Inclusive teaching strategies
My values as an instructor have always been to create an inclusive, fun and stimulating learning environment that would make my students feel comfortable and excited about the course. Working on the inclusive course design strategies list really helped me to narrow down on specific steps I would take towards creating such an environment. For instance, in order to accommodate students with different methods of learning, the assessments would be in a variety of formats, some would be written, in class or take home etc. Similarly, having quarterly check-ins or giving students an opportunity to give anonymous feedback can help me understand the aspects of the course that work well for the students. Timely reflection on the course structure throughout the quarter can help you modify your materials and methods to suit the needs of your students. As I worked through my strategy list, what I really understood was that every aspect of the course should be thought through since every component can have an impact. For instance, how students are seated in a class can help create a collaborative environment when they sit in a circle instead of the lecture type seating especially when the class is of a smaller/flexible size. Similarly, I planned to have group quizzes but an excellent thought that was brought up was whether there would be an option to bring up issues if a student has trouble with their group. Working through the artifact really helped me understand that every strategy you plan for the class has nuances to think about and plan as well. Lastly, an excellent feedback I got was to include a pre survey before the start of the course which would make me get a sense of the reason the students have taken the class and what they hope to learn from it helping you cater to it. Thinking critically is very important and understanding the student perspective for how the course components work for them is essential to being a reflective and effective instructor.