This webpage is a compilation of resources that define inclusive learning environments and provide information on teaching and engaging in civil discourse to enable educators to facilitate difficult discussions in an academic setting.
As tomorrow’s public health professionals, all students must have a thorough knowledge of the social and environmental determinants of health. They must be able to identify the root causes of health inequities and recognize policies that mitigate these disparities. These skills are built on a foundation of civil discourse that is taught in inclusive learning environments. The goal of inclusive learning environments is to honor and give a respectful voice to all perspectives. As educators, we must respect the ideas of students with whom we disagree and encourage open discussion of different lived experiences and perspectives.
Inclusive Teaching Strategies
- Designing an inclusive course
- Developing an inclusive syllabus
- Creating inclusive college classrooms
- Using pronouns in virtual settings
- Reducing stereotype threat
- Framing dialogue around diversity and social justice
- Mentoring students at a diverse university
Suggested reads:
"Who Speaks and Who Listens: Revisiting the Chilly Climate in College Classrooms"
- “We find that women occupy sonic space in classrooms less frequently than men; and when women do speak, they also tend to engage hesitantly and use apologetic language”
- “Men students also were far more likely to interrupt both the professor and their fellow classmates than women students.”
Getting Under the Hood: How and for Whom Does Increasing Course Structure Work?
- "We found that a “moderate-structure” intervention increased course performance for all student populations, but worked disproportionately well for black students—halving the black–white achievement gap—and first-generation students—closing the achievement gap with continuing-generation students.
- "We also found that students consistently reported completing the assigned readings more frequently, spending more time studying for class, and feeling an increased sense of community in the moderate-structure course. These changes imply that increased course structure improves student achievement at least partially through increasing student use of distributed learning and creating a more interdependent classroom community."
Suggested toolkit:
Toolkit on inclusive pedagogies
- A set of free resources, including 10 inclusive teaching practices that can be immediately put to use to benefit both faculty and their students. These practices are tailored for online teaching but are also relevant to the physical classroom.
Suggested course:
Supporting all students in the college classroom
- 6 week online course
- Explore the principles of inclusive teaching and learn how to apply them in your classroom to support diverse learners.
Creating an Inclusive Classroom Climate
- Responding to incidents that impact the climate
- Understanding microaggressions in the classroom (please view video below)
- Overcoming microaggressions as a faculty member
- Responding to microaggressions
- Reducing racism in college classrooms
- Writing and reporting about people with disabilities
- Taking criticism
Additional Items to Consider
Connect with Your Students
- Build trust and rapport by connecting with your students to improve the classroom learning experience.
Establish Ground Rules
- Establish ground rules to ensure that all students understand and practice respectful and productive classroom communication.
Consider Global Learning
- Incorporate meaningful global learning experiences for your students.
Build community
- Effectively use icebreakers in your class to create a sense of community.
Lead difficult discussions
- Create a positive climate for intellectual discourse about diversity by setting guidelines for class participation that anticipate difficult discussions, and manage contentious interactions when they arise.
This page was developed by the College of Integrated Health Sciences' Climate and Inclusion Committee & Tamra Minor. If you have additional resources you'd like to share with the committee, please email [email protected] with the subject line "Climate and Inclusion Resource."