Bias in Remote Learning

View this material on a Google Doc: Bias in Remote Learning

Objective: To reflect on your own implicit bias, as well as the systems of bias prevalent in remote learning, and the steps you can take to address that bias and its impact on students. 

The estimated time for this activity is 30–45 minutes.

Explore this Website

In order to challenge unconscious bias and systemic racism in schools, we must first uncover our own implicit biases. According to NYSED’s Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Framework, we must “continuously learn about implicit bias, with attention to identifying and addressing implicit bias in the school community” to foster high expectations and rigorous instruction.

“Our inability to have these conversations in our schools is preventing students from building a more equitable future.” — Dr. Tracey Benson, academic activist and author of Unconscious Bias in Schools

Remote learning has put the great digital divide at the forefront of education. Inequitable access to a computer and stable internet connection meant that some learners could access remote instruction, while others could not. The majority of those who could not were Students of Color and from low-income communities. As we move forward with a “new normal” in education, we must reflect on the individual experiences of learners during remote and hybrid instruction to determine our next steps as educators. How are you, your school, and your district collecting data on bias in remote learning? How are you addressing what learners felt, experienced, and learned (or didn’t learn) during remote learning?

“Panorama Education” has developed 34 Questions to Gather Feedback from Teachers and Staff on Equity and Inclusion that can be used to start a conversation and begin collecting data to challenge unconscious biases in remote learning. Individual teachers can use the survey questions to reflect on their own biases. Departments, grade-level teams, schools, and districts can compile questions and regularly gather survey data to inform instructional decisions and next steps. Surveys can be shared with learners and families via digital platforms like Survey Monkey or Google Forms. Hold one-on-one or small-group sessions either online or in person to have students share their experiences during remote learning. Use the data collected to lean into a remote learning environment that ensures high expectations and rigorous instruction for all learners.

Brainstorm & Design

In order to create a culture of high expectations, we must be able to confront and challenge our own biases. The questions below (also linked here as a table to print and use) were compiled from the website above, along with other sources, to address remote and hybrid learning. They focus on the student and will support you as you determine your biases to confront race, racism, and equity in your learning environment. You are encouraged to take the survey independently at first.

Addressing Race and Racism (Frequency)

Directions: For each question, rate yourself using the following scale:

  1. Never
  2. Rarely
  3. Sometimes
  4. Often
  5. Always
  1. How often are students given opportunities to learn about people from different races, ethnicities, or cultures in instructional activities and assignments?
  2. How often are students given opportunities to learn from their peers with different backgrounds and cultures from their own?
  3. How often do you think about what students of different races, ethnicities, or cultures experience?
  4. At your school, how often are students encouraged to think more deeply about race-related topics?
  5. How often do remote learners at your school have important conversations about race, even when they might be uncomfortable?
  6. When there are major news events related to race, how often do adults at your school talk about them with students, in any learning environment?
  7. How often do you provide opportunities for students to complete alternative assignments (in place of video conference, synchronous instruction, etc.)?
  8. How often do you collect data on/consider the number of times you call on Students of Color in a video conference?
  9. How often do you collect data on/consider the number of times you provide feedback to Students of Color?

Addressing Race and Racism (Value)

  1. How confident are you that adults at your school can have honest conversations with students about race, even when remote?
  2. How confident are you that all your students have access to a device and a stable internet connection?
  3. How confident are you that some of your students have additional responsibilities at home that make remote learning more challenging for them?
  4. How comfortable are you discussing race-related topics with your students in person?
  5. How comfortable are you discussing race-related topics with your students remotely?
  6. How well does your school help students speak out against racism?

Stop & Think

Use your scores from the survey assessment above to reflect on the questions below. You may reflect on your scores independently or share them with a fellow teacher or group of colleagues to determine trends across your grade level, teaching team, school, etc.

Key: T — Teachers; SL — School Leaders, DL — District Leaders

  • Were there any trends or insights into your unconscious biases that stood out? (T, SL, DL)
  • Are any biases stronger, or more apparent, in a remote environment? (T, SL, DL)
  • What opportunities are there to address any of your biases in a remote setting? (T, SL, DL)
  • How could you modify the questions above to give your students a similar survey? Do you think your scores would align with theirs? (T, SL)
  • If working collaboratively, what trends or insights stood out across your grade level, teaching team, school, district, etc.? (T, SL, DL)
  • Consider next steps. What goal(s) can you set for yourself to continue working toward a culture of high expectations and rigorous instruction in your remote learning environment? (T, SL)
  • How can you support remote and in-person conversations that address learning about, discussing, and confronting issues of race, ethnicity, and culture in your school and/or district? (SL, DL)

Check your Bias: Identifying and Addressing Your Biases to Advance Student Achievement Survey

For each question, rate yourself on a scale of 1–5 using this scale:

  1. Never
  2. Rarely
  3. Sometimes
  4. Often
  5. Always
  • How often are students given opportunities to learn about people from different races, ethnicities, or cultures in instructional activities and assignments?
  • How often are students given opportunities to learn from their peers with different backgrounds and cultures from their own?
  • How often do you think about what students of different races, ethnicities, or cultures experience?
  • At your school, how often are students encouraged to think more deeply about race-related topics?
  • How often do remote learners at your school have important conversations about race, even when they might be uncomfortable?
  • When there are major news events related to race, how often do adults at your school talk about them with students, in any learning environment?
  • How often do you provide opportunities for students to complete alternative assignments (in place of video conference, synchronous instruction, etc.)?
  • How often do you collect data on/consider the number of times you call on Students of Color in a video conference?
  • How often do you collect data on/consider the number of times you provide feedback to Students of Color?