An Assembly for All: Collaborating Across Academia, Heritage, and Community
Tuesday 3rd November 2026, 14.00 – 15.30 (online via MS Teams, link sent upon booking)
This working group serves to provide a space for addressing the challenges of establishing better outcomes for ethnically diverse learners in educational settings, from primary school to Higher Education. It explores innovative approaches to developing good practice in this area by way of practical discussions, research/case study analysis, and peer support.
14.00-14.10 Welcome and Introductions (Karen Lipsedge, Kingston University, Chair)
14.10-15.00 Meghan Kobza (Historian of leisure culture, costume, and commercialization in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, at Newcastle University)
Short Bio: Meghan is the author of The Masquerade: A History of Extravagance and Intrigue and The Domino and the Eighteenth-Century London Masquerade. She has produced public engagement events and exhibits with the National Trust and British Academy and has had the pleasure of being a guest on several podcasts and writing for Tatler, History Extra, and The Conversation.
15.00-15.15 Feedback and Q&A
15.15-15.30 AOB and next meeting
Workshop Summary:
This workshop will explore the development and outcomes of a collaborative heritage project based in Bath, focusing on sensory and experiential approaches to learning and engaging with place-based history. Participants will be invited to reflect on their own experiences of sensory activities in teaching, research and public engagement.
The session will also consider the value of collaboration and creative practice within and beyond academia, examining how partnerships can help teachers and researchers communicate with diverse audiences and extend the reach of their work. Attention will be given to the potential of sensory and experiential methods to enhance engagement and learning outcomes for diverse learners, making the workshop especially relevant to all members of NEON who are working in educational settings.
The workshop will conclude with a discussion of current and future directions, including work on disability studies and representation in heritage contexts.
Core questions to be considered at the workshop:
- Drawing on your own teaching, research, or professional practice, where have you seen sensory or experiential approaches enhance engagement, accessibility, or learning outcomes?
- What challenges have you encountered when trying to engage diverse learners or audiences, and what strategies have you found effective in overcoming these barriers?
- What opportunities for collaboration, either within or beyond your institution, could help you communicate your work more effectively to diverse audiences?
- Reflecting on your own context, what practical changes could you make to improve inclusion, representation, and participation for learners or audiences with different needs and experiences?