Defining Inclusive Pedagogy

Short-hand definition: “Inclusive Pedagogy means deliberately creating a learning environment where all students feel valued and supported, have equal access to learning and are treated equitably.” University of Michigan.  A more thorough definition includes focus on systemic change (Overview of Equity-focused Teaching at Michigan). 

In its broadest sense teaching inclusively means attending to student diversity in all forms, including race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, disability, socioeconomic background and learning style. Research finds that inclusive pedagogy helps all students and is especially beneficial for those who have been traditionally underrepresented in higher education. Current research finds that the following practices are most effective for all students: cultivating student belonging; creating transparency and structure in everything from syllabus design to classroom activities, to assignments and assessments; embracing relevant teaching and learning frameworks; and using technology strategically.

Inclusive pedagogy assumes that teachers begin by knowing who their students are – individually and in aggregate, as scholars and as human beings who come to higher education with experiences and socializations that help create who they are. 

-Megan Sullivan, Boston University 

The BU Context

• Know your students  – Review data on BU students 
• Know your resources –  Review links to CTL,  IS&T and Ed Tech faculty trainings. Also provide your students resources regarding mental health, Newbury Center, etc. Resources below suggest breadth and depth of what instructors might appreciate links to:
  • Hear My Name App
  • Blackboard Ally
  • Self-Guided D&I Learning Toolkits

General Concepts to Practice

These concepts related to Inclusive Pedagogy may be of interest to instructors:

1: Recognize student diversity 

• Know student demographics 
• Use technology to attend to diversity in learning 
• Attend to diversity in your curriculum (https://www.bu.edu/ctl/programs/;  chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.genesee.edu/wp-content/uploads/How-To-Infuse-Diversity-Guide.pdf ; https://resources.depaul.edu/teaching-commons/teaching-guides/inclusive-teaching/Pages/diversifying-curriculum.aspx 

2: Create a sense of belonging in the classroom

• Consider a pre-course welcome note or video; use “we” language in the syllabus
• Create a welcoming and transparent syllabus
  • Designing a Course Syllabus (BU CTL)
  • Syllabus Checklist (BU CTL)
  • Inclusive Syllabus Language  (University of Michigan)
    
• Consider conducting a student survey early in the term (e.g. the “Who’s in Class” form in Addy, et al. What Inclusive Instructors Do, 2021)
• Know how to pronounce your students’ names and ask for their preferred pronouns
• Meet students in office hours early in the course (this has been found to be especially beneficial to First Generation and other traditionally underrepresented students)
• Encourage a growth mindset; let students know that with persistence and assistance they can all succeed. Also, encourage a growth mindset with respect to your discipline. Using examples of diverse people and learners in your discipline, you can highlight that all students can succeed in all disciplines.
• Consider implementing “student-centered” and “whole-centered” pedagogy (see Addy, et al.,  What Inclusive Instructors Do, 2021)

3: Develop transparent, structured, and flexible assignments and activities

• Read the literature on how active learning with “high” structure helps all STEM students, particularly those traditionally underrepresented in higher education
  • Designing High Structure Courses to Promote Student Engagement (Beck and Roosa, 2020)
  • How to Make Your Teaching More Inclusive (Sathy and Hogan, n.d.)
• Teach transparently. Among other things, explain why you are giving an assignment, explain the task in detail, explain the grading, and show models of success 
• Consider flexible due dates and encourage multiple ways students can engage with you, the course material, and each other 
• Examine the literature on creating equitable and transparent teams and small groups
• Use ‘think-pair-share’ and other techniques to engage all students

4: Assess equitably

• Understand assessment (https://www.bu.ed/ctl/assessing-learning/) 
• Practice ‘equity-minded assessment
• Consider alternative grading
  • Three Different Ways to Ungrade (Monet-Viera)
  • Grading Equitably (BU Writing Program)
• Use appropriate technology in the classroom to engage learners 
• Reconsider or broaden how you give exams and other assessment activities:
  • If your discipline does not require timed answers, should you?
  • Do you use typical test questions in assignments?
  • Have you considered the benefits of free response and true/false questions?
  • Have you considered alternative assessments?
  • Are all your tests, quizzes, and exams accessible for all students (see www.cast.org)?
  • Do you know that research has found that “affirmation” helps students perform better or texts and exams? See Addy et. Al. What Inclusive Instructors Do to learn how students were taught to affirm why the discipline they were studying was important to them and how this increased test scores.

Important Frameworks

• Universal Design for Learning (UDL): UDL is a framework for learning that culls from research on brain science and the art of inclusive design. Its guidelines foreground engagement, representation, and action and expression and are useful across disciplines.
• Anti-Racist Pedagogy: According to the University of Michigan anti-racist pedagogy “uses the framework of anti-racism to critically examine the role of education in disrupting white supremacy” (Practicing Anti-Racist Pedagogy)
  • Anti-Racist Pedagogy in Action: First Steps (Columbia University CTL)
  • Anti-racist Pedagogy Lightning Talks (BU)