CREATE (Culturally Responsive Educators Academy & Training for Equity

Program Description
CREATE is a paid two-semester professional development program for faculty. The purpose of CREATE is to allow faculty to engage in practices that embrace the unique experiences, perspectives, and needs of Miramar College’s diverse students by creating a learning environment that is inclusive and supportive and leads to student success.
The CREATE program promotes inquiry and self-awareness as to the development of epistemologies, specifically in relation to historically racially marginalized communities, and faculty will use disaggregated course data to identify strengths and opportunities for growth in their practice, understand equity data stories, and set goals for equitable outcomes.

Program Outcomes 

Faculty will leave CREATE with practical strategies for the classroom, a CRT (culturally responsive teaching) toolbox, and a community of instructors for continued collaboration and growth. In addition, faculty who successfully complete CREATE will: 

  1. Understand historical factors in higher education that impact students and influence classroom culture, such as race and racism, oppression and intersectionality, and the system of meritocracy. 

  1. Analyze disaggregated course- and instructor-level data to identify strengths and opportunities for growth in their own teaching practice. 

  1. Engage in self-inquiry and critical self-reflection of classroom and teaching practices, particularly in relation to historically racially marginalized communities. 

  1. Create classroom and curricular changes based on culturally responsive and assess interventions to engage in a cycle of continuous improvement. 

Key Responsibilities and Commitments for Participants

To help ensure a collaborative and impactful learning environment, there are important responsibilities, expectations, and commitments for faculty in CREATE: 

  • Active participation each week of the course 

    • CREATE will have asynchronous (via Canvas) and synchronous (via Zoom) elements. Participation in both modalities is required. 

    • There will be weekly readings, videos, and additional activities. 

    • There will be discussions, assignments, self-reflections, surveys, and other learning assignments each week. 

  • Miramar Equity Summit 

    • This year’s Equity Summit will be on Friday, October 4 in person and on campus. The time is TBD but will likely be from 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM. 

    •  CREATE participants are expected to attend. 

  • Time Commitment and Compensation 

    • The course is eight weeks long, and runs from Monday, September 16 to Friday, November 1. 

    • The content for CREATE is designed to take about 4-5 hours each week; a total of 40 non-classroom hours are available for participants during the program. 

    • Faculty will be compensated at their non-classroom hourly rate; faculty will report their hours in PeopleSoft.

  • Reflection and Implementation Project 

    • The final requirement of CREATE is a Reflection and Implementation Project in which faculty will engage in critical self-reflection and goal setting as they implement CRT strategies into their courses. 

  • Continued Learning and Growth 

    • CREATE faculty are expected to share their work at future campus-wide events, such as Spring 2024 Convocation, Miramar Community Days, and/or the Planning Summit. 

    • Faculty who complete CREATE semester one are encouraged to continue their program participation in Spring 2025; details will be shared at the end of semester one. 

For more information, please review the Program Outline here.