Enhancing the Learning Development of Student Partners through the curriculum diversification ‘Hidden Histories’ project.

The voices of scholars with diverse gender, sexuality, ethnicity, dis/ability and cultural backgrounds have historically been underrepresented in teaching curricula, potentially excluding many students from identifying with teaching resources and activities. The Hidden Histories project aims to diversify the narrative through a staff-student partnership, with student researcher-developers (SRDs) supported to produce interactive seminar activities that embed the contributions of undercelebrated scholars into a Science Foundation Year curriculum. Final year, or Master’s students were recruited from across the College of Science and were supported by subject specialists to develop their pedagogic skills, with freedom to choose the direction of their own research. SRDs reported a positive impact of the project on multiple areas of their learning development. For example, an increasing awareness of how to design interactive resources that strengthen engagement and deepen learning, techniques that improve the accessibility of resources for learners, and how to tailor their presentation skills for different types of audience. SRDs also broadened their research skills and developed a questioning mindset, inspiring them to look further into the stories behind discoveries rather than accepting the conventional narrative at face value. The project proved to be an insightful opportunity for the wider teaching team to develop their mentoring skills, to develop an increased understanding of the advanced skills students may benefit from developing as they move towards employment, and an enhanced appreciation for the challenges today’s students face when juggling competing demands. Furthermore, the impact of the project extends to the cohort of students experiencing the diversifying curriculum, with evaluation revealing a striking impact on students’ awareness of thinkers from marginalised backgrounds, their appetite for deeper engagement with inclusive teaching and learning and, crucially, a heightened ‘sense of belonging’ in STEM for students from diverse backgrounds