Participation

Participation (20% total)

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Participation requirements:

Your participation grade will be based on evidence of preparedness and the quality and consistency of your contributions. It will be assessed holistically based on class activities and other engagement in the discussion that are completed synchronously and/or asynchronously. Each class session will be recorded.

Most but not all of the class activities will be graded for each student. Please aim to complete the class activities by the due dates given.

Most of the activities will be based on questions or prompts about the readings that are set by the instructor or by student facilitators for a given day.

If you are not present for a synchronous class meeting, it’s your responsibility to read the instructions that were provided for the class activities, watch the class recording, and submit the work on your own by the due date for participation credit.

Formats:

Synchronous participation will consist of small group and/or full-group work where you will share your ideas and queries, and answer discussion prompts by voice or chat and/or by in-class group writing. Report out your group’s ideas in full-class discussion. Most of the time, no writing will be due when you participate synchronously.
Asynchronous written answers participation is available as needed to anyone who cannot participate synchronously on a given day. Students do not need to request permission to participate asynchronously. I want to work with you to ensure everyone has opportunity to engage with each other’s ideas. Asynchronous participation will consist of written answers to discussion questions or prompts, and replies to peers’ written answers. Class Activity discussion boards will be set up for each class day with a deadline for posting.

Discussion participation policies and expectations:

First, please be assured that I’m here to support you in engaging with the course material in a variety of ways. An interactive class is much more rewarding for all. Please try to stay in communication about your concerns or needs regarding the material or how the course is being taught. We can work out adaptations, flexible deadlines, etc. as needed. Lecture or discussion questions slides will be posted on the course website prior to each class.

Students who enroll in this class must be prepared to engage with a heavy reading load of texts from a variety of scholarly disciplines, primary sources, and media.

Many of the topics covered raise sensitive questions of ethics, identity, and policy. We will work to create a learning environment that feels as safe as possible for everyone and fosters open inquiry. You will be expected to critically examine your own beliefs in comparison with those of others and as they relate to issues in disability studies. Students in the class have a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. For some, the information may be completely new; others may have previous knowledge of disability issues or oppression. Please keep in mind that this course is being taught from an anti-oppressive point of view, and a principal goal is to teach the academic disability studies approach.

Each class day, please be prepared to talk about at least one of the assigned readings that day, by sharing your comments, ideas, or wonderings. Students will get the most out of the lectures, films, podcasts, and discussions by completing the readings before class time or before viewing the class recordings asynchronously. Active participation, synchronous or asynchronous, is an important aspect of the learning process in this class.

In all cases, participation involves expressing your own reasoned arguments, as well as listening and responding to classmates. We will share ideas by voice, chat, or posting online synchronously or asynchronously. Participation includes reflecting carefully on what others say or write and responding constructively.

The goal of discussions in class and in discussion posts is to help you understand difficult material and think through your and others’ ideas. Working through unclear understandings or positions that you later reconsider may be part of this process. I am looking for contributions that show you are paying careful attention to the course materials and to the contributions of your fellow students, and that you are thinking critically and creatively about them. You are expected to show that you have analyzed the readings and that you are forming reasoned ideas and opinions about the themes of the course. Participation includes listening carefully and responding constructively.

Cameras:

For synchronous Zoom class meetings, I strongly encourage students to turn on their cameras especially when speaking, in order to fully engage with our class community. In particular, cameras should be turned on when in small breakout rooms. We acknowledge that cameras may need to be turned off for a variety of reasons, and there’s no need to explain and no judgment. We also recognize that for some people, camera off is a privilege that others don’t have. Please reflect on your own positionality and the access needs of your peers. Please do your best to have your camera on to be more present, connected, and accessible to each other.

Participation Guidelines for In-class Discussion & Posts to Discussion Boards

Using someone's correct personal pronouns is a way to respect them and create an inclusive environment. Here's a resource: https://www.mypronouns.org/what-and-why
Be supportive and provide others with constructive feedback. Share why you agree or disagree. Build on the strengths of others or offer constructive ideas.
Share your knowledge. Learning happens when people share experiences, knowledge, and ideas.
If you post audio, videos, or images, provide a transcript or image description for accessibility.
Keep discussion focused on the assigned topics/discussion prompt.
Keep paragraphs short and to the point to help with readability.
Stay engaged. Don’t abandon the discussion after you’ve posted your minimum number of posts . Read through the posts of others and continue your engagement and learning.
Be mindful of word choice and tone. Written language can blur intent – even if you were trying to be funny, your post may not read as funny. Before posting, ensure your comments are clear and cannot be taken in the wrong context.
Express alternative points of view respectfully.
Harassment in any form is unacceptable and violates the university's student code of conduct. This includes taking screenshots of other students or the instructor in a virtual environment without their consent.
Aspire to be inclusive. We all make mistakes (instructors included) and we value when someone takes the time to tell us that and how we can do better. Diversity and inclusion are core values and priorities for the University of Washington. We accept and celebrate the differences that are represented through the many diverse and minoritized communities in our community. Be aware of and sensitive to the diversity of your classmates and instructors. Try to ensure your comments are inclusive to all participants.