Equity, Diversity and Inclusion:
A Faculty Toolkit

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Rubric to Guide Curriculum Design

The next section of the module will present a rubric to guide you through the process of designing curriculum with an equity lens. The material presented in the rubric may be new or it may be familiar and serve as a helpful refresher. Download a copy of the rubric to use.

The rubric is organized around the key components of lesson planning:

Setting Objectives or Outcomes

When Planning Instruction Low Level of Inclusive Instruction High Level of Inclusive Instruction
How will an EDI mindset be incorporated as a key learning outcome?
  • Course outline includes a learning outcome that requires acquiring knowledge about the contributions to course content and/or the impact of course content on people from equity-deserving groups
  • Learning outcomes acknowledge the impact of identity
  • Course outline includes an anti-racism and anti-oppression statement
  • Learning outcomes require critical reflection on the histories, identities, experiences and/or contributions of people from equity-deserving groups

Reflect

Describe one technique or approach from the rubric that resonated with you that you think you can incorporate in your curriculum design as you move forward with planning objectives or outcomes.

Establishing Materials or Resources

When Planning Instruction Low Level of Inclusive Instruction High Level of Inclusive Instruction
How does the material on the topic incorporate the research and perspectives of people from equity-deserving groups?
  • Materials and resources are written/prepared by authors representing equity-deserving groups
  • Additional material is sourced from alternative platforms (e.g. YouTube)
  • Lectures are planned with examples reflecting the experiences of folks from equity-deserving groups
  • Materials are presented from a strengths-based perspective:
    • Rather than focusing solely on the deficits experienced in communities, a balanced approach identifying strengths, resilience and resistance is utilized
How accessible are your materials and lessons for students with disabilities?
  • Materials have large, sans-serif fonts and minimal visual distractions
  • Graphics have alt-text and documents can be read by a screen-reader
  • Directions for activities are provided orally, in writing, and before class
  • Handouts are available in alternate formats
  • Virtual content is closed-captioned, and closed captions are available for breakout discussions
  • Speed of speech and location are intentional
  • Activities are planned with the assumption that students with various disabilities will be in the classroom
  • Available supports are discussed in the first lecture and are revisted throughout the semester
  • Where possible, seating arrangements are circular, U-shaped, or in a round table format
How can you create a supportive learning environment that fosters a sense of belonging?
  • Welcome students to the classroom
  • Use ice-breaker exercises to allow students to connect with one another
  • Routinely discuss your availability
  • Classes begin with an opportunity for students to critically discuss current events and their impact
  • Activities encourage students to relate personal aspects of themselves to the subject matter
  • Activities encourage students to recognize their positionality/privilege and how to mitigate that privilege
How can you support students of diverse gender identities?
  • Identify your pronouns in your email signature and avoid referring to students by gendered pronouns
  • Locations of gender-neutral bathrooms are regularly identified
  • Incorporate transgender and non-binary identities into discussions about gender
  • Mis-gendering of students is avoided by using: student names, pronouns idenfified by students, or gender neutral pronouns
  • Instructors are able to support students through the name change process at Humber
  • Diverse gender identities are incorporated in curriculum material

Reflect

Describe one technique or approach from the rubric that resonated with you that you think you can incorporate in your curriculum design as you move forward with establishing materials and resources.

Activating Prior Knowledge

When Planning Instruction Low Level of Inclusive Instruction High Level of Inclusive Instruction
In what ways do your teaching strategies recognize and activate the prior knowledge of students?
  • Remind students of learning in prior experiences
  • Have students discuss their prior knowledge of a topic
  • Design an activity that encourages students to explore what they already know, or think they know, about the lesson topic
  • Lessons build upon what students identify they already know
  • Students critically analyze prior learning experiences and identify misconceptions, gaps in learning and which cultural perspectives dominate prior knowledge experiences

Reflect

Describe one technique or approach from the rubric that resonated with you that you think you can incorporate in your curriculum design as you endeavor to activate prior knowledge.

Presentation of New Materials

When Planning Instruction Low Level of Inclusive Instruction High Level of Inclusive Instruction
What strategies do you have in place to address biases, stereotypes and discriminatory behaviour that emerges in the classroom?
  • Challenge biases and stereotypes using the Ontario Human Rights legislation
  • Prepare for conversations around diversity
  • Learners are not required to turn on their cameras except when part of the learning outcomes
  • Expectations of acceptable behaviour are discussed and reiterated throughout the semester
  • Links to Humber's Code of Student Conduct and Human Rights Policy are available on Blackboard
  • Power structures that reinforce colonialism, racism, heteropatriarchy, ableism etc. are challenged
  • Biases and stereotypes in the classroom are addressed as “teachable moments”
How does the lesson plan incorporate opportunities for modeling the critical recognition and inquiry biases in the material?
  • Publication bias is acknowledged
  • A critical reflection of the course material is provided by the instructor
  • The publication bias is critiqued and discussed
  • Opportunities are provided for students to discuss the ways biases impact the application of knowledge
  • Self-reflection activities encourage students to consider how the course content will impact them
How will you encourage students to make the connections between the learned material and their lived experiences?
  • Using story-telling, instructors share how they make connections between content and their experiences
  • Small group activities that encourage students to link material to their own experience are incorporated
  • Students are encouraged to discuss the experiences of their communities in relation to course material
  • Students are encouraged to share their own stories of the connections they have made
  • Students identify and discuss the experiences of their communities in relation to course material
  • Opportunities for students to engage in experiential learning and collaborative learning are integrated
In what ways are students able to participate in co- creating the course content and/or assessment strategies?
  • First lessons invite students to participate in course planning
  • As the course progresses, students are invited to suggest approaches to encourage engagement
  • Students participate in creating questions to be included in examinations
  • Weekly lessons begin with an invitation to determine how the lecture will move forward
  • Learners teach each other the content and engage in co-created learning activities
  • Students participate in determining the structure, content and/or grading of activities and assessments

Reflect

Describe one technique or approach from the rubric that you can incorporate in your curriculum design as you plan how to present new materials.

Practice

When Planning Instruction Low Level of Inclusive Instruction High Level of Inclusive Instruction
What approaches do you use to encourage students to practice or apply their learning in the classroom?
  • Activities such as “think, pair, share” are regularly incorporated
  • Practice questions are developed to reflect the identities of people from equity-deserving groups
  • In small groups, with rotating leads, students discuss scenarios, conduct role plays and/or assess case studies drawn from the experiences of people from equity-deserving groups and report back their discussions to the class
  • Students work in pairs or small groups to co-lead learning activities or projects in the classroom

Reflect

Describe one technique or approach from the rubric that you can incorporate in your curriculum design as you plan ways in which students can practice and apply their learning.

Assessment

When Planning Instruction Low Level of Inclusive Instruction High Level of Inclusive Instruction
What strategies do you use to determine how well students have acquired the material?
  • A variety of low stakes assessment options are incorporated
  • Late exceptions are available via professor, voucher or other advertised, equitably applied system
  • Students choose topics and due dates from a pre-set list as well as select their team members
  • Students submit self-assessments of their own work for consideration by the instructor
  • Using open book and/or take-home exams over timed assessment, the focus is on the application of knowledge rather than on knowledge regurgitation
  • Multiple types of assessments are incorporated with flexible deadlines (e.g., podcasts, websites, infographics, case studies, role-plays, practice demonstrations, open-book tests, wikis, journals, reflective activities, discussion boards, artwork, spoken word, story-telling, and/or collages)
  • Students co-create topics for research projects and help determine the appropriate assessments (e.g., essay, spoken word, poetry, graphical representations, etc.).
  • Criteria-based grading or ungrading approaches are incorporated to maximize student engagement
In what ways can students apply course content to their own experiences, the experiences of their colleagues and/or the lived experience of their communities?
  • Diverse examples of projects are used so students can see benefits to their communities
  • Students can choose from projects that might address a concern impacting their community
  • Students are encouraged to focus their research on community strengths rather than deficits and/or suggest solutions that draw upon the strengths of communities
  • High-quality assessments are tied to a demonstrated ability to apply knowledge to and/or assess the impact on the experiences of Indigenous peoples and equity-deserving groups.
What strategies do you use to provide feedback to students?
  • Positive aspects of work are presented before providing suggestions for improvement
  • Feedback includes encouraging students to consider alternative viewpoints
  • Biases and stereotypes are challenged in assessments
  • Quality of work is assessed for its ability to incorporate various viewpoints and identities
  • Student grades are negotiated between instructor and student based on feedback provided by both

Reflect

Describe one technique or approach from the rubric that you can incorporate in your curriculum design with regards to student assessment.