(Re)Designing Equitable Online Assignments, From Back To Front

Concurrent Session 5 & 6 (combined)

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Session Materials

Brief Abstract

Participants will follow the backward design model to (re)design an online assignment with equity in mind.
1. Assessment: Participants will investigate methods to increase learning equity in how students complete and submit their work, and how they (the teacher) review and score that work.
2. Engagement: Participants will identify ways to increase learning equity during assignment-related interactions (e.g., student-student peer review, teacher-student feedback).
3. Content Review: Participants will discuss strategies for increasing equity related to reviewing content for an assignment (e.g., sharing multiple perspectives, using Open Educational Resources).
4. Instructions: Participants will explore an expanded Transparent Assignment Template to create equity-focused assignment instructions.

Presenters

Lead Presenter: Kevin Kelly, San Francisco State University

Kevin Kelly, EdD, teaches online courses as a Lecturer in the Department of Equity, Leadership Studies, and Instructional Technologies at San Francisco State University, where he also previously served as the Online Teaching and Learning Manager. He works with colleges and universities as a consultant to address distance education, educational technology, and organizational challenges. Kevin co-authored with Todd Zakrajsek the 2021 Stylus book, Advancing Online Teaching: Creating Equity-Based Digital Learning Environments.

Extended Abstract

Over four fast-paced micro-shop sessions, you will use strategies from the Design for Learning Equity framework to design or redesign an online assignment. In each 20-minute micro-shop, Kevin Kelly will introduce a variety of potential strategies to achieve specific equity goals. You and your colleagues will then discuss the most relevant strategies to address equity issues in your own classes, and identify at least one strategy that you plan to use after the conference. The four micro-shops will follow the backward design model, beginning with assessment and ending with the instructions. When it’s all over, you will have completed the first phase of (re)designing an online assignment with equity in mind… from back to front.

Topics

  • Equity and Assessment – Participants will investigate methods to increase learning equity in how students complete and submit their work, and how they (the teacher) review and score that work. Assessment of online assignments can introduce equity challenges, such as students’ access to necessary technology and/or training, potential bias in how the assignment is constructed or graded
  • Equity and Engagement – Participants will identify ways to increase learning equity during assignment-related interactions (e.g., student-student peer review, teacher-student feedback).
  • Equity and Content Review – Participants will discuss strategies for increasing equity related to reviewing content for an assignment. There are a number of ways to do this, such as sharing multiple perspectives that align with students’ cultures, backgrounds and identities; using Open Educational Resources to reduce cost and to increase student representation; or using collaborative annotation tools to support interdependent learners.
  • Equity and Instructions – Participants will explore an expanded Transparent Assignment Template to create equity-focused assignment instructions. The instructions will include a purpose describing why students are completing the assignment, a list of tasks that students must complete, and criteria and resources that will support students’ success.

Schedule (Eastern Standard Daylight Time)
4:15-4:20 pm – 5-minute kickoff
4:20-4:40 pm – 20-minute micro-shop – Equity and Assessment – Participants will investigate methods to increase learning equity in how students complete and submit their work, and how they (the teacher) review and score that work.
4:40-4:50 pm – 10-minute break
4:50-5:10 pm – 20-minute micro-shop – Equity and Engagement – Participants will identify ways to increase learning equity during assignment-related interactions (e.g., student-student peer review, teacher-student feedback).
5:10-5:20 pm – 10-minute break
5:20-5:40 pm – 20-minute micro-shop – Equity and Content Review – Participants will discuss strategies for increasing equity related to reviewing content for an assignment (e.g., sharing multiple perspectives, using Open Educational Resources).
5:40-5:50 pm – 10-minute break
5:50-6:10 pm – 20-minute micro-shop – Equity and Instructions – Participants will explore an expanded Transparent Assignment Template to create equity-focused assignment instructions.
6:10-6:15 pm – 5-minute wrap up

Participant Take-Aways
Over the four micro-shops, faculty will complete parts of a learning equity plan that will serve as a roadmap of the work necessary to (re)design an online assignment.

  • Assessment – Participants will identify at least one equity strategy related to assessment of an online assignment that they plan to (re)design after the workshop.
  • Engagement – Participants will identify at least one equity strategy related to engagement (for an online assignment) that they plan to implement after the workshop
  • Content Review – Participants will identify at least one equity strategy related to reviewing content for an assignment.
  • Instructions – Participants will complete an expanded Transparent Assignment Template to create equity-focused instructions for an online assignment.