The idea of Inclusive Teaching and Learning is built upon the principle of purposeful learning - interacting with students in a way that they develop a willingness to be active participants in the learning process.
This method includes key elements such as sociality, humanized courses, and instructors who demonstrate empathy for the learner. These intentional instructional practices can create high-quality, authentic learning experiences for students, build strong learning communities, and demonstrate your empathy for students.
Let's examine some additional strategies to make your teaching and interactions more inclusive.
Dr. Michael Wesch is an anthropologist at Kansas State University. Wesch is considered a "rock star" within anthropology as he has incorporated video, social media, and other creative tools into his classroom that make his content come alive. Watch his TedX talk about his inspiration to attempt new practices in his classroom and truly get to know his students.
Columbia University's Five Principles of Inclusive Teaching and Learning (with examples of how to implement):
Put yourself in the student's shoes
Start with empathy towards the student and what they might be experiencing as they learn this content for the first time.
Remember what was like when you were a student.
Establish a climate of inclusivity and support in the classroom.
Establish a supportive instructor role early on.
Send a course welcome video, with an imperfect, authentic video of you.
The Syllabus
Pay careful attention to the tone and language you use.
Be present
Send regular class announcements and emails.
Provide timely feedback.
Include micro-video lectures.
Have clear expectations for the course.
Be upfront about course expectations and learning goals.
Use Universal Design when designing your course:
Present content in multiple methods.
Allow students to submit their products for assignments in a variety of formats.
Allow students to acquire course competencies through a multitude of paths, all leading to the same outcome.
Embrace practices and content that recognize diversity and acknowledge barriers to inclusion.
Make intentional choices in areas you have full control over.
For example: Is there an Open Educational Resource (OER) you could adopt fully, or partially, for your course?
Check what is available in your discipline through the following OER databases:
Don't forget to check out information on the CRC OER Grant Program.
Design course elements for accessibility.
Caption videos and use alt text to describe all photos or images in your course.
Look for high contrast between text color and background color.
Use the accessibility checker when making Canvas pages.
SELF REFLECTION: Reflect on your own college experience. Did you feel welcomed and supported? Did you know how to locate and access resources? Discuss the experiences you had with your professors, student services staff, and extracurricular activities/events that helped demonstrate inclusivity and support your experiences in college.
Be prepared to share your insights at the live Zoom session.
Inclusive teaching should live alongside research and data-driven changes. The Research and Planning Group for California's Community Colleges (RP Group) investigated factors that students cited as ones that helped increase their success in college. The RP Group paid close attention to the responses of African American and Latino students, as those student groups are the ones that have been historically disproportionately impacted. The RP Group's conclusion was that there are 6 factors that should be integrated throughout a student's daily experience at the college:
Student Support (Re)defined by RP Group: 6 success factors
Directed: students have a goal and know how to achieve it
Focused: students stay on track
Nurtured: students feel that somebody wants to help them succeed
Engaged: students actively participate in class and extracurriculars
Connected: students feel they are part of a college community
Valued: students' skills, talents, abilities, and experiences are recognized and can be expressed through their coursework; students are provided with opportunities to contribute on campus and feel their contributions are appreciated
What might these success factors look like in reality??
Directed: include learning goals at the beginning of units and all accompanying assignments and assessments
Focused: nudge students with Canvas reminders; use growth-mindset framing for all comments and feedback throughout the course; use clear rubrics with intentional language; provide timely feedback
Nurtured: demonstrate authentic care for students
Engaged: challenge your students and include collaborative, cooperative learning opportunities for them
Connected: include group work (or peer review) opportunities to create a strong class community
Valued: allow students to be "experts" on a topic in your class and share their experiences in a meaningful and supported way
SELF REFLECTION: What techniques do you currently implement in your course that meet some of the success factors identified by the RP Group? Identify two techniques you already use and two additional techniques you would like to add to your course.
Be prepared to share your insights at the live Zoom session.
Teaching in Higher Ed podcast: Episode 388 Fostering a Sense of Belonging