TIDE Unconscious Bias Training
Faculty Required Training: Unconscious Bias Modules
The Toronto Initiative for Diversity & Excellence (TIDE) has developed four educational modules for anyone seeking to understand unconscious bias and its impact on assessments, decisions, and inclusive environments in their professional lives. While especially relevant to academic settings, the challenges around decision-making addressed here are common across sectors and offer valuable insights into interpersonal dynamics.
Completion of these modules is mandatory for all active faculty members who:
- Teach or work with trainees
- Serve on selection committees
- Hold leadership roles
- Apply for new academic appointments or promotions, or
- Undergo Continuing Appointment Review (CAR)
***Be sure to sign the acknowledgement form after completing all modules.
Module 1: What is Unconscious Bias?
This animated module describes Unconscious Bias and provides examples of how unconscious bias may affect our thinking in everyday life.
Time required: Approximately 30 minutes, including a short quiz at the end.
Module 2: Effects of Unconscious Bias on Assessment
This animated module discusses examples from the literature that illustrate how Unconscious Bias can lead to unfair assessment of the accomplishments, experiences, and expertise of other people who we unconsciously categorize into groups about whom there are common stereotypes. The examples given are particularly relevant for the academic context, but the underlying biases in assessment are relevant in a wide range of different sectors.
Time required: Approximately 30 minutes, including a short quiz at the end.
Module 3: Interrupting Bias
This animated module discusses common manifestations of unconscious bias in committee deliberations and other assessments. It offers suggestions for interrupting biases in personal behaviours, language, and thought processes. The examples of challenges and committee dynamics are particularly relevant for academic institutions, but the underlying concepts are relevant in a wide range of different contexts and sectors.
Time required: Approximately 30 minutes, including a short quiz at the end.
Module 4: Inclusive Academic Cultures: Ideas for Making Change
This animated module describes practical steps that can be taken to improve the climate and culture of an academic unit. Some actions must necessarily be undertaken by unit leadership, and should involve consultation with University policy, but many can be implemented internally as part of the work of an EDI committee.
Time required: Approximately 30 minutes, including a short quiz at the end.
***Be sure to sign the acknowledgement form after completing all modules.
Note: If you wish to document completion of these modules, you must review them in SuccessFactors*. Certificates of completion are available at the end of each module. (Module 1, Module 2, Module 3, Module 4 )
*UTORid login is required