Inclusive Teaching and Learning

I came across this when searching on literature on inclusive learning. In simple term Inclusive learning and teaching practices are instrumental in creating and maintaining a learning environment in which all participants are fully engaged and respected, and in which all participants are open to ideas, perspectives, and ways of thinking that are distinct from their own. It helped me to evaluate how much inclusive learning. After evaluating how much of this I can adapt to my teaching; I realised I do not adopt it all, however, majority of the aspects shown in the diagram below in-directly are definitely implemented.

Those are:

- Teaching all students,

- Exploring multiple identities, both possible with the small cohort I teach.

- Choosing appropriate material

- Adopting and integrating lessons appropriately

The rest in the diagram are a challenge to bring into my teaching at this stage but over time and further planning will yield this possible.

However, inclusive teaching and learning practices are instrumental in creating and maintaining a learning environment in which all participants are fully engaged and respected, and in which all participants are open to ideas, perspectives, and ways of thinking that are distinct from their own.

Inclusive teaching posits cultural diversity, or differences related to identity and experience, as crucial to learning. The practice of inclusive teaching involves consciously working to foster learning across differences, for example by acknowledging and challenging biases and stereotypes that can impede understanding and undermine a student’s sense of belonging to the discipline or institution. The practice of inclusive teaching also involves keeping accessibility and transparency in mind when designing courses and assignments, as well as being aware of power differences within the classroom and of psycho-social factors that can affect learning.

We invite instructors and assistants in instruction who are interested in learning more about these ideas to attend our workshops and institutes, or to schedule an individual consultation. You will also find strategies, references, and resources on this website. You may also find it helpful to consult books such as Whistling Vivaldi (C. Steele, 2010) or Blindspot: The Hidden Biases of Good People (M. Banaji and A. Greenwald, 2013), or to take the implicit bias tests at Project implicit. Additional references are included in the pages within this section of our site. The Teaching Center’s programs for inclusive teaching and learning are developed in collaboration with the Standing Committee on Facilitating Inclusive Classrooms, and with campus partners such as the Center for Diversity and Inclusion, the College of Arts & Sciences, Cornerstone, the Office of the Provost.

Faculty Workshops* Offered throughout each fall and spring semester for multi-disciplinary groups and for requesting departments and schools. Topics include the following:

- Reducing Stereotype;

- Threat Fostering a Growth Mindset;

- Understanding Implicit Bias and its Effects on Teaching and Learning (includes discussion of “micro-aggressions” that can negatively impact the learning environment);

- Facilitating Challenging Conversations in the Classroom;

- Fostering Inclusive Learning during Group Work;

- Designing Inclusive Objectives and Assignments