Physics Instructors’ Beliefs about and Use of Inclusive Teaching Strategies

Inclusive teaching is a set of instructional strategies that promote more equitable learning outcomes. However, inclusive teaching is not being practiced as extensively as it should be. This research aims to better understand to what extent college-level physics instructors use inclusive teaching strategies as well as their reasons for use or non-use of such practices. I interviewed 12 instructors from different institutions in Michigan who taught introductory calculus-based physics courses in Spring 2022. The participants were asked to describe their use of and beliefs about 21 specific inclusive teaching strategies. Results show that few instructors are aware of the full range of inclusive teaching strategies. Most instructors are aware of some inclusive teaching strategies and frequently articulate valid reasons for implementing these strategies. There are certain types of inclusive teaching strategies that most instructors do not use. Some instructors feel that these strategies are not appropriate for an introductory physics course and others feel that they lack the ability to implement these strategies successfully. Overall, this preliminary study suggests that more work is needed to support the full range of inclusive teaching practices within the physics community.