Effective teaching and support of low socioeconomic students: Strategies for supporting wider participation in higher education

This session will report on the first stage of a national project that will investigate, identify and document programs and practices for effective teaching and support of students from low socioeconomic status (LSES) backgrounds at university. Guided by the literature’s characterisation of LSES students and the implications of this for institutional teaching and support practices, we take the research-informed view that inclusive teaching and support, undertaken with skill and care and an emphasis on a quality first year experience, is of benefit to all students. While the project will ultimately generate an integrated national resource comprising materials and exemplars of effective practice, this session will report on the findings of an environmental scan of available evidence that has identified curricular and co-curricular initiatives that contribute to effective engagement and learning of LSES students. Participants will explore key themes that emerged from the literature and identify further exemplars of effective Australian practice.