A new, online seminar series through the Center for Integrated Professional Development will provide faculty members with the tools to transform and create inclusive and equitable classes.
“There is a greater awareness of the need on our campus for workshops on equitable teaching. People are working to understand what ‘equitable’ means for their courses,” said Interim Assistant Vice President for Faculty Development, Diversity, and Learning Deneca Avant, who noted many faculty members are not always sure of the steps to take.
“When looking to equitable teaching, faculty usually begin with diversifying their curriculum. This is a great step, but there is so much more,” said Dr. Avant. “This series is about building the culture that is needed for equity. It is an environmental approach.”
Faculty will have the chance to take part in five different seminars over the next year. The series will kick off with three seminars available in the Spring 2023 semester: “Equitable and Inclusive Course Materials,” “Equitable and Inclusive Student Interaction and Participation,” and “Equitable and Inclusive Assessment, Learning Activities, and Feedback.”
Registration is required to attend the seminars.
Providing students with early and frequent assessment—which can be any assignment or material that offers feedback from an instructor—can be key to equity in the classroom, said Mayuko Nakamura, who will co-facilitate the spring seminar with Dr. Kyle Miller of the School of Teaching and Learning. “If students don’t know how they are doing in class earlier in the semester, they may keep using ineffective study habits or inaccurate understanding of the subject,” said Nakamura. The seminar will help instructors to think about how small changes in their assessments can make a big difference in student learning and motivation.
Throughout the next year, the Center for Integrated Professional Development plans to offer all five of the seminars, which include:
- The Equitable and Inclusive Syllabus
- Equitable and Inclusive Classroom Culture
- Equitable and Inclusive Course Materials
- Equitable and Inclusive Student Interaction and Participation
- Equitable and Inclusive Assessment, Learning Activities, and Feedback
For more information, and to register for seminars, visit Foundations of Equitable and Inclusive Teaching on the Center for Integrated Professional Development website.
