel is their own, either because they feel compelled to adapt their name or adopt a new name entirely to “fit in”, or because their name is routinely mispronounced.

This webinar will outline the research undertaken by the University of Warwick on the importance of correct name use and the negative impacts of routine name mispronunciation, hesitancy or avoidance. The webinar will also explore the project’s research-informed recommendations on how to encourage respectful name use within higher education to build inclusive learning environments.

Professor Jane Bryan, research lead, will detail Warwick’s experiences of introducing the “Say My Name” project and, in particular, their positive institutional experience of introducing audio name badges into staff and students’ email signatures and profiles. Jane will be joined by Janine Rigby, director of product management and delivery, Keele University, who will outline their institutional approach. Ian Bartczak director of account management at Namecoach, will also offer more detail about audio name badges and how their use can transform attitudes to name use as well as provide a practical tool to encourage correct pronunciation, building more confident communication within educational settings.

Who should attend

• Staff within educational settings
• IT teams
• Student leads
• Equity, diversity and inclusion teams

Contact

For further information, please contact events@jisc.ac.uk.