Bias affects many of the things we do in higher education, but there are some techniques that can help mitigate it. This in turn can help increase equity, which one might define as a freedom from bias.
Here are some examples of research on how bias impacts different things we do in higher education:
- Grading and evaluating students
- Student evaluations of teaching
- Student peer assessments
- Undergraduate research, labs
- Teaching strategies
- Classroom participation
- Online discussion boards
- Classroom observations
- Mentoring, advising, admissions
- Letters of recommendation
- Performance evaluations
- Promotion, tenure, and evaluating research
- Hiring and interviewing
- Meetings
- Publication bias
“Bias is a natural part of human behavior. We make thousands of decisions a day, many of which by necessity are based on preconceived or pre-learned ideas. But professors have an obligation to their students to try and overcome their natural biases and provide all students with equal opportunities. With effort and understanding, it can be done.”
(Block, 2016)
More Resources on Bias in Higher Education
- Self-Assessments
- Harvard’s Implicit Association Tests that you (or your students) can take online
- Peralta Online Equity Rubric – for evaluating courses
- Equity Training Modules
- Online Equity Training from Peralta
- Strategies for Mitigating Bias in Higher Education
- Strategies for Combating Unconscious Bias in the Academy
- How to Make Your Teaching More Inclusive: Advice Guide
- Anonymous grading and anonymous surveys in Canvas
- Advice for how to make grading more equitable
- Mindfulness Meditation Reduces Implicit Age and Race Bias – more on Mindfulness
- Better Allies (@betterallies on Twitter) has many useful tips for fostering a more inclusive culture
- Evidence-Based Strategies for Improving Diversity and Inclusion in Undergraduate Research Labs
- Support for All? Confronting Racism and Patriarchy to Promote Equitable Learning Opportunities through Undergraduate Calculus Instruction
- Fair Play – online game, role play as a graduate student
Faculty developer. Interests: developing educational technology; faculty & student development; learning sciences & psychology.
EdTechDev - Doug Holton 