The abrupt change inspired Jacquelyne Thoni Howard, administrative assistant professor of technology and women’s history, and Clare Daniel, administrative assistant professor of women’s leadership, at the Newcomb Institute to create “Feminist Pedagogy for Teaching Online,” an interactive guide and resource for applying feminist principles to distance learning. The guide offers a collection of articles, resources, assignment examples, and teaching aids to integrate equity-minded instruction in the online classroom.

“Today’s students are experiencing more online teaching than ever before and many faculty must climb a steep learning curve to deliver courses effectively in the digital format,” Daniel said. “Feminist pedagogy provides an excellent set of guiding principles and strategies that faculty can use to humanize the online learning environment, keep students meaningfully engaged and develop an inclusive course structure.”

Drawing from feminist theory, the guide recognizes the gendered roots of traditional education models and investigates how knowledge is socially constructed. According to Howard, the goal is to build dynamic and active classroom communities that help students and faculty “make meaningful connections, build mutual respect and trust, and provide opportunities for reflection and self-care.”

Since its publication in September 2020, the guide has garnered more than 10,000 views, briefly “went viral” on Twitter, and has been promoted by educators internationally who find its student-centered approach especially useful in online classrooms but also of value for on-ground, in-person learning settings.