Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Course Design Rubric (DEI Rubric)

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Course Design Rubric (aka DEI Rubric) provides best practice guidelines and teaching resources for faculty and course designers in creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive teaching and learning environment.  It is organized into eight dimensions of course design and is based on a collaborative review and analysis of existing resources and rubrics.

The DEI rubric is originally developed through a collaborative effort of the UC-wide Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion working group, a subcommittee of the Instructional Design & Faculty Support (IDFS) Community of Practice.  In Summer 2021, the DTEI instructional designers collaborated with the grad scholars to revise the DEI rubric with UCI resources. The DEI rubric has been presented at various conferences, such as the 2022 ELI Annual Meeting, the UC Online Digital Transformation Conference, the DigiPen University at Seattle, UCSF Teaching and Learning Symposium and UCR Teaching and Learning Week

"You Belong" Sign

Eight dimensions of the DEI Rubric

Syllabus & General Course Design

Diversity and inclusion are explicitly recognized and valued in the syllabus and overall course design.

Student Support

All learners have access to academic and student support services throughout the course.

Content, Activities, and Engagement

Course materials and activities are aligned with learning outcomes and designed with consideration for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Learners are able to see themselves represented in the course content and/or discipline.

Building Relationships

The instructor builds relationships with and among students to promote community building and academic success through opportunities for holistic social and emotional growth.

Implicit Bias

The instructor and learners are aware of any biases or stereotypes that may interfere with their learning.

Technology

Educational technology tools support learning outcomes and provide equitable opportunities for student success.

Access

The instructor ensures equitable access to course materials and spaces for all learners.

Continuous Improvement and Self-evaluation

The instructor engages in continuous reflection, self-evaluation, and self-improvement – key components in the development of an equity-oriented mindset.

Acknowledgements:

The UC-Wide DEI Rubric is the product of a collaborative effort of the following members of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Working Group of the UC Instructional Design & Faculty Support (IDFS) Community of Practice.

Kailey Baez (UCI)
Bo Choi (UCI)
Kim DeBacco (UCLA)
Samantha Eastman (UCR)

Cecilia Gomez (UCD)
Tae-Sun Kim (UCOP)
Melinda Livas (UCD)
Nick Mattos (UCOP, UCSD)

Margaret Merrill (UCD)
Julie Moss (UCB)
Alan Roper (UCOP)
Michelle Ruiz (UCB)
Fanny Tsai (UCI)

The UCI version of the DEI Rubric is updated with campus resources by the DTEI instructional designers and the grad scholars in the summer of 2021.

Kailey Baez (UCI)
Sardar Fatooreh Bonabi (Grad Scholar)
Jacqueline Cerna (Grad Scholar)

Bo Choi (Instructional Designer)
Jennifer Foung (Instructional Designer)
Anannya Mukherjee (Grad Scholar)

Natalie Hadland (Media Producer)
Steven Schmidt (Grad Scholar)
Fanny Tsai (Instructional Designer)
Rene Zamarripa (Grad Scholar)

References:

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Cheung, F.,  Ganote, C., & Souza, T.. (2021, April 7). Micro-resistance as a Way to Respond to Microaggressions on Zoom and in Real Life. Faculty Focus.

Colin, M., Eastman, S., Merrill, M., & Rockey, A. (2021, March 19). Leveraging Mobile Technology to Achieve Teaching Goals. EDUCAUSE Review.  https://er.educause.edu/articles/2021/3/leveraging-mobile-technology-to-achieve-teaching-goals

Equity-Minded Worksheet for Instructors of Online Courses. (2015). University of Wisconsin – Green Bay. http://whitesforracialequity.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Equity-for-Online-Classes_GB-Wisconsin.pdf

Gamrat, C. (2020, February 26). Inclusive Teaching and Course Design. EDUCAUSE Review. https://er.educause.edu/blogs/2020/2/inclusive-teaching-and-course-design

Lin, P. S., &  Kennette, L. N. (2021, June 9). Using Inclusive Teaching Strategies to Promote Greater Success Among Minority Students. Faculty Focus.

Merola, J. (2021, March 10). Trigger warnings create a safe space for students. The Temple News. https://temple-news.com/trigger-warnings-create-a-safe-space-for-students/

Mueller, J. (2005). The Authentic Assessment Toolbox: Enhancing Student Learning Through Online Faculty Development. Journal of Online Teaching & Learning. https://jolt.merlot.org/vol1_no1_mueller.htm

Ntuli, E., & Lin, S-Y.. (2020, September 24). A Roadmap for Equitable Grades. ACSD Express.  http://www.ascd.org/ascd-express/vol16/num02/a-roadmap-for-equitable-grades.aspx

Peralta Community College District. Online Equity Rubric. (2019). Online Equity Rubric.  https://web.peralta.edu/de/equity-initiative/equity/

CAST (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. https://udlguidelines.cast.org/

Winkelmes, M. (2014). Transparency in Teaching and Learning. TILT Higher Ed. https://tilthighered.com/

What are personal pronouns and why do they matter? (n.d.) My pronouns.org: resources on personal pronouns.  https://www.mypronouns.org/what-and-why/

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). (n.d.) SEL is… https://casel.org/what-is-sel/