UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — This fall, Penn State instructors who wish to make their classrooms and teaching practices more equitable and inclusive for students can choose from a range of services and programming related to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA).
“The Schreyer Institute is committed to facilitating more frequent and sustained conversations around DEIA in teaching and learning,” said Angela Linse, associate dean and executive director of the Schreyer Institute. “We look forward to partnering with instructors in the coming academic year on these important topics.”
The Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence, whose mission is to advance and inspire excellence in teaching and learning across Penn State, is dedicating time and resources to support the following as part of its commitment to DEIA.
Instructors of any rank or title, from any Penn State campus, can take advantage of the following programs.
Grant Program: Advancing Equity and Inclusion in Teaching and Learning at Penn State
Instructors can secure funding for projects that advance teaching for equity and inclusion and which have the potential to impact teaching and learning beyond an individual course or instructor. Grants may also support research into equitable and inclusive instructional practices. Grant proposal submissions require a pre-proposal consultation before Sept. 30, in order to ensure that your planned spending aligns with the Institute’s mission and the intention of the grant program. More information about the program is available on the Schreyer Institute’s grant program page. Questions about the program may be directed to Adam Smith at ahs5357@psu.edu.
DEIA Journal Club
Instructors are invited to join the DEIA Journal Club, a group from across the University which convenes regularly to discuss scholarly journal articles on DEIA topics. The club, which began this summer, will meet every two weeks on Zoom in the fall. The selected articles will cover a range of ideas and research, from inclusive teaching to equity pedagogy to anti-racism, and discussions will address how the research can be translated into teaching practice. The first meeting will take place Friday, Sept. 9 from 2 to 3 p.m. Attendees can learn more and register on the September Events page. Questions may be directed to Adam Smith at ahs5357@psu.edu.
Teaching Communities
Instructors can apply to form Teaching Communities, which are groups of Penn State instructors who meet regularly to discuss specific teaching and learning topics. The Schreyer Institute is particularly interested in supporting Teaching Communities that will focus on questions related to DEIA in teaching and learning. Schreyer Institute staff are available to support faculty who wish to form teaching communities — answering questions, connecting faculty to resources, and connecting groups with potential new members. Instructors may also join existing communities, which are listed in our Teaching Communities directory. Learn more on the Teaching Communities page. Questions may be directed to Beate Brunow at bub130@psu.edu or Cindy Decker Raynak at cdr1@psu.edu.
DEIA workshops
Instructors can attend virtual workshops throughout the fall semester on topics ranging from “Inclusive Teaching; Decolonizing the Syllabus” to “Designing Inclusive Learning Experience Using the ‘Who’s in Class?’ form” and more. More information and links to register are available on the Schreyer Institute’s Events page.
Staffing update
This fall the Schreyer Institute is pleased to welcome an advanced graduate assistant to support equity and inclusion programs and initiatives. Anna Piotti, a doctoral candidate in German linguistics and language science in the College of the Liberal Arts, brings expertise in social justice pedagogy and anti-racist pedagogy. She has been in partnership with other trans individuals to help combat transphobia in the classroom. Their upcoming panel on this issue can be found here.
“This work has reaffirmed for me how important it is to nurture diversity, work toward equity, and foster inclusion and accessibility in our teaching and learning spaces,” Piotti said.
Piotti will assist with many of the programs listed above, including co-planning the DEIA Journal Club and many of the workshops.
To suggest a program or workshop that is not currently offered, instructors can contact their Schreyer Institute unit liaison, which are listed on the Schreyer Institute’s website.
The Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence is part of Penn State Undergraduate Education.