Zaccheus Ahonle
ZACCHEUS J. AHONLE (PhD, CRC), Former Lecturer, Former Project Manager/Disability Studies(Steve Hicks School of Social Work); Former Program Coordinator, Texas Center for Disability Studies
What does inclusive teaching mean to you?
It means considering the diverse groups and learning styles compositions of a class in the development and design of course content, and in the instructor’s choice of teaching and assessment strategies so that all students feel valued and engaged. It means providing a learning environment that is flexible and provides students with the choice and freedom to shape their learning.
Please give an example of what thinking inclusively looks like to you in your teaching or your work around campus.
- Development of online quizzes that are available for students to complete within a two weeks window with flexibility for an extension for those students who need more time to complete
- Including a range of different learning and teaching approaches e.g., different tasks and activities thereby providing students with options to choose which they feel suit them best
- Providing opportunities for students to reflect on their own experiences and consider how these experiences influence the way they view other people who look different from them e.g., people with disabilities
- Providing a discussion forum as a safe place for students to share their opinions on a topic while also listening to what others think about the same topic This allows students to self-reflect and hopefully become more aware of their values, attitudes/perceptions, etc.
- Instructional scaffolding to move students progressively toward a stronger understanding of disability and people with disabilities.