Introduction
As stated by Robin DiAngelo, American academic and author, “I don’t believe it’s humanly possible to be free of bias.” This essay will reflect on instructor bias, the perception of bias in online learning, and ask the questions, what is it, and why should we care? Instructors are human and have their own beliefs and biases about education and learners. Some of these beliefs are positive and benefit their learners, while others are negative and should be avoided. These views were shaped by experiences, beliefs, values, education, family, friends, etc. It is essential to be aware of one’s personal biases for personal well-being and professional success. Besides, no one wants to think they are biased, especially if they devote and dedicate a lifetime to instructing others.
Objective Questions
What have I learned about this topic?
There is evidence for instructor bias. In the 1960s, Harvard professor Robert Rosenthal performed a famous experiment called the Pygmalion effect, or Rosenthal effect. Elementary school teachers were told they could determine which student’s IQ’s were about to increase at the beginning of the year as well as at the end. The results were such that if teachers expected more significant IQ gains in some kids, those kids did gain more IQ. Further studies on stereotypes and bias in face to face classrooms identified the principles as the same. “Whether its gender or race, student preference or handwriting, any factor that causes a teacher to have higher expectations for some of their students and lower expectations for others is bound to create results to match” (The Grade Network, 2020).
Everyone has an implicit bias that is activated unconsciously and involuntarily. These biases are not biases that a person tries to hide because they are unpopular or socially incorrect. Social biases are fueled by stereotypes in the media, parents, peers, church, and others. In my background of policing, my biases were organized gangs, child molesters, and impaired drivers. Recent news feeds of police shootings and riots identify implicit biases among law enforcement officers where both Black and White officers have implicit biases about Black community members.
I have spent 40 years in law enforcement and diagnosed with PTSD for the majority of that time. I stuffed my feelings and emotions down, but my bias and prejudices were allowed to flourish. As a result of years of counseling, I realize what triggers contribute to the creation of personal biases. Self-awareness of all my biases is important – positive or favorable, as well as negative or unfavorable. That allows me to manage, mitigate, or avoid them actively. While researching this topic, it was made clear I must encourage an empathy-centered approach to instruction and my learners. I should get to know my professional self and develop self-awareness as an on-going process.
I will now consider some practical tips for becoming aware of my personal biases (Northon, 2016).
- Ask for regular formal (assessment) or informal (supervisor, peers) feedback.
- Pause and reflect by studying myself and my reactions. How do I react to change? What do I feel when something does not go as expected? Take a closer look at my personal cultural biases and assumptions. Develop an awareness of my personal cultural ‘filters.”
- Look for new experiences to discover more about myself and my reactions to unfamiliar situations.
- Find time for solitude and to relax. Examples like meditation, yoga, walk in the country.
- Most importantly, continue journaling.
Reflective Questions
What has been my experience with this topic? How did I identify with it? How has it impacted my life (as a learner or as an instructor)?
Reflecting on my learning and its relevance in my life over the past several decades, I recall an experience in my grade nine middle school English literature class. It was the first day, and the teacher, Mr. Cameron, was asking students what they were seeking to learn and gain from taking his class. The class assignment was submitted anonymously, but clearly, Mr. Cameron recognized my handwriting over time. During the semester, Mr. Cameron would ask me questions he knew I could not answer and seemed to relish using a large red felt marker identifying my D grades. I did not have a severe intellectual disability, just a genuine lack of interest in English literature. To add further insult, Mr. Cameron was in charge of the graduation committee, which added graduating students’ comments to their yearbook photo. “Laurie doesn’t seem to like anything in particular and is not too fond of school, homework, etc. He plans to be a nobody.” Later in the years, I discovered Mr. Cameron had a disagreement with my father over a personal matter, and I always felt this bias was taken out on me in the classroom. Mr. Cameron and my father have long since passed but completing research on teacher bias made it clear how damaging this form of teacher’s implicit bias was on my education. The central theme that prevented me from learning in Mr. Cameron’s class was I lacked the prerequisite knowledge for what was taught. Perhaps if I had a better attitude, neat handwriting, and lengthy essays, I would have received higher marks and better suited for the indirect vocational English course.
What is clear to me is that stating the cliché “one size does not fit all” is important for the online learning course I will be designing. I have the advantage of developing my curriculum, but I must remember that learners learn in different ways. It is still vital for me to facilitate learning by varying my instructional techniques. Connections to reinforce learning are important. They should include references to the real world using real-life examples, integrating previously learned information, and personal relevance to the learners.
As an instructor, I will reflect on my bias and my learner’s bias. For example, who are the learners participating the most and the least? If the distribution is not equal, ask why not? The answer may be me. I may project low expectations for individual learners, and they feel it, so they are more likely to have low expectations for themselves.
I will no longer assume a learner’s failure is due to a lack of hard work, ability, or poor time management. It may be a complicated combination of internal and external factors. For example, cultural backgrounds may affect the learner’s ability to be assertive or shy or show disrespect. Because not all learners have the same cultural assumptions as the instructor, it is the instructor’s responsibility to bridge the gap.
Interpretive Questions
What does this new learning mean to me? What new insights do I now have? How has my thinking changed because of this learning?
I am aware that to be human, I have biases, so I completed an Implicit Association Test (IAT) designed to explore the unconscious roots of thinking and feeling. Two concepts are examined. First, we might not be willing to share our private attitudes with others. Second, we may not be aware of some of our attitudes. People do not say what is on their minds because they are unwilling or unable to do so. This unwilling-unable distinction is where we are purposely hiding something from others or unconsciously hiding something from yourself. The IAT measures implicit attitudes and beliefs that people are either unwilling or unable to report (Project Implicit, 2020).
There are seven categories in the IAT, requesting information on attitudes and beliefs and describing one’s self-understanding of the IAT measures’ attitude or stereotype. Categories include, 1) Gender – reveals a relative link between humanities and females and between science and males, 2) Age – indicates that people have an automatic preference for young over old, 3) Weight – reveals an automatic preference for thin people relative to fat people, 4) Countries – reveals appraising nationalism, 5) Skin-tone – automatic preference for light skin relative to dark skin, 6) Sexuality – automatic preference for straight people relative to gay people, and 7) Race – indicates that most people have an automatic preference for white over black.
I require further study, reflection, and ask questions like, Do I have gender bias against men or women in my class? Am I treating the genders differently? Do I have an unconscious bias I am not aware? Do I have a racial bias? Do I treat visible minorities differently? Do I lower the bar for the first nation and English as a second language learner? Do I grade some learners more harshly because of their previous learning experience, and I expect more from them? Do I have a work value bias where the appearance of learners working harder deserves better grades?
I am aware that my belief in a learner’s academic skills and potential is vital for that learner’s success. Should I give the impression that I do not believe or underestimate a learner, not only will it affect my relationship with the learner but may affect the entire learner’s self-concept and possibly grades.
I consider myself a white privileged male who grew up in a middle-class wasp community attending predominately academic vs. vocational schools in Calgary. As an adult, I feel sorry for adults who have a story to tell who were taught in low-income schools with less qualified teachers, fewer material resources, larger class sizes, and lower long-term and graduation expectations for learners. I use this empathy to help my learners get the best from my classes and course.
Decisional Questions
How can this new learning be applied in my online course?
- Create a safe learning environment that allows for mistakes. I enjoy instruction, and I make mistakes, but I make fun of it and move on.
- Be aware that intolerant thinking may surface from time to time in others and me.
- Practice non-defensive responses when I said or did something offensive.
- Intervene and respond to purposely directed acts of bias from my learners. To say nothing would convey the impression that prejudicial behavior is condoned or not worthy of attention.
- Address some of the teacher bias issues by looking at more anonymity in the grading process. My learners could write their names on the back of their papers and exams rather than at the top. In online learning, I could mark the papers while using the learner’s student number and tabulate the results at the end of the course.
- Address my learners at the start of the course and clarify I am welcoming diversity in my class. Everyone may or may not be aware of the significant types of bias that exist.
- Participating in professional development programs that emphasize diversity.
- Include sharing information on instructor bias with my learners because they too may struggle with biases. The learners can examine themselves and the world around them to prepare them for being self-aware and better citizens.
- Integrate more culturally diverse information and perspectives into all of my instruction. Incorporate multiple perspectives into all aspects of my curriculum. The topics would be less complex to start to create time and establish trust.
- Ted talks and YouTube videos on unconscious bias and include books and resource material in assignments, explicitly dealing with race, gender, and class.
Conclusion
I am a dedicated and well-meaning instructor, but I acknowledge that I have biases and hold stereotypes and beliefs that may affect my learners. I will do my best to make sure my learners are being taught equally and assessed fairly on the assignments that they can control, rather than the things about them that they cannot. As an instructor, it is my responsibility to create an anti-bias learning environment.
“I think unconscious bias is one of the hardest things to get at.”
– Ruth Bader Ginsburg
References
Anti-Defamation League (2012). Creating an Anti-Bias Learning Environment. ADL.
Costello, M. (2019). A Message from Our Director. Teaching Tolerance. Issue 61, Spring 2019.
https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/spring-2019/a-message-from-our-director
Kelly, Melissa (2019). Avoiding Teacher Bias and Erroneous Beliefs. ThoughtCo.
https://www.thoughtco.com/avoiding-teacher-bias-and-erroneous-beliefs-8407?
Northon, L. (2016, July 12). Become Aware of Personal Bias, and You’ll Improve Ethical Practice.
https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/aspx
Project Implicit (2011). Implicit Association Test, Harvard University.
https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/canada/takeatest.html
Scharf, A. (2014). Critical Practices for Anti-bias Education. Teaching Tolerance.
https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/publications/critical-practices-for-antibias-education
The Grade Network (2018, August 1). Teacher Bias: The Elephant in the Classroom.
Tolerance (2014). Critical Practices for Anti-bias Education. Teaching Tolerance.
https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/publications/critical-practices-for-antibias-education
On Task Teaching 