Inclusive Teaching

Our success at UMB will be determined by our collective commitment and engagement in every area of our University, in all of our processes and practices, such as recruitment, retention, research, curriculum, co-curriculum, teaching, and more — to ensure that every member of our community feels welcomed and has the opportunity to thrive and succeed.

Dr. Diane Forbes Berthoud
Vice President and Chief Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer
University of Maryland, Baltimore

The FCTL is wholly committed to the University’s Equity and Justice core values. We believe that all learning environments—physical classrooms, online learning spaces, clinical settings, advising sessions, and more—should be welcoming to all students.

To that end, one of our strategic goals is to design and implement faculty development initiatives to support the knowledge and tools for creating inclusive, respectful, and accessible learning environments to enhance student sense of belonging, embrace individual differences and abilities, to support exceptional, inclusive learning environments.

Please explore the following resources to learn more about inclusive pedagogy and anti-racist educational practices.

October 7, 2022

Inclusive Teaching and Curriculum Building

Online Teaching Community (OTC) Presentation

October 7, 2022

Dr. Diane Forbes Berthoud
Vice President and Chief Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer
University of Maryland, Baltimore

Accessibility and Accommodations ▾
Discover the importance of accessibility in teaching and learning. Access resources on creating accessible course materials, leveraging assistive technologies, and implementing accommodations to ensure equitable access for students with disabilities. Learn about Universal Design for Learning (UDL), best practices, and tools to support inclusive design.

Accessibility

How to Support Students with Disabilities PPT

Webinar presented on 2/27/2020 by Deborah Levi.

Designing an Accessible Online Course

Strategies to implement while planning and designing an online course, aligned to Quality Matters standards and Universal Design for Learning checkpoints.

Accessibility Checklist for Online Course Development

Checklist for faculty to self-assess the accessibility of their course materials.

Ally for LMS Help for Instructors

An instructor support resource for using Ally in Blackboard courses. 

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in Higher Education

An educational framework that guides the design of learning goals, materials, methods, assessment, and policy.

Creating Accessible Documents

A set of cheat sheets to assist with the creation of accessible documents and presentations.

Instructions for PDFs

Guidance for the creation of accessible PDFs.

ECAR Study of the Technology Needs of Students with Disabilities, 2020

This article presents findings on the technology needs of students with disabilities.

Dell, C. A., Dell, T. F., & Blackwell, T. L. (2015). Applying universal design for learning in online courses: Pedagogical and practical considerations. Journal of Educators Online, 12(2), 166-192.

This article presents guidelines for incorporating UDL into an online curriculum.

Remote Mentoring ▾
Remote mentoring refers to the practice of providing guidance, support, and mentorship to individuals or groups from a distance, typically using digital communication technologies. It allows mentors and mentees to connect and interact virtually, overcoming geographical limitations and enabling mentoring relationships to flourish across different locations and time zones.

Remote mentoring can take various forms, including video conferencing, phone calls, email communication, instant messaging, and online collaboration tools. It provides flexibility and convenience, allowing mentors and mentees to engage in mentoring activities without the need for physical proximity. Through remote mentoring, mentors can offer advice, share knowledge, provide feedback, and assist mentees in their personal and professional development. Mentees can seek guidance, discuss challenges, set goals, and receive support from experienced mentors, even if they are located in different regions or have limited access to in-person mentoring opportunities.

Resources for Mentors

Leading a Successful Virtual Research Meeting or Event

This session discussed how to effectively lead a virtual weekly research meeting or a large group event including 1) best practices for a virtual research meeting or event, 2) how to use the features of a virtual platform (WebEx, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams), and 3) common mistakes to avoid when transitioning to a virtual environment.

Mentoring Remotely During Disruption

This article from the Cornell University Graduate School provides a list of considerations for how to connect and communicate with trainees. Helpful points include: establishing regular communication, re-establishing expectations, helping trainees remain connected, and supporting trainees well being.

Mentoring in Crisis Does Not Need to Put Mentorship in Crisis: Realigning Expectations

This article from the Journal of Clinical and Translational Science speaks to mentoring during crisis: focusing on effective mentoring by recognizing the impact of social justice, pandemic pressures, and grief.

Examples from other Mentors

Individual Contingency Plan, Creating a Space for Support and Connection, and Ensuring Equitable Lab/Resource Sharing

Resources for Mentees

Ten Simple Rules for a Successful Remote Postdoc 

This article provides best practices such as how to plan for remote working, establishing a communication plan, using video conferencing, creating digital spaces for the lab, and combating isolation.

6 Tips for Happy, Productive Remote Working

This article includes 6 best practices to use in establishing a successful, productive remote work environment.

Still need help? Please contact Jennifer Aumiller (Office of Pre & Postdoctoral Career Development and Office of Postdoctoral Scholars), or Marey Shriver and Christy Chang (Office of Research Career Development)

Faculty Development Groups ▾
Lumen Learning Circles are faculty development groups designed to support instructors in making meaningful changes to their teaching. These circles provide a community experience grounded in reflective practice, offering a supportive environment for educators to enhance their teaching approaches. If you're interested, reach out to the FCTL (Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning) as institutional support may be available for your participation. Additionally, Lumen provides access to a repository of evidence-based ideas for creating learning environments that are supportive, challenging, varied, organized, and foster a sense of belonging. Explore the repository for multiple exemplars of learning activities that align with these aims.

Lumen Circles

Lumen Learning Circles are faculty development groups to support instructors on their quest to make meaningful changes to their teaching. These circles are community experiences grounded in reflective practice. Please reach out to the FCTL if interested as there may be institutional support for your participation. Lumen also provides access to a repository of evidence-based ideas for creating learning environments that are supportive, challenging, varied, organized, and foster a sense of belonging. You can also explore multiple exemplars of learning activities designed to meet these aims.

Inclusive Teaching Practices ▾
Inclusive Teaching Practices encompass a range of strategies and approaches aimed at creating equitable and supportive learning environments for all students. It involves designing and implementing instructional methods that recognize and value diverse student backgrounds, experiences, and abilities. Inclusive teaching fosters a sense of belonging, promotes equitable opportunities for learning, and acknowledges the unique strengths and challenges of each learner. By employing inclusive teaching practices, educators aim to remove barriers to learning, engage students actively, and ensure that all learners have equal access to educational resources and opportunities. This approach encourages collaboration, respect, and empathy, allowing students to thrive academically and personally. Inclusive teaching practices empower students to participate fully in their education and contribute to a more inclusive and equitable society.

Teaching and Learning in the Diverse Classroom

This self-paced, online edX course created by researchers at Cornell University explores inclusive course design, social identities, discussion facilitation around challenging topics, and ways to assess your curriculum and discipline to identify historical patterns of inclusion and exclusion. This course won a POD Innovation award in 2020. (The course is free, but you will need to register with edX) 

ACUE Inclusive Teaching Practices Toolkit

The Association of College and University Educators has created a toolkit around inclusive teaching practices. 

Association of American Medical College's Diversity and Inclusion Toolkit

These resources are meant to aid diverse academic medicine professionals in their career development. 

Inclusivity and Support Resources ▾
Inclusivity and Support Resources provide valuable tools and information to create inclusive learning environments and support the diverse needs of faculty, staff, and students. These resources focus on fostering a sense of belonging, addressing equity gaps, and promoting student success. They offer practical strategies, guidance, and best practices to enhance inclusivity in teaching, curriculum design, assessment, and student support services. By using these resources, educators can create environments that value diversity, empower students from all backgrounds, and ensure equitable access to education. Additionally, these resources address various aspects of student support, including mental health, accessibility, and career development. By leveraging these resources, educators can cultivate an inclusive and supportive educational experience that nurtures student growth and success.

Maryland Open Source Textbook Initiative (M.O.S.T.)

The mission of the Maryland Open Source Textbook (M.O.S.T.) initiative is to facilitate faculty efforts to explore the promise of open educational resources (OER) to reduce students’ cost of attendance while maintaining, or perhaps even improving, learning outcomes.

  • OER Commons
    • OER Commons is a public digital library of open educational resources. Explore, create, and collaborate with educators around the world to improve curriculum.
  • Creative Commons
    • Creative Commons is an American nonprofit organization devoted to expanding the range of creative works available for others to build upon legally and to share.

Moving the Needle Podcast

Many of our episodes explore topics related to inclusivity and student support. Specifically, we can point you to the following episodes: 

The Writing Center

The Writing Center has compiled a comprehensive list of resources on the topics of anti-racism, anti-oppression, and inclusive language.