Building an Inclusive Pedagogy
The Inclusive Pedagogy Academy (IPA) empowers faculty to maximize student learning and achievement by working with faculty to enact inclusive teaching approaches across all disciplines. Traditional teaching approaches have not always considered how one's positionality (identities, culture) influences the classroom environment, nor has it always paid attention to the experiences that our students bring with them. No classroom environment is colorblind, but our cultures, identities, and the ways in which those are received by others shape our experience inside the classroom (Gay 2000).
While inclusive pedagogy is applicable in all fields, and we are all committed to supporting our students, we acknowledge that there has been a lack of support in many fields in considering how more inclusive practices may be implemented. As universities do more to recruit a diverse student body, curricular and pedagogical approaches should be modified to improve retention of those students (Killpack and Melón 2016). As educators, we value not only the ongoing education of our students, but of ourselves, and adapting our approach to improve the outcomes for our students. Those involved with IPA support one another in this venture, and we are providing this document in the hopes that you will join us in this important initiative.
The following checklists will help you consider different aspects of inclusive practice: