“I Just Treat everyone the same”: Moving from Equality to equity in teaching

1. “I Just Treat everyone the same”: Moving from Equality to equity in teaching Dr. David S. Owen Associate Professor of Philosophy and Director of Diversity Programs for the College of Arts and Sciences dsowen04@louisville.edu

2. Who Are We? • Ice breaker exercise

3. Introduction to Workshop • Agenda 1. Brief introduction to the workshop • Learning objectives • Basic framework that is assumed 2. Panel discussion by students who have experienced marginalization by instructors 3. Some basic concepts of inclusive and equitable teaching 4. Discussion about applying these to teaching practice 5. Presentation by Cathy Patus regarding teaching disabled students 6. Closing questions

4. Learning goals • By the end of the workshop, participants will: 1) be able to explicate the difference between equality and equity in teaching; 2) be able to critically reflect on our multiple, intersecting social identities and how those identities impact teaching; 3) understand the difference between cultural competence and cultural humility. 4) understand the basic guidelines for teaching students with disabilities.

5. Assumptions 1. DIVERSITY is about valuing differences between individuals; AND taking into account the meanings those differences have for individual lives.

6. Assumptions Social practices social identities AND Social identities social practices

7. Panel discussion • What are student experiences of being marginalized by instructors?

8. Basic principles of inclusive and equitable teaching 1. Need to move from equality to EQUITY • Equality – treating everyone the same • Equity – treating everyone fairly in light of background conditions that define differing sets of advantages and obstacles for individuals

9. Basic principles of inclusive and equitable teaching

10. Basic principles of inclusive and equitable teaching • Social identity locates us in the social landscape with the consequence that we have different privileges or disadvantages based upon our social identities and it is critical for instructors to always be aware of how social identity affects our teaching

11. Basic principles of inclusive and equitable teaching • Develop the practice of CULTURAL HUMILITY -- More then cultural competence Cultural competence is the knowledge and skills necessary to interact effectively with members of cultures that are different than my own. -- Cultural Humility • Refocuses attention on how social identities are situated differently in the social landscape (most especially my own). • It demands that we attend to the different advantages and disadvantages that are attached to social/cultural identities • It requires continuous critical reflection on the social landscape and how identities fit into that landscape.

12. How does this apply in practice? • Teaching Practice • Do you vary instructional modes? (lecture, discussion, group work, etc.) • Do you pay attention to how power flows in the classroom? • Do consciously seek to disrupt the reproduction of what counts as “normal” or “different”? • Do you teach only from the dominant perspective (the “canon”)? • Do you avoid “tokenism” that marginalizes social identities that are outside of the dominant identities? • Do you avoid stereotypes or challenge them when they appear?

13. How does this apply in practice? • Course Design • Do you use a variety of instructional materials (texts, films, popular culture)? • Is your course content representative of diverse perspectives, especially those that have been systematically marginalized? • Do you utilize a variety of assessment tools to allow students with different strengths to excel?

14. How does this apply in practice? • Instructional Materials • Do you vary the types of materials? • Do you use materials that challenge the bias and privilege found in many curricula?

15. Teaching students with disabilities Cathy Patus Director of the Disability Resource Center Robbins Hall 852-6938 www.louisville.edu/disability

16. Discussion • What questions do you have?

17. Resources • www.edchange.org – Professional development, research and resources for diversity, multiculturalism, and cultural competence. • www.crlt.umich.edu -- The Center for Research on Learning and Teaching at the University of Michigan.