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A Course with No Barriers
A Course with No Barriers
There are equity gaps in traditional courses for students of color, but these gaps are even greater in online courses. Something must be done.
There are equity gaps in traditional courses for students of color, but these gaps are even greater in online courses. Something must be done.
Instructors must educate themselves about the inequities and stereotypes students of color and other marginalized groups face on community college campuses. They must also recognize their own unconscious biases and acknowledge their own teaching methods that are inequitable. College should be a safe place for students of color and a place where unfair barriers don't exist. This is especially a concern in online classes. For example, "In traditional classes, the achievement gap between white and African American students is 12.9 percentage points. It is 17.5 percentage points in online courses" (Johnson and Cuellar Mejia, 2014).
Reflections
Reflections
Where I was.
Where I was.
I was aware of equity gaps, had earned a Certificate in Cultural Competency, and was already taking action to address the issue; however, I wasn't thinking consciously about what I was doing, whether it worked, and what else I could do.
Where I am.
Where I am.
I have redone my syllabus and other language and made thoughtful changes to increase access and equity in my course, from the curriculum to the policies.
Where I'm headed.
Where I'm headed.
I want to be more creative with how I can replicate the collaboration in my in-person classes in the online setting. I also plan to create more assignments that empower students of color.
Course Improvement Examples
Course Improvement Examples
Crooks ONLINE ENGL 120 Summer 2019 syllabus.pdfEquity-minded Syllabus: I scoured my syllabus for deficit-minded language and anything that sent the message that I wasn't supportive of students. I am especially proud of my new late work policy:
"Sometimes students encounter life obstacles that affect their ability to turn in work on time. For this reason, I will accept homework, such as initial discussion board posts, quizzes, rough drafts, etc. up to two days late for half credit. This does not apply to the peer responses. Final papers will be accepted up to three days late, but they will be marked down one letter grade (10%). This is to be fair to students who got the work in on time.
Please stay in communication with me as well. If you reach out to me before the deadline for an assignment with a challenging circumstance, we can discuss your options."
Zero Textbook Cost: I have moved away from using a textbook altogether this past year in my online courses. My old textbook cost around $50. Now the course has no additional fees. I created all the content myself to replace the textbook!
Social Justice Comedy Unit: I recently designed a brand new unit where students watch stand-up comedy, read articles about comedy, and answer the question of whether comedy can effectively change people's minds about social issues. The unit is very empowering for students of color and engaging for the younger generation, especially since these comedians are from all walks of life, speaking their truths, from police brutality to discrimination against the disabled (see TED Talk below).
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