MA Special and Inclusive Education alumni profiles

Shaaira Jagot

Year of graduation: 2023
Home country: Malawi 
Studied: Full-time in Nottingham

Why did you choose to study at the University of Nottingham?

I always wanted to complete a masters programme in special needs education and Nottingham was one of the universities I applied to. The course structure was appealing to me and the optional modules on communication, literacy and autism were exactly what I was looking for in my professional development as a primary school teacher. The School of Education is well known for it’s education research and after reading about who the lecturers were and their areas of expertise, I was very excited to learn from their experiences in this field. I have also known many students that have left Malawi to study here, and they have always shared positive reviews about the university and living in Nottingham. I was definitely influenced by my cousin’s experiences here as an undergraduate many years ago. 

How do you hope this course will help with your career in the future?

I will now be qualified to work as a special needs education teacher who can support students and teachers with inclusion in mainstream schools. This was my initial goal, but as the course progressed we were encouraged to investigate education policies within our home countries, and now I am considering perhaps working with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) such as UNICEF that have a direct impact on inclusion policies and special education teacher training within Malawi. I would love to pursue a PhD to enhance special education research within Southern Africa as there are many research gaps that can be explored, but I am yet to figure that out. I feel that I would be confident in guiding teachers on how to support the needs of different students and can now create/implement support plans for students with additional needs in mainstream schools.

Was there a particular module that you enjoyed the most?

Debating Special and Inclusive Education was very eye opening. As our class was so diverse, it was very interesting to see most students coming into it saying “my country is not doing anything to help students with disabilities”. After being encouraged to research the history of special needs education within our contexts, it became clear that it is very complex depending on the location and there is no black and white answer, but there are some countries in the world that are doing better than others. I had never heard of the medical vs social model of disability and what stayed with me was the message that we should design our societies whilst keeping the needs of people with disabilities in mind and not design societies and then consider them as an afterthought.

What was the best part of the course?

Having such a diverse class was very special. Nationalities included Greek, Cypriot, Norwegian, Thai, Indian, Chinese, South African, Nigerian, Sri Lankan, and more. We were all encouraged to share what we know; some of us were already teachers and able to share our experiences of curriculums, schools and share best practice, whereas others had just finished their undergraduate degrees and could share their knowledge on theory and research. The lecturers were accommodating, respectful, compassionate and considerate of our varying backgrounds in education. It was very evident that their knowledge was coming from many years of working in schools and other areas of education. I feel that I learned just as much from my classmates that I did from the lecturers.

How have you been supported on the course?

If I had any questions after class, lecturers were always willing to hang back and help. They responded to emails quickly and made suggestions during academic tutorials on how to structure our assignments or suggest theories/researchers to look into. Student Services is always available for any technical questions or queries outside the course. I have also attended many library sessions online that have helped me refine research ideas, improve the structure of my essays, understand how to complete research more effectively, how to use online referencing tools and how to write more critically. There were other resources available too such as English language support that I did not get around to using. 

Why do you think potential students should chose this course?

If they are looking for something different to classroom teaching like I was then they should consider it. I feel a lot more knowledgeable than I was at the beginning of the course. This area of education is very interesting and necessary if we are to implement more inclusive practices around the world. It will make you feel more passionate about advocating for the needs of anyone with a disability and more prepared on what you can do to help.

Do you have any advice for someone considering the course?

Read as much as possible! It really helps you keep up with discussions during lectures – if you don’t, you won’t have much to contribute to these talks and then you are missing out on learning from your classmates’ perspectives. Send the university an email to ask about any questions you might have, I remember doing that beforehand and was satisfied from the responses I got.

Anything else you'd like to add about your course/time studying at Nottingham?

The city of Nottingham is beautiful. Coming from Malawi, I did not anticipate how green the different campuses are and how much conservation there is around the university. People are welcoming and I have felt safe during my time here. I wish the course was longer than just a year because it has gone by so quickly. After doing my undergraduate degree and PGCE online, having a face-to-face experience at university was everything I imagined it to be and more. The University of Nottingham really has been the perfect choice.

Thobile Hlobisile Accurate Sibiya 

Year of graduation: 2023
Home country: South Africa (RSA)
Study: Full-time in Nottingham

Why did you choose to study at the University of Nottingham?

As a developing researcher and learner, I was looking for a university that would contribute massively on my academic and personal growth. I did my research and discovered that the University of Nottingham is one of the best universities in the UK, but what stood out the most for me was the extensive support provided to international students in areas such as accommodation, finance, admission, academics and so on. I then realised that the University of Nottingham will be a perfect space for growth in most areas of my life. 

How do you hope this course will help with your career in the future?

As a qualified professional educator I needed an extensive or broader understanding of the special and inclusive education spectrum as I have witnessed that schools sometimes lack skilled and knowledgeable personnel in that area, and because of this course my understanding in the field of special education and inclusivity has grown immensely. I wish to pursue my studies next year and do my PhD in special and inclusive education for more growth, understanding that we are all life-long learners in the field of academics. Most importantly I now feel that sense of readiness in terms of working as an educator in schools.   

Was there a particular module that you enjoyed the most?

I actually enjoyed all the modules. I found all of them useful, there has been something new to learn in all of them but the one that stood out the most for me was Debating Special and Inclusive Education. It is so rich in content and as the first module on the course, I must say it was really an eye opener to a lot of things as far as special and inclusive education is concerned. 

What was the best part of the course?

Because there are so many international students enrolled in this course, the ideas are always diverse and rich. I also appreciate the respectful environment fostered by the staff who deliver the course content; you always feel valued and not judged. It is also worth mentioning that being taught by staff that are highly knowledgeable in special and inclusive education has really advanced my love for reading as a scholar and as a researcher. They are a great inspiration to us all.  

How have you been supported on the course?

I love that we were all assigned academic and personal tutors who helped us navigate the course and are really encouraging. Knowing that they are always available to assist anytime is really helpful and it makes you realise that everybody wants you to succeed. 

Why do you think potential students should chose this course?

If they know that they desire growth in the field of special and inclusive education then this is the course to take, it is so rich in content and the level of support available for students is amazing, everybody wants to see you succeed. So they should join the School of Education family soon. 

Do you have any advice for someone considering the course?

In life nothing comes easy, you must be willing to work for your own growth, have that hunger and drive to know more and you will succeed in this course. Support and guidance is available to help you navigate everything. As I have mentioned above everybody wants to see you succeed!!!    

Manal Abdul Wahed Sharif Ali

Year of graduation: 2023
Home country: Yemen
Studied: Part-time online 

 
Why did you choose this course?

I was looking into enhancing my research skills in inclusive education and reading difficulties, together with gaining knowledge in other areas such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and this matched the course offered by Nottingham. The university’s ranking speaks for itself, nevertheless, as my work in inclusion projects involved literacy and reading disabilities with a social orientation, the course seemed relevant offering a range of topics within special education. That is, the modules were a good balance of the areas within my interest and an opportunity to develop good research skills.

How do you hope this course will help with your career or future study?

The course structure offers a balance between theoretical foundations while linking inclusive education to historical and social issues, meaning the wider context. It honed my research skills as it offered various reading materials where essential references were introduced before moving to dense literature. The activities involved criticality and self-reflection which I personally think is an essential part of stepping up to masters level. The course has provided me with well-grounded research tools where I drew on other experiences in Yemen to bring fullness to learning and research. I hope to further the review I conducted for my dissertation by collecting empirical data in the near future and using these experiences towards a PhD or more work within educational research. 

Was there a particular module that you enjoyed the most?

I enjoyed Communication and Literacy as I could relate to the topics and contextualise them. The module was interesting and the type of topics addressed were practical. I also enjoyed the research module as it was a good introduction to research and involved skills I was hoping to gain in the course.

What was the best part of the course?

Exchanging ideas with my group and working on the final research project - my dissertation. When I studied the research module it provided a good grounding in the type of skills required for the qualitative inquiry I was planning for my dissertation. It involved discussions and assignments which simulated the work for the final assignment. The dissertation was an incredibly informative experience as constructing the scaffold involved criticality and deep thinking which I think is what makes an MA unique in a way.  

How have you been supported on the course?

Support at Nottingham encompassed an excellent interactive syllabus as in every unit a couple of relevant activities were integrated. This included the forum where discussions were held with the student cohort and tutors. The learning materials were interesting and elicited further reflection and research. Assignments, which tutors gave feedback on, were informative and gave insights about the final assignment for each module. All this incredibly supported my progress through the course. I would like to emphasise that I received excellent support during my dissertation and was fortunate to have a diligent and knowledgeable supervisor.

How did you manage to balance studying with your job (and personal life)?

As each module is divided into units, I utilised the university’s recommended hours for studying and distributed my work over weeknights. I usually worked a bit more over weekends close to deadlines. Journaling and keeping notes of module work is extremely useful to reflect on coursework in general. Modules are interrelated and it becomes evident closer to the dissertation.

Why do you think students should join the University of Nottingham to study this course?

It is a very well structured and informative course. It also gives working educators the flexibility of studying while working; the course at Nottingham is a well-rounded one.

Do you have any advice for someone considering this course?

Remaining active on the forum, communicating with tutors, effective note taking, and utilising a reference manager to organise journal articles and research work, were key to my learning experience. Module activities when conducted effectively, can support a teacher with personal learning and professional development.

Anything else you'd like to add about the course or your time studying at the university?

As a mother to two children who had to leave work for a certain amount of time, I truly appreciate having had this opportunity to launch myself into a good teaching position and hopefully research in the near future. I have thoroughly enjoyed this course and the experience altogether.