by Sandra Annette Rogers, PhD; University of California Berkeley.

At the University of California-Berkeley (UCB), we infuse diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and social justice (DEIBJ) in our efforts across campus to meet the needs of all learners. As an instructional designer for Berkeley’s Digital Learning Services, I design remote and fully online courses. As tasks arise, I consider them through the DEIBJ lens and consider my potential implicit biases. My understanding of structural racism and its far reaching impacts have been enhanced through the various UCB trainings I have attended. Currently, I’m involved in the Dismantling Racism working group and providing input on the Becoming an Anti-racist Campus framework.

In a call-to-action book, Robert Livingston (2021) shared the following root causes for racism: anchoring bias, availability heuristic, conditions of ambiguity/plausible deniability, ego threat/psychological insecurity, human intergroup bias (evidence linked to DNA), institutional privilege, meritocracy, social dominance orientation, right-wing authoritarianism, stereotypes/illusory correlations, systemic racism (e.g., legitimizing myths, institutional terror, social construction of race), white fragility (e.g., denial, victimhood, white privilege). He called on white people to join the effort to defeat racism. I’m answering his charge.

As a designer, I strive to pause and reflect how each task may be enhanced for the learner including aspects of DEIBJ. The following are general examples to situate you in the application of this complex topic:

• Images: For inclusion, consider the cognitive, cultural, and physiological needs of your learners (Holeton, 2020). The banner above is a collaborative effort with our media team’s graphic designer on providing a banner image for a module on motion. The physics professor requested a tennis player. I wanted to include different genders and ethnicities, so I found three for a triptych.

• Language: Use inclusive language. I use the American Psychology Association style guide for Bias-Free Language, as well as my university’s writing guidelines shared in the branding documents. For example, rethink the terminology in the course lessons or lectures. For example, use Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC) instead of the term, non-whites.

• Data: Make sure everyone is included in the data provided on the lecture slides or course pages. For example, lower data points are often ambiguously labeled as ‘Other’. Search for original data source to find actual percentages described in the original text.

• Recommended Resources: Focus on the minoritized to bring their achievements to light. Provide additional resources that highlight achievements of BIPOC in relation to the specific topic of a module. For a microbiology course, I found a short video about the creator of the first all-black chapter of the Red Cross, Bess Bolden Walcott, who helped black communities through the Influenza pandemic in 1918 and also those afflicted by polio. This matched the module on historically important pathogens.

This past year, I collaborated with a professor and a DEI graduate student intern in the revamp of an older nutrition course. The professor volunteered to participate in the department’s anti-racist course curriculum program. Together, we were able to meet the first level of goals in her course redesign by reviewing and addressing the department’s DEI Rubric. In part, we were successful because I had already worked with this professor for over two years and built trust. Here are some of my takeaways from this ongoing project:

• Best Teaching Practices: Many of the DEI Rubric guidelines were best practices found in the research such as student-centered learning, including students’ lived experiences in the discussions, mechanisms for peer support, and providing explicit information for conflict resolution.

• Implicit Bias: Address potential for instructor’s implicit bias. The professor shared this in her welcome video and added her positionality statement to the syllabus. She also shared Harvard’s Implicit Bias informational video and quiz with students.

• Inclusion: Add a course goal that promotes an environment of belonging and inclusivity. Identify the sovereignty of the land where your institution resides. Create opportunities for students to share the pronunciation of their names and their pronouns in a welcome survey or introductory discussion. Include continued opportunities to share lived experiences by adding that invitation to the weekly discussion prompts.

• Define Terms: Share the vocabulary and set the stage for open discussions on racism. Review terms and conflict resolution recommendations during meetings and planned curricular interactions.

• Diverse Subject Matter Experts: Include guest speakers that provide authentic voices and diverse perspectives to the subject matter throughout the course, embedded not an add-on. Also ensure required readings are representative of diverse (i.e., ability, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomics, etc) authors and researchers.

References

Holeton, R. (2020). Toward inclusive learning spaces: Physiological, cognitive, and cultural inclusion and the Learning Space Rating System. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2020/2/toward-inclusive-learning-spaces

Livingston, R. W. (2021). The conversation: How seeking and speaking the truth about racism can radically transform individuals and organizations. Currency.

Resources

APA Bias-free language: https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/bias-free-language

UCB Department of Environmental Science & Policy Management: Advancing Inclusion and Anti-Racism in the College Classroom

UCB Dismantling Racism Study & Action Group: https://sites.google.com/berkeley.edu/dismantling-racism

UCB Anti-racism Resources: https://diversity.berkeley.edu/anti-racism-resources

Kristen Rasmussen, MS, RDN

Lecturer, UC Berkeley

Nutritional Sciences & Toxicology

When approached by UC Berkeley colleagues in the summer of 2022 to participate in a working group with the intention of better incorporating inclusive and anti-racist approaches to my course design and teaching practices several thoughts came to mind. My first reaction was - “absolutely” (after all, who wouldn’t want their course to be anti-racist and inclusive?), but naturally my thoughts also quickly drifted to the practicalities such as how much time would be involved and the work associated with revamping my very well-established and organized course, Food, Culture, and the Environment that I had been teaching in various capacities for 10 years. In academia, we are often expected to take on extra responsibilities and spend more time on our work without additional compensation since the satisfaction is presumed to be (and for the most part is!) intangible. While this can be exhausting, I do think that, as an able white American female with inherent privilege, it’s my duty to make extra effort in changing the status quo when it comes to issues surrounding diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and Justice (DEIBJ). Given that a key place where I have the power to make changes that will impact hundreds of impressionable mostly 20-somethings is the classroom, I feel like the time working on these changes was well-spent. 

Luckily, I was not alone in my efforts. The department that created the toolkit we used as a guide (“Advancing Inclusion and Anti-Racism in the College Classroom: A rubric and resource guide for instructors”) received grant funds to pair my course with a graduate assistant who had a background in my course subject matter to help develop actionable plans for improvement. Additionally, I had my course’s Instructional Designer about whom I continue to be impressed - she’s the first Instructional Designer that I’ve worked with on various projects at such depth and I cannot imagine doing them without her attention to detail, organization skills, and DEIBJ-savvy. 

The toolkit is thick and the intentions are broad - everything from including campus mental health resources to focusing curricular materials toward anti-colonialism is covered. As an American Cultures Course at UC Berkeley, Food, Culture, and the Environment was already “designed to critically engage in important issues within the United States by helping students develop a deeper understanding of race, culture, and ethnicity in the context of American society” and I had been working with my Instructional Designer for a few years to improve accessibility. I found it interesting to engage with this toolkit however and see the many places where we fell short. The practice of reviewing my course through this DEIBJ-lens has shed new light on other areas of my professional and even my personal life - it’s not always easy, but it is necessary and I look forward to making more changes in academia and beyond. 

While we couldn’t make all of the changes that we wanted in the first term this past summer, here are a few key changes in the first run that boosted the DEIBJ efforts in addition to those already undertaken (listed from easiest to achieve to most difficult). 

In our course, we strive to…

1. Acknowledge land and sovereignty: Included in an announcement (I was doing this already) and additionally encouraged students to “discuss any past or current efforts designed to repair injustices enacted on a population from your community of focus” in their final project.

2. Center students’ lived experiences: Consistently indicate that including their lived experience in assignments is encouraged (this is easy in a food-focused course!).

3. Assist with conflict resolution: Emphasized in a statement in several places/announcements that as issues arise they can always come to the instructor or GSIs.

4. Make curricular materials anti-racist: Incorporated questions in discussions surrounding instances where they have personally experienced racism (if they chose to share).

5. Foster student-centered learning: Created a “Get to Know the Syllabus” optional quiz (worth 1 point extra credit) with a question at the end asking students to submit their own learning objectives based on the syllabus. 

6. Recognize instructor implicit bias, privilege and positionality: Instructor and Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs) all posted positionality statements. Additionally, I included a link to (and information about) the Harvard Implicit Bias Assessment test. Later in the course, we encouraged students to take the test to assess their own implicit biases.

by Tawana Washington, MS.; University of California, Irvine.

I was an instructional designer at a large university in the Big 10 Conference. I worked with tenured professionals and guest lecturers across a variety of disciplines and backgrounds. For me, language is more than a way to communicate. Language is indicative of one's culture. The way we use it can allow us to stretch across boundaries. But it can also be a hindrance if wielded in unintentional ways. As an instructional designer, I use language to develop trust with the faculty. Sometimes, developing that trust can be a tall and difficult task.

I was assigned to work with Robert, or Bob. Bob had been an instructor in the social sciences department for nearly 20 years. This instructor and I were different in almost every way. He was a tenured professor, Caucasian-male, living between Pennsylvania and Northern Virginia. I am an African American woman with a master's in Instructional design. The things we had in common - one child, single and middle-aged - were swallowed by the things that made us different. Except for language. We were both native English speakers. Bob's version of English was developed in Southern California with German-Scottish parents, mine in Northeast Ohio by parents raised in Mississippi.  

Early in the development process, Bob talked about the history of his area of social science as a profession. I like to get instructors to share the details of what they do. It allows me to hear what they value in their work and what they want to share in the course. As he was giving me an abridged version, I noticed he mentioned the names of several women. I explained that I was unaware that so many women were credited with the establishment of this section of social science. Bob said that it only made sense that women have such a strong influence in this field.

He said, "Because women are emotionally stronger than men."

I think to Bob, the language he used was positive and affirming. But I was offended. I had two options; I could express my discomfort with his choice of words, or I could choose to ignore Bob's words and continue developing this course.

I chose to explain to him why his comment was offensive to me. I wanted to be tactful yet honest and use this as a situation in which we both learned something. I wanted Bob to learn why saying those words to a woman can be triggering and offensive. I needed to learn if there was anything deeper behind his statement because, after all, he was going to be the instructor of this course long after my part was finished.

I said, "Women may appear to be stronger because of the pressures and limitations that society places on us."

 He said, "You sound like my students."

Then he went on to confess that many of his teaching evaluations had been subpar. Students thought Bob was out of touch. He was accused of being defensive when they tried to speak to him about it.

I could see his students' point. So, I asked him what parts of this course gave him the most difficulty. Bob got quiet for a few seconds. Finally, he said that being a heterosexual Caucasian-male in his 50s meant he knows very little about the difficulties of any community that he isn't a part of or isn't studying for his research. Over the last 15 years, his research has centered on how addiction affects men in rural communities in the U.S., specifically in the Appalachian region. The LBGTQIA+, Latin X, Asian, African American, women communities and more, were areas that he would need to cover in this course. His students were correct. He was out of touch. And he was admitting it to me.

Bob asked if I knew anyone who would be interested in partnering with him to develop modules for this course. I asked him about his coworkers in the social sciences department. Again, he confessed that many of his coworkers found him a bit abrasive. Over the years, as he grew older, his coworkers grew younger. He hadn't nurtured any of those professional relationships. I told Bob to imagine how he would have felt as a young postdoc, having a well-published professor like him reach out for collaboration. Bob said he would've been thrilled. We talked about ways to approach his coworkers. He was worried about sounding old to his much younger colleagues.

I said, "You can't fake youth, but you also can't fake experience". That is what you have and they don't, so approach them like professionals."

His willingness to reach out to colleagues was successful. Bob was able to collaborate with several professors, one who identifies with the LBGTQIA+ community, an associate professor who's African American and female, and one former dean who came out of retirement to work with Bob. The course is much more vibrant with these different voices adding their expertise and language - and so is Bob.

Questions for Discussion

·       In what ways do you think language plays into how each person is expressing themselves?

·       What role does gender have in this relationship?

·       How would you handle this situation?

by Cecilia Gómez, Ph.D. – formerly University of California, Davis, now Emory University

What tools do we have as instructional designers and faculty developers to critically reflect on our practices regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion in course design, teaching, and learning? How can we expand our professional and personal toolkit to support a DEI-centered, consultation and course design process over time?

In several fields, from healthcare to business to intercultural communication and teacher education, critical incidents are used to help professionals focus on a situation that went differently than planned and critically reflect on it. These “moments of truth” are a powerful situated and embodied tool for continuous professional learning that go beyond HR-sponsored DEI training efforts. In this post, I’ll briefly present what critical incidents are and some ways in which we can use them to expand our professional – and personal competencies – in diversity, equity, and inclusion.

What’s a “critical incident”?

Simply put, a critical incident is an incident which has significance for us. It may be an event during a 1-1 faculty consultation or a faculty workshop that makes us “stop and think” about something that was said or done regarding diversity, equity, and/or inclusion. It could also be a situation that raises questions for us after it has happened. Critical incidents usually leave us confused or experiencing a range of emotions; they may even make us question our beliefs, values, attitudes, practices, or actions. They indeed open a valuable window that allows us to identify resources, tools, skills, and/or dispositions that are needed. A next step may involve for us to learn something new or for us to gather resources that can help our colleagues better understand DEI-centered teaching practices.

How can we structure “critical incidents” for our own reflection?

Reflecting upon our professional practice is a habit. A useful way to engage in this reflective practice would be to:

• Start a Word document reflective journal or to get a hard copy journal – and a nice set of pens!

• Plan for reflection time at the end of your workday or work week; think of putting aside 20-30 minutes to write down how things went and about any particular event that raised questions or felt particularly salient. In fact, if so, try to write about it as soon as possible!

For structuring a critical incident, follow these suggestions:

• First, describe the situation as factually as possible (include the who, what, when, where, how, and why?)

• Next, focus on what the situation meant to you. For example, what did you do or say? What did you think? What did you feel? What DEI beliefs, values, or experiences informed your actions in the moment? What do you think about all of this now? What questions do you have now?

• Now (or later, when you are ready), think of what the incident means for your professional development. For example, what should I learn or revisit regarding DEI that could have helped me during this situation? What should I do next time to be better prepared? Another great question posed by Pui-Lan and colleagues (2005) for this step is, what do I know now that I wish I knew then, and had I known it, would have perhaps caused me to have acted differently? This section is all about expanding our professional knowledge and skills of DEI-informed instructional design and faculty development processes. Answers to these questions may lead us to explore new readings on DEI, to connect with a colleague to have a conversation, or even to revisit the UC IDFS DEI Online Course Design rubric and identify a dimension where we would locate the critical incident. To me, this is the most important part of writing critical incidents in support of our professional and DEI development.

I hope this brief introduction may prove useful to you and that you may be inspired to start a reflective journal sometime this year! The right time is now! The resources below may be useful to explore more about critical incidents:

• Beigi, R. (2016) Critical incident analysis: reflections of a teacher educator. Research in teacher education (6)1, 25-29

• Nazari, M., & De Costa, P. (2022) Contributions of a professional development course to language teacher identity development: Critical incidents in focus. Journal of teacher education (73)4, 366-380

• Pui-Lan, K., Brown, Wl, Delamarter, S., Frank, T., Marshall, J., Menn, E., & Riggs, M. (2005). Taken with surprise: Critical incidents in teaching. Teaching theology and religion (8), 1, 35-46

• Tripp, D. (2011) Critical incidents in teaching: Developing professional judgement.

by Kim DeBacco, Ph.D., University of California at Los Angeles

We instructional designers (IDs) are influential in shaping educational experiences for students on the 10 campuses of the University of California (UC) system. It is within our scope to create inclusive learning environments that foster growth, respect, and empowerment for all students. Therefore, it is important that we uphold ethical standards and act as sensitive role models of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).

There are at least five potentially influential, ethical dimensions of ID work:

1. IDs Promote Equity and Access: We IDs have the potential to bridge gaps in educational access and equity. We can ensure that instructional materials and learning experiences cater to the needs of diverse learners, including those from marginalized communities, by incorporating DEI principles into our work. We should be critically reviewing our resources, reflecting on our presentation practices, and finding thoughtful ways to question the taken-for-granted in the pedagogical practices of those we support.  IDs really are in a prime position to work towards eliminating bias, stereotypes, and discriminatory practices, so as to promote equal opportunities for students and instructors, regardless of their background, race, gender, ability, or socioeconomic status.

2. IDs Recognize and Embody Cultural Sensitivity and Representation: The Ethical ID recognizes the importance of cultural sensitivity and representation. We understand that cultural differences and perspectives permeate the learning process, explicitly and implicitly. By acknowledging and respecting diverse cultures, languages, and beliefs, we can create inclusive learning content and experiences that resonate with, and include, learners from various backgrounds. Sensitivity to cultural nuances will help IDs avoid perpetuating stereotypes in course design – ensuring that students feel valued, validated, and represented in their educational experiences.

3. IDs Promote Inclusive Pedagogical Practices: DEIABJ-focused IDs design learning experiences that accommodate diverse learning styles, abilities, and preferences. By taking up inclusive pedagogical practices, such as those promoted by Universal Design for Learning (UDL), we know the importance of providing (or suggesting to instructors that they provide) multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression to cater to the diverse needs and interests of students. This fosters inclusive learning environments where everyone can find their space and voice, and so participate and contribute actively, and succeed.

4. IDs Are There to Address Bias and Discrimination: Ethical IDs seek out the biases that hide in educational materials and platforms. Using a guide such as the UC DEI Rubric (see also DeBacco & Mattos, 2023), we can care-fully identify and rectify potential biases in course syllabus, content and design that might otherwise perpetuate stereotypes and discriminatory practices. We know that unbiased content promotes fair assessment, equitable opportunities, and a safe learning environment where all students can thrive.

5. IDs can Advocate for Social Justice: Indeed, we can become advocates for social justice by incorporating topics related to social inequality, human rights, and global issues into our support materials, websites, workshop experiences, showcases and presentations.  In these ways and more, IDs can foster critical thinking*, empathy, and awareness among learners, inspiring them to become agents of change in their communities.
   *At its simplest, critical thinking can be cast as asking yourself: “What is being taken for granted here? Who/what is being privileged? Who/what is being overlooked or silenced?“

In closing:  it is all very well to aspire or ascribe to these lofty ID DEI goals. The WHAT – the aspirations – are clear.  But HOW do we actually create spaces for these conversations? HOW do we have those (sometimes delicate) DEI-inspired course design conversations with the faculty, lecturers, adjuncts and TAs whom we serve? HOW do we word, in inclusive ways, the resources and materials we distribute in workshops, presentations, and on our ID websites, for example?  

HOW we do this DEI work is at the heart of the IDEA Project.  The focus will be on sharing, rehearsing, modeling, and writing about those inclusive skills and alert dispositions we IDs need in order to enact positive change for the benefit of all those engaged in the teaching and learning in our universities. We see on the horizon: a new, next generation of empathetic and socially conscious teachers and learners.

References:

CAST (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. https://udlguidelines.cast.org/

DeBacco, K., & Mattos, N. A DEI Course Design Rubric: Supporting Teaching and Learning in Uncertain Times. EDUCAUSE Review [Internet], 2023 March 13. Available from https://er.educause.edu/articles/2023/3/a-dei-course-design-rubric-supporting-teaching-and-learning-in-uncertain-times