Lunch and Share: Amplifying Voices Through Learning Technology

The inaugural Lunch and Share session took place on 24 February 2026, bringing together colleagues from across the higher education and private sectors for a rich and thoughtful exchange of ideas. The session was created as a platform for participants to share practical examples of projects, challenges, and successes at the intersection of antiracism, education, and learning technology.

The opening discussion focused on the question:
How can we use (or how have we used) learning technologies to amplify the voices and contributions of underrepresented communities in our learning and teaching practices?

The diversity of perspectives in the room created a safe and supportive space for open dialogue around race-related interventions. Participants drew on their own lived experiences while reflecting on approaches shared by others, leading to meaningful and generous conversations.

One intervention discussed centred on the creation of a digital platform that enables people from diverse backgrounds to share their stories through creative writing. This approach foregrounds personal voice and narrative as a powerful tool for visibility and connection. You can explore some of these stories here:
https://www.shareyourstorywithconfidence.com/your-stories. Another example shared was the “I Belong” project, where students created doodles representing their authentic selves in a playful and accessible way. These individual artworks were then combined into a single digital piece and installed in a prominent social space within the university. These examples prompted participants to reflect on how similar approaches might be used to centre voices in inclusive and creative ways.

Importantly, the discussion highlighted the need for sensitivity when amplifying marginalised voices. Participants noted that such work should allow for choice, including less invasive or anonymous forms of participation, for those who may not yet feel ready to share their identities or experiences publicly.

Other ideas included the use of Padlet as a collaborative storytelling tool. One example involved participants selecting their country of origin on a shared map and contributing reflections on what sustainability means within their local communities. This approach demonstrated how learning technologies can support multicultural engagement, allowing people to explore shared themes through the lens of their own cultural contexts. The Padlet itself becomes a central, collective archive of perspectives and lived experiences.

There was also discussion around the use of e-portfolios as a way to surface lived experiences and amplify voices from different diversity groups, enabling reflection, ownership, and longer-term engagement.

As with many meaningful initiatives, participants also acknowledged the challenges involved. Structural barriers were identified as a key factor affecting engagement with inclusion-oriented interventions. In higher education, it was noted that some subject areas are less likely to engage in these conversations, often due to the perception that they are already “inclusion-proof” (if such a thing exists). Similar patterns were observed in the private sector, where certain departments engage less readily than others.

These reflections led to an important and timely question:
How do individuals and organisations ensure engagement from diverse groups of people?

This question, one that many institutions and organisations continue to grapple with, will form the focus of the next Lunch and Share session on 31 March 2026.

Click here to register for the March Lunch and Share: Safe Space Discussion on Contemporary Issues in Antiracism and Learning Technology

We warmly invite you to join us, share your experiences, and continue the conversation.