With such diverse students, we should be considering the inclusion of diversity in our curriculum. In Jessica Edwards’ chapter on Inclusive Practices in the Technical Communication Classroom, she analyzes three of Nelson Laird’s nine-category approach to a diverse classroom: foundational perspectives, content, and pedagogy. For the purpose of this blog post, I would like to focus on content and pedagogy. 

These two categories are the most transferable across disciplines and communities; they provide ideas for how one might approach developing a “critically diverse curriculum,” Edwards says. I want to talk about content, specifically, because it speaks to “the subject matter covered, the way it is ordered, and the material used to present it,” (Nelson-Laird). 

In almost all classrooms, certainly in Business Communication and Technical Communication, we draw from outside sources to offer a different perspective other than our own to our students. Whether that be sharing articles, showing videos, or other academic resources, our students are exposed to voices beyond those of their professors. And it is almost always us, the instructors, who choose those voices. 

“I strategize ways to meet challenges with pedagogies and practices that advance conversations about diversity, particularly in higher education. These practices have the potential to translate to workspaces and workplaces, and as an artist scholar, I am committed to thinking about and pushing practices that may help teachers take on conversations about diversity and race.” (Edwards pg.3).

Including Diverse Voices in Our Resources

From my experience teaching Technical Communication for the past four semesters, students find it beneficial to watch videos, read articles, and explore websites that offer different perspectives on the work we’re doing. It’s a way for them to expand their own craft and strengthen their expertise. Typically, I guide them toward those potential resources. 

What strategies can we utilize to make our content and pedagogy more diverse? 

One thing I think is important to note when creating a diverse curriculum is including diverse voices in our modules. When we find these outside resources for our students, we can expose them to more cultures and races that offer different perspectives, which will hopefully make the classroom feel like a more inclusive space. 

Adding Diversity to Our Curriculum 

For our Unit 2 assignments, technical communication students are tasked with creating infographics using technical definitions and descriptions. At the end of Jessica Edwards’ chapter, she suggests that a potential assignment for students is to create an infographic in teams about a building on their campus, its history, and how it relates back to diversity. 

I think that can easily carry over to our courses. Many of our students are engineers who study material with an extensive history. By altering our current Unit 2 project, it allows them to choose a topic within their current field, apply what we learned about technical descriptions and definitions, and also implement the conversation of diversity in our classroom.