Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Pedagogy

Helpful Questions for Creating Culturally Responsive & Inclusive Curriculum

• How does my pedagogy reflect intentional efforts to engage diverse and/or underrepresented populations?
• How does my curriculum acknowledge various perspectives and/or voids within the field?
• What did I take into consideration in choosing my course materials?
• How does my syllabus reflect the desire to foster an inclusive classroom community?
• How do my course materials reflect my current students? 
• How do my course materials reflect the students I hope to serve?
• How is attention to diverse perspectives in course content distinct from diversity engagement? Does your proposal reflect this distinction?

The above reflective prompts were contributed by Lisa Grady-Willis, Director of Diversity Education & Learning, Global Diversity & Inclusion, Portland State University.

"Reflects a Diversity of Voice"

Here are a few ways to begin to make your class or program reflect a diversity of voice:

Start with the Syllabus: 

Include institutional and personal values that show your embracing of and expectations for a culturally responsive classroom. You can also include communication ground rules such as:

• "Discussion in this class will be conducted in adherence to the College nondiscrimination policy."
• We should respect diverse points of view. We do not need to come to an agreement on any particular issues: we can agree to disagree.
• Our use of language should be respectful of other persons or groups. (As your instructor, I will not let injurious statements pass without comment.)
• You need not represent any group, only yourself, though you may choose to represent a group if you wish.
• If you feel uncomfortable about any aspect of the class environment, it is your responsibility to discuss it with the instructor." (1)

Selection of Textbooks and Course Materials: 

Culturally accountable offers a better strategy for evaluating and changing curriculum. Culturally accountable means -- recognizing the frame, the "same voice over and over." 

When choosing course materials make sure the voices of people from different cultures, genders, classes, sexualities and with differing abilities are heard - not just talked about by others. For example Seattle University MSW program assessed readings in the curriculum and aimed for only 1/3 of reading to be written by the dominate culture. This strategy helps "disrupt the canon" and focuses on the presence of the perspective of non-dominant groups as opposed to non-dominate groups as the topic.

Resources for openly licensed images, including some with special focus on diverse and inclusive images

Assignments: 

"Assignments can represent a vehicle for students to personalize a course and give it individual meaning....Soft versus hard assignments allow students to select their own topics - ones they are comfortable with exploring." (2)

Here is a Rubric for Culturally Responsive Lessons/Assignments created by Dr. Jean Aguillar-Valdez at PSU.

Student's Voice and Experiences: 

Are they a valued part of the classroom? Allow students, in assignments and in class, to bring their worlds and their experiences to bear on the discussions at hand. Small group work can support more inclusive leaning. Learn how teachers' assumptions can influence class dynamics.

Course Evaluations: 

If cultural diversity and inclusion is important to your class then you should assess for it, right? Some example evaluation question are:

• "To what extent did the instructor foster a class environment in which diverse points of view were respected.
• To what extent did the course content incorporate diverse voices and populations?
• To what extent did the assignments allow students to incorporate content related to diverse and/or underserved populations?" (3)

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Adapted from Culturally Responsive & Inclusive Curriculum Resources, Portland Statue University 

(1) Branche, Jerome., Mullennix, John W, and Cohn, Ellen R. Diversity across the Curriculum : A Guide for Faculty in Higher Education. Bolton, Mass.: Anker Pub., 2007, p. 20.

(2) IBID, p 21.

(3) IBID, p 22.