| Quick Overview:
The Course opens on 9/1 and first meeting is 9/8 from 2-3pm JOIN ORT (Required)
Class meets via Webex on 9/8 from 2-3pm JOIN ORT (Required)
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Table of Contents
Welcome
“Not everything that’s faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” – James Baldwin
We are thrilled you are here to advance the important work of diversity, equity and inclusion. If you haven’t already, please read our About page and then check out the Syllabus.
Course Schedule and Navigation
Weekly units will be made available here on this website every Monday morning by 8am (posts will populate weekly) and you are expected to explore those materials before we meet on Thursdays. The menu tabs at the top of this website are labeled and you will be able to navigate the course using those tabs. We will also post the meeting links in each of the weekly activities posts- please note it is the same link every week.
We have a D2L course shell, but will use it only for announcements, grade book, a couple of discussion boards and assignment drop-box. The bulk of our course including all course materials will be found here in this website(please bookmark this for easy access). Each week, begin by visiting the course website and opening the unit for that week- they are marked with unit and date. Plan on learning about the course topic by all of the materials in the post. The class meets virtually on Thursdays from 2pm to 3pm via Webex. Bring an “entry ticket” (details will be provided in the unit materials) to class each week and plan on completing an exit ticket to capture your learning and engagement in the class session. During class sessions, we will build community and discuss aspects of inclusive pedagogy.
Throughout the duration of the class, you will complete your own diagnostic (an analysis of your own course or program course). You can work on this individually or with others from your program (even if they are not in the POE course). Based on the diagnostic, concepts in this course, and the assimilation of what you already know and do, you will create an Action Plan. Also, you will create a discipline-specific Padlet portfolio to use as a resource for yourself and colleagues. Here is the Course Calendar with detailed schedule.
We are happy you’re here and looking forward to all of us getting to know each other a bit. We hope you will give thought to the weekly materials and find the ensuing discussions beneficial for your unique teaching and learning experience. The following anonymous quote best illustrates our teaching philosophy: “If we don’t model what we teach, we are teaching something else.” In addition, the terms collaboration, discovery, and community come to mind when we consider good teaching. In other words, we learn best when we are part of a community and when we experience and discover new learning for ourselves.
If you are currently taking (or have recently taken) the TOC (Teaching Online Certification) and/or TLTT courses, you may notice some overlap of information; this is because of the focus on inclusive pedagogy. Moreover, not everyone takes both courses, so we need to make sure important topics are covered in each. If you have already covered a topic in TOC, then just take a quick perusal to refresh or see if there’s anything new. Sometimes new perspectives are gained through discussions and our own reflection, even the second time around.
Hyperlinks
Please note that we have designed our posts to have a readable flow instead of posting lists of things for you to “do”. Hyper links ( links that will open in a new window- in bold, pink) are embedded into our writing so that you can easily click on them to explore what we share with you, in the place where some context is provided. We ask that you open each hyperlink and give some thought to what you read there.
Google Docs
You will need to have a google account for this course. The course analysis and other links we provide in this course require that you have a google account in order to open and access the google docs. As an LCC employee, you have access to a google account. If you need help or more information about this, please contact the LCC Help Desk at 517-483-5221.
Pre-course Self Assessment
Before you move further along through this post, please complete this Pre-course Self Assessment, which is a quick inventory of our basic understanding and what we currently know and do in terms of inclusion. Your responses are anonymous. We will share the results in class so we can all learn about where we are as a group. Again, results are anonymous.
Questions to keep in mind
The work you do in this course will require contemplation, which the following questions can help facilitate:
- What have you already been doing (re: current topic)?
- What could you implement (re: current topic)?
- What barriers or challenges might prevent you from implementing (re: current topic)?
What is Inclusive Pedagogy?
As we embark on our journey toward more inclusion in our classrooms and work spaces, we provide you with two definitions of Inclusive Pedagogy that are fitting for the work we will do in this course.
From the University of Denver, “Inclusive Pedagogy is a student-centered approach to teaching that engages the wealth of intersecting social identities and positionalities that all students bring to the classroom.”
From the University of Chicago, “Inclusive pedagogy refers to the ways that courses, classroom activities, curricula, and assessments consider issues of diversity in an effort to engage all students in learning that is meaningful, relevant, and accessible.”
Attitudes Matter
The fact that you are here in this course makes us believe that creating and maintaining inclusive classrooms and work environments is important to you! We are thankful about this as we know our attitudes matter– really about everything- but especially in terms of how we view students.
Inclusive Language
The Inclusive Language Handbook: A Guide to Better Communication & Transformational Leadership states, “ Inclusive language is the daily practice of communicating intentionally using unbiased words that acknowledge diversity, convey respect, and support an environment of equitable opportunity.” And regarding the importance, “…language shapes human relationships, and people are at the heart of organizations. Using inclusive language honors each person’s diverse identity, making them feel welcomed, valued, and empowered to do their best work.” The book is available for check-out from LCC’s Center for Teaching Excellence lending library.
Person-centered language is language that puts people first. Using person-centered language puts the person first instead of their condition or situation. This is strengths-based language as opposed to deficit-based. For example, instead of saying someone “is mentally ill”, which is not person-centered and deficit-based, it is more inclusive to say “a person with mental illness” which puts the focus on the person, which is strengths-based. Here is an excellent person-centered language practice tool (open, then click on PDF) by The University of Minnesota’s Center for Practice Transformation.
To prepare us for our upcoming conversations, please familiarize yourself with the contents of this Glossary of DEI Concepts and to give a clear idea and more examples, please look at this short article about Inclusive Language in the Workplace.
Traditional Teaching May Deepen Inequality
This Article: Traditional Teaching May Deepen Inequality, by Becky Supiano, The Chronicle of Higher Education may offer us a bit of validation and a perspective about why this work matters.
I have been teaching person-first language in my Psych classes and explain that it’s because a person’s condition does not define who they are. Instead it’s just one thing about them. For example, person with schizophrenia, instead of schizophrenic. However, a year ago, a student corrected me and said that in the autism community (or what is now termed “spectrum”), they prefer to be called “autistic.” She is autistic, and said that they recognize that it is their identity, it is who they are. Another valuable lesson learned coming directly from a student.
Thanks for sharing this, Marita. During a Courageous Conversation last year, someone in the audience wanted us to know that they were autistic, not a person with autism. Another term, though, that I have heard quite a few, in recent years, use to describe themselves is “neurodivergent”.
I’ve never been a “hey guys” kind of person, but I’ve definitely struggled with my use of pronouns in my classes over the last few years. This semester, I asked students at the beginning of the semester, what pronouns they preferred. I also try to use the person’s name A LOT.. even if I say it 3 times in a sentence :). I tell my students that I am learning and will take all the help from them that they are willing to give me. I’m not sure, but I feel like that approach does remove some barriers and creates an environment where students are happy to help/”correct” me if I say something that is incorrect.
Hi Susie!
I think just saying “I’m learning” is a good start! These last three or so years I’ve done a survey with pronouns, and then (in Spanish) share resources about what pronouns people are using in Spanish-speaking countries.
As a linguist, though, I have to remind everyone that changing language is hard! I recently caught myself using “they” without having to think about it, and I was so proud! This kind of linguistic change takes time – “hey guys” or “you guys” is a Midwest pattern of speech, so we have an especially hard go of it! Linguistic change is hard, but it is POSSIBLE. Just look at all the changes we’ve made already 🙂
~Kate
I ended up ordering this book! I hope that this will help me to put these ideals into consideration at the very beginning of my planning process in my courses. This includes activities, curriculum, discussions, assessments, materials, etc. I want to focus on ways to help my students connect with learning objectives. What does “this” look” like for them? How do they interpret course content with their past, current, and future experiences?
I have used People First Language in my CHDV courses for years. Here is the article I share with students. I am not sure if you can access it this way, but you can look up the document online as well.
file:///C:/Users/huntt/Downloads/People_First_Language.pdf
The class started off good – one of the things i am getting used to are the pronouns – when I first saw it I had no clue
Larry Lewis
I was caught by the concept of “micro-inequities.” These may be the most insidious, and most difficult to combat, considering implicit bias. In order to address a problem, one must be made aware of it.
“Climate is affected not only by blatant instances of inequality directed towards a person or group of people but also by smaller, more subtle “micro-inequities” that can accumulate to have significant negative impacts on learning (Hall, 1982). (https://operations.du.edu/inclusive-teaching/inclusive-pedagogy)”
In the video presentation by Jennifer Sandoval, there was something that I had not thought of before, and which I thought rather interesting. She introduces the concept of using the term “minoritized” relating to a group instead of “minority”, as an example of “[making] sure that we’re naming the perpetrators of oppression and that oppressive force when we are choosing language”. I wasn’t sure about this change as being an example of that statement, but with further explanation I understood the concept that she was trying to express. The fact that the word “minority” may be a problematic way to refer to a group and that it may be “diminishing” of a community – it reflects stuff that has led to thinking about people in terms of numerical majority, and also reflects something that has been done TO communities and not chosen BY communities themselves.
Concerning “Person Centered Language”
[https://practicetransformation.umn.edu/practice-tools/person-centered-language/]
While I am all for not defining a person by their , there are some things that simply shouldn’t be “pajamafied.” [https://storytimesolidarity.com/pajamafication/] A person with, mental illness, in a wheelchair, etcetera, is good. The problem as I see it is sweetening up the language to the point of making the unacceptable sound acceptable. Is being manipulative a positive personality trait? It certainly sounds great when we say a person who is resourceful; more specifically, why on earth would the person ever want to change? This is on the same spectrum as, “a person who enjoys moral flexibility,” to describe a murderer, rapist, or pedophile.
People need to want to change; I do not see it happening when they are having poor behaviors being, not just accepted, but reinforced.