Embedding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion into a Kinesiology Curriculum: A Detailed Report of a Curriculum Redesign

Students need to be properly prepared by their education to work respectfully and effectively with diverse populations and in diverse environments. Our purpose is twofold: (i) to provide a thorough description of the curriculum redesign process for an undergraduate kinesiology and health promotion (...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Zakkoyya H. Lewis, Ken Hansen, Mai Narasaki-Jara, Lara Killick, MinHyuk Kwon, Laura Chase, Srdjan Lemez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-06-01
Series:Social Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/11/7/271
Description
Summary:Students need to be properly prepared by their education to work respectfully and effectively with diverse populations and in diverse environments. Our purpose is twofold: (i) to provide a thorough description of the curriculum redesign process for an undergraduate kinesiology and health promotion (KHP) program, and (ii) to use our experience to provide more general recommendations to other departments and universities undergoing curricular redesign. The catalyst for this redesign was the conversion from a quarter-system to a semester-system and the opportunities for improvement identified through that process. The redesign was guided by a newly created departmental strategic plan, faculty professional development trainings, student feedback, faculty hirings and their areas of expertise, and industry demands. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) was mindfully embedded into the curriculum to reflect the department-, college-, and university-level core value of inclusivity. The redesign allows prospective KHP students to complete several courses that address DEI themes, in addition to the courses that build their technical competencies. Providing foundational exposure to DEI concepts through the undergraduate curriculum can better prepare students to work in diverse settings. As such, this report provides other programs with a framework to follow to make curriculum more DEI centric for their students.
ISSN:2076-0760