The Impact of Student Perceptions of Instructor Authority on Resistance to Inclusive Teaching with Chavella Pittman and Thomas Tobin

Today we speak with Drs. Chavella Pittman and Thomas Tobin, authors of the article “Academe Has a Lot to Learn about How Inclusive Teaching Affects Instructors”, published in The Chronicle of Higher Education in February 2022. In the article, they write, “A key tenet of inclusive teaching asks faculty members to intentionally give up or share some of their power and authority in the classroom, so that students can experience a greater sense of ownership and choice over their own learning. Advocates of this approach tend to assume that every instructor has plenty of authority, power, and status to share. But what if you don’t?” In this episode, Chavella and Tom compare their experiences of student resistance to their use of ungrading and flexible deadline teaching practices. Along with co-host Rebecca Petitti of the Columbia CTL, they discuss why they wrote the article, and share what they believe are the most important action steps that can be taken to address these inequities. 

Resources

• Learner-Centered Teaching: Five Key Changes to Practice by Maryellen Weimer 

“Academe Has a Lot to Learn about How Inclusive Teaching Affects Instructors” by Chavella Pittman and Thomas Tobin

Transcript available at ctl.columbia.edu/podcast