8 How do We Actualize Diversity in Practice?

Here are some strategies to consider making your courses more diverse.

Re-evaluate your teaching materials

Ask yourself: who are the authors of the articles, textbooks, and videos assigned to students in my courses? Is there an opportunity to add diverse thinkers and creators to my course materials? Are there inventors, scientists, or theorists I can bring to this course whose names do not sound of European descent? This practice may involve googling authors to find out more about them – believe me, it’s time well-spent!

Also, as you teach your course and know who your students are, seek materials that will be relevant to them based on their backgrounds. For example, if you have nursing students who recently arrived from the Philippines, look for resources that will prompt the learners to reflect on their prior experience in the home country versus the nursing practice here in Canada. This practice will help learners to draw on their experience and learn more deeply while appreciating your care for their complex identities.

Incorporate diverse visuals

When incorporating visuals in your course, make sure they positively represent various groups and that they are diverse and representative of your student body. How about inviting your students to supplement the course materials with relevant visuals that will depict their identities?

For example,

• Disabled and Here Collection with free and inclusive images celebrating disabled Black, Indigenous, and people of colour.
• The Gender Spectrum Collection: Stock Photos Beyond the Binary
• Free Plus-Size Stock Photos with photos of plus-size people doing everyday things.

Plan for a diversity of perspectives

When planning your course, incorporate a plethora of activities that will engage students in exchanging their perspectives and learning from one another. You should be part of such conversations to encourage conversational and respectful learning.

According to Jennifer Brant (2013), who is Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk), an asynchronous discussion forum can be a safe space for cross-cultural learning. The author appreciated the time she could take to formulate thoughts in a respectful way in response to controversial topics. To achieve a safe discussion space, she emphasized the role of the instructor to moderate and protect the exchange of views from harmful triggers.