Six Principles for Equitable Syllabus Design

Equitable Syllabus Design Series: Topic Intro | Part 1 | Part 2

Equitable Syllabus Design Series
Part 2: 
Six Principles for Equitable Syllabus Design

Overview

Why an Equity-Minded Syllabus?

classroom in all aspects (e.g., syllabi, course policies, assignment creation, etc.) and to “take[s] personal and institutional responsibility for the success of their students….and critically reassess their own practices” (Emory University School of Medicine, 2019). 

Higher education—much like our classrooms—is not culturally-neutral and comes with a historical design that benefits only a small group of students. As a result, it is important to ask questions like  “who is my syllabus written for?” and “who does this syllabus serve?” In doing this reflective process, we can better understand if a syllabus only serves the “ideal student”, and other students in your classroom will not have equal opportunities to succeed in your course and the classroom. As such, this will replicate broader social inequities, such as racial, class, gender, ability bias, which we would like to avoid (Denari et al., 2022; Reinders et al., 2021). 

As equity-minded educators, we strive to give all our students opportunities to succeed, regardless of one’s starting point and social location (Ambrose et al., 2010; Center of Urban Education, 2020). Equitymindedness is also a set of practices we employ to ensure we are creating an inclusive classroom and not unintentional recreating structural or systemic inequities (Refaei & Kumar, 2021; Denaro et al., 2022).  

While crafting an equity-minded syllabus, it is important to take personal responsibility for unintentional but still harmful implicit biases (please visit Implicit Biases JITT) and course design choices. It is necessary to highlight institutional inequities/biases as well. Although instructors did not create the systems that created inequities, we function in these institutions and can be complicit in their negative outcomes on students (i.e., non inclusive classrooms, creating assessments that require hidden implicit knowledge that only some groups know) (Taylor et al., 2019; Sanger, 2020).

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Six Guiding Principles for Equitable Syllabus Design 

The six principles and teaching strategies articulated below come from the Center of Urban Education at the University of Southern California resource on syllabus review (Center of Urban Education 2017). We have updated some examples from past and current Teaching Assistant Consultants from a variety of disciplines.

1. Demystifying 

Demystifying the functions of the syllabus requires the instructor to explain how students will successfully complete the course, navigate additional supportive resources at higher education institutes, and achieve their individual and shared learning goals. This will effectively support first-generation, international, and BIPOC undergraduate and graduate students in understanding that the instructor is supportive and eager to witness their successes in higher education (Taylor et. al 2019). Teaching strategies may include:  

• Make the information easily understandable and accessible to the students by questioning and removing assumptions within one’s syllabus design (e.g., “Any student would know about the function of office hours”). 
• Explain the basic information on the syllabus (e.g. course description, objectives, instructor contact information, office hours, grading scheme, etc.) 
• Explicitly connect students to additional learning resources beyond the main lecture and the discussions with encouragement and clear instruction on how to access these services (e.g., tutoring, community groups, etc.) and how they can be used to supplement their work in the course.   
• Employ plain language with limited academic jargon along with simple formatting. 

Example: Communicating about “Student Hours” 

In their syllabus, a TA articulates the purpose of “Office Hours” and renames it “Student Hours” to explicitly prioritize students’ learning as well as demystify the function of those time periods (e.g., for students to help learn). The brief description and renaming allow all students to understand the purpose of office hours and encourages students to use them. 

The sample syllabus statement below illustrates this: 

2. Welcoming 

The goal of welcoming principle is to communicate care and support within the classroom. The function of welcoming allows all students to feel as if they are welcome as they are and can succeed in the course. Often, students from historically excluded groups report classroom anxiety and imposter syndrome while navigating higher education. Thus, it is important to welcome students and affirm their presence is welcome and wanted (Edwards, 2019; Nadal et al., 2021; Hewerston & Tissa, 2022). 

Teaching strategies may include:  

• Use warm inclusive language and tone (e.g. I encourage you all to turn in your papers on time…) instead of using cold punishing language (e.g., late papers will NOT be accepted). 
• Convey sensitivity to students entering the skill levels and provide clear pathways for students to access support to best optimize their success. 
• Encourage and normalize students seeking support as acceptable and beneficial. 
• Communicate a willingness to work individually with the students who may need extra support. 
• Set inclusive norms and anti-discrimination policies to outline mutual respect, inclusion, and accountability within the classroom. 

Example: Welcoming Language

The table below is from a syllabus that exemplifies clear communication about classroom norms and expectations on how the instructor and students will all work together to create an inclusive classroom for mutual success. The statements express the principle of welcoming as well as creating partnership.

3. Validating

The principle of validating asks the instructor to affirm students’ ability to do well as well as communicate this is the expected outcome for all students. Research has shown the validation throughout one’s journey by faculty supports students psychological and academic success (Swanson & Cole, 2022; Nora et al., 2011). Teaching strategies may include:  

• Affirm students’ ability to succeed and are capable of achieving their desired education and other professional goals. 
• Allow students multiple ways to demonstrate their knowledge. For instance, offering different types of assessment (e.g., essays, multiple choice quizzes, etc.) will give students multiple ways to demonstrate their learning and strengths. This prevents the form of assessment from hindering students' capacity to show mastery of learning objectives. 

Example: Validating Student Success

The instructor includes this section in their syllabus, which validates students’ ability to succeed in their course. This paragraph also embodies the principles of welcoming and deconstructing. 

“Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values in our course community. As your instructor, I strive to create a classroom environment where every student feels empowered to engage with physics and contribute their unique perspective. Physics as a discipline has a history of excluding marginalized voices, and we know this leads to worse science—engaging a diversity of voices and opinions matters because science is a human endeavor, and it is inevitably shaped by who gets to take part in scientific inquiry. Research tells us that meaningful, long-lasting learning often involves some degree of discomfort as we explore unfamiliar ideas and inevitably make mistakes (see e.g. Bjork 1994). In our discussions and interactions, I invite you to approach differing opinions and experiences with openness and curiosity rather than judgment. Addressing misunderstandings, resolving disagreements, and making mistakes are all part of the process, and what matters is our resolve to learn together and seek understanding. If you have ideas on how we can continue to make our course practices more inclusive, please let your instructors know. Even if you don’t end up studying physics long-term (as may be the case for many of your peers), I hope you will leave this course with a greater appreciation for the principles of physics that help us make sense of our universe and a belief that no matter who you are or where you come from, you too can do physics.”  - Source: Ian Lim Syllabus

4. Creating Partnership

This principle asks instructors and students to collectively work together for mutual success. Students and teachers have reported increased success due to collaboration and partnership along with increased inclusion and student agency and autonomy to achieve their desired learning goals (Kirkpatrick et al., 2020; Rafaei & Kumar, 2021). When reviewing your syllabus, look for opportunities to:  

• Encourage autonomy, critical thinking, and reflection and acknowledge students as active participants in their learning journey. 
• Help students see the relevance and value of their learning experiences in order to foster a collaborative environment where students feel respected, empowered, and motivated to succeed. 
• Employ strategies like active listening, offering choices, encouraging reflection, setting clear expectations, and providing constructive feedback. 
• Engender a positive and enriching educational experience and a sense of community for all. 

See the example above in the principle of “Welcoming” for an example of creating partnership. The table establishes how the instructor and students will co-create and are co-responsible for their inclusive classroom environment. 

5. Representing 

Representation of students’ backgrounds and lived experiences are important components of equityminded classroom materials: the course syllabus, lecture slides, readings, activities, and assignments. Making your classroom more culturally relevant and inclusive allows students from all backgrounds to connect with what they are learning, feel capable of succeeding, and understand their knowledge and lived experiences are valued sources of knowledge (Bowman & Denson, 2022). Teaching strategies that support this principle include:  

• Assign readings of the course were published by a diverse group of authors. 
• Incorporate photos of the authors of readings to showcase the backgrounds of knowledge discussed in class. 
• Express your respect for the students’ diverse backgrounds as sources of learning and knowledge. 
• Encourage students to make connections between course content to real-world problems affecting their communities. 

Example: Representative Image

This syllabus includes the image below to highlight Audre Lorde, an American professor and writer, and her work. Two quotes are centered in the first page of Callahan's syllabus along with a photo. This orientates the students to the course and its general ethos while also celebrating and valuing black scholars and their work. 

COM 2: Major Works of the Medieval & Early Modern Worlds (Topic: Gender & Sexuality)

"In our work and in our living, we must recognize that difference is a reason for celebration and growth, rather than a reason for destruction."

"We should see differences as a dialogue... We need to use these differences in constructive ways, creative ways, rather than in ways to justify our destroying of each other."
- Audrey Lorde

6. Deconstructing

The deconstructing principle asks instructors to examine and critically reflect on how classrooms reinforce norms, histories, and social positions and to actively challenge them. Deconstructing promotes awareness and critical examination of students’ assumptions, beliefs, and privileges in order to become aware of broader inequities as well as strengthens higher order critical thinking skills (Kwan & Wong, 2015; Sutimin et al., 2018). Teaching strategies may include:  

• Create assignments that provide opportunities for the students to think critically about their assumptions and stereotypes about different social positions (e.g., race/ethnicity, ability/disability, gender, etc.) and the privileges or disadvantages they accrue by virtue of those social positions in a constructive manner as well as their intersectionality (Crenshaw, 2019).     
• Include course materials which asks students to examine the history and contemporary experiences of people and communities that face discrimination, racism, and marginalization as well as question dominant norms or social structures that further broader inequities to create broader awareness and social change. 

Example: Critical Reflection

The image below demonstrates the deconstructing principle of equitable syllabus design. The quote is a call to action. It asks students to question norms of engagement around conflict and diversity. It asks those in our classrooms to become comfortable with disagreement in order to engage with and celebrate diversity. Although dominant culture conditions us to perceive difference as something to be feared, this quote encourages us to rebuke this norm in favor of celebrating difference and seeking mutual connection and community. Furthermore, it explicitly states that such an endeavor, although hard, is worth the discomfort to cultivate mutual understanding and respect, A skill to cultivate, practice and apply beyond the classroom (Center for Urban Education, 2017). 

Source: Center for Urban Education

• Additional Resources
•  
  • Anti-Racism
    https://cee.ucdavis.edu/jitt/anti-racism
  • Accessibility (Inclusive Practices, Part 4)
    https://cee.ucdavis.edu/jitt/inclusive-practices
  • First-Generation Students
    https://cee.ucdavis.edu/jitt/first-gen
  • LGBTQIA+ (Inclusive Practices, Part 3)
    https://cee.ucdavis.edu/jitt/inclusive-practices
  • International Students
    https://cee.ucdavis.edu/jitt/international-students
  • Transfer Students
    https://cee.ucdavis.edu/jitt/transfer-students
• Acknowledgement
• This resource was developed by Daisy Underhill (Teaching Assistant Consultant, Center for Educational Effectiveness; PhD candidate in Philosophy) and Mark Hsiang-Yu Feng (Teaching Assistant Consultant, Center for Educational Effectiveness; PhD candidate in Ethnomusicology). Additional contributions were made by Connor Rosenblatt (Teaching Assistant Consultant; PhD candidate in Ecology), Courtney Cahalan (Former Teaching Assistant Consultant; PhD candidate in English), and Ian Lim (Teaching Assistant Consultant; PhD candidate in Physics and Astronomy).
• Citation
• Center for Educational Effectiveness (CEE). (2024). Equitable Syllabus Design Series: Just-in-Time Teaching Resources. https://cee.ucdavis.edu/JITT
• References
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  Center for Educational Effectiveness. (2019). Implicit bias series: Just-in-Time Teaching Resources. https://cee.ucdavis.edu/JITT
  
  Center for Urban Education. (2017). Syllabus review guide: For equity-minded practice. Rossier School of Education, University of Southern California.
  
  Crenshaw, K. (2019). Difference through intersectionality. In Dalit feminist theory (pp. 139–149). Routledge India. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/978042929811015/difference-intersectionality-kimberle-crenshaw
  
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