Why You Shouldn’t Exclude DEI From Your Online Courses
Let’s talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion—or DEI, as it’s called. This term has been gaining more ground across every industry, and education is no exception. In fact, if you’re not incorporating DEI practices in your online courses these days, it’s like you’re excluding groups of people from being seen, heard, and valued. But what does DEI entail? It’s about addressing the experiences of people who have historically been denied opportunities. DEI changes this, making sure that everyone, regardless of race, gender, background, or sexual orientation, is included and respected.
Online courses are already helping underprivileged or marginalized groups because they can reach students who might not have access to traditional education, whether because of their location, disability, or other barriers. But this isn’t enough, and if you’re not careful, online courses can be unwillingly inaccessible or unfriendly for some people. Let’s dive into practical strategies for making DEI an inseparable part of your online courses and creating a more inclusive and fair learning environment for everyone.
8 Ways To Design Inclusive Online Courses Promoting DEI
1. Diverse Course Materials
Diversity should be reflected in your learning material first. Your reading list should include authors from different backgrounds because you want your students to hear from the underrepresented and benefit from different perspectives and experiences. You should also add multimedia content that represents various groups, too. For example, use videos, podcasts, infographics, and images that showcase a variety of cultures, genders, and identities. However, you must update your content regularly to reflect the changes happening around the world. Adding fresh perspectives means that your learners are getting relevant and meaningful education.
2. Inclusive Language
Not everyone speaks your language fluently. Even if they do, there are phrases and terms that they may not be familiar with if they’re not native speakers. If your course is full of jargon, idioms, or local slang, you’re keeping some of your learners out. Plus, there’s the matter of inclusive language in general. Make sure you’re addressing everyone equally, especially when it comes to gender. You also need to be aware of your diverse learners’ backgrounds, religions, and experiences in order to avoid using terms that might be offensive or triggering for some. Your job as an educator is to make learning as smooth and accessible as possible. So, focus on creating a safe space for everyone with what you say and do.
3. Culturally Responsive Teaching
Your students come from all walks of life, and each has different cultural experiences, stories, and perspectives that not everyone can relate to. To prevent them from feeling left out, make those various experiences part of the eLearning curriculum. For instance, instead of presenting a case study that focuses solely on people from Europe, ask a student from across the world to share a real-life example that’s way more relevant. To prepare, set clear guidelines on respect and open-mindedness from the start. Encourage students to share their cultural knowledge through discussions, presentations, or even creative projects. This way, they’ll feel heard and respected, and your course will benefit from the diversity.
4. Accessible Content
When you make your content accessible, you’re highlighting that every single person in your digital classroom matters, and that’s one of the most important aspects of DEI in online courses. Start with your multimedia content, specifically with captions for videos. These help a variety of people, from the hard of hearing to those who have to attend your course on mute because they’re busy. Next is screen-reader compatibility. Your PDFs, slides, and websites should be compatible with screen readers. Lastly, provide your content in multiple formats. Some people prefer videos, while others like reading. Offering transcripts, downloadable content, or audio gives your students options. Thus, you cater to different learning preferences and needs, which makes the learning process much better.
5. Sense Of Community
One of your priorities when incorporating DEI in online courses is to create online learning spaces where everyone feels like they belong. To start off, use icebreaker activities. For example, ask students to share something interesting about their culture or themselves. To encourage communication and connection between students, incorporate discussion boards. There, your students can post questions or even funny memes and then interact with each other via comments and replies. Group projects are also important. You can use this opportunity to pair students from different backgrounds and encourage them to explore their diversity together with their peers. Just like that, they learn from each other and collaborate perfectly.
6. Inclusive Communication
Speaking of communication, you must set rules for respectful interactions. Impoliteness and bad manners shouldn’t be tolerated in your online classroom, and that must be clear from the start. Everyone’s voice matters, and people should learn from each other, so respect is mandatory. When students know what’s expected, it’s easier to maintain a positive vibe. But what happens when someone violates the rules? Whether it’s a rude comment or a microaggression, address it immediately. This way, you show your students that your online classroom is a place where everyone is valued and respected.
7. Support
Supporting your learners is also part of DEI. This support can be about their mental health or learning progress, but it’s nonnegotiable. Make certain that your students know where they can get help if they’re feeling overwhelmed or need a helping hand with their studies. Mental health is important, and stress from the class can hinder it. So, all you have to do is inform them of the available resources and encourage them to ask for help. Next, include materials like DEI-related tools or guides that can help students navigate their way through your course. A resource list that’s diverse and inclusive not only supports their needs but also empowers them to learn more about different perspectives and issues. Finally, make sure you’re available for meetings. Sometimes, students need a little extra support and personalized advice, so being available to talk with them shows that you genuinely care.
8. Fair Assessment
Each learner is different, and forcing everyone to sit through the same type of assessment will not work. Encouraging diversity in assessments means allowing your people to succeed in their own unique ways. The best practice is to mix the assessments in order to satisfy all needs. However, make sure that these assessments encourage learners to demonstrate whether they have understood the concept and not whether they memorized the material. Most importantly, ensure that the grading method is fair and bias-free. There can be biases even if you don’t realize it, so don’t hesitate to use tools that can help battle this. We’re talking about rubrics, which are pre-set grading rules that clearly state the grading criteria beforehand.
Conclusion
As educators, it’s crucial to actively follow the above DEI practices in your online courses and be committed to always improving your methods for the sake of your learners’ success. By integrating diverse perspectives into your content, you can create a learning environment where all students feel valued and supported. This not only enhances the educational experience but also helps in shaping a more inclusive society in general. So, begin exploring different DEI practices to find the perfect mix for your online courses.
