Facilitate equitable use of digital learning tools and content that meet the needs of each learner.
The September 2021 post Online Teaching & Learning in Higher Education During COVID-19 & Beyond: Pitfalls & Opportunities for Access & Equity explores ways in which digital learning tools were used well (or poorly) to meet the needs of individual learners during the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic, specifically through a case study conducted with South African higher education institutions. As in so many places and spaces across the globe, the Pandemic only served to further highlight existing inequalities which impact a student’s ability to equitably engage in learning activities. Important first steps towards equity in online learning environments involve the use of student-centered learning design and careful consideration for the extent to which students have access to the internet and a suitable device. The Pandemic has highlighted the urgent need to teach and support student learning no matter where students live or what resources they personally possess. Thus, instructors may need to stretch themselves and make considerations for low-bandwidth remote teaching and learning strategies.
In another post from April of 2021, Resilient pedagogy: The professional development opportunity educators need now more than ever, the concept of resilient teaching is explored as a way to best meet the needs of diverse learners in diverse learning modalities, especially in a time of crisis. There are proactive ways for instructors in all kinds of settings to design their courses–and the student interactions within those courses–such that they are resistant to disruption and are adaptable to meet students where they’re at, regardless of context or circumstances. In August of 2021, I designed a professional development workshop meant to help higher education instructors implement the tenets of resilient pedagogy in their teaching.
