Inclusivity

Over the last year, I have noticed that one of the most frequent questions in Center for Teaching & Learning workshops is, “How would you adapt this practice for use in a large class?” The suggestions in this post are focused on building communication channels such that one could get...

Image caption: Students studying chemistry in the Student Academic Success Center, an inclusive learning community that serves first-generation, under-resourced, and other underrepresented or non-traditional learners at CU Boulder. In October, our campus is launching the 2021 Campus Culture Survey , which will allow students, staff, and faculty to anonymously share...

During the week of August 9th - 13th, the Center for Teaching & Learning hosted our first Equitable Teaching Conference (ETC). The participants and facilitators began each session by focusing on this definition of equitable classrooms: “spaces where everyone (teachers, students, teaching assistants) has what they need to thrive”. I...

The pandemic demanded changes in teaching practices. On Zoom, contending with silent black boxes, private communication in the chat window and unmonitored group work in virtual breakout rooms, many teachers struggled to understand if, when and how learning was happening. Along the way, I have heard stories of creative strategies...

As we enter the final month of the spring semester, with intense focus on COVID-19 vaccinations and hope for a potential return to in-person working environments in the fall, it is imperative to find ways to stay present in this moment and energize classrooms, remote, online, or in-person. How can we help our students navigate this final push, honoring both our fatigue and theirs?

The intention behind Black History Month is to spotlight the experiences of Black people in America— honoring both their achievements and their misrepresented or completely absent lived histories under oppression. As educators, how do we integrate this practice into our classrooms year-round, to honor and represent those who have been traditionally asked to assimilate to a dominant culture?

Given the events of the last month, we should all be critically aware that many CU students are feeling vulnerable, especially those with marginalized identities. How can we as educators recognize this precarity for students and signal that all students are welcome and their different identities are valued in our spaces? Becca Ciancanelli, CTL Inclusive Pedagogy Lead, shares some personal reflections and strategies to employ in classrooms during these challenging times.