Diversity and Inclusion in Online Education

Education should be diverse and inclusive regarding the composition of the student population, the selection of course materials, the methods of engagement, and the opportunities for assessment. However, it is important to avoid using the terms "diversity" and "inclusion" interchangeably, as they possess distinct meanings that should be preserved. Given their fundamental roles in course design and facilitation, this piece highlights the difference between diversity and inclusion in a general sense before applying these concepts specifically to online learning.

In the realm of organizational studies, there existed an early and prevalent myth suggesting that once historically marginalized groups gained entry to previously exclusionary spaces and occupations, representative inequalities would disappear. The idea was that by increasing diversity, the problem of representation would be resolved. However, this assumption has proven false, as evidenced by the stark reality that "women make up half of the U.S. workforce yet…hold only 3.8 percent of Fortune 500 CEO positions and 4.0 percent of Fortune 1000 CEO positions" (Winters, 2013, p. 207). These persistent inequities have highlighted the need to examine the internal dynamics of organizations, specifically in terms of fostering a sense of belonging and empowering participants to unleash their full potential. The focus on how organizations can either nurture or impede belonging has come to be signified by the term inclusion.

Diversity, then, concerns who is present in a particular space and the identity markers (race, religion, ability, ethnicity, gender, and socio-economic status) that are represented. Additionally, within a learning context, diversity signifies the wide slate of learning abilities and preferences that are present in a course space. Inclusion, however, is a more dynamic concept, focusing on the active encouragement, empowerment, and acceptance of those who are present. To put it succinctly, "diversity is about counting heads; inclusion is about making heads count" (Winters, 2013, p. 206). Although these concepts are distinct, they are intricately linked and indispensable for establishing an educational or work environment that cultivates norms and processes free from intentional or implicit exclusions.

Based on BestColleges' 2022 “Trends in Online Student Demographics,” a majority of online college students identify as women, engage in full-time employment, and have children under the age of 18 (Venable, 2022). A staggering 88% of online students are aged 25 or older, and over 40% identify as a race or ethnicity other than White. In addition, 12% of graduate students during the 2015–2016 academic year reported having a disability, although it is likely that the actual number is higher due to the underreporting of disabilities at colleges. While the majority of online students are pursuing undergraduate degrees, a quarter of them are working towards a master's degree. Clearly, then, the student population in online higher education tends to be diverse right from the outset.

In addition to these statistics on the student population, educators must also acknowledge the diversity in learning preferences and abilities. Difference is increasingly regarded as the norm and “theoretical starting point” in learning, rather than the exception (Florian, 2015, pp. 15–16). CAST's Universal Design for Learning framework, for example, illustrates a few ways in which learners differ (CAST, 2024):

• Students have different motivations, with some seeking novelty while others thrive on routine. In addition, some prefer working independently while others excel in group settings.
• Students vary in how they perceive and comprehend information. This divergence can be attributed to sensory and learning disabilities, sociocultural differences, and/or differences in the speed and manner (visual, auditory, etc.) in which they comprehend information.
• Students differ in their preferred modes of expression to demonstrate their acquired knowledge. While some individuals express themselves effectively through writing, others prefer verbal communication. Certain students favor traditional mediums of assessment, such as exams, while others may prefer to showcase mastery creatively by producing podcasts, songs, or videos.

Since "diversity is about counting heads" and "inclusion is about making heads count," educators need to dive deeper than just examining demographic and learning variations. Fortunately, there has been a shift among educators and scholars toward embracing an inclusive pedagogy framework that normalizes differences.

The goal of inclusive pedagogy is to bridge the divide between a supposedly "normal" or "average" student population and those deemed "different" who require additional or distinct learning opportunities. The focus is on providing “rich learning opportunities that are sufficiently made available for everyone, so that all learners are able to participate in classroom life” (Florian, 2015, p. 16). This doesn't mean that some students won't require accommodations or specialized technologies. Rather, it challenges the tendency to bifurcate education between "normal" and "different" students, which can “pathologise linguistic, cultural, cognitive and other kinds of difference” and downplay the wide range of abilities and preferences present among all learners (Florian, 2015, p. 13). As a sociocultural process, learning is a “shared activity” that becomes richer with participation from all (Florian, 2015, p. 16).

To further promote inclusivity within an online course space, the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) can now be applied. The UDL framework emphasizes three key principles: engagement, representation, and action and expression (CAST, 2024).

• In terms of engagement, it is crucial to optimize learners' autonomy and choice, make the content relevant to their lives, and provide feedback that focuses on effort and practice rather than intelligence or inherent ability.
• When it comes to representation, you should provide the greatest possible amount of customization and alternatives in your delivery of course content. For example, auditory content should have visual alternatives and vice versa. Clear language and symbols should be used and necessary background information must be provided.
• Finally, when it comes to action and expression, students should be empowered to act on their acquired knowledge with the greatest degree of freedom possible that still fulfills course objectives. You should remove physical and language barriers to student participation and vary the types of assessments that students work on as well as the types of tools they work with.

To conclude this piece, we offer a few concrete suggestions for making your online course more diverse and inclusive.

• Diversify your course images. Ensure diverse representation in your course media. If your images contain humans, include a variety of ages, ethnicities, abilities, and professional and social settings.
• Expand the range of your required materials. From the readings in your syllabus to supplemental interviews or podcasts, include learning materials that incorporate experts from different backgrounds and unique perspectives.
• Simplify course language. Write and lecture without idioms to reduce language barriers, and without classist, ageist, or insensitive language (e.g., defaulting to he/him pronouns, using stereotypes, etc.).
• Vary your content delivery. Present course information in a variety of formats, incorporating written text, videos, audio podcasts, illustrations, and interactive activities such as timelines or branching scenarios.
• Be intentional about the structure of groups. If possible and manageable, try to make any course groups reflect your course's diversity.

• Establish consistent communication practices. Send 1–2 announcements per week and commit to prompt feedback (to increase students’ feeling of belonging and instructor presence).
• Take advantage of rubrics. Utilize rubrics, which can enhance equity in the grading process.
• Commit to accessibility. Provide text-based alternatives for video and audio, ensure screen reader operability for text, and provide alt text for images. This will increase the accessibility of your course for students with hearing and/or visual impairments.
• Encourage tools that promote inclusion. If available, enable and promote the use of name pronunciation tools (e.g., NameCoach) and preferred pronoun features to cultivate a learning environment where students feel comfortable addressing you as the instructor and being addressed by others.
• Foreground all course expectations. Be sure your syllabus clearly states course expectations, such as late policies.
• Expand your assessment requirements. Allow students to demonstrate their understanding in multiple ways, as long as they still meet the learning objectives. This could include allowing both written and oral submissions, permitting different formats (video or audio podcast), and more.

CAST. (2024). Universal Design for Learning guidelines version 3.0.

Florian, L. (2015). Conceptualising inclusive pedagogy: The inclusive pedagogical approach in action. In J. M. Deppeler, T. Loreman, R. Smith, & L. Florian (Eds.), Inclusive pedagogy across the curriculum (Vol. 7, pp. 11–24). Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Venable, M. A. (2022). Trends in online student demographics. BestColleges.

Winters, M.-F. (2013). From diversity to inclusion: An inclusion equation. In B. M. Ferdman & B. R. Deane (Eds.), Diversity at work: The practice of inclusion (pp. 205–228). John Wiley & Sons, Inc.