Teaching & Learning in the Diverse Classroom from edX

U.S.-based and higher education-centered, this is a five-module, self-paced course that offers an inclusive teaching framework with multiple entry points for reflection and exploration of the research on learning and diversity. Anchored in the lived experiences of students and instructors, including your own, we invite you to explore strategies for inclusive course design, student-centered pedagogical practices, facilitating learning across difference, and change efforts that support student engagement, achievement, and belongingness. Come with a course of your own in mind, and design for inclusion as you make your way through Teaching & Learning in the Diverse Classroom.

You will explore:

Your formative experiences as a learner, teacher, and member of a discipline
Strategies and exercises helpful in communicating effectively, facilitating discussion, and modeling inclusivity when unexpected issues arise
Research, frameworks, and models that help us understand why and how diversity and inclusion matter in teaching and learning

The research on MOOCs is clear that “taking the course with a friend” increases motivation to complete. We encourage you to reach out to a colleague or friend to invite them to take the course with you.

And, if you are planning to form a learning community to take the course as a cohort, request our facilitator's guide to help you plan.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Use a framework for inclusive course design;
Reflect on the implications of social identities—both students' and instructors'—within the teaching and learning environment;
Identify evidence-based pedagogical strategies you would like to try;

Increase your confidence to model inclusivity and facilitate discussion when unexpected issues arise; and
Assess your curriculum and discipline to identify historical patterns of exclusion and inclusion and discipline-specific approaches to thinking about diversity, equity, and inclusion.
If you complete the course, successfully, you will be able to:

Use a framework for inclusive course design;
Reflect on the implications of social identities—both students' and instructors'—within the teaching and learning environment;
Identify evidence-based pedagogical strategies you would like to try;
Increase your confidence to model inclusivity and facilitate discussion when unexpected issues arise; and
Assess your curriculum and discipline to identify historical patterns of exclusion and inclusion and discipline-specific approaches to thinking about diversity, equity, and inclusion.
If you complete the course, successfully, you will be able to:

Syllabus

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Builds foundational knowledge by exploring strategies for inclusive course design

Develops crucial skills by demonstrating how to facilitate learning across difference

Enhances understanding of inclusive teaching practices through real-world examples

Supports learners with a focus on strategies useful in facilitating dialogue

Encourages critical thinking by introducing frameworks and models

Reviews summary

Practical strategies for inclusive pedagogy

According to learners, this course offers a highly practical framework for inclusive teaching, particularly beneficial for those in higher education. Students praise its well-structured modules and the emphasis on deep self-reflection, which helps apply concepts to their own teaching. The course provides actionable strategies for facilitating discussions and assessing curriculum from a diversity perspective. While many find it transformative and foundational, some experienced educators suggest that parts might feel introductory if they already have a strong background in DEI, indicating it's most impactful for those newer to the topic or seeking a structured refresher. The self-paced format is appreciated for flexibility but requires discipline.

Ideal for newcomers, potentially basic for experienced practitioners.

"The course has good intentions, but... It's a decent start for beginners, but not for those already familiar with DEI concepts."

"For someone with prior training in DEI, much of this felt like a review. I was hoping for more advanced strategies."

"The value is definitely there for newcomers, though I was hoping for more depth in certain areas."

Provides a clear, organized, and relevant learning experience.

"Overall, a very good course. The content is relevant and well-organized, especially the discussions around student identities."

"Excellent course! The frameworks provided by Cornell are robust."

"A well-structured and important course. It provides a comprehensive overview of inclusive teaching principles."

Encourages deep personal and professional introspection.

"The self-paced format allowed me to truly reflect and integrate the material into my existing course design."

"The self-reflection prompts are strong, pushing you to really think about your role."

"This course challenged my preconceived notions and provided actionable insights."

Offers actionable strategies for immediate classroom use.

"This course was incredibly insightful and practical. The modules on implicit bias and stereotype threat were particularly eye-opening, offering concrete strategies to apply in my classroom."

"As a college professor, I found the strategies for facilitating difficult conversations in the classroom immensely helpful."

"I've already started implementing some of the strategies for facilitating discussion in my online classes."

Examples may be less relevant for international educators.

"My only minor critique is that some examples were very US-centric, which might be less relevant for international educators."

"While the content is broadly applicable, I found some of the context specific to the U.S. higher education system."

"International participants might need to adapt some concepts due to the U.S.-based focus, which can be a minor challenge."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Teaching & Learning in the Diverse Classroom with these activities:

ReviewInclusive Teaching and Learning

Show steps

Reviewing inclusive teaching and learning strategies will enable you to refresh your knowledge and prepare for the course.

Browse courses on Inclusive Course Design

Show steps

Review the course syllabus
Read the course description
Skim relevant research articles

Volunteer with an organization that promotes diversity and inclusion

Show steps

Volunteering your time will give you firsthand experience with diversity and inclusion initiatives and help you develop empathy.

Show steps

Research different organizations
Identify a volunteer opportunity that interests you
Contact the organization to inquire about volunteering

Create a presentation on inclusive teaching practices

Show steps

Creating a presentation will synthesize your knowledge of inclusive teaching practices and allow you to share your insights with others.

Show steps

Research different inclusive teaching strategies
Create a presentation outline
Develop your presentation slides

Five other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all eight activities

Explore strategies for creating an inclusive course design

Show steps

Guided tutorials will provide you with step-by-step instructions to help you create an inclusive course design.

Browse courses on Inclusive Course Design

Show steps

Research different techniques
Follow online tutorials
Attend workshops

Develop a lesson plan that incorporates inclusive teaching practices

Show steps

Creating a lesson plan forces you to think through the different components of inclusive teaching and how you can incorporate them into your own teaching.

Show steps

Research different inclusive teaching strategies
Identify ways to incorporate these strategies into your lesson plan
Write out your lesson plan

Develop a plan for implementing inclusive teaching practices in your own classroom

Show steps

Developing a plan for inclusive teaching practices will help you to think through the different steps you need to take to implement these practices in your classroom.

Show steps

Research different inclusive teaching strategies
Identify ways to incorporate these strategies into your teaching
Write out your plan

Mentor a new teacher in inclusive teaching practices

Show steps

Mentoring others will reinforce your understanding of inclusive teaching practices while allowing you to support colleagues.

Browse courses on Peer Support

Show steps

Identify a new teacher to mentor
Develop a mentoring plan
Meet regularly to discuss inclusive teaching practices

Contribute to an open-source project in the field of diversity and inclusion

Show steps

Contributing to open-source projects will give you hands-on experience with diversity and inclusion initiatives and help you develop technical skills.

Show steps

Research different open-source projects
Identify a project that interests you
Contact the project maintainers to inquire about contributing

Career center

Learners who complete Teaching & Learning in the Diverse Classroom will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Consultant

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Consultants help organizations create more inclusive and equitable workplaces. This course would be helpful for someone in this role because it provides a framework for understanding diversity and inclusion, as well as strategies for creating a more inclusive learning environment. The course also helps participants develop their skills in facilitating dialogue and addressing difficult issues related to diversity and inclusion.

See salaries and explore the career path for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Consultant

Diversity and Inclusion Manager

Diversity and Inclusion Managers help organizations create a more inclusive and equitable work environment for all employees. This course would be helpful for someone in this role because it provides a framework for understanding diversity and inclusion in the workplace, as well as strategies for creating a more inclusive learning environment. The course also helps participants develop their skills in facilitating dialogue and addressing difficult issues related to diversity and inclusion.

See salaries and explore the career path for Diversity and Inclusion Manager

Equity and Inclusion Officer

Equity and Inclusion Officers are responsible for developing and implementing policies and programs that promote diversity and inclusion within an organization. This course would be helpful for someone in this role because it provides a comprehensive overview of the key issues related to diversity and inclusion, as well as strategies for creating a more inclusive workplace. The course also helps participants develop their skills in communication, conflict resolution, and change management.

See salaries and explore the career path for Equity and Inclusion Officer

Human Resources Manager

Human Resources Managers are responsible for a variety of tasks related to employee relations, including recruiting, hiring, training, and development. This course would be helpful for someone in this role because it provides a framework for understanding diversity and inclusion in the workplace, as well as strategies for creating a more inclusive work environment. The course also helps participants develop their skills in communication, conflict resolution, and change management.

See salaries and explore the career path for Human Resources Manager

Organizational Development Consultant

Organizational Development Consultants help organizations improve their performance by developing and implementing change initiatives. This course would be helpful for someone in this role because it provides a framework for understanding diversity and inclusion in the workplace, as well as strategies for creating a more inclusive work environment. The course also helps participants develop their skills in communication, conflict resolution, and change management.

See salaries and explore the career path for Organizational Development Consultant

Professor of Diversity and Inclusion

Professors of Diversity and Inclusion teach and research about diversity and inclusion in higher education. This course would be helpful for someone in this role because it provides a comprehensive overview of the key issues related to diversity and inclusion, as well as strategies for creating a more inclusive learning environment. The course also helps participants develop their skills in teaching, research, and curriculum development.

See salaries and explore the career path for Professor of Diversity and Inclusion

Student Affairs Administrator

Student Affairs Administrators are responsible for providing a variety of services to students, including academic advising, counseling, and career counseling. This course would be helpful for someone in this role because it provides a framework for understanding diversity and inclusion in higher education, as well as strategies for creating a more inclusive learning environment. The course also helps participants develop their skills in communication, conflict resolution, and student development.

See salaries and explore the career path for Student Affairs Administrator

School Counselor

School Counselors provide academic, career, and personal counseling to students. This course would be helpful for someone in this role because it provides a framework for understanding diversity and inclusion in education, as well as strategies for creating a more inclusive learning environment. The course also helps participants develop their skills in communication, conflict resolution, and student development.

See salaries and explore the career path for School Counselor

Social Worker

Social Workers help people overcome social and economic challenges. This course would be helpful for someone in this role because it provides a framework for understanding diversity and inclusion, as well as strategies for creating a more inclusive environment. The course also helps participants develop their skills in communication, conflict resolution, and case management.

See salaries and explore the career path for Social Worker

Community Organizer

Community Organizers work with communities to identify and address social problems. This course would be helpful for someone in this role because it provides a framework for understanding diversity and inclusion, as well as strategies for creating a more inclusive community. The course also helps participants develop their skills in communication, conflict resolution, and community organizing.

See salaries and explore the career path for Community Organizer

Nonprofit Manager

Nonprofit Managers oversee the day-to-day operations of nonprofit organizations. This course would be helpful for someone in this role because it provides a framework for understanding diversity and inclusion in the nonprofit sector, as well as strategies for creating a more inclusive workplace. The course also helps participants develop their skills in management, fundraising, and program development.

See salaries and explore the career path for Nonprofit Manager

Diversity Trainer

Diversity Trainers provide training and development on diversity and inclusion issues. This course would be helpful for someone in this role because it provides a comprehensive overview of the key issues related to diversity and inclusion, as well as strategies for creating a more inclusive workplace. The course also helps participants develop their skills in communication, conflict resolution, and adult learning.

See salaries and explore the career path for Diversity Trainer

Consultant

Consultants provide advice and guidance to businesses and organizations. This course may be helpful for someone in this role because it provides a framework for understanding diversity and inclusion, as well as strategies for creating a more inclusive workplace.

See salaries and explore the career path for Consultant

Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurs start and run their own businesses. This course may be helpful for someone in this role because it provides a framework for understanding diversity and inclusion, as well as strategies for creating a more inclusive workplace.

See salaries and explore the career path for Entrepreneur

Manager

Managers oversee the day-to-day operations of businesses and organizations. This course may be helpful for someone in this role because it provides a framework for understanding diversity and inclusion, as well as strategies for creating a more inclusive workplace.

See salaries and explore the career path for Manager