Remote Teaching and Learning: Two Learners’ Perspectives on Inclusion

The following reflections on online inclusive teaching and learning were written in Spring 2020 by three CTL Undergraduate Pedagogical Consultants as part of the Students as Pedagogical Partners initiative. The two consultants, Nikki Lyons (GS ‘21) and Mae Butler (CC ‘22), represent student voices from across disciplines and the three undergraduate schools.

Nikki Lyons

Adaptability and Support Foster Equity in Learning Environments

Themes: accessibility, classroom climate, clear expectations, supporting learners

Reflection: One of my professors who teaches a large, pre-medical course is currently holding classes via Zoom and recording and posting lectures on Youtube and Canvas to increase access to the course material for all students. Even before the transition to online learning, he shared pre and post-lecture video instructions with the class. By continuing to offer these videos, my professor has helped make the transition to online instruction seamless. 

Furthermore, he has explicitly told us that he understands that the current state of things causes unprecedented challenges for learners. All of our learning objectives have been explicitly adjusted for current learning changes. To encourage us to continue learning to the best of our ability, he has also communicated that students can ask for more time on any assignment, simply asking us to stay in communication with him. On top of that, he sends emails reminding us that we’re in this all together, that he’s thinking of us, and shares pieces of writing that have helped him navigate this time. His clarity, encouragement, and thoughtful communication is extremely helpful. 

My professor was also incredibly understanding and helpful while I dealt with a difficult illness. For instance, when an aspect of the illness negatively impacted me during an exam, he was supportive, asked no personal follow-up questions about the illness, instead let me know my wellness was a priority, he hopes I get well soon and went out of his way to reassure me that didn’t make him think less of me as a student. Often with illnesses, it can be nerve-wracking wondering if a professor will understand the impact on coursework and this can prevent students from asking for help or flexibility when it is needed. His affirmation made all of the difference in the world and helped me maintain confidence throughout the course. 

This class will have a lasting impact on my academic career, both through my learning and the credentials it offers. It was an incredible relief to know that this professor understands that students are human, that life outside of the classroom is unpredictable. In a course with a reputation for “weeding” students out of the discipline, this support is exactly what I need during such a challenging time.

Related principles from the Guide for Inclusive Teaching:

• Principle 1: Establish and support a class climate that fosters belonging for all students

• Principle 2: Set explicit student expectations

• Principle 4: Design all course elements for accessibility

Questions for Reflection:

• How do you promote conversation and trust with and among students during remote learning experiences? What steps are you taking to be inclusive in your language and guidelines in the digital classroom?
• It can be challenging for students to ask for learning accommodations due to a variety of barriers, especially in an online classroom. What can you do to make sure students feel supported and acknowledged?
• Communicating course expectations and assignment instructions during remote learning is its own challenge. How can you integrate student voices into finding a process that works for their specific needs? 

Suggestions from a Learner for Supporting and Connecting with Learners:

• Be enthusiastic about inclusion. Recognize that you may make mistakes and be open to feedback. The online transition has been a learning experience for everyone. 
• Inclusion online, like in a face-to-face classroom, looks different for everyone and requires individualized planning and accommodation.
• Recognize that there are many reasons a student’s situation may be different from your own or others’.
• Be aware that the transition to remote learning poses new and unexpected barriers to inclusivity and accessibility. Resources that students rely on for learning, such as computers and wifi, may not be accessible to all. Consider what you can adjust in course material and expectations to minimize the impact of these disparities on learning.
• Create assignments with explicit instructions and language that encourages communication. Let students know exactly what is expected, but also that you are open to  adjusting assignments when issues come up. Communication is key and an important expectation to set for both students and faculty.

Mae Butler

Using Multimedia Content to Improve Access to Learning

Themes: screen overload, adapting to student needs, accessibility of course materials, designing accessible assignments

Reflection: Since the transition to remote learning, I have been spending a lot of time in front of a screen attending online classes. Moreover, because all of my courses are readings-based, I face the added expectation of reading digital texts for several hours a day. Unfortunately, my screen-reading comprehension is much lower than when I have a physical text in front of me. I have also started to experience eye strain and recurring headaches from extensive screen use.

One of my professors is particularly proactive about identifying barriers that students face during online learning. Recognizing the strain of digital reading, she regularly asks how much of the assigned materials we were able to cover at the beginning of class. This question serves as a starting point for collaborative decisions on how to use class time. For instance, when we conduct passage analysis, my professor reads the passages aloud so that students can take handwritten notes and reduce our time spent looking at the text online. This accommodation also allows us to see other students’ faces during class, increasing the sense of community among learners. 

My professor has also begun sending lists of key concepts and pages from each text for learners struggling with screen overload. This permits students who cannot complete the entire reading to stay involved in class discussions and other assignments. In my experience, this strategy does not deter students who are able from reading the full text. Rather, this adaptation increases access to learning for students facing barriers in their new environments. My professor has also started soliciting student input to develop new assignments. While the class typically evaluates students solely on papers, my professor is now allowing us to demonstrate our learning in unconventional forms, including hand-written reflections, voice memos, and recorded conversations with our classmates or community members. 

The ongoing collaboration between my classmates and professor has created space to accommodate the variety of barriers learners face in their new environments and increased our class’ sense of shared responsibility for finding inclusive solutions to the challenges posed by remote learning.  

Related principles from the Guide for Inclusive Teaching:

• Principle 2: Set explicit student expectations
• Principle 4: Design all course elements for accessibility
• Principle 5: Reflect on one’s beliefs about teaching (online) to maximize self-awareness and commitment to inclusion

Questions for Reflection:

• How can you be proactive about identifying barriers to inclusion that your learners face instead of waiting for students to voice their concerns? 
• How can you encourage students to communicate the challenges they are experiencing and identify accommodations? 
• How can course materials and assignments be designed to support students’ learning and wellbeing? 

Suggestions from a Learner on Making Course Content Accessible:

• Whenever possible, provide materials in multiple media forms. Consider offering links to audio recordings of the texts. If none are available, consider inviting students to record key passages or doing so yourself.
• Upload texts as PDFs (not scans from a print version) so that students can use screen readers to listen to materials to reduce the risk of eye strain and other barriers to learning.
• Ask students how much reading they were able to do at the beginning of every class. If you feel that students are uncomfortable sharing this information directly, consider offering an anonymous survey at the beginning of class to assess students’ preparedness. Use this information to inform assignments moving forward so that students can accomplish what is asked of them.
• Send students a list of key concepts to read for and/or a shortened selection of readings in case students are not able to complete the entire reading because of screen-related side effects or other barriers they face to studying at home. Students will learn much more by reading key concepts and passages well than by reading an entire text or book with a headache.

Concluding Recommendations

Consider these final suggestions for collaborating with learners to identify and overcome barriers to inclusion in the remote classroom.

• Remote learning can pose unexpected challenges to inclusivity and accessibility. Be proactive about asking students what barriers to learning they are facing online and in their new learning environment. 
• Be mindful that there may be many situational barriers impacting students learning remotely and that these issues may look different from your own or others’.
• Collaborate with learners to identify accommodations and trust that the solutions students propose are in their best interest as learners and people.
• Implement changes deliberately. Inclusivity does not just happen, it requires conscious choice and purposeful action. 
• Prioritize student wellbeing, which is central to learning, to support students in reaching course objectives.