Understanding varied experiences is critical for all students’ deep learning, so take time to select content.
Knowledge experts from across disciplines have discovered critical gaps in their disciplines’ advancement and understanding of human experiences based on research and study of diverse experiences and perspectives. Instructors should evaluate course content and pedagogy for variety in viewpoint, population focus, and author/creator identity.
Strategies
- Audit course content for:
- Diversity and inclusion of authors and creators in readings and other course materials, noting gaps and areas of concentration. Remain open to changing the texts and materials you assign and the voices you highlight.
- Diversity and inclusiveness of topics, examples, viewpoints, and experiences beyond reading lists: for example, include diverse examples and perspectives in lecture examples, slide decks, and case studies.
- Tokenism in readings and examples: diverse materials should have relevance to your course and not serve as token representatives of particular groups or cultures.
- Acknowledge how power and privilege have functioned historically and today when introducing content.
- Use intentional course design to interrogate historical and contemporary consciousness and assumptions.
- Critically evaluate texts for assumptions, stereotyping, and missing perspectives and bring these elements to students’ attention.
- Highlight contributions made by voices that the discipline may have under-represented historically.
- Invite guest speakers with diverse experiences and differing backgrounds.
- Avoid assuming familiarity with cultural references (for example, WASP or Lassie), understanding that few cultural references are widely shared, and that assuming shared references undermines the confidence of those who do not grasp the reference.
- Offer students choices of resources so that they can work with those that they find most relevant to them.
It’s important not only to include diverse content but also to make students aware of that diversity. Talk with students about some of the choices you made and your rationale.
- Discuss the implications of any gaps or scarcity of diverse perspectives in your field in class.
- Consider adding a values statement to your syllabus, explicitly conveying the message that you welcome varied perspectives and viewpoints.
- Make the authors and creators on your syllabus visible to students. Incorporate pictures of authors or creators of materials on your syllabus, course schedule, or lectures, or try a visualization tool like a StoryMap. For ways to help students see the people in their course materials, see Prof. Jeffrey Gonzalez’s syllabus for ENG 300 for an example.
- Consider the tone of your syllabus as well. See Warming up Your Syllabus for strategies.
- Draw on new curricular resources. See HBCUs Matter, curriculum developed using materials from the 1619 Project by Zakiyyah Ali (Howard University), Sosanya Jones (Howard University), Marco Sanchez (Little Red Elisabeth Irwin School), and Blanca Elizabeth Vega (Montclair State University).
Implementing these strategies will help you to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all your students, regardless of their background or identity.
For more information or help, please email the Office for Faculty Excellence or make an appointment with a consultant.
Last Modified: Monday, March 31, 2025 1:39 pm
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