Chapter 3. Creating a Deliberate Learning Environment
Level 1: Inclusive Language and Diverse Perspectives
This introductory level provides deliberate inclusive practices that any educator can do, regardless of their experience with inclusive teaching. These simple practices include: 1) modifying or adding inclusive language to your syllabi, 2) monitoring your classes’ climates, and 3) enhancing representation of diversity within course material
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Modifications of Syllabi
Your syllabus is a useful tool that can ensure that your policies, pedagogy, and class content account for distinctions in learning experiences based on student identity. Elements of an inclusive syllabi range from ensuring that the content provided comes from diverse perspectives to adding an inclusivity statement. It is highly recommended that you highlight many of these elements when you initially review your syllabus, and reference them as needed throughout the semester. Below, we provide a few resources that may aid you in developing an inclusive syllabus for your students
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Enhancing Representation
Students benefit from exposure to course material that goes beyond the “status quo.” Enhancing Representation involves ensuring that course material is reflective of a variety of perspectives and identities in a manner that challenges or differs from dominant cultural values. Prior to starting the course, consider doing the following:
- Add images to lecture does that display the identities of scholars and authors being discussed
- Add information to your personal lecture notes that prepare you to verbally recognize when a perspective is steeped in dominant cultural ideals
- Include course material that is written by or addresses underrepresented groups
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Be cognizant of non-dominant religious practices
It is important to be cognizant of non-dominant religious holidays and practices (e.g., prayer times, eating restrictions etc.). Such awareness will allow for flexibility in your course schedule, which provides a space for students’ religious and educational practices to co-exist with minimal conflict. Accounting for religious holidays and practices should be done proactively so students do not need to request an exception for a religious holiday after the syllabus is distributed. Below are a few tips you can use:
- Use an interfaith holiday calendar to check for holiday conflicts with major assignment due dates
- Schedule exams and major project dates around religious holidays
- Be aware of religious holidays and practices that may occur with class time and offer flexibility during those times. For example: students may need to leave class early; during Ramadan, students may be more lethargic as they adjust to fasting, possibly resulting in missed classes or less participation.
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Incorporate Diverse Visuals and Representation
- Audit the in-class examples, case studies, and images you use in your class materials. Oftentimes, publisher-provided materials favor historically dominant groups. Increasing the diversity of the race, gender, and relationship structures of examples used in class can help students feel empowered.
- Use a random name generator to diversify the names used in class examples
- Vary the relationship structures and gender roles used in class examples
- Men should not always be in leadership roles
- Same-sex couples and gender should be incorporated into content and examples
- Increase the diversity of pronouns used and increase the use of gender-neutral pronouns
- Audit the in-class examples, case studies, and images you use in your class materials. Oftentimes, publisher-provided materials favor historically dominant groups. Increasing the diversity of the race, gender, and relationship structures of examples used in class can help students feel empowered.