Increasing racial diversity in linguistics and related fields rests on capturing BIPOC student interest, ideally upon first exposure. This presentation introduces a replicable introductory course design, which focuses on computer-mediated communication (CMC) as a means to inspire passion for language analysis. The case study is a general education course at San Francisco State University, titled Language Evolution in the Digital Age. In the course, students investigate patterns in language use from a variety of online and smartphone platforms including text messaging, social media interaction, online gaming, vlogging, and other every-day mediated interaction. By elevating students’ own linguistic competencies and expertise, the traditional asymmetry between instructor and student inverts: the CMC student is a data source, a data analyst, and a teacher, leading to student empowerment and comfort in the linguistics classroom. Meanwhile, the CMC data itself becomes the entree to lessons on grammatical analysis, semantics, pragmatics, and sociolinguistic theory. This case study may be of interest to instructors from departments and programs in theoretical linguistics, applied linguistics, communication studies, anthropology, and the social sciences.

This presentation will discuss the importance of language within the class contract, the syllabus, in enhancing inclusiveness for diverse student populations. Current and emerging law on third-gender and transgender identification in California will be addressed, as well as acknowledging and responding to students who might suffer basic needs insecurity and other challenges that can impact student success. Additionally, methods for increasing inclusiveness and the likelihood of student success will be explored from the perspective of the first-day interactions between instructors and learners, and learners and learners. Self-disclosure, both volunteered and student-initiated, and effective use of additive grading and incentives through judicious awards of extra credit will be highlighted.