20 Matching Annotations
  1. Oct 2020
    1. And though flags from this software don’t automatically mean students will be penalized—instructors can review the software’s suspicions and decide for themselves how to proceed—it leaves open the possibility that instructors’ own biases will determine whether to bring academic dishonesty charges against students. Even just an accusation could negatively affect a student’s academic record, or at the very least how their instructor perceives them and their subsequent work.

      The companies are hiding behind this as a feature - that the algorithms are not supposed to be implemented without human review. I wonder how this "feature" will interact with implicit (and explicit) biases, or with the power dynamics between adjuncts, students, and departmental administration.

      The companies are caught between a rock and a hard place in the decision whether students should be informed that their attempt was flagged for review, or not. We see that, if the student is informed, it causes stress and pain and damage to the teacher-student relationship. But if they're not informed, all these issues of bias and power become invisible.

  2. Sep 2019
    1. When assignments are optional, compliance will vary and you risk exacerbating differences in study skills, background knowledge, and the like.

      I can't help but wonder if the emphasis on "content retention" and "compliance" that seems to be core to the authors' concept of learning doesn't make some bad assumptions: that learning is something that an instructor does to a student, and not something that students have agency over. This seems to me to be in extreme conflict with what might be even more inclusive practice: far less emphasis on the grade, more individual attention and greater emphasis on personal growth, less teacher control and more student agency. This is basic Freire stuff. Students aren't vessels to be filled.

    2. Reach out to those who didn’t do so well and express your willingness to help them. Check in with students who have missed a class or two.

      It's worth noting that none of this is easy or efficient. If it was, we'd all do it. One must make a concerted effort to ensure students feel like they belong and that they're supported so that they can learn best. If that's not part of an instructor's job, then what exactly is the instructor's job?

    3. minimize inequities

      minimize inequities = reduce harm; clear similarities to Hippocratic oath. See also Kaufman & Schipper (2018) Teaching With Compassion, p. xxiii

    4. Traditional teaching methods do not serve all students well.

      Emphasis on all. Frequently defensiveness kicks in when traditional teaching is called into question, because it does work, but just for some.

  3. Jan 2019
    1. A study by Nyhan and Reifler showed that having test subjects engage in a self-affirmation exercise significantly reduced their level of defensive processing when faced with counter-attitudinal information on policy issues.

      Relation to stereotype threat?

    1. Active-learning techniques — like sharing the responsibility for leading discussions or framing classroom expectations with our students — show them they indeed belong in this "scholarly space" and give them the confidence to engage with the course and one another.

      The ProfHacker article by Maha Bali and Steve Greenlaw explores this more concretely. Active learning for inclusion needs to be scaffolded in such a way that it does not reinforce the privilege of dominant cultures and personalities.

    2. More specifically

      Inclusive pedagogy as an element of things faculty are probably already doing.

    3. Am I having my students read a bunch of monographs, all authored by white males, for example?

      We need better ways to incentivize the finding and sharing of these more diverse arrays of knowledge forms and knowledge producers, particularly I think at introductory levels. When faculty balk at the labor of finding appropriate and diverse readings, we need resources to show that some of the work has already been done.

    1. Or you can ask them to take 1-5 minutes in class before you start discussion.

      We can also think of this pre-writing or even free writing as a mindfulness exercise which helps students reflect and potentially manage stress (beyond the stress of having to speak in public).

    2. It is important for the instructor to determine what the problem is for each particular class.

      This feels like one of the big issues in "inclusive pedagogy" - the desire for one-size-fits-all solutions necessarily opposes the goal of treating each person as an equal individual. (That said, "one size fits most" solutions are important steps forward.)

  4. Dec 2018
    1. inclusive pedagogy is inherently open, and open pedagogies are indeed inclusive.

      I might propose inclusive pedagogy is a subset of open pedagogy. Inclusive pedagogy does not necessarily mean open. IP does not entail OP. Courses may be inclusive without components of Open (e.g. using openly-licensed materials; curating, creating and sharing content with the wider public; student-driven learning experiences).

  5. Sep 2018
  6. Jul 2018
  7. May 2018
    1. Fostering an accountable, inclusive and stimulating environment requires an instructor to be acutely sensitive to individual differences between learners and the emotional dimensions of learning. In an online environment, in the majority of cases, the instructors cannot see the students’ facial expressions, they cannot hear the tone of their voices or capture any unwritten reactions, thoughts or feelings; therefore, we should choose our words carefully, and be aware of how the message may be miscommunicated and misunderstood.

      So much of this depends on course design and faculty presence. Makes all the difference in the world. Frankly, I've been in face-to-face courses that felt far less inclusive than well-designed and facilitated online courses.

  8. Apr 2018
  9. Feb 2018
    1. Some benefits of inclusive teaching are:You can connect with and engage with a variety of students.You are prepared for “spark moments” or issues that arise when controversial material is discussed.Students connect with course materials that are relevant to them. Students feel comfortable in the classroom environment to voice their ideas/thoughts/questions. Students are more likely to experience success in your course through activities that support their learning styles, abilities, and backgrounds.How can you teach inclusively?Be reflective by asking yourself the following:How might your own cultural-bound assumptions influence your interactions with students? How might the backgrounds and experiences of your students influence their motivation, engagement, and learning in your classroom?How can you modify course materials, activities, assignments, and/or exams to be more accessible to all students in your class?
    1. The purpose of these four summits is to create a community of practice focused on developing a culture of shared norms and values that establish an inclusive learning environment, one that prohibits anyone from being disadvantaged or unjustly treated because of social identity or status. The Student Success Summits will offer information, strategies, and guidance to support the identification, integration and implementation of inclusive pedagogical methods that promote discipline-specific learning objectives.