Online & Active Teaching Resources (University/College-Level): Inclusive Teaching

Based on Gloria Ladson-Billings’ 1994 culturally relevant pedagogy framework, culturally responsive teaching refers to an approach to teaching and learning that facilitates the achievement of all students by recognizing that culture is a powerful force in shaping how we see ourselves and the world around us. In a culturally responsive classroom, reflective teaching and learning occur in a culturally supported, learner-centered context, whereby the strengths students bring to school are identified, nurtured, and utilized to promote student achievement. When students feel seen, heard, and understood, they are more likely to engage in the learning process and achieve success.

We envision futures where design is used to support care, healing, liberation, joy, and deep sustainability.

We dream of worlds in which design is truly led by the experiences and brilliance of those who are marginalized by interlocking systems of oppression. We also know that birthing dreams requires discomfort and moving beyond good intentions.

Information literacy instruction is increasingly being delivered online, particularly through the use of learning objects. The development practice for creating learning objects often uses the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework to meet needs for inclusivity. However, missing from this framework is the lens of diversity. This article calls out the need to include practices in learning object development that goes beyond UDL so that learning objects are inclusive from the lens of equity, diversity, and inclusion. Looking at transferable techniques used in in-person instruction, we suggest guidelines to fill the inclusivity gap in learning object creation.

Design Thinking is not an exclusive property of designers—all great innovators in literature, art, music, science, engineering, and business have practiced it. So, why call it Design Thinking? What’s special about Design Thinking is that designers’ work processes can help us systematically extract, teach, learn and apply these human-centered techniques to solve problems in a creative and innovative way—in our designs, in our businesses, in our countries, in our lives.