Center for Innovative Teaching & Learning (CITL)

Promoting Inclusive and Equitable Learning Experiences

The Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning is committed to supporting and developing inclusive and equitable learning experiences across the University of South Florida.

CITL is collaborating with the Anti-Racism Initiative, the Faculty Success Initiative, Innovative Education and the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to deliver an Inclusive and Equitable Pedagogy (IEP) Program to the USF community. This program takes the form of a workshop series, Canvas pedagogy course and learning community.

This work builds upon previous CITL programs supporting diversity and inclusion at USF. Beginning in 2019, CITL partnered with the Diversity and Inclusion Office on the St. Petersburg campus to facilitate several Professional Learning Communities exploring social identity of instructors and students, inclusive teaching practices and specific approaches to enhancing curriculum with respect to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Inclusive and Equitable Pedagogy Course

This IEP course was developed by a team of USF faculty and staff facilitators, to support faculty creating inclusive and equitable learning experiences. The course comprises four modules:

  • Identity and Bias
  • Fostering an Inclusive Classroom Community
  • Difficult Conversations
  • Inclusive Frameworks

You can register now to join the Spring 2023 cohort that begins Jan 23, 2023. Please register by Jan. 18, 2023.

Learning Community

Each learning community participant will adapt one future course based on the principles from the Inclusive and Equitable Pedagogy Canvas Course, resources gathered with a USF Librarian, and syllabus feedback from one another. The learning community’s monthly meetings will also have specific themes that build on what is discussed in the pedagogy course: classroom community, accessibility, and difficult conversations. In addition to meeting monthly, this group will also be expected to participate in peer evaluation of one another’s syllabus. 

For Spring 2023, we are looking to bring together two small groups of full-time faculty who are interested in revising a course they are teaching in Fall 2023. One community will meet virtually, and one will meet in-person on the Tampa Campus.

Online IEP Community
Facilitators: Drs. Ashley Reese (CITL; anreese@usf.edu) and Michelle Madden (ODEI)
Meets via Teams on Fridays 12-1:30 pm, Feb 10, Mar 3, Mar 24, Apr 14, Apr 28.

In-Person IEP Community
Facilitators: Drs. Ashley Reese (CITL; anreese@usf.edu) and Clara Buie (ODEI)
Meets on the Tampa Campus, Weds 11 am - 12:30 pm, Feb 1, Feb 22, Mar 8, Mar 29, Apr 12.

Each participant will receive a stipend upon: completing the Inclusive and Equitable Pedagogy Canvas Course, actively engaging in the Learning Community, and demonstrating implementation of strategies through the submission of an updated syllabus and course reflection.

If you would like to participate, please complete the IEP Learning Community Interest Form online.

TRUTH FRAMEWORK COURSE

The TRUTH Framework is a reflection tool developed by Dr. Denise Davis-Cotton (2021). Each of the five levels (Teach, Reach, Unite, Transform, Heal) of the TRUTH Framework represents an intentional growth progression from Teach (self-inquiry) to Heal (collaborative interactions).

These approaches create a culture in higher education that: recognizes identities of self and others; identifies improvement strategies that benefit all students of differing abilities and perspectives; creates new and meaningful relationships; and supports an inclusive and equitable education that empowers differences and fosters a sense of belonging. This course describes the levels of the TRUTH Framework and asks participants to learn each level and then reflect on how they might apply these concepts in higher education.

The online course will run Mar. 20 - May 7, 2023. Please register by Mar. 17, 2023 to join!

IEP WORKSHOP SERIES 

Come join faculty and staff across USF as we focus on practical strategies to promote inclusion and equity in the classroom through community, policies, and accessibility. 

  • Wed., Mar. 8th, 2:00-3:15 

    Accessibility Strategies Workshop 
    Discover how to create a more inclusive and accessible classroom environment with practical strategies from Drs. Karen Ramlackhan and Helene Robinson in this interactive workshop.  
    Registration link 
     

  • Fri., Mar. 31st, 11:00-12:15 

    Universal Design for Learning Workshop 
    Empower all students to succeed in your courses with the Universal Design for Learning framework, presented by Dr. Jayme Joslyn.  
    Registration Link
     

  • Fri., Apr. 7th, 12:30-1:45 

    Course Covenant Workshop 
    Build a supportive classroom community with a course covenant. Join Drs. Rachel Dubrofsky and Navita James in this interactive workshop.  
    Registration link
     

  • Wed., Apr. 19th, 12:30-1:45pm 

    Facilitating Inclusive Conversations 
    Explore the practices and policies that shape positive and inclusive classroom discussions with Dr. Ashley Reese in this workshop.  
    Registration link 

PREVIOUS IEP WORKSHOP SERIES EVENTS.

SPRING 2023 BOOK CLUB

What is inclusive teaching? How can we take it from a buzzword to actual practice? And why should we? This Spring 2023, the CITL / Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion book club will read What Inclusive Instructors Do (Addy et al, 2021) and discuss the evidence behind inclusive teaching and how we can incorporate these practices in our interactions with students, course design, and classroom culture. This book club will be co-facilitated by Dr. Ashley Reese (CITL) and Clara Buie (Director, ODEI). We invite USF faculty and staff to participate. We will meet on Wednesdays, 11am-12pm (Jan 25, Feb 15, Mar 22 and Apr 19), via Microsoft Teams. Participants will receive a paperback copy of the book. Share your interest in joining the What is Inclusive Teaching? book club by Jan 18.