Welcome: Exploring bias, identity and teaching
Our approaches to teaching are shaped by a range of factors, including our identities, lived experiences and experiences of education. These experiences can influence how we understand and respond to different situations, including how we interact with students and how we approach teaching and learning.
The wider social and educational contexts in which we live and work can also influence our perceptions and expectations. Research shows that bias and prejudice can be present within society and institutions, and that we may encounter these influences without always being aware of them. Exploring how this can happen provides an opportunity to consider how our experiences and assumptions might shape teaching and learning, and how students with different experiences may experience the same teaching situation in different ways.
Teaching also involves a position of responsibility and influence. This makes it useful to consider how assumptions and implicit biases might influence teaching and interactions with students, as well as how we can respond when bias affects the learning environment. An important part of this is considering the impact of an interaction or experience alongside the intention behind it. An interaction may be unintended, but can still affect a student’s experience, engagement or sense of belonging.
The resources on these pages bring together student experiences, research and different perspectives to support this exploration. They also highlight how inclusive approaches can benefit teaching, learning and research more broadly. Creating learning environments where diverse experiences and perspectives can contribute can lead to richer discussion, new ideas and more effective solutions. There will not always be one right response to a particular situation. The aim is to develop a reflective approach to teaching: noticing what is happening, considering different perspectives, and thinking about what might support students to engage and learn.
These issues can affect GTAs as well as students. You may encounter some of the barriers, biases and experiences explored in these resources in your own GTA role. If you need support, speak to your academic lead about the options available to you, including reasonable adjustments where these relate to disability. You can also access support through the University’s Student online support hub. If you experience or witness an incident you would like to report, you can use the University’s Report and Support tool.