Identifying and Addressing Microaggressions in the University Classroom (Online)

Microaggressions are defined as the “daily, constant, often subtle, and seemingly innocuous, covert and overt negative messages and actions directed toward people from marginalized groups” (Sue, 2010 as cited in Bell, 2016, p. 7). With this framework in mind, this workshop understands the university classroom as one such space where microaggressions may occur. This workshop will explore how to identify and address these microaggressions in pursuit of teaching for social justice and equity across all disciplines and in line with University policies. Using an interactive and co-constructive format, this workshop will present a variety of case studies to be collectively explored among participants. A dialogue-based pedagogical approach will be used for the session to shift away from the traditional lecture-based format of workshops. Through self-reflection and dialoguing, participants will have the opportunity to practice expressing and articulating these concepts with other educators so that they are well-equipped to directly address microaggressions in the classroom setting and beyond.