Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
  1. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning /
  2. SoTL Spotlight Podcast /
  3. Season 2 /
  4. Episode 3 - Inclusive Practice in LTA

Episode 3 - Inclusive Practice in LTA

Nikki Martin from South Bank University and Dave Thomas from Solent University discuss Inclusive Practice in LTA

Nicki and Dave thumbnail

Nikki Martin

As well as working in schools and FE, I have held various academic and leadership roles in the HE sector, including leading professional services functions and research centres. I developed the successful EdD in Social Justice and Inclusive Education, MA Education /Autism and the Critical Autism and Disability Studies (CADS) Research Group at LSBU.CADS was the birthplace of The Participatory Autism Research Collective (PARC). Currently I lead the Building Future Communities Research Centre which encompasses CADS and focusses on inclusive, interdisciplinary, creative approaches to participatory research.

I am a National Teaching Fellow, RSA Fellow, Senior Fellow of the HEA and an Accredited Speaker for the CPD Standards Office, and hold, various visiting professorships and fellowships and external examiner posts. I am an accredited member and advisor to The National Association of Disability Practitioners and received the organisations lifetime achievement award in 2024.

During 2025, I am co-editing  a series of books on Autism Wellbeing and Fulfilment across the life course.

I have 15 doctoral completions and currently supervise 8 students.

Professor Nicola Martin. PhD

SF HEA: National Teaching Fellow

Building Future Communities Research Centre | London South Bank University

Nicola Martin - London South Bank University

 Inaugural lecture by Professor Nicola Martin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvQfc1BSXFQ

Dave Thomas

Dr. Dave S.P. Thomas (SFHEA) is an Associate Professor of Inclusive Curriculum and the Academic Lead for Learning and Teaching at Southampton Solent University. Born in Jamaica and based in the UK, he is a distinguished British philanthropist, Public Health specialist, and Occupational Therapist with a professional focus on social justice.


Dr. Thomas serves on the Board of the National Windrush Museum, contributing to the preservation and celebration of the Windrush generation’s legacy. His scholarly work spans the fields of social justice, inclusive pedagogy, curriculum innovation, and student engagement in higher education. He is the author of four books, the most recent of which—Culturally Sensitive Curricula Scales: Researching, Evaluating and Enhancing Higher Education Curricula—was nominated for the BERA Educational Book of the Year. This influential work provides practical tools and interdisciplinary case studies to support the development of curricula that affirm and reflect the diverse identities, cultures, and lived experiences of students. Drawing on research from five UK universities and four academic disciplines, the book underscores the importance of contextually responsive curricular transformation.