In any discipline or field, a key goal as well as challenge is supporting the learning of all students. Through programs, consultations, and resources, CRLT supports teachers in creating learning environments where students of all identities and backgrounds can flourish. This page features a range of online resources that define inclusive teaching and provide specific strategies for practicing it.
CRLT Resources
Overview of Equity-focused Teaching at the University of Michigan: This page discusses a definition and several key aspects of inclusive teaching.
Principles, Strategies and Resources for Equity-focused Teaching: This document lists specific strategies for fostering five dimensions of inclusive teaching. Instructors can use it to reflect upon practices they already use or might adopt.
The Research Basis for Equity-focused Teaching: This webpage provides an overview of the kinds of evidence that demonstrate inclusive teaching practices can benefit all students' learning.
Setting the Tone for Inclusion: This document suggests concrete practices for intentionally establishing an inclusive learning environment in any discipline.
Teaching to Counteract Stereotype Threat: This document provides an overview of stereotype threat and concrete strategies for counteracting stereotype threat in your teaching.
Our blog regularly features posts on specific inclusive teaching strategies. Topics include:
- Teaching in the Current Political Climate
- Assessing and Addressing our Biases
- Responding to Incidents of Hate Speech
- How do we Teach About Privilege
- Using Student Groups: Inclusive Practices
Our website also features videos featuring U-M Thurnau Professors putting various inclusive teaching strategies into action.
The CRLT Players perform sketches that spark discussion about building more equitable and inclusive classroom and institutional climates.
Resources from U-M Partners
LSA Inclusive Teaching website: Developed by LSA's Undergraduate Education Climate Committee, this site features activities to increase inclusion in classrooms, annotations of relevant research articles, and stories from instructors and students about their classroom experiences.
University of Michigan Student Profiles (pdf): This document provides profiles of U-M's incoming students compared to other highly-selective institutions over time. This data can help instructors understand more about U-M students' background knowledge, experience, and goals; prompt instructors to reflect on their own assumptions about students, and facilitate the cultivation of deliberately inclusive classrooms.
U-M Undergraduates, Responses to Diversity Issues & General Student Experiences (pdf): This document provides data about University of Michigan seniors' perspectives of diversity on campus according to ethnicity.
Practical Tips for New Graduate Student Instructors Who Have Been Educated Internationally: This page offers advice and practical suggestions for internationally-educated GSIs who may be new to teaching at U-M.
Resources from around the web
Key teaching strategies to engage students from a range of academic or social backgrounds
- Reducing Stereotype Threat (Washington University)
- Rapport on the First Day of Class
- Interactive Lecturing (Carleton College)
- Benefits of Inclusive Teaching (Cornell University)
- A Guide for Inclusive Teaching (Columbia University)
Reflective Strategies for Faculty
Information on course planning
Creating Inclusive Syllabi
- Features of an Inclusive Syllabus (Saint Louis University)
- Syllabus Rubric and Worksheet (University of Virginia)
For Specific Contexts
- Facilitating Cross-cultural Group Work
- Teaching International Students
- Creating Accessible Learning Environments
CRLT Occasional Papers
- Supporting Students Facing Mental Health Challenges
- Student Teams in Engineering Classroom and Beyond: Setting up Students for Success
- Teaching for Retention in Science, Engineering, and Math Disciplines: A Guide for Faculty
- Teaching for Retention in Science, Engineering, and Math Disciplines: A Guide for GSIs: This document provides strategies for increasing retention of students in science, engineering, and mathematics courses. While developed to support the retention of underrepresented groups, these techniques will help all students by allowing the instructor to create a supportive learning environment, communicate clearly, provide regular feedback, and bring real-world relevance into the classroom.
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Academic Support for Women in Science and Engineering: Women continue to be underrepresented in a number of science and engineering disciplines. This paper describes factors that have been found to influence the learning and persistence of undergraduate women in science and engineering. Suggestions are offered for how faculty members can improve the academic environment to create a more positive learning climate for all students.
