21 Scholarship Matters With digitalisation on the rise, it is not a surprise that the IT industry has become central to economic growth, contributing more than £82bn to the UK economy annually (McDonald, 2023). Despite this, the industry has remained white and male-dominated, a phenomenon that is also evident within HE programmes on Information Systems (IS). In this article we ask: How can IS educators promote inclusivity with the purpose of enhancing the career and employability prospects of students from diverse backgrounds, including female students? The Gender Gap In their Editorial of a Special Issue on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in IS education, (Lang et al. (2022) identify that IS education suffers from inequality and barriers due to gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality, and socio-economic status. This article is driven by an interest to overcome some of these barriers, and to identify effective inclusive pedagogical practices in the field of IS education. The ultimate goal is to increase gender representation and promote female students’ enthusiasm in IT-related careers, including leadership of digital transformation programmes. We argue that educators play a significant role in promoting (inclusivity) and examine a specific teaching practice, specifically the case method, and its role as an inclusive pedagogy. Inclusivity through case (re)-writing and teaching To promote inclusive IS education, a case study that was written by the first author for use in a session on ‘Leading Digital Transformation’ was revisited and elements of it re-written. The case sought to explore the challenges that digital leaders experience in their efforts to promote digital transformation in their organisation. Following recommendations made by the second and third authors, two particular aspects of the case were modified: 1) the female protagonist was presented as a female IT professional from an ethnic minority group, and 2) alternative employment options other than the traditional permanent and full-time posts for leaders within the IT profession were introduced as a way for encouraging students to rethink alternative, yet fulfilling careers, especially in maledominated sectors such as IT. The revised case was taught in two separate sessions with undergraduate and postgraduate management students from diverse backgrounds and provoked discussions on digital transformation in the organisation, as well as the lack of diversity in the IT industry. Students’ feedback following the class pointed to evidence of two types of belongingness, a key feature of (inclusivity). Firstly, there was an increased sense of belongingness with the class: “The case study did give a sense of belonging socially… you are always sharing ideas … and similar understanding”. The second type of belongingness which was specific to the amended case version related to the connection that students felt with the case scenario, and in particular the case protagonist: “it was … relatable, like it’s kind of you put yourself in their shoes and being a woman … I could be in that situation … it could be me, and I’m thinking what would I do …?”. Conclusions and recommendations We posit that since the case method provides opportunities for students to foster a sense of belonging and a connection to the class and case scenario, female students can develop confidence, interest and passion in developing careers in traditionalyl maledominated sectors. Importantly, the study reveals how the main feature of inclusive education, namely a sense of belonging, can be achieved during our daily teaching practice. This will extend our role as educators beyond just delivering content, but also by writing teaching cases that showcase characteristics of inclusivity and diversity, such as reference to female protagonists and other case participants from ethnic diversity groups. The study opens up the agenda on inclusive education within IS education. It is our strong position that it is not enough to admit students into our programmes from diverse backgrounds, but we also need to reconfigure our teaching to encompass inclusive education and increase female representation in IT employment and digital leadership in particular.
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