The pandemic caused many schools to switch to distance learning. However, given the current conditions, online college coursework may not be a priority for students who are grappling with housing or food insecurity and familial or job commitments.
Some students, especially those of color, low-income learners, and those with intersectional identities, may feel unwelcomed when the course content and structure overlooks their circumstances. Before you focus on the student’s academic success, adjust your teaching strategies to ensure that the learners feel comfortable despite their circumstances.
Intersectionality
Kimberlé Crenshaw coined the term intersectionality. It refers to the interconnected nature of various traits like gender, sexuality, ethnicity, and economic status, creating systematic discrimination or disadvantage. As an online teacher, consider the resources and approaches below to level the playing field for all students.
- Be aware of your implicit biases.
Implicit biases are attitudes and decisions from your subconscious that influence your worldview. All educators have this. To recognize your implicit biases, take the test that Project Implicit from Harvard University offers.
Awareness is the first step to prevent students from feeling disconnected from the course and avoid the growth of inequities. Being quite aware of your biases can help you be a better support system for your students. This will also help you address any achievement gaps.
You cannot eradicate your biases overnight. However, it will help you form a high-quality, equitable, and inclusive learning environment if you start now.
- Make learning opportunities more personalized.
The next step is to consider how your unconscious biases affect the structure of your classroom. Can culturally responsive teaching be instilled in your curriculum? Are you providing the resources that English language learners (ELL) and international students need to excel?
Check out the Leading Equity Center’s website to know more about their offered free self-paced modules that help create an individualized online environment. Consider giving students access to their needed resources, like additional writing support, for them to succeed in your learning community. You can also offer extra time for them to complete assessments, depending on their circumstances.
- Make basic needs security statement part of the syllabus.
The nonprofit action research center called The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice documents the students’ food and housing insecurity in the US. They offer actionable tips on creating basic needs security statements that students can use if they need help. That includes finding a safe place to stay or accessing the food pantry on the campus.
You can also include the campus’ offered mental health services as well as financial support resources. The ultimate goal is to ensure a more holistic approach to supporting the well-being and success of every student.