NIU faculty and staff are being offered a growing number of professional development opportunities under three related efforts to support inclusive and equitable teaching and learning.
The initiatives represent a partnership among NIU’s Division of Academic Affairs; NIU’s Division of Academic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; and the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE).
“We are committed to building an equity-minded academic community that challenges and eliminates exclusionary practices and provides all faculty with the recognition and support necessary to achieve their full intellectual and professional potential,” said Vernese Edghill-Walden, chief diversity officer and vice president for Academic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Jason Rhode, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning executive director and chief online learning officer, noted that the trio of initiatives draw on both internal and external expertise.
“Together, these initiatives form a holistic program that offers faculty and select staff members options for how and at what level they are able to engage with equity and inclusion practices in their classrooms,” Rhode said.
The professional development offerings are not mandatory and can be completed in any order. While the programs are consistent with one another, each opportunity provides different skill sets to participants. The three programs are as follows.
The Inclusive Teaching for Equitable Learning Mico-credential
The Inclusive Teaching for Equitable Learning Micro-credential is being offered through the university’s partnership with The micro-credential aims to create awareness of and beginner to intermediate use of teaching practices that promote equity and inclusion.The credential requires completion of an eight-week online course (primarily asynchronous). Topics include managing the impact of bias, reducing microaggressions, addressing imposter phenomenon and stereotype threat, creating inclusive learning environments, and designing equity-centered courses.
Developed by ACUE in partnership with leading experts in inclusive teaching, the course is facilitated by NIU faculty and staff who provide guidance and lead synchronous discussions.
The credential is open all faculty and select staff, based on their role in teaching; one cohort a year is open to all graduate students with an emphasis on those who are pursuing careers in academia. A total of 38 NIU faculty and 22 graduate students have already earned the micro-credential.
The Faculty Academy on Cultural Competence and Equity (FACCE)
The Faculty Academy on Cultural Competence and Equity (FACCE) is currently being developed as a series of hands-on and in-person workshops providing tools and guidance to transform teaching and classrooms by using an equity and inclusion lens. Participants will have the option of attending workshops during the coming academic year or a comprehensive one-week experience in the summer of 2023.This deeply transformative program requires a larger time commitment and is being developed and facilitated by NIU faculty with expertise in equity and inclusion to specifically address the needs of NIU students. The goal is transformation of curriculum, pedagogy and the learning environment, with advanced curriculum that is grounded in decolonization and anti-racism.
During the academic year, all workshops will be conducted on campus once monthly from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fridays, beginning on Aug. 26. FACCE will be open to faculty, instructors and staff, particularly those who teach; cohorts will be kept small to promote active engagement. Those interested can register here.
ACUE Effective Teaching Practices Program
NIU is continuing its ACUE Effective Teaching Practices Program, bolstering inclusive teaching training for faculty, instructors and staff with teaching assignments. This program involves a year-long online course (primarily asynchronous), with enrollment by invitation and nomination from the deans.The program requires a time commitment of two or three hours per week and focuses more broadly on teaching, with a goal to increase use of evidence-based pedagogy. The ACUE course incorporates culturally-responsive teaching techniques and encourages those involved to engage in thought-provoking discussions and self-reflection around how to promote an inclusive class experience. A typical faculty member credentialed by ACUE learns 55 new teaching practices and implements 28 of these.
Over 60 NIU faculty and staff participants have completed the entire 25-week course and earned the designation of “ACUE Distinguished Teaching Scholar.” (See NIU testimonials.) Developed by ACUE in partnership with leading experts in teaching, the program is facilitated by NIU staff members.
In addition to these opportunities, the Center for the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality and the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center will co-host interactive workshops this month for faculty interested in developing new approaches for supporting the inclusion of LGBTQ+ students and curriculum into their courses. (Applications were accepted in early May.)
NIU employees across the university also are seeing more professional development opportunities through the ongoing Inclusion in Action series. It aims to support positive and effective working relationships. Employees from all ranks and departments are sought to both participate in workshops and share their expertise as facilitators within this series. If you have an interest in facilitating a workshop or if you would like to submit a topic to be included in the series, contact Susanne Logsdon at slogsdon@niu.edu.
