Reflections and Case Studies

Liberating Our Curriculum: Diversity in Class Resources

Posted by TaLIC on

This is an evolutionary psychology class. There is a lecture on human evolution. The teacher presents a picture illustrating human evolution, It starts off with an monkey, ends with a white man. Teacher says: Here's a typical illustration of the evolution of humans: from monkeys to apes to modern man.


Some students question the illustration. Student 1: And why are they all men?
 Student 2: Why do they always start off black, but end up white?


The teacher is shocked. She realises the bias in her teaching materials. She says: Oh gosh, I never noticed that! Actually most of my slides have pictures of white people.


An external voice describes best practice: Consider the images you select for lecture slides. Make sure that they are not by default dominated by white, male, heterosexual and able-bodied subjects.


Storyboard Text

Teacher: Here’s a typical illustration of the evolution of humans: from monkeys to apes to modern man.

Student 1: And why are they all men?

Student 2: Why do they always start off black, but end up white?

Teacher: Oh gosh, I never noticed that! Actually most of my slides have pictures of white people.

External Voice: Consider the images you select for lecture slides. Make sure that they are not by default dominated by white, male, heterosexual and able-bodied subjects.

SCRIPT ENDS.

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