Developing Skills to Facilitate Inclusive Remote Classrooms
This was originally published in the August 2020 Edition of the Monthly Monitor, available here.
In addition to the practical and logistic impacts of COVID-19 on remote classroom instruction, this epidemic created ongoing significant psychosocial and budgetary stressors that impact students’ ability to engage in academic endeavors. In general, students with marginalized statuses routinely face additional burdens of microaggressions and emotional and intellectual labor associated with tokenism. Black students face additional anxieties associated with historical and contemporary racial trauma that may further disadvantage them during this stressful time. How can doctoral students help BSW and MSW students cope with these realities?
During this critical time, doctoral students with teaching responsibilities (teaching assistantships or faculty appointments) can develop knowledge and skills to create inclusive virtual instruction and facilitate safe environments. Practicing inclusive virtual teaching techniques will result in more support for BSW and MSW students’ wellness while simultaneously promoting classroom engagement. Further, doctoral students will be more prepared to teach in a virtual setting, which may become a more attractive skill upon entering the job market in coming years.
A critical social work lens can help instructors create environments that are safe for breaking down systems of oppression and understanding one’s positionality within these structures. We identified several tools and frameworks that instructors might utilize to create safe and inclusive environments. These resources can help students interrogate assumptions and privilege without creating an overreliance on students with marginalized statuses for education. These methods also allow historically marginalized groups to fully engage in critiques of society without fear of backlash. Importantly, engaging with these pedagogies asks doctoral student-instructors to interrogate their privilege and any dynamics that may unconsciously impact attitudes towards their students.
We do not suggest that these lists are exhaustive. Please fill out this form with resources you have found to be particularly helpful!
Anti-Racism Pedagogy, Practice, & Tools
Academics for Black Survival and Wellness
Academics for Black Student Survival and Wellness Anti-Racist Resources Google Doc
Annie E. Casey Foundation Equity Conversation Guides for Young Leaders & Partners
APTR Anti-Racism Toolkit (addresses structural racism)
NASW Racial Equity resource page
Thurber, A., Harbin, M. B., & Bandy, J. (2019) Teaching Race: Pedagogy and and Practice
Wheaton College’s Becoming an Anti-Racist Educator Initiative. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching.
Anti-Oppression Pedagogy, Practice, & Tools
Berila, B. (2015). Contemplative Practice of Anti-Oppression Pedagogy. [archived, but good information.]
Curry-Steven, A. (2003). An educator’s guide for changing the world: Methods, models, and materials for anti-oppression and social justice workshops. CSJ Foundation for Research and Education.
Fifthian, L. (n.d.) Anti-oppression resources & exercises. Organizing for Power, Organizing for Change.
Tuck, E., & Yang, K.W. (2012). Decolonization is not a metaphor. Decolonization: Indigeneity,
Education & Society, 1(1), 1-40.
Inclusive Online Classrooms
San Diego State University Digital Humanities: Setting the Tone
Columbia Center for Teaching and Learning: Inclusive Teaching and Learning Online
Appalachian State Center for Academic Excellence: Inclusive Online Teaching
Books & Articles
Bell, D. (1992). Faces at the Bottom of the Well: The Permanence of Racism. Basic Books.
Dominigue, A. D. (2016). Online and blended pedagogy in social justice education. In M. Adams & L. A. Bell (Eds.), Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice (3rd ed.) (pp. 369-396). Routledge.
hooks, b. (1994). Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom. Taylor and Francis.
hooks, b. (2003). Teaching Community: A Pedagogy of Hope. Taylor and Francis.
hooks, b. (2013) Teaching Critical Thinking: Practical Wisdom. Taylor and Francis.
Freire, P. (n.d.). Pedagogy of the Oppressed: 50th Anniversary Edition (M. Bergman Ramos, Trans.; 4th ed.). Bloomsbury Academic.
Kiehne, E. (2016). Latino critical perspective in social work. Social Work, 61(2), 119–126. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/sww001
Poole, J. M. (2012). Critical race theory in social work education: A framework for addressing racial disparities. Critical Social Work, 13(2), 1-16.