Invitation to apply to the Faculty of Science Inclusive Teaching Initiative 2023-24
Deadline extended to December 11, 2023
Curriculum and classroom climate are critical factors that shape a student's learning and overall university experience, but systemic biases in both can negatively impact students from underrepresented groups. In 2022-2023 a pilot program, the Faculty of Science Inclusive Teaching Initiative, was developed to respond to the aforementioned concern as well as university-wide commitments to “support the development of inclusive pedagogies and curricular approaches that foster the learning and development of our diverse community and a sense of belonging for all students without interfering with the freedom of individual instructors to determine the content of their courses” (McGill EDI Plan, 2020-2025). The pilot program ran from January to May 2023 with seven instructors from the Faculty of Science. The group met monthly to co-learn, share strategies, and discuss what it means to create an inclusive and anti-racist classroom, as well as how to integrate these ideas into course design and teaching practices. Drawing on the success of the previous year, this initiative will run for a second time in 2024. As per last year, it will be funded by the Faculty of Science and Office of the Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic). Details of the pilot are shared in this McGill Reporter article.
Selected instructors from across departments in the Faculty of Science will form a small network and work together from January to May 2024 to investigate how to promote EDI through strategies for instruction and/or assessment, with a view to strengthening elements of their courses that relate to inclusive and anti-racist pedagogy and curriculum. Participants will receive a professional development allowance of $1,000, funded by the Provost’s Action Plan to Address Anti-Black Racism.
We welcome expressions of interest from tenure-track faculty members and faculty lecturers in the Faculty of Science. Interested participants should send a one-page (maximum) expression of interest. Possible questions you could respond to are listed:
- Why are you interested in this opportunity?
- What are your thoughts on what an inclusive and anti-racist classroom might look like, and what challenges there might be in establishing such a classroom environment?
- What is your experience in incorporating inclusive and anti-racist pedagogy and/or curricula into your teaching practice?
- What particular area(s) or course(s) would you like to work on revising?
- What would you like to get out of this experience?
Expressions of interest will be accepted until December 11, 2023 and should be sent to: ose [at] mcgill.ca, with the name of this initiative in the subject line: FacSci Inclusive Teaching Initiative 2024
Selection Process
Five candidates will be selected to participate in the 2023-2024 cohort. Selections will be made by representatives from the Office of Science Education and the Equity Team in the Office of the Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) in consultation with the Faculty of Science based on these criteria:
- degree of interest in investigating and implementing strategies to establish an inclusive and anti-racist classroom environment;
- interest in participating in a network of peers who meet monthly to discuss relevant pedagogical issues;
- representation of a variety of departments, units and career stages in the Faculty of Science.
Priority will be given to those whose teaching is associated with the Faculty of Science. Decisions will be communicated by the week of December 18, 2023 to all who have submitted expressions of interest.