James Madison University Offers Stipend to Faculty to Become More Inclusive

James Madison University is holding an “institute” for faculty members to help prepare them to become “inclusive teachers” while offering them a $250 stipend. This preparation course will be held every other week the upcoming semester. Here is what the event description says:

Through a semester-long institute, led by Matthew Lee (IDLS) and Matthew Trybus (Learning Centers), participants will have the opportunity to hone their skills for appreciating, leveraging, and responding to diversity within their classrooms. Participants will gain knowledge in areas associated with inclusivity and multiculturalism (e.g., race/ethnicity, nationality, ability status, etc.) and tools in managing group processes and difficult dialogues, addressing inflammatory and prejudicial comments, becoming aware of microaggressions and how to prevent them, and fostering more inclusive, equitable learning environments. Participation will enhance agency and confidence in making classroom environments more multiculturally minded and will create a community around issues of inclusive excellence. Supported by an IDEA Grant from the Office of Access & Inclusion, participants will receive a $250 stipend for participating.

Faculty participants will make progress toward these program outcomes:

• Bringing together a community of faculty committed to teaching for diversity and inclusivity,
• Reviewing literature, research, and best practices on inclusive pedagogy,
• Developing specific teaching strategies for inclusion and diversity, and
• Increase awareness and confidence related to issues of diversity.

Faculty participants will make progress toward these teaching outcomes:

• Appreciating pedagogy—the art and science of teaching and learning–as a significant higher education endeavor,
• Identifying factors that influence pedagogical choices,
• Creating assignments and/or courses that support higher-level learning (deep learning),
• Designing and offering courses or curricula that align learning objectives, assessment, and learning activities,
• Articulating how current pedagogical choices reflect disciplinary norms,
• Practicing the integration of scholarship and teaching, and
• Integrating knowledge of student development models in teaching philosophies and practice.

Facilitators:

Matthew Lee, Ph.D., IDLS

Matthew Trybus, M.Ed., Learning Centers

Related Topics