Improving Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Course Materials
Updated January, 2022
OpenStax’s mission is to provide equity and access to education for everyone. We deeply value the diverse
users of our books, and seek to include and impact each faculty and student in a positive and considerate
manner. During our development processes, OpenStax undertakes substantial efforts to focus on the needs
and experiences of students of all identities, in order to provide relevant and meaningful offerings that will foster
a sense of belonging and engagement.
With the support of equity experts, educators, and students from different disciplines, populations, and
organizations, we have created general guidelines for development and improvement. This document is a set
of considerations and approaches, but it is not a style guide. We hope that it clarifies some of our processes
and informs your approach, and that you utilize it and improve upon it as needed.
This is an ongoing and continually evolving effort. We value input on our approach, on specific items or
additions we can consider to increase diverse representation, and especially opportunities to deepen the
inclusivity and responsiveness of our material. While our current approach was developed with significant input
from many contributors, we continue to seek the knowledge and feedback of those who utilize, build on, and
learn with our materials.
Creating Inclusive, Equitable, and Representative Resources
Inclusive and equitable instruction requires active, intentional, informed, and flexible practice on the part of
instructors, instructional designers, course material providers, academic support teams, and other contributors
to the student experience. Inclusivity in education is a far-reaching and multidimensional requirement. In
relation to course material creation, adaptation, and usage, we can consider the following aspects:
• Active: Direct and continual evaluation, examination, and improvement of what is taught,
how it is presented and assessed, who is represented, and why certain choices are made.
• Intentional: Recognition of the complexity of adding or modifying materials or practice, and
undertaking the effort to investigate what will be helpful without being hurtful.
• Informed: Dedication to learn about improved, current, sensitive, and evidence-backed
approaches, opportunities, barriers, differences, and perspectives.
• Flexible: Willingness to adjust and adapt to new information and experiences, including
those that challenge individual knowledge or discipline practice.
Course materials make up only a portion of the learning experience in most courses, but they can be key
agents of inclusivity within that role. A textbook, learning object, or activity that considers and welcomes
students, or that addresses inequity, can improve the success and outcomes of a course.
Based on the guidance of researchers and advocates, we identified components of most course materials that
often manifest inclusion or exclusion. These components have been selected partly because they are present
in course materials across the many education disciplines. And that presence, a wide range of resources can
be analyzed, informed, and improved. We value and utilize other
Copyright 2022, Rice University.
Licensed under a Creative Commons International Attribution 4.0 License.
, Improving Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Course Materials
Updated January, 2022
approaches in addition to this one, but it has been relatively successful and helpful for us and our partners and
adopters. This framework has been utilized in OpenStax development, in open pedagogy projects, in student
cultural relevance reviews, and by other organizations in their own efforts.
We believe that building equity and including all students is an active process that considers all the different
aspects of identities in the academic community. That means that we consider the needs and perspectives of
students based on their race, ethnicity, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, socioeconomic
status size, ability, region, health, and age, as well as other characteristics such as group affiliations, family
structures, socio-political perspectives, and others. We work with different groups, take different approaches,
and focus on different areas of courses depending on the discipline. This framework is a guideline and an
opportunity to go deeper.
The framework is presented in two formats: The table immediately below, and the set of more
prose-style descriptions that follow it.
Component/ Item Development Description and Requirement Review/Editing Process
Narratives, explanations, Ensure that diverse contexts are included, and 1. Review, and potentially have
applications, examples, that all examples are comprehensible by students review the material,
and problem scenarios everyone. All this while being sure to avoid problems and exercises, and
that relate to diverse stereotypes. examples, considering their
audiences. context and inclusivity.
2. Review terminology, contexts,
and situations presented in
problems/applications to ensure
that they are comprehensible by
all populations.
3. Ensure that no juxtapositions or
associations incorrectly
stereotype a group.
Sensitivity, appropriate Ensure that all references to people, groups, 1. Identify any outmoded or
terminology, and careful populations, categories, conditions, and incorrect terminology and
treatment disabilities use the appropriate verbiage and do suggest the correct replacement
not contain any derogatory, colloquial, or re-framing.
inappropriate, or otherwise incorrect language. 2. For historical references, if
needed insert context,
For historical uses that should remain in place, attribution, and/or quotations.
consider adding context, such as “a widely used 3. Since and terminology changes
term at the time.” Ensure that quotations or on a regular basis, and
paraphrases using outdated terms are attributed, acceptability is not universal,
contextualized, and limited. do your best to identify and use
the best terminology at the time.
Overall Resource: https://www2.calstate.edu/csu-
system/csu-branding-standards/editorial-style-
guide/Pages/diversity-style-guide.aspx
Copyright 2022, Rice University.
Licensed under a Creative Commons International Attribution 4.0 License.
Updated January, 2022
OpenStax’s mission is to provide equity and access to education for everyone. We deeply value the diverse
users of our books, and seek to include and impact each faculty and student in a positive and considerate
manner. During our development processes, OpenStax undertakes substantial efforts to focus on the needs
and experiences of students of all identities, in order to provide relevant and meaningful offerings that will foster
a sense of belonging and engagement.
With the support of equity experts, educators, and students from different disciplines, populations, and
organizations, we have created general guidelines for development and improvement. This document is a set
of considerations and approaches, but it is not a style guide. We hope that it clarifies some of our processes
and informs your approach, and that you utilize it and improve upon it as needed.
This is an ongoing and continually evolving effort. We value input on our approach, on specific items or
additions we can consider to increase diverse representation, and especially opportunities to deepen the
inclusivity and responsiveness of our material. While our current approach was developed with significant input
from many contributors, we continue to seek the knowledge and feedback of those who utilize, build on, and
learn with our materials.
Creating Inclusive, Equitable, and Representative Resources
Inclusive and equitable instruction requires active, intentional, informed, and flexible practice on the part of
instructors, instructional designers, course material providers, academic support teams, and other contributors
to the student experience. Inclusivity in education is a far-reaching and multidimensional requirement. In
relation to course material creation, adaptation, and usage, we can consider the following aspects:
• Active: Direct and continual evaluation, examination, and improvement of what is taught,
how it is presented and assessed, who is represented, and why certain choices are made.
• Intentional: Recognition of the complexity of adding or modifying materials or practice, and
undertaking the effort to investigate what will be helpful without being hurtful.
• Informed: Dedication to learn about improved, current, sensitive, and evidence-backed
approaches, opportunities, barriers, differences, and perspectives.
• Flexible: Willingness to adjust and adapt to new information and experiences, including
those that challenge individual knowledge or discipline practice.
Course materials make up only a portion of the learning experience in most courses, but they can be key
agents of inclusivity within that role. A textbook, learning object, or activity that considers and welcomes
students, or that addresses inequity, can improve the success and outcomes of a course.
Based on the guidance of researchers and advocates, we identified components of most course materials that
often manifest inclusion or exclusion. These components have been selected partly because they are present
in course materials across the many education disciplines. And that presence, a wide range of resources can
be analyzed, informed, and improved. We value and utilize other
Copyright 2022, Rice University.
Licensed under a Creative Commons International Attribution 4.0 License.
, Improving Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Course Materials
Updated January, 2022
approaches in addition to this one, but it has been relatively successful and helpful for us and our partners and
adopters. This framework has been utilized in OpenStax development, in open pedagogy projects, in student
cultural relevance reviews, and by other organizations in their own efforts.
We believe that building equity and including all students is an active process that considers all the different
aspects of identities in the academic community. That means that we consider the needs and perspectives of
students based on their race, ethnicity, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, socioeconomic
status size, ability, region, health, and age, as well as other characteristics such as group affiliations, family
structures, socio-political perspectives, and others. We work with different groups, take different approaches,
and focus on different areas of courses depending on the discipline. This framework is a guideline and an
opportunity to go deeper.
The framework is presented in two formats: The table immediately below, and the set of more
prose-style descriptions that follow it.
Component/ Item Development Description and Requirement Review/Editing Process
Narratives, explanations, Ensure that diverse contexts are included, and 1. Review, and potentially have
applications, examples, that all examples are comprehensible by students review the material,
and problem scenarios everyone. All this while being sure to avoid problems and exercises, and
that relate to diverse stereotypes. examples, considering their
audiences. context and inclusivity.
2. Review terminology, contexts,
and situations presented in
problems/applications to ensure
that they are comprehensible by
all populations.
3. Ensure that no juxtapositions or
associations incorrectly
stereotype a group.
Sensitivity, appropriate Ensure that all references to people, groups, 1. Identify any outmoded or
terminology, and careful populations, categories, conditions, and incorrect terminology and
treatment disabilities use the appropriate verbiage and do suggest the correct replacement
not contain any derogatory, colloquial, or re-framing.
inappropriate, or otherwise incorrect language. 2. For historical references, if
needed insert context,
For historical uses that should remain in place, attribution, and/or quotations.
consider adding context, such as “a widely used 3. Since and terminology changes
term at the time.” Ensure that quotations or on a regular basis, and
paraphrases using outdated terms are attributed, acceptability is not universal,
contextualized, and limited. do your best to identify and use
the best terminology at the time.
Overall Resource: https://www2.calstate.edu/csu-
system/csu-branding-standards/editorial-style-
guide/Pages/diversity-style-guide.aspx
Copyright 2022, Rice University.
Licensed under a Creative Commons International Attribution 4.0 License.
