Enhancing equity and inclusion through block teaching: lessons from diverse student experiences

Abstract

Block teaching, as an alternative to traditional semesters, is advocated to have the potential to reduce drop-out rates, offer more frequent feedback and a sense of accomplishment, assist students in managing their study time effectively, enhance focus, and increase engagement and satisfaction. Moreover, a block model could be particularly effective in improving the performance of students from disadvantaged backgrounds, enhancing equity and inclusion in higher education. However, research on block teaching remains limited, and much of it is based on self-report surveys and descriptive statistics. This paper aims to contribute to the development of the field by exploring the experiences of 17 students from diverse backgrounds through in-depth interviews, analysed using an interpretative phenomenological approach. Our findings align with previous quantitative studies, supporting the claim that block teaching can increase opportunities for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Conversely, its impact on more privileged students appears to be comparatively negligible. Block teaching can be a temporary solution that is able to help protect vulnerable students from systemic exclusion and a lack of professional development concerning diversity competencies. However, students state it is important to consider increases in stress levels due to inadequate curriculum design, insufficient rest time in between blocks, and a lack of flexibility as downsides of a short-duration block system.