Interactive Workshop 2 – WTF! Did you say what I think you said?: Educational Developers, Free Speech, and Learning (Darcy Benoit, Jeanette McDonald, and Jill McSweeney)

The topic of free speech has recently come in the spotlight as a precarious and often taboo topic in higher education. While discussions have focused on the rights and repercussions of faculty and students, there has been a void in conversation with respect to the role, responsibilities, and positioning of educational developers, as advocates of teaching and learning, on this topic. Drawing on controversial statements and case studies, we will engage in open and respectful dialogue as we examine how our work builds on and serves multiple relationships within higher education, and as such, may create a complex ethical conundrum. We will draw upon the upcoming EDC Guide on Ethical Principles for Educational Developers as a foundation to approach the occasionally rough waters of free speech on campus. Based on our interactive discussion, collective experience, and personal reflections, we will draft a set of tips, strategies, and considerations to guide us in our practice.

See the full schedule here.