How can you make professional development more inclusive and accessible?

I believe in assessing both personal and audience needs before choosing professional development activities, focusing on skills and knowledge enhancement, addressing challenges, and preferring interactive and diverse modes of learning that align with our collective growth and effectiveness.

Diverse Content and Perspectives: 1. Ensure that professional development content reflects diverse perspectives, experiences, and voices. 2. Incorporate examples and case studies that resonate with a wide range of individuals. Flexible Formats: 1. Offer a variety of formats for learning, such as online courses, webinars, workshops, and written materials. 2. Provide options for asynchronous learning to accommodate different schedules and time zones. Accessibility Features: 1. Ensure that all learning materials, including websites, presentations, and documents, are accessible to individuals with disabilities. 2. Provide closed captions for videos, alt text for images, and accessible document formats.

The journey towards inclusive and accessible professional development begins with a meticulous assessment of both personal and team needs and goals. For my own development, this involves a deep self-reflection process, considering the skills, knowledge, and competencies I aim to enhance. When extending this process to the team, I closely observe their recent work, study detailed reports, and analyze the feedback they provide. This comprehensive approach allows me to choose professional development options that are not only relevant but also address specific gaps and challenges faced by the team, ensuring inclusivity and effectiveness in our collective growth.

In the working world, professionals need to continuously collaborate with diverse colleagues, students, and clients. Failure to follow the platinum rule (treat others how THEY want to be treated) ultimately leads to decreased effectiveness in collaborations (and in professional success and progression). In hopes to increase organizational belonging, employers are seeking people who are other-aware, reflective, and have a growth mindset regarding interpersonal skills. By increasing diversity and diverse perspectives throughout your professional development process, you will increase empathy, and awareness of cultural differences, and become a stronger teammate and colleague.

Embracing the steps below, can create professional development that empowers everyone to learn and grow in an inclusive and accessible environment. Offer options like text, audio, video, and workshops to cater to various learning styles and abilities. Provide asynchronous options, recordings, and subtitles to accommodate different schedules and needs. Feature diverse voices and perspectives in content and presenters to foster inclusivity. Consider scholarships or subsidized options to ensure participation from all backgrounds.

Additionally, as a professional, you can access open groups and participate in self-development through reading cultural books or publications. In Higher Education, having a subscription to periodicals like Diverse Issues in Higher Education can give insights into what trends and challenges are facing the academy, and insights as to how to improve your inclusive practices.

As a social studies teacher, I see the application of universal design principles to professional development as crucial; it involves creating content and activities that are clear, inclusive, and flexible, ensuring they cater to diverse learning styles and needs, thereby enhancing accessibility and engagement for all educators.

When it comes to learning, reflection and accommodation are the keys to improving your practice. Reflection in the sense that you are taking a meaningful look at your experiences, assessing your feelings, strengths, and opportunities for growth. Accommodation is the process by which you incorporate your experience and reflection into your worldview (understanding of the world around you), which will ultimately continue to fuel your growth and ability.

When I first saw the title, my initial focus was on accommodating impaired teachers and students. I recall an incident where, despite my well-prepared introductory class, a student raised his hand and told me he couldn't see the image on the slide well. I offered him my glasses, and the class started laughing at me. It was a blind student. I felt embarrassed because I was not prepared to describe all the images if such a situation occurred or even to provide closed captions in case of hearing impairment. This situation underscored the significance of considering accessibility for differently-abled individuals—often overlooked in discussions about inclusive teaching practices.