Diverse Representation

Introduction

As we begin our investigation into representation, consider these questions:

• When did you first have a teacher or college instructor who looked like you?
• When in textbooks or course materials did you first see pictures of people who looked like you?  
• When were you first assigned to read an author or scholar who looked like you or shared some key aspect of your identity? 
• When did you first encounter a professional in your discipline who looked like you or shared some key aspect of your identity? 

For some of our students and colleagues, the answer to all of these questions might be, “Never.” That’s why diverse representation is so important. If our students see themselves in our courses and disciplines—if they see themselves and their experiences represented in our course images, in the authors and scholars whose works we ask them to read, in the videos we ask them to watch, in our course materials, and in the professionals we expose them to—then they are more likely to believe they can be successful in our fields. 

As sociology professor Natalie Jester reminds us, “Curricula do not fall onto the page fully formed but are built around a series of choices made by educators. The curriculum establishes which knowledge is considered valid and which is not; the works of women and people of color are typically underrepresented within curricula, and the issues affecting these groups are frequently neglected.” How can we ensure that our students see themselves as valid and valuable in our courses and fields from day one?

Plan for the Week

1. Using the Open for All Workshop Course Review Rubric, go over you course, referring to the annotations related to the lens of diverse representation. Identify opportunities to increase representation with the DEIA educational practices in the annotations. Consider the starred annotations that rely on OER or Open Pedagogy. Please post in Module I Discussion by Thursday, March 7, in preparation for our meeting on Friday, March 8.
2. Attend our live meeting Friday, March 8, 12 noon – 1:30 pm.
3. Optionally:
   • Return to the Module I Discussion to reflect on your initial post or respond to colleagues after our meeting, by Monday, March 13.
   • Explore the resources in this module to learn more about the theme for this week.
   • Explore the OER & Open Pedagogy Resources area of our site for more inspiration.
   • Fill out the section of the Workshop Project template for this week’s theme.

Representation Resources

• Centering Diversity and Inclusion – The OER Starter Kit – a great short read on how OER/Open Pedagogy can increase the diversity of representation. If you look at only one additional resource, start with this one!

Diversity in the curriculum

• Diversifying the Curriculum – a very short but great read on authorial diversity in materials
• The missing colours of chemistry – a look at the issue of representation in STEM
• Decolonising the curriculum – how do I get started? – an article introducing the project of decolonization in relation to diversity and representation in course content.
• VIDEO Diverse Representation in Introductory Psychology: Comparing OER and Commercial Textbooks – presentation at OpenEd 2022. The intro provides a good overview of the research and findings on the role of diversity of representation in textbooks. 
• 10 Inclusive Teaching Practices from the ACUE – ten quick tips supporting representation, inclusion, and accessibility.

Student perspectives

• VIDEO What I Wish My Professor Knew | Center for Teaching and Learning – testimonials from students offering a way of thinking about layers of diversity in your student population
• Centering First-Generation Students in the Digital Humanities – a good intro to first-generation students centering their strengths especially in collaboration

Faculty perspectives

• VIDEO What Does Inclusive Teaching Mean to You? – a short (3 ½-minute) featuring Columbia University professors sharing thoughts on inclusive teaching

More great resources

• Baruch’s Very Short Guide to Inclusive Pedagogy – the title says it all
• Effective Teaching Is Anti-Racist Teaching | Sheridan Center | Brown University – “five key starting points” for anti-racist teaching through the lens of your syllabus 
• CUE Racial Equity Tools – a full course on racial equity in higher ed from the Center for Urban Education

References

Jester, N. (2018). Representation within higher education curricula: contextualizing and advocating for feminist digital activism. Teaching in Higher Education, 23(5), 606–618. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2018.1465036.

Kaur, R. (2017). The Sun and Her Flowers. Andrews McMeel Publishing.

Photo credit: Kaur, R. (2017). The Sun and Her Flowers. Andrews McMeel Publishing.