Bias Blocks Learning Do you know your biases

Bias Blocks Learning Do you know your biases?

Access to Education Access to education is a human right (Myteberi, 2003), but if a learner detects bias in the facilitator, it may impede learning. This statement is in the Preamble to the National Education Association’s (NEA) Code of Ethics: “The educator, believing in the worth and dignity of each human being, recognizes the supreme importance of the pursuit of truth, devotion to excellence, and the nurture of the democratic principles. Essential to these goals is the protection of freedom to learn and to teach and the guarantee of equal educational opportunity for all. The educator accepts the responsibility to adhere to the highest ethical standards. ” (NEA, 1975)

Effects of Bias on Learners • Stigma • Rejection • Prejudice • Discrimination • Harassment (Purl & Brownell)

What are your biases? Ethical educators are expected to be democratic when facilitating learning. The Obvious List But what about these? • • • Race, ethnicity Sexuality Age Religion, Creed (After Nosek, Banaji, & Greenwald, 2003) Skin tone Race and hurt/harm Gender and scholastic ability Biological conditions Class, economic status Viewpoint – do you tolerate learner opinions that dispute your own research?

Combating Bias Self-awareness – The Implicit Project – self-tests to measure bias http: //implicit. harvard. edu/implicit/demo/index. jsp – Create your own ethics and moral statements Diversity training – Anti-Defamation League – A World of Difference Institute® • http: //www. adl. org/education/edu_awod/default. asp – Inclusion calendars • http: //www. diversitycalendar. com – Storytelling workshops • http: //www. storycenter. org/stories – Specific education about causes, as in the case of biological conditions

References Myteberi , F (2003). Right to education. Retrieved November 23, 2008, from Human Right Education Associates: Education Web site: http: //www. hrea. org/index. php? base_id=144 National Education Association, (NEA) (1975). NEA: Code of ethics of the education profession. Retrieved November 23, 2008, from Code of Ethics of the Education Profession Web site: http: //www. nea. org/aboutnea/code. html Nosek, B, Banaji, M, & Greenwald, Implicit Association Test. Project Implicit, Retrieved November 23, 2008, from https: //implicit. harvard. edu/implicit/demo/. Puhl, R, & Brownell, K, Weight Bias and its Social, Economic, and Health Impact. NAASO The Obesity Society: Obesity Online, Retrieved November 23, 2008, from http: //www. obesityonline. org/slides/slide 01. cfm? tk=44.