Inclusive Teaching Institute

“Inclusion” has become a post-pandemic buzzword in many universities, as historical inequities have been recognized within a broader crisis in higher education itself. Amid record levels of student despair and disconnection, campuses across the country are reporting dropping enrollments and widening disparities in educational outcomes. In addition to bolstering diversity programs for the historically underserved, colleges are discovering vast differentials teaching in the education that nearly all students receive. 

The result is an unprecedented movement to rethink higher education, as fiscal demands and social concern find themselves in a rare moment of alignment. Learning science is receiving new attention, with research showing that programs of support and accommodation can help students persist in their learning while addressing differentials in post-pandemic distress and overall mental health.

The Inclusive Teaching Institute (ITI) is a faculty-led professional development program designed to support faculty in cultivating a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility (DEI-A) culture in the classroom that supports the needs of all students, regardless of their backgrounds. The next ITI program will start on January 22, 2024. Seats are limited, so please register for the program by December 19, 2023.

Program Details

The Winter 2024 Inclusive Teaching Institute (ITI) is scheduled from January 22 to March 1, 2024. It is designed in a flipped format, including pre-assigned readings, self-paced Canvas content, and weekly peer discussion sessions on Wednesdays from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. A group of faculty peer coaches will facilitate the discussion and provide individual consultation to guide the ITI participants in reframing their curriculum and teaching strategies. All UCI faculty and grad students are welcome to participate. Program participants will be expected to:

Attend Peer Discussion Sessions

Join peer discussion and share teaching experiences to embrace the DEI-A culture in teaching on Wednesdays from 1:00 – 3:00 PM.  Register for the program now!

Revise a Teaching/Course Element

Identify and revise a teaching or course element(s), such as the course policies, course syllabus, and grading structure, to adapt DEI-A practices for teaching.

Write an ITI Learning Reflection

Reflect on the learning process and describe the course redesign component(s) that you will implement to support the DEI-A culture.

Program Highlights

To receive knowledge and resources in maintaining self-wellness while implementing digital literacy and inclusive teaching in the online learning environment to fulfill all students’ learning needs. Four discussion topics will be covered in the program:
Shadow of word Inclusion

Cultivating a DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) Culture in the Classroom

What theories and principles of inclusive teaching are applicable to the courses you teach?

Which specific methods might you use to enhance belonging in the day-to-day experiences of students?

Word bubble that says Education

Embracing Transparent Curriculum and Humanizing Teaching in Course Design

How does “Transparency in Learning and Teaching” and “Humanizing Course Design” impact the student learning experience?

What does Universal Course Design for Learning mean to you as an instructor?

Keyboard with Accessibility Symbols

Providing an Accessible Learning Environment for All Students

How do you handle accommodations in your courses? What alternatives might you offer for students who have difficulty with traditional assignments and assessments?

Have you been designing assessments and activities that are accessible to all students? Do you plan to make any changes?

Wellness Sign

Implementing Pedagogical Wellness Strategies to Enhance Student Well-Being

How does wellness play a role in inclusive teaching?

What can you do to support your own pedagogical wellness?

What can you do to support students’’ wellness in the teaching and learning context?

Faculty Peer Coaches and Guest Speakers

The faculty peer coaches facilitate the breakout/small group discussion during the ITI cohort meetings. They will also serve as panel guest speakers and share their perspectives and teaching experience on DEI and Inclusive Teaching related topics.

Mark Baldwin

Mark Baldwin

Donald Bren School of Information & Computer Science

Rachael Barry

Rachael Barry

School of Biological Sciences

Andrew Berk

Andrew Berk

Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity

Stacy Branham

Stacy Branham

Donald Bren School of Information & Computer Science

Christine Buckstead

Christine Buckstead

Butte College

Long Bui

Long Bui

School of Social Sciences

Maritza Campo

Maritza Campo

Paul Merage School of Business

Max Chao

Max Chao

Paul Merage School of Business

Theresa Duong

Theresa Duong

Pedagogical Wellness Specialist

Meredith Ehrenberg

Meredith Ehrenberg

Information Architect

Somphone Eno

Somphone Eno

Disability Services Center

Angela Jenks

Angela Jenks

Office of Inclusive Excellence

Linda E. Johnson

Linda E. Johnson

Department of Psychology, Butte College

Adam Kasarda

Adam Kasarda

Disability Services Center

Megan Linos

Megan Linos

Director of Digital and Online Teaching

Gopi Meenakshisundaram

Gopi Meenakshisundaram

Donald Bren School of Information & Computer Science

Dax Ovid

Dax Ovid

Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Georgia

Brian Sato

Brian Sato

School of Biological Sciences

David Trend

David Trend

Claire Trevor School of the Arts

Program History

Professor David Trend, from Claire Trevor School of the Arts, teaches a large lower-division undergraduate course with more than 1,000 enrolled students. He found pedagogical resources that make his teaching more inclusive and equitable can be hard to find. To address this issue, he partnered with Megan Linos, the Director of Digital and Online Teaching (DOT) from DTEI, and Meredith Ehrenberg, the Information Architect from ODIT, to submit a Confronting Extremism grant proposal in Summer 2022 to support the development of the Inclusive Course Design Institute (ICDI). Theresa Duong, the Pedagogical Wellness Specialist at DTEI, joined the project team in Fall 2022 to contribute to the wellness component of the program after the grant was awarded during the inaugural program in Spring 2023 under the sponsorship of the Office of the Inclusive Excellence (OIE). The program’s name now is changed to Inclusive Teaching Institute (ITI) to address overall DEI-A teaching practices. 

PROGRAM CONTRIBUTORS (ALPHABETICAL BY LAST NAME)

Rhea Anastas, Associate Professor at the Claire Trevor School of the Arts

Andrew Berk, ADA Coordinator at OEOD

Stacy Branham, Assistant Professor at the Donald Bren School of Information & Computer Science

Max Chao, Senior Continuing Lecturer at the Paul Merage School of Business

Bo Choi, Instructional Designer at DTEI

Theresa Duong, Pedagogical Wellness Specialist, DTEI

Meredith Ehrenberg, Information Architect, at ODIT

Somphone Eno, Assistive Technology Manager at DSC

Jennifer Foung, Instructional Designer at DTEI

Brandon Golob, The Associate Dean of our distinguished Campuswide Honors Collegium (CHC), Associate Professor of Teaching at the School of Social Ecology

Adria Imada, Professor at the School of Humanities

Angela Jenks, Associate Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion, Associate Professor of Teaching, Department of Anthropology, School of Social Sciences

Pavan Kadandale, Professor of Teaching at the School of Biological Sciences

Adam Kasarda, Director, Disability Services Center

Megan Linos, Director of Digital and Online Teaching (DOT), DTEI

AnneMarie McEvoy, Associate Professor at the School of Education

Kelli Sharp, Associate Professor at the Claire Trevor School of the Arts

David Trend, Professor at the Claire Trevor School of the Arts

Fanny Tsai, Instructional Designer at DTEI

Alfonso Valdez, Lecturer at the School of Social Sciences