8 Culturally Responsive Teaching and Assessment
In the previous module, we examined curriculum and materials for cultural responsiveness. In this module, we’ll turn towards teaching, feedback and assessment practices that are culturally responsive. We’ll self-assess our teaching practices and develop an action plan to continuing developing as a culturally responsive educator.
The objectives for this module are:
- Participants will identify and describe at least four culturally responsive teaching practices
- Participants will identify and describe at least three culturally responsive assessment and feedback practices
- Participants will self-assess their teaching practice to identify areas of improvement for their culturally responsive teaching practice
- Participants will develop an action plan to improve their teaching practice to be more culturally responsive
Reflection 1
Culturally Responsive Teaching in Action
Culturally responsive teaching is an ongoing practice. Watch the video below to learn more about culturally responsive teaching in an online context.
Brainstorm Practices
As we learned in the first module of this course, you are already using culturally responsive practices in your course. Add at least two practices to the list and review those added by your colleagues. We’ll return to this list later in this module.
Culturally Responsive and Inclusive Teaching Practices
Culturally responsive and inclusive teaching is an ongoing practice. View the cards for strategies to use.
(University of Washington, 2021)
Culturally Responsive Feedback and Assessment Practices
Culturally responsive assessment and feedback starts well before the end of the term. Supporting students to achieve course objectives is strategically woven throughout the course.
- Provide clear expectations for students. Grading rubrics can help communicate expectations.
- Provide multiple ways for students to achieve objectives. For example, allow students to contribute to discussions in their preferred format—be it orally, written, or by audio/video recording.
- Provide structure for projects and roles for group assignments.
- Provide formative feedback.
- Include low-stakes or ungraded assignments.
- Consider providing feedback via a screencast or video recording.
- Include self-reflection and self-assessment opportunities.
- Provide sample assessments.
- Ask students for their feedback on your teaching and incorporate their feedback!
- Share campus resources like the Writing Center, Disability and Access Services, and the food pantry. See the Student Success Resources in your Syllabus section of Sakai for a comprehensive list.
(University of Washington, 2021)
Inclusive Assessment Checklist
Consult the image for ways to employ inclusive assessment practices in your course.
Reviewing the list
Let’s review the list we created at the beginning of this module. Take a moment to review it. Are there any practices that you might add or remove?
Summary
In this section we’ve learned about culturally responsive teaching and feedback practices. As we have seen throughout the course, these practices are truly practices–they must be continually used and revisited.