Get with the Program

S2 Ep. 8 - I'm an ID. How do I bring up DEI?

Concluding our multi-episode discussion on diversity, equity, and inclusion, we ask: “How do I talk to faculty about diversity, equity, and inclusion in online course design?” You do not need to put faculty on the spot. You are free to be deliberative, begin with universal design principles, allow faculty to try out practices, and use your ID perspective to comment on examples. But later, do bring up data about your student body, research about DEI practices, and that universal design practices and specific practices for minoritized students go hand-in-hand. To best implement universal design practices, such as transparency, you change your assignment prompts to reflect the needs of the specific students in your course and institution. Designing for specific students follows the major tenet of instructional design: design for your target audience. We then better practice systematic instructional design yielding a better base for evaluation. Episode Transcript [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ge080ho6THQEKBgpyB3fw9iVvtOLgehtwpqPpqlShcM/edit#heading=h.6mpi0w4scuub]

S2 Ep. 7 - What are specific DEI design practices and who do they help?

Continuing our multi-episode discussion on diversity, equity, and inclusion, we now want specifics: "What are specific DEI design practices and who do they help?" We organize the specific practices into three categories: (1) DEI practices that have significant overlap with traditional course design practices; (2) course design practices that need to be creatively reframed to address DEI in an intentional way; and (3) DEI practices that are difficult to place into a traditional course design framework. We discuss "clear expectations and criteria" to unpack hidden curriculum; "use of various instructional materials" for cultural relevant instruction; and equity gap analysis. We leave the discussion concerned that even with information about students and practices, faculty or designers may not implement them. We still need to answer "Why DEI?" Episode Transcript [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ge080ho6THQEKBgpyB3fw9iVvtOLgehtwpqPpqlShcM/edit#heading=h.z2amwug9015o]

S2 Ep. 6 - Isn't good design naturally inclusive?

We continue our multiple-episode discussion about diversity, equity, and inclusion in online course design, by pumping the brakes and asking “Isn’t good course design naturally inclusive?” Traditional course design is geared towards a generic student. While needs analysis is a part of traditional instructional design, IDs and faculty typically skip that step to focus on the design for learning the content or Universal Design for Learning principles. When designing for student input and contribution, more information about our students, and their unique needs is required for a design strategy that better meets their needs. But we run into the problem that as designers we do not always have time or the ability to survey student needs before designing a specific course or cannot design courses for individual students. We also do not know what strategies we could use if we had that information. We conclude that traditional course design is accidentally inclusive, but not intentionally so. We set up the question for the next episode: how can we build off traditional course design and make it intentionally inclusive? Episode Transcript [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ge080ho6THQEKBgpyB3fw9iVvtOLgehtwpqPpqlShcM/edit#heading=h.kwukleis2kn2]

S2 Ep. 5 - What’s the best way to introduce DEI to online course design?

In this episode, we begin a multi-episode discussion about diversity, equity, and inclusion in online course design. Our first question is “What’s the best way to introduce DEI to online course design?” We survey the equity-based and traditional course design rubrics in search of a method of providing helpful recommendations as Instructional Designers. We present a solution to prevent relying on multiple, distinct rubrics: Annotations. These Annotations connect rubrics to inclusive design practices and each to each other. We preview the next episode’s question: “Isn’t good course design naturally inclusive?” Episode Transcript [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ge080ho6THQEKBgpyB3fw9iVvtOLgehtwpqPpqlShcM/edit#heading=h.6bgzs4g326vm]

S2 Ep. 4 - I designed and built one course, how do I make more?

In this episode, we ask “Can you build additional online courses without retaking a course design program?” We encourage you to use your newly found ID powers and self-check your course alignment with a course map. You know how to use one after receiving ID feedback, but you now have the skills to do it yourself. Whatever shortcut you decide to use, don’t forget alignment of activities to module-level objectives. We insist that use of module-level objectives is a good marker of a quality online course. Episode Transcript [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ge080ho6THQEKBgpyB3fw9iVvtOLgehtwpqPpqlShcM/edit#heading=h.1zv6b7riverv]