The Development of the Protocol for Advancing Inclusive Teaching Efforts (PAITE)

Abstract

Inclusive teaching is instruction that fosters a sense of belonging, is equitable for a diverse student body, and shows students that they matter. Inclusivity is associated with positive student outcomes and is critical at institutions of higher education given the diversity of student populations. While there are a number of recommended practices for inclusive teaching, valid and reliable classroom observation tools that provide instructors with formative feedback on their instructional efforts are lacking. This article describes the development of the Protocol for Advancing Inclusive Teaching Efforts (PAITE). The PAITE was developed for formative purposes to provide higher education instructors with formative feedback on observable inclusive teaching practices. The protocol can be used by peer observers, educational developers, student pedagogical partners, and educational researchers in higher education classrooms. We describe the creation of the protocol, how to prepare observers to use it within classrooms, and how instructors can use the feedback to monitor and improve their inclusive teaching approaches.