Why inclusive learning shouldn’t always be fun

to a stimulating discussion

White's lightning talk stimulated a thought-provoking question for the community to consider: what kind of pedagogy should underpin our work as learning developers?In their responses, participants emphasised their awareness that students are often deciding to engage with us outside of the formal requirements of their degree courses.It takes confidence for students to approach us in this way.In recognising this situation -and the sense of trust students put into us -learning developers can perhaps fall into the temptation to make it as easy as possible for students to partake in our sessions.In aiming not to scare students off, we may simplify concepts to make our teaching appear 'fun'.Yet, through doing so, participants at the conference questioned whether this approach unintentionally does a disservice to the complexities of the topics we are teaching and, as such, to the students who have sought us out in the first place.Through simplifying ideas and concepts, we may make students feel happy in the moment.But, in turn, we may accidentally stop them from having a more worthwhile and transformative experience in the longer term.Alexander Cuthbert's tweet captures this sentiment: the sugar rush that comes from drinking a fizzy drink, followed by the inevitable sugar crash.Participants suggested that a focus on short-term happiness could result in an emphasis on 'pedagogies of comfort' and 'pedagogies of service' within learning development.In line with Saunders' (2022) comments, some participants questioned whether these pedagogies presented a dangerous combination that negatively affected students' resilience and lifelong learning abilities.Foregrounding 'pedagogies of discomfort' was posed as one way to encourage students to engage in the 'grim determination' sometimes required to progress and to develop their own learning.This process might not be enjoyable in the short-term.But we can make it clear to students that these challenges will pass: the discomfort can be overcome.
Our teaching can support students to embrace this discomfort.For example, the fostering of 'brave spaces', which were further explored in the conference's resource showcase, was discussed as one such opportunity to encourage difficult conversations as a way to support students' learning (Sillence et al., 2023).Arao and Clemens (2013) developed brave spaces as a challenge to the notion of 'safe spaces', especially the latter's implication that conflict can be minimised or eliminated.Brave spaces emphasise the courage required to engage in genuine dialogue as a prerequisite for learning.
In this way, pedagogies of discomfort are not intended to imply that students are somehow deficient or lacking.It is not about making students feel uncomfortable for the sake of it.Instead, it is about recognising that we need to acknowledge the place of discomfort within the lives of the students we teach.As Dickinson (2023, no pagination) has eloquently shown, students are currently facing a plethora of concurrent challenges, the solutions to which are beyond their control, including 'the aftermath of Brexit, the pandemic, the cost of living crisis, industrial action and the onset of generative AI'.As learning developers, we cannot just recognise the enormity of these challenges in passing, but instead we must find ways to integrate them into our lived practice to help students to make sense of it all.
Through telling our students the truth that things can be tough, we may unsettle them.Our lack of immediate solutions to their problems will undoubtedly disappoint them in the short term.But we can also reassure them and, over time, build their trust as we guide them through one difficulty and onto the next.Framing our pedagogies in this way does not set out to pander to our students, but, more importantly, it also does not frame them as antagonists (Denial, 2019).Such a pedagogy is not about providing a bootcamp mentality of 'tough love'.Instead, it foregrounds a compassionate approach that is direct and truthful, even if that truth can be uncomfortable to hear and difficult to sit with.As bell hooks (1994, p.43) reminds us: 'There can be, and usually is, some degree of pain involved in giving up old ways of thinking and knowing and learning new approaches'.
Through their encounters with this pain, we can guide our students through the discomfort not through an emphasis on fun but with an overwhelming sense of kindness.

Next steps and additional questions
Participants at the conference emphasised that this paper should be read in tandem with White's paper on threshold concepts in learning development presented at the same conference, as they effectively work together as companion pieces.
Taking the presentations together, we might ask if we can effectively cultivate the trust required from our students to develop meaningful pedagogies within learning development when the nature of our work means we might only meet them during fleeting, one-off encounters.As learning developers, do we face unique complications in trying to go beyond the surface with students when we may only know as much about them as they are willing to share when crossing the (physical or digital) threshold into our sessions?
Conversely, does our lack of wider knowledge or preconceptions of the students drawn from beyond our sessions ameliorate potential risks or barriers that may prevent them from grappling with discomfort when surrounded by peers and in the presence of their lecturers (who ultimately mark their assessments and offer letters of reference at the end of their degrees)?

Author's reflection
It is hard to reflect on the presentation itself, as the lightning talk seemed to pass in a flash (heehee!).I was nervous about how the talk would be received, but the comments, I really appreciate the additional comments from participants and am glad that participants made the connection between the discussion of threshold concepts and this talk.I would very much welcome further commentary or explanation of that: are we suggesting that 'stop having fun!' is a threshold concept for learning development?I cannot wait to integrate that into the threshold concepts workshop, perhaps as my first example.I am also very thankful for the reference to bell hooks, which I will certainly follow-up in relation to this subject.It is so useful to have these suggestions from the community, as they help develop my thinking and work, even well after the conference has finished.The generosity of the learning development community helps to underscore the value of ALDinHE's innovation in relation to this reflective writing process.
As a further and excellent example of the value of this community approach, the link to It is a great example of how learning might not always be fun, but could potentially be extremely rewarding.I think brave spaces are needed more than ever in universities, communities, families, and even friendship groups to help resist the seemingly accelerating polarisation that can be said to characterise our times.I intend to use this idea in my practice and future writing so, once again, thanks to the contributors for highlighting this insightful link.
questions, and subsequent feedback at the conference was, of course, very constructive thanks to the contributions of the learning development community.I have heard from one ALDinHE colleague that their team was not impressed by the idea, and I am happy to have the argument challenged, of course.All I would ask is that if you think learning should always be fun, then prove it.Thanks to the contributors above, I now have Mohamed Ali and bell hooks on my side-what a team!With the other admittedly somewhat cherrypicked quotes from the presentation, that's Vygotsky, Aristotle, and the British Journal of Learning Technology to complete a very promising ALDinHE five-a-side squad.