Equity and Inclusion in Higher Education - by Rita Kumar & Brenda Refaei (Paperback)

About the Book

Faculty across disciplines want to provide equitable and inclusive classrooms to support all students, but they are overwhelmed by the content they must cover and have no time to address equity and inclusion in their teaching. Equity and inclusion need not be seen as extra work but as important objectives that guide curriculum development. This book provides strategies to create a more purposeful, intentional curriculum that addresses equity and inclusion across disciplines without compromising content. We bring together practical lesson plans and instructional options that faculty can use and adapt to deliver content in a way that is mindful of inclusion and equity.

Book Synopsis

Americans' perception of college students does not correlate with the reality of the rich diversity seen on university campuses. Over 60% of Americans believe the average age of a college student is 20 years old but, in fact, it's 26.4 years old. Demographics in the classroom are shifting and instructors bear a responsibility to adjust their teaching style and curriculum to be inclusive for all students.

Equity and Inclusion for Higher Education Strategies for Teaching, edited by Rita Kumar and Brenda Refaei, details the necessity for an inclusive curriculum with examples of discipline-specific activities and modules. The intersectionality of race, age, socioeconomic status, and ability all embody the diversity college instructors encounter in their classrooms. Through the chapters in this book, the contributors make apparent the "hidden curriculum," which is taught implicitly instead of explicitly. The editors focus on learner-centered environments and accessibility of classroom materials for traditionally marginalized students; a critical part of the labor needed to create an inclusive curriculum.

This text provides instructors with resources to create equity-based learning environments. It challenges instructors to see beyond Eurocentric curriculums and expand their pedagogy to include intercultural competence. The contributors challenge the student/instructor dichotomy and embrace collaboration between the two to construct a curriculum that fits all students' needs. The resources and examples in this book demonstrate the importance of inclusion and equity in the classroom. A companion community page provides examples and tools from the editors and contributing authors, which allows for readers to add materials from their own classrooms. This book and collaborative toolkit allow instructors to begin intentional practice of an inclusive curriculum and implement changes to promote respect for diversity.

Review Quotes

"This reader-friendly, easy-to-navigate text focuses on the intersectionality of race, class, age, sexuality, and disability. This reader-friendly text is easy to navigate. The first and last parts are essential reading for educators in all disciplines; an important text for educators interested in creating equity-based learning environments in their classrooms. Highly recommended. General readers, advanced undergraduates through faculty; professionals."--Outstanding Academic Title "Choice"

By compiling both general and discipline-specific best practices for inclusive pedagogies, this book provides an invaluable and much needed resource for higher education faculty looking to make their teaching practices more equitable.-- "Rebecca Scott, Assistant Professor, Harper College"

Fostering equity is the most important task we face in higher education. The authors make a clear case for these practices in theory, and offer concrete, actionable strategies to make those spaces a reality. Thoughtful and energizing resources like this are indispensable parts of that effort. A must-read for anyone committed to inclusive and equitable teaching and learning.-- "Kevin Gannon, Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Grand View University"

About the Author

RITA KUMAR, Ph.D., is the Executive Director of the Faculty Enrichment Center at the University of Cincinnati and former Professor of English at University of Cincinnati, Blue Ash. BRENDA REFAEI, Ed.D., is Co-Director of the Learning + Teaching Center and a Professor of English and Communication at the University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College.