Abstract:

The doctoral program at Fairfield University CT, prepares teacher leaders who are committed to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, or JEDI as one of our students recently quipped. One of the courses in the program requires these experienced teacher leaders to reimagine a unit they have taught through a JEDI lens. I will share those instructional designs (5) and the strategies they embedded to improve equity and optimize learning for all.

We took a wide-ranging view of where the field of Instructional Design has come from and where it now stands, beginning with a survey of the development of instructional design and the underlying forces and assumptions that shaped it (from constructivism and behavioral psychology to systems theory), carrying through to the rise and dominance of personal computing and the ubiquity of learning management software. Students examines the societal and cultural contexts that influenced instructional design as it developed and was codified, so as to better understand and learn to apply - and in some cases, reject - each element, so as to ultimately create a more equitable learning experience for the widest range of students.

There are three overarching goals:
- Recognize and critically examine and explain systemic and institutional forces that cause and perpetuate economic and educational inequalities. What is the long-term economic impact that racist laws and policies, e.g., real estate, have had on people who live (have lived) in predominantly-minority urban neighborhoods
- Consider and apply three models of instructional design: ADDIE, Understanding by (Backwards) Design, and Universal Design for Learning to create more equitable, student-centric, instructional designs. How can instructional designs bake in bias and be exclusionary?

I will describe a few student designs and their rationales. Here are two examples:
- Middle school mathematics unit on ratios and proportions. From a diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice lens, this topic can be used to incorporate student identity and culture, student voice, civic engagement, and democracy. Some of the challenges I have identified with this important mathematical unit, involve the need to leverage student background knowledge with the application of the skills around ratios and proportional relationships. Too often, lessons direct focus on the arrangement of ratios to resemble fractions with the intention to increase student outcomes on summative assessments, rather than build conceptual understanding.
- Create a “Thinking” Classroom -- an environment that promotes active learning, critical thinking, collaboration, and metacognition. The objectives are designed to empower students to become independent thinkers, problem solvers, and lifelong learners. A thinking classroom model creates a dynamic and enriching learning environment that empowers students to excel socially, academically, and personally. Students can interact and problem solve with one another. This also removes the opportunity for biases to play a part in group creations, be that from the teacher and/or students. Leveling the playing field gives everyone the same opportunities to learn and develop confidence as a learner.

Keywords:

Instructional Design, Equity, Inclusion, K12, Bias in Instructional Designs.