As an undergraduate instructor, one of the courses I teach presently, is Psychology of Racism & Prejudice at the City College of New York, CUNY. My students consistently bring social media into our conversations (e.g., information they obtained) which made me consider how can I begin to include social media into my course work? Thus, I was eager when I was granted the opportunity to participate in the Teach with Social Media workshop and subsequently learn concepts that I can utilize going forward.

I received feedback to separate the initial microaggression assignment into two assignments. Additionally, it was suggested that I shortened the components of the outline (e.g., asking for psychological consequences related to microaggression) and provide an alternative writing assignment to the video presentation. Now, the draft of the outline is a low stakes in – class activity that will be conducted two weeks before the video presentation/paper is due to allow for edits to be made on their outline before incorporating the outline in their presentation/paper and submitting the final version of the outline. The article below will be distributed to students and guide the class discussion.

Nothing Micro About It: Examining Ableist Microaggressions on Social Media (adityavashistha.com)

Part 1 – Outline

Complete a one-page draft of the microaggression outline in class. Describe the following:

a) a microaggression that either occur to you or you witness happen, b) the theme of the microaggression (e.g., criminality), c) possible implied messages of the microaggression, and d) how this specific microaggression relate to parts of your own intersectionality/basic social groups and subtypes that you make up. 

Additionally, include one source from a peer reviewed journal article that investigates the microaggression you are presenting on.

After you submit the draft, you will receive feedback in one week which will allow for you to make any edits before submitting the final outline.

Part 2 – Final Project

Create a 3-minute TikTok video on a microaggression that you either (1) personally experienced or (2) witnessed happened to one of your peers. The duration of time will allow for you to get your message across in a way that is compelling, but also concise.

Within your video, either (1) describe or (2) act out the microaggression. Include information from the peer reviewed journal article and how it relates to your presentation.

You may also add text, transitions, or effects to your video.

Your microaggression presentation will be allotted five minutes in total during class. Three minutes for the video presentation followed by two minutes for open discussion with the instructor and fellow classmates.

Alternative Assignment: Submit an APA style 3-page paper (not including the References page) on a microaggression they you have either endured or witnessed on a social media platform. Within the paper, you may also address psychological consequences related to this microaggression and how other sources (e.g., the media) further promotes themes associated with the microaggression. Please include a ‘References’ page with at minimum three sources from peer reviewed journal articles.