Tag: inclusivity

July 29, 2022August 16, 2022

Welcome, NameCoach!

Names matter. Pronunciation matters.

W&L has adopted a new tool that allows faculty and students to record the pronunciation of their names to aid others in saying it correctly and listen to the recorded names of others: NameCoach.

How it works: Students voice-record their names and instructors can access this information within their Canvas courses. Faculty and staff can also voice-record their name and add a link to their email signatures.

Want to get started? Read these how-to guides:

Also, Director of Academic Technologies, Julie Knudson, will be offering a session about NameCoach during Fall Academy on Thursday, August 25, at 1:30 pm in Leyburn 109. Sign up at https://go.wlu.edu/fallacademy.

Have questions about NameCoach? Need help? Contact the ITS Information Desk at 540.458.4357 (HELP), email help@wlu.edu, or stop by the ITS Information Desk on the Main Level of Leyburn Library. We’re here to help.

October 1, 2021October 7, 2021

Departmental Initiatives in DE&I #2: Creating Gateways for Greater Inclusion at All Levels of Our Institution

This session brings to the table ideas about steps your departments can take to create success in our programs for both students and faculty.

Please join us on Thursday, October 7th at 12:15 pm in Hillel 101 for a conversation about ideas⁠—some fully formed, others still in a nascent stage⁠—developed in Art and Art History, Computer Science, and Chemistry.

August 28, 2020August 28, 2020

NEW! Opt in to Display Personal Pronouns in Canvas

All users can choose personal pronouns in their Canvas profiles. Pronouns in Canvas display in locations such as:

Comment Fields
Discussions
Inbox
People Page (Course and Groups)
User Navigation Menu
User Profile Page
User Settings Page

The default is “None” and users can opt in to displaying a pronoun in Account > Settings. Available pronouns include:

He/Him
She/Her
They/Them

Here’s how:

While logged in to Canvas, click Account in the global navigation.
Click on the Settings link.
Click the Edit Settings button (on the right side of the page)
Select the desired pronouns from the drop-down menu.
Click the Update Settings button.

[must log in with W&L credentials]

Questions? Contact the ITS Information Desk at 540.458.4357 or email help@wlu.edu.

And if you’re wondering …

What are Personal Pronouns?

Pronouns are used on a regular basis to refer to people without using their name and imply one’s gender (he, she, they, etc.). Pronouns are one of the many ways we define our identities.

But why do Personal Pronouns Matter?

You can’t/shouldn’t assume someone’s pronouns by their appearance or name. Referring to someone by the wrong pronoun can be damaging, making the person feel disrespected, invalidated, and/or dysphoric. Correctly using someone’s personal pronoun shows respect for their identities and helps foster an inclusive community.

July 14, 2020July 30, 2020

New Resource: Inclusive Teaching Practices Toolkit

By implementing inclusive teaching practices, faculty create learning environments where all students feel they belong and have the opportunity to achieve at high levels.

ACUE is excited to introduce a set of free resources—including videos and downloadable planning guides—that can be immediately put to use to benefit both faculty and their students. These practices are tailored for online teaching but are also relevant to the physical classroom.

These 10 practices include:

Ensure your course reflects a diverse society and world.
Ensure course media are accessible.
Ensure your syllabus sets the tone for diversity and inclusion.
Use inclusive language.
Share your gender pronouns.
Learn and use students’ preferred names.
Engage students in a small-group introductions activity.
Use an interest survey to connect with students.
Offer inclusive office hours.
Set expectations for valuing diverse viewpoints.

The Inclusive Teaching Practices Toolkit was developed in collaboration with Dr. Marlo Goldstein Hode, Senior Manager, Strategic Diversity Initiatives, Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, University of Missouri-St. Louis.

September 30, 2019March 6, 2020

How to create equitable and welcoming educational spaces for the diverse learners in our classrooms

This comprehensive guide by Viji Sathy and Kelly A. Hogan⁠—yes, the same pair who spoke at the 2019 Fall Academy on Inclusivity Day!⁠—offers a road map to make sure your classroom interactions and course design reach all students, not just some of them.

Teaching inclusively means embracing student diversity in all forms — race, ethnicity, gender, disability, socioeconomic background, ideology, even personality traits like introversion — as an asset. It means designing and teaching courses in ways that foster talent in all students, but especially those who come from groups traditionally underrepresented in higher education.

Traditional teaching methods do not serve all students well. This guide is for any faculty member who believes, as we do, that education can be an equalizer. We share tips here that any instructor can use to minimize inequities and help more students succeed. We’re not suggesting a complete redesign of your courses, but more of an overlay to your current teaching practices.