Laurier professional development certificate for faculty members addresses inclusive teaching practices

Aug. 10, 2020

A certificate developed at Wilfrid Laurier University aims to help faculty members address matters pertaining to inclusion in the classroom.

The Introduction to Teaching in the Inclusive Classroom certificate is a fully online professional development opportunity available to Laurier’s instructional community.

“Introduction to Teaching in the Inclusive Classroom is a worthwhile way to spend time thinking about pedagogy and the student experience,” says Chris Klassen, contract faculty member in the Department of Religion and Culture. “I continue to reflect on the material provided as I experience an increasingly diverse classroom.”

Nadine LeGros, certificate creator and Laurier’s educational developer specializing in intercultural communication, recently refreshed elements of the certificate to reflect the current discourse surrounding intercultural awareness, diversity, and antiracism work. Rather than presenting tips to make teaching more inclusive, the certificate highlights the complexity of issues surrounding inclusive post-secondary classrooms and offers a breadth of perspectives and critiques.

“The certificate was an opportunity to further my own learning, converse with colleagues and stimulate my thinking about how to further facilitate deep learning about equity, diversity and inclusion with my own students,” says Carolyn FitzGerald, associate professor in the Faculty of Education.

Through five self-paced lessons, participants examine how they can engage with students and course content in ways that support the learning of all students.

Lesson topics include:

• The Culture of Higher Education
• Privilege, Power and Language in the Classroom
• Culture, Cognition and Challenges of Adapting to a New Culture
• Variations in Approaches to Feedback and Conflict
• The Inclusive Classroom

In addition to the asynchronous lesson content, participants engage in reflections after each lesson and recommended readings to further their development.

“The weekly assignments were so helpful and the reflections allowed me to put my thoughts together coherently, ensuring that I had key takeaways from each week to apply to my teaching,” says FitzGerald.

LeGros provides feedback on reflection assignments that recognize the unique teaching and learning environments in Laurier’s varied academic disciplines.

“The certificate strengthened my sense of efficacy and confidence to sensitively and supportively address issues in my own classes,” says FitzGerald. “I left with a broader range of strategies to create a classroom climate in which all of my students are able to participate, contribute and thrive.”

Faculty members can self-register on MyLearningSpace for Introduction to Teaching in the Inclusive Classroom. To learn more about the intercultural development resources available to Laurier’s teaching and learning community, visit Connect.