Inclusive Teaching: Supporting All Students in the College Classroom

Inclusive teaching is an issue that has received increased attention on college campuses around the country and around the world. Understanding how course climate impacts students and their learning  is increasingly important to faculty and administrators alike across a wide range of educational contexts. Yet creating equitable learning environments that support all students’ learning can be a challenge, especially when one considers that course climate consists of a variety of factors (e.g., student-student interactions, faculty-student interactions, course content and policies). Despite the fact that ​creating an inclusive teaching environment is beneficial for ​all​ students’ learning, issues around inclusion and disinclusion are rarely discussed in practical terms.

Participants in this course will consider multiple facets of inclusive teaching, including the creation of an equitable course climate, the design and implementation of accessible and inclusive classroom practices and assessments, and the selection and implementation of diverse course content. Participants will engage with key concepts in inclusive teaching and learn from experts in higher education who share their important research on student development, microaggressions, stereotype threat, and Universal Design for Learning. Participants will be equipped with tools to help them develop inclusive courses that support all learners.

This course was developed by the Columbia University Center for Teaching and Learning, with generous funding from the Provost’s Teaching & Learning MOOC RFP, and support from the Office of the Vice Provost for Teaching, Learning, and Innovation.

Inclusive teaching experts featured in this course:

• Stephen Brookfield, PhD, John Ireland Endowed Chair, University of St. Thomas
• Sheryl Burgstahler, PhD, Director, University of Washington Access Technology Center, Founder and Director, DO-IT Center
• Bryan Dewsbury, PhD, Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island
• Michele DiPietro, PhD, Executive Director, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Professor of Statistics, Kennesaw State University
• Zaretta Hammond, MA, Teacher Educator, author of Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain
• Stephanie Kershbaum, PhD, Associate Professor of English, University of Delaware
• Frank Tuitt, PhD, Provost on Diversity and Inclusion, Senior Advisor to the Chancellor, University of Denver
• Derald Wing Sue, PhD, Professor of Psychology and Education, Teachers’ College, Columbia University
• Melissa Wright, MA, Associate Director of Assessment and Evaluation, Columbia University Center for Teaching and Learning

• Identify instructor assumptions about students and how these assumptions impact teaching practices
• Develop an awareness of critical self-reflection and its value in teaching diverse learners
• Define the key components that impact inclusive classrooms
• Apply inclusive teaching strategies in individual teaching contexts
• Identify resources needed to continually improve inclusive teaching practice