PEAK Institute (Pedagogy for Engagement, Access, & Knowledge)
The PEAK (Pedagogy for Engagement, Access, & Knowledge) Institute is designed by and for instructional faculty dedicated to student success through equitable course and curriculum design. This is a year-long professional development opportunity that provides a cohort based exploration of individual, institutional, and structural barriers to success in higher education in rural-serving communities.
Please explore this site for more information about the institute. If you are interested in participating in the 2025/26 cohort and/or have additional questions, please click the link below and we'll be in touch! Please Note: all levels of experience with equity-minded teaching & learning practices are encouraged to participate.
Why Equity? Why Now?
Shasta College, as an open access institution of higher education, has been dedicated to key principles of equity since its founding.
However, access is not enough. As Associate professor of higher education leadership, Anthony Abraham Jack, highlights, "access is not inclusion". A truly inclusive learning environment requires deep individual, institutional, and structural reflections on the policies and practices in and outside of the classroom that undermine students' ability to thrive.
The Equity-Minded Teaching & Learning Institute is a community of practice that provides the support and tools faculty need to create learning environments where all students thrive.
The PEAK Institute is a community of practice that provides the support and tools faculty need to create learning environments where all students thrive.
Faculty Testimonials
The impact of this institute is being felt both in and outside of the classroom here at Shasta College. Quantitative data highlights how the Institute is improving learner success. Qualitative data, as evidenced below, underscores the power of the Institute for faculty in their classrooms.
"The course was a revelatory experience for me as an educator by allowing me to examine and question many assumptions that I have simply accepted and internalized over three decades. These assumptions guided my teaching and shaped the way that I thought of and interacted with my students, and the course helped me recognize how some of the practices I used had the unintentional effect of adversely impacting the educational experience of many of my students. This made me want to revise and reimagine many of my teaching practices and assignments to help minimize and eliminate these consequences, helping me be a more equitable and effective instructor. I would also add that it was an amazing experience to spend time with and get to know colleagues from different departments and programs. We're often siloed within our own areas, and the Institute gave me an opportunity to get out of my silo and recognize the amazing, inspiring work that other do here at Shasta College."
"What I found most valuable were the pedagogical tools that we could apply to our courses right away, such as the liquid syllabus, grading for equity strategies, and being able to see my personal data."
"The safe place to unpack complicated issues and be vulnerable."
"The dedicated space to convene with curious colleagues whom collectively want to improve their instruction. It was nice to have coursework, discussions, and regular meetings where we align around the mission of providing equitable practices and services to our students."