LT2: Instructor Development
How do we increase instructor capacity for inclusive excellence in teaching?
We propose that our institutions currently have training that provides good information about effective and inclusive teaching, but does not support implementation in the classroom or valid assessment of its effectiveness. Many faculty view inclusive teaching as a passing phase or they do not see the point of changing what they do. In addition, some instructors have fear and concern about how data on inclusion will be used against them. Thus, our second project focuses on making inclusive excellence an integral part of instruction on ourcampuses by directly working with instructors to tackle the specific rationale of inclusive teaching: the why, what, and how of identifying and dismantling exclusionary policies and practices. We aim to employ effective, evidence-based models, tools, and approaches for increasing instructor capabilities to teach inclusively and developing approaches to increase faculty buy-in.
By working on this project, we expect to equip the instructors (faculty, staff, teaching and peer-learning assistants) at our institutions with training and tools necessary to implement inclusive teaching in their instructional spaces. In addition, instructors will have the appropriate training and tools to give meaningful feedback to their peers and engage in reflection that leads to improvement of teaching over time. The goals and specific metrics for success will include:
- All instructors view inclusive teaching and support of all students as integral to their jobs
as educators. - All instructors are equipped with the skills and tools needed to teach inclusively.
- Administrators clearly communicate that inclusion data are intended to further an
instructor's own growth as an educator and to make improvements in student retention
and success over time.
Our process for carrying out this project will involve the following steps:
- Make inclusive excellence an integral part of instruction on our campuses by (a) identifying specific practices and strategies for inclusive teaching that have been shown to be feasible and effective for increasing student learning and success; (b) establishing robust faculty development to promote use of these practices and strategies; (c) identifying and sharing strategies and structures for engendering buy-in at the faculty and unit/department level; and (d) sharing strategies and structures for sustaining inclusive teaching practices through targeted dissemination (e.g., websites, newsletters).
- Evaluate impact, reflect, and share lessons learned by (a) evaluating faculty and unit/department readiness to build capacity; (b) measuring progress toward and obstacles impeding widespread adoption of inclusive teaching practices; (c) sharing progress and getting feedback on the different campus implementations, progress, and obstacles as well as how obstacles can be mitigated or overcome; and (d) evaluating the extent to which campus translations of capacity building were successful, including documenting obstacles faced during the translation and whether and how these obstacles were navigated.