Reflections on diverse and inclusive teaching

Abstract

In this paper we will describe our attempt to change a very traditional 2 semester course in Linear Algebra for maths and physics students with a high stake exam into a more diverse and inclusive experience. We will first describe the background of this course both in light of the Swiss educational system and in the setting of the Maths and Physics Department at the ETH Zürich. In particular, we will address recurring, gender-specific patterns which are common to most STEM subjects taught at ETH. This will be followed by some thorough considerations on the macro and micro planning of the course. We will then describe both the structure of the courses and the changes that were made and how the actual teaching was done and changed and we will finish with a description of the exam. Finally we will analyse both the exam results and reflect on some observations made over the course of the two years we taught this course.