Colleges vary in the extent to which online management curricula and courses have integrated justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI). In smaller colleges with limited resources especially, the scope and goal can appear overwhelming. This asynchronous discovery session explores the challenges and opportunities associated with JEDI integration in online management programs and courses.
Colleges vary in the extent to which curricula and courses have integrated diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA). With many colleges struggling to institutionalize many contextually-contingent effective practices of DEIA in all aspects of the online student experience. Meanwhile there is growing awareness of the urgency of DEIA in supporting learner success and to further social justice plus global perspectives and community-based learning . This is occurring as colleges and universities are forced to make rapid adjustments related to the pandemic, stretching resources thinly. For smaller colleges especially, the scope and goal can appear overwhelming.
This presentation explores a scaled approach to achieve a contextually-contingent effective project plan and timeline reflecting a coordinated approach between instructional development and college administrators.
How do we achieve a total student experience that integrates DEIA concepts? How does an institution assess where it is on this journey? How do we prioritize the most urgent actions and in what order? How do we translate that into an actionable plan and timeline that reflects pandemic realities, institutional resource constraints, faculty and staff burnout, etc?
To develop a realistic DEIA plan, several factors play a role and, in addition, there are institution-specific practices to consider. What is faculty governance’s role in Instructional design practices? What are the benefits of and challenges of committee-based approaches at our institutions? How to set up collaborative faculty-instructional designer approaches.What are the various levels of buy-in for resource allocation? How is the management function structured at the institution and its impact on maintenance of DEIA standards? How are DEIA practices reflected in performance evaluation and rewards?
Level of participation:
Session facilitators will engage the audience extensively throughout the session, mixing short presentations with activities, polling, and discussion. Participants will engage in exercises to prioritize DEIA initiatives based on a worksheet / template that will be distributed to participants as a resource. Participants will share their experiences and lessons learned as part of the session activities.
Session goals:
Individuals attending this education session will be able to share their own lessons learned from integration of DEIA work and experiences. Participants will look at the challenges and solutions from the perspectives of the student, the educator, and the administration, in charting out a plan and timeline to improve DEIA in courses such that the plan reflects resource constraints, pandemic challenges, etc.
SPEAKERS
William Prado, D.B.A., is the Program Director of the Sustainable MBA and Sustainability Management BA programs, and Sustainable Business Professor at Prescott College. Prior to this role, Bill served as the Dean of Graduate and Online Programs at the College, leading teaching and learning support. With 20 years of experience in higher education, curriculum and course design, and educational consulting, Bill has also taught courses in leadership, strategy, international business, finance and accounting. Bill has served as a consultant for publishers and universities in the development of online academic programs and courses. His research interests are in the area of cross-cultural factors in organizational management. Bill is a Latinx first-generation American and first generation to attend college. His passion is helping marginalized student populations.
Danica Stitz is the Director of Instructional Design and Learning Technology at Prescott College and holds an MA in Instructional Technology and Media from Teachers College, Columbia University. Her professional experience includes learning design in both corporate and academic environments, providing instructional design and professional development guidance to clients such as Forrester Research, New York Law School, and New Haven University. From ideation to implementation, she brings a unique skill set: deep knowledge of learning experience design and the technological know-how to bring programs to life.