Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging: A Professional Learning Community's Inquiry and Action
Title and authors: DIVERSITY, INCLUSION AND BELONGING: A PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY’S INQUIRY AND ACTION MaryBeth Gallagher PhD, Assistant Professor, Duke OTD Lindy Norman, MAT, Administrative Education Coordinator, Duke OTD Barb Hooper PhD, Professor, Division Chief, Duke OTD Background: Covid-19 and social justice movements of the last three years created monumental changes in education. These changes provided opportunities for exploration and innovation in the new Duke occupational therapy doctorate program. Duke OTD received a grant from Duke Learning Innovation to establish a professional learning community (PLC) to engage in inquiry, reflection and action toward fostering classrooms and program systems characterized by equity, inclusion, and belonging. Objectives: 1) Engage in professional development on creating inclusive, anti-racist classrooms and program culture; 2) Integrate best practices determined through professional development activities; 3) Determine a measurement plan and collect evidence related to PLC goals. Methods: Engagement in a professional learning community (PLC) is an inquiry method, like participatory action research. Members of a PLC create and address questions through recurring phases of inquiry, reflection, and action. Inquiry in this PLC involved readings, facilitated dialogue, and workshops. Results/Outcomes/Improvements: Fifteen faculty and staff participated in the PLC. Initially, the PLC met regularly to determine goals and processes, create shared definitions, and solidify as a community through working with an external facilitator. Key outcomes of the project involved implementing the following education and infrastructure actions to facilitate progress in becoming an inclusive, anti-racist community: The Program Infused EDI activities into faculty annual evaluation reports. Instituted a Commitment Pledge that all part-time, temporary instructors sign prior to teaching in the program. Established the Student Affairs and EDI committees. Continues to seek guidance on inclusive policy development. Established a student committee to develop the program’s process for developing professionalism. Established a position to support recruitment and retention of underrepresented students in occupational therapy. Increased diversity among the faculty through invitations to part-time instructors from diverse backgrounds. Instituted a process for reporting adverse events. Conducts listening sessions with students each semester. The Faculty and Staff group participated in A four-session professional development workshop that concluded with a restorative circle with group members. The group continues to explore how we can employ the restorative circle process for conflict transformation. A workshop on the Foundations of DEI with the Office for Institutional Equity. A workshop on Trauma-Informed Education On an individual basis: Three faculty have completed the Teaching for Equity Fellowship. Two completed Teach for Equity Now Engagement in course review to broaden diverse representation of cases and texts. One faculty joined Cohort 2 of Racial Equity Arc OTD students have participated in: Two workshops through the Office of Institutional Equity Two workshops through Multi-cultural Affairs However, OTD students still report episodes where the classroom climate and program practices are racist and not trauma informed. Three areas of need were identified: Timely, closed-loop communication on student-raised issues is critical. EDI facilitators and consultants are in too short supply for timely resolution of issues. Education in inclusive teaching must include all GTAs, guest lecturers, and part-time instructors. Significance/Implications/Relevance: This inquiry identified challenges of implementing and sustaining efforts to generate a truly inclusive learning community where all members flourish.
- 2023