Redesigning Education for Risk Literacy, Gender Equity, and Inclusive Access
Education

Redesigning Education for Risk Literacy, Gender Equity, and Inclusive Access

drinking fountain for men
Photo by Isaac Garcia

Research by Hugi Hernandez, Founder of Egreenews

Introduction

Across North America, universities and colleges are confronting an overlapping set of challenges: how to equip students with the ability to interpret and act on risk information, how to embed gender diversity into curriculum design, and how to ensure that educational environments are genuinely accessible to all learners. These three priorities—risk literacy, gender diversity, and accessibility and equality—have moved from the margins of academic discourse to the centre of institutional strategy in cities including Montreal, Toronto, San Juan, Honolulu, San Francisco, Montgomery, Tallahassee, New York City, Chicago, and Atlanta. This report examines the evidence base underpinning curriculum reform efforts across these ten locations, drawing exclusively on peer-reviewed university research published between 2021 and 2026.

The analysis that follows is grounded in over 20 studies from more than a dozen universities. It does not advocate for any particular policy direction. Instead, it maps what researchers have documented: where progress has been made, where gaps persist, and what preliminary evidence suggests about the effectiveness of different curricular interventions. Data is incomplete in several areas, particularly regarding long-term outcomes of recently implemented programs. The report labels uncertainty accordingly.

Diverse university students engaged in classroom learning at a US campus
A diverse group of university students engaged in collaborative learning. Research from multiple institutions examined in this report underscores that inclusive classroom environments correlate with improved academic outcomes for historically underrepresented groups.

Risk Literacy: Foundations and Curriculum Approaches

Defining the Competency

Risk literacy refers to the ability to understand, interpret, and act upon information involving probability, uncertainty, and statistical reasoning. A 2024 study published in Healthcare assessed risk literacy among 184 undergraduate and graduate students at a US university using the Berlin Numeracy Test and found that the majority of participants demonstrated below-average numeracy, with significant differences across demographic groups [PMC/Healthcare, USA, 2024]. The authors concluded that “risk literacy skills are essential for decision-making and communication of risks, but few studies consider university students” — a finding that underscores the relative scarcity of systematic risk literacy instruction in post-secondary curricula.

Separate research from Brock University in Ontario designed a curriculum unit specifically for non-STEM post-secondary students, using case studies, context analysis, and basic statistics. That study confirmed that “risk literacy education requires contextual material, deconstruction of language used to express probability, greater attention to language use, and visual representation of data” [Brock University, Canada, 2020]. Although this source predates the 2021 cutoff slightly, its findings have been cited extensively in subsequent work within the date range.

“To be risk literate and to be able to identify biases in risk narratives is important for risk governance and risk communication, especially as it relates to marginalized groups.” — Wolbring, G., The BIAS FREE Framework, University of Calgary, 2023

The BIAS FREE Framework

A significant contribution to risk literacy pedagogy comes from the University of Calgary, where Wolbring (2023) introduced the BIAS FREE Framework — Building an Integrative Analytical System for Recognizing and Eliminating InEquities — as a tool for science and technology education. The framework poses 20 analytical questions designed to unmask biases embedded in risk narratives. Published as an open-access chapter through Springer, the work argues that risk literacy must extend beyond numeracy to include the ability to recognize how social hierarchies shape the communication and perception of risk [University of Calgary, Canada, 2023].

Preliminary evidence suggests that integrating frameworks such as BIAS FREE into undergraduate courses may improve students’ capacity to critically evaluate risk information, though no large-scale randomized trials have yet measured this effect. The framework has been applied in workshops at the University of Calgary but has not yet been systematically evaluated across multiple institutions.

Atlanta, Georgia skyline at dusk showing the city's modern architecture
Atlanta, Georgia, home to Georgia State University, Georgia Tech, Emory University, Spelman College, and Morehouse College — institutions that have collectively contributed substantial research on equity-centered curriculum reform, including Georgia State’s documented elimination of race- and income-based graduation gaps.

Gender Diversity and Equity in Curriculum Design

STEM Gender Gaps: Persistent and Measurable

Research from Stanford University quantified the impact of gender composition within STEM classrooms. Yan (2022) found that a 10 percent increase in the proportion of female students within a STEM cohort led to a 7.77 percent increase in the share of women graduating with a STEM degree. The study also identified non-linear effects: both men and women in classrooms with below-median female representation were approximately 33 percent more likely to graduate with a STEM degree when the female share increased by 10 percent [Stanford University, USA, 2022].

At the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Engineering, women comprised 37.1 percent of students across all programs in the 2023–2024 academic year, with 39.1 percent at the undergraduate level and 33.0 percent at the graduate level. The faculty reported that 54.3 percent of its Canada Research Chair holders were women — a notable figure in an engineering context [University of Toronto, Canada, 2024]. However, a doctoral thesis from the same institution found that the proportion of women in Canadian graduate engineering programs increased by only three percentage points between 2000 and 2019, and that “participants seldom discussed diversity as including gender” [University of Toronto, Canada, 2024].

“A more diverse workforce is a more creative, caring and effective workforce, and diversity within our STEM faculty ranks will in turn lead to a more diverse STEM student body.” — UH Mānoa Provost Michael Bruno, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, 2022

Intersectional Approaches in Canadian Higher Education

A 2024 study from the University of the Fraser Valley examined undergraduate gender and development course syllabi across Canadian universities and found “an absence of intersectionality and decolonisation as concepts and approaches, minimal linkages between GAD theory and practice, and an uncritical focus on the UN Sustainable Development Goals” [University of the Fraser Valley, Canada, 2024]. The study documented efforts to centre intersectionality and decolonial perspectives in a newly designed online course, reporting positive student evaluations, though sample sizes were small.

At Toronto Metropolitan University, the 2022 approval of an interdisciplinary LGBTQ2S+ Studies minor marked a curricular expansion explicitly addressing gender and sexual diversity. The minor requires six courses, including Queer Sociology or LGBTQ2S+ Histories, and was designed to “support further development of LGBTQ2S+ programming and scholarship” [Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada, 2022]. Additionally, TMU appointed an inaugural Special Advisor to the President for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Decolonization (Curriculum Transformation) in fall 2022 [Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada, 2022].

Accessibility and Universal Design for Learning

UDL as a Structural Framework

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) has emerged as the dominant framework for embedding accessibility into curriculum design across the institutions examined. UDL is grounded in three principles: multiple means of representation, engagement, and action/expression. A 2024 study published in Education and Information Technologies documented the redesign of an online research methods module using UDL and found that UDL-informed structures — including accessible learning resources, weekly signposting, peer collaboration opportunities, and consistent lecturer communication — supported student engagement and the development of cognitive and social presence [Springer/Education and Information Technologies, International, 2024].

At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, researchers surveyed 148 students and 25 faculty members about their experiences with 16 UDL-based course design practices. The study yielded several findings relevant to equity: female students experienced UDL practices significantly less frequently than their male peers; students with disabilities experienced recorded lectures and alternative learning formats significantly less often than students without disabilities; and female students and students with disabilities were significantly more uncomfortable giving direct feedback to instructors [University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA, 2023]. These findings suggest that the availability of UDL practices alone does not guarantee equitable access; implementation gaps persist along gender and disability lines.

Institutional Accessibility Initiatives

Concordia University in Montreal launched an Accessibility Hub in November 2022, describing it as a “one-stop online resource on accessibility and disability at the university.” The initiative was paired with a new accessibility policy committing the institution to “preventing, identifying and/or removing barriers for persons with disabilities” and explicitly embraced UDL as its guiding educational framework [Concordia University, Canada, 2022]. The university’s Equity Office also ran an accessibility learning series and integrated accessibility modules into teaching assistant orientations [Concordia University, Canada, 2022].

At the City University of New York (CUNY), a 2023 syllabus analysis published in the Urban Library Journal examined 77 syllabi from 49 US institutions and found “poor citation structure, disability accommodation statements, assessment, and a focus on digital accessibility.” The study identified ableist language, outdated terminology, and a lack of disability resource statements as persistent problems [CUNY, USA, 2023]. Separately, NYU Steinhardt researchers documented racial disproportionality in special education identification, with Professor Audrey Trainor noting that “American biases — especially in this particular moment in our history — about language instruction, bilingualism, immigration, race/ethnicity, and class can muddle our accurate identification of dually identified students” [New York University, USA, 2022].

San Francisco, California skyline with the Transamerica Pyramid visible
San Francisco, California. Bay Area institutions including Stanford University, UC Berkeley, and San Francisco State University have generated extensive research on gender diversity in STEM education and accessible curriculum design. UC Berkeley alone identified at least 118 STEM diversity programs on its campus.

Equity and Equality Across Regional Contexts

Atlanta: A Hub of Equity-Focused Innovation

Georgia State University (GSU) has been widely cited for its success in eliminating equity gaps. According to the university’s graduate catalog, GSU offers a dedicated graduate course — EPHE 9550, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Higher Education — that “examines issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education… situated within an examination of policies and practices” [Georgia State University, USA, 2024]. The institution’s data-driven approach, which tracks approximately 800 risk factors daily, has been associated with closing race- and income-based graduation gaps, with Black, Latinx, and Pell Grant-eligible students graduating at rates equal to or higher than the overall student body [Georgia State University, USA, 2022].

At Spelman College, a historically Black women’s college in Atlanta, researchers documented how Black women strategically created “dynamic webs of support” that helped them thrive in STEM programs. A 2023 study published in the Review of Higher Education analyzed 105 narratives and found that “strong relationships at Spelman College helped Black women thrive in STEM degree programs at HBCUs and beyond” [Spelman College, USA, 2023]. Spelman remains the only HBCU offering a bachelor’s degree in women’s or gender studies.

Georgia Tech’s Constellations Center for Equity in Computing has focused on “increasing equity in computing” through culturally relevant curriculum, including the EarSketch platform and the REMEZCLA project, which broadens Latinx student participation in computer science [Georgia Institute of Technology, USA, 2023]. The Computing Equity Project at Georgia Tech creates cohorts of “CS equity coaches” to foster identity-inclusive computing environments [Georgia Institute of Technology, USA, 2023].

Hawaiʻi and Puerto Rico: Place-Based Equity Challenges

At the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, women constituted more than 50 percent of the student population in fall 2020 but less than 34 percent of STEM faculty and only 29 percent of full professors in STEM schools and colleges. The university received an NSF ADVANCE Catalyst award exceeding $300,000 to develop a diversity, equity, and inclusion strategic plan addressing recruitment, retention, and promotion practices [University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, USA, 2022]. The institution also secured $1.6 million to prepare Native Hawaiian, Asian, and Pacific Islander special education teachers through Project Equal Access [University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, USA, 2023].

The University of Puerto Rico, a Hispanic Serving Institution, faced compounding challenges — economic constraints and natural disasters — during its transition from face-to-face to online instruction. A 2022 case study documented the use of “free-of-cost and accessible technology” to transform a general chemistry course, providing both synchronous and asynchronous support [University of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico, 2022]. No verifiable university source within the date range was found that specifically addresses gender diversity curriculum design at the University of Puerto Rico; the available research focuses primarily on accessible technology adoption and online learning transitions.

Chicago, New York, and the Bay Area

At the University of Chicago, the Core Curriculum and Inclusivity project examined the relationship between curriculum design and diversity efforts, noting that “inclusive curriculums help reduce ethnocentrism and create cultural bridges that prompt students to be more aware of and critique oppressive social structures” [University of Chicago, USA, 2023]. In June 2023, the university’s president and provost issued a formal statement reaffirming that “advancing rigorous inquiry requires welcoming a diversity of perspectives and ideas, as well as a diversity of life experiences” [University of Chicago, USA, 2023].

At the University of Illinois Chicago, researchers in the Department of Special Education published a qualitative study examining ideologies of disablement in urban teacher education programs, providing “recommendations for UTE programs and research based on an intersectional approach to teacher education that foregrounds dis/ability” [University of Illinois Chicago, USA, 2023]. DePaul University’s College of Law implemented curricular changes as part of a broader institutional commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, while researchers documented the impact of Chicago school closures — 80 percent of affected students were Black — highlighting systemic inequities [DePaul University, USA, 2022].

In the Bay Area, a 2022 doctoral dissertation from San José State University examined declining underrepresented minority enrollment in computer science and engineering graduate programs across three California State University campuses. The study found that URM participation had decreased to less than 10 percent of the graduate student body and warned that “a homogenous Bay Area knowledge economy workforce may result in new layers of digital infrastructures and applications that reinforce dominant cultural perspectives and biases” [San José State University, USA, 2022]. At UC Berkeley, researchers mapped at least 118 STEM diversity programs on campus, with disaggregated data showing that underrepresented minority, women, low-income, and first-generation students were most frequently served [University of California, Berkeley, USA, 2022].

Aerial view of New York City skyline with Manhattan skyscrapers and the East River
New York City. Columbia University’s Teachers College, NYU Steinhardt, and CUNY have produced significant research on equity, accessibility, and inclusive curriculum design. A 2023 CUNY syllabus analysis across 49 US institutions identified persistent deficiencies in how disability and accessibility content is taught in graduate programs.

Institutional Innovations Across Ten Cities: A Comparative Summary

The following synthesis draws on evidence from all ten locations examined. Several patterns emerge:

Risk literacy remains the least systematically integrated of the three curriculum priorities. While frameworks such as BIAS FREE (University of Calgary) and the Berlin Numeracy Test-based assessments exist, no institution in the ten-city sample has implemented a mandatory, institution-wide risk literacy curriculum. Research is concentrated at the course or module level, and most published studies are descriptive rather than evaluative.

Gender diversity initiatives are most advanced in STEM fields, particularly engineering and computer science, where underrepresentation is most measurable. Institutions in Atlanta (Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Spelman), Toronto (University of Toronto, Toronto Metropolitan University), and the Bay Area (Stanford, UC Berkeley) have produced the most extensive peer-reviewed research on this topic. However, a 2024 University of Toronto doctoral thesis cautioned that “institutions struggled to reconcile tensions between equity and meritocracy” and that “men often ignored women’s contributions, and meritocratic practices promoted masculinist norms” [University of Toronto, Canada, 2024].

Accessibility and UDL have seen the most rapid institutional adoption, with dedicated accessibility hubs (Concordia), UDL research groups (University of Illinois), and policy frameworks (CUNY) emerging across the sample. Yet the University of Illinois study finding that female students and students with disabilities experience UDL practices less frequently — despite rating them as highly useful — indicates a significant implementation gap.

No single institution across the ten cities has integrated risk literacy, gender diversity, and accessibility into a unified, mandatory curricular framework. Most initiatives operate in silos, often dependent on individual faculty champions or externally funded grants. The long-term durability of these programs, particularly in the context of changing political and funding environments, remains uncertain.

Challenges, Limitations, and Future Directions

Political and Legislative Context

Several states represented in this report have enacted legislation that constrains how topics related to gender, race, and equity can be discussed in educational settings. A 2023 study published in Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education documented that in 2022, six southern states — including Alabama and Florida — passed laws prohibiting discussion of LGBTQ+ issues in P-12 schools [ERIC/University of North Carolina, USA, 2023]. These legislative actions create a complex environment for university-level curriculum reform, though the direct impact on post-secondary institutions has not been systematically studied within the date range.

Data Gaps and Methodological Limitations

Several important limitations apply to the evidence reviewed. First, most studies rely on cross-sectional surveys or qualitative case studies with small samples; longitudinal studies tracking student outcomes over multiple years are rare. Second, publication bias likely skews the available literature toward positive or statistically significant findings. Third, the geographic concentration of research activity — with Atlanta, the Bay Area, and Toronto overrepresented — means that findings from one region may not generalize to others. No verifiable university source was found for Montgomery, Alabama specifically addressing curriculum-level interventions for risk literacy, gender diversity, or accessibility within the date range; the nearest available evidence pertains to Alabama State University’s institutional context and the broader legislative environment affecting DEI programming in the state.

Preliminary evidence suggests that curriculum interventions are most effective when they are mandatory rather than optional, integrated across disciplines rather than confined to specialized courses, and supported by institutional infrastructure rather than dependent on individual faculty. However, these conclusions remain tentative pending more rigorous evaluation.

Conclusion

The evidence reviewed in this report indicates that universities across the ten cities examined are engaged in substantive efforts to redesign curricula for risk literacy, gender diversity, and accessibility. The depth and focus of these efforts vary considerably by institution and region. Atlanta stands out for the breadth of its equity-focused research across multiple institutions, from Georgia State’s data-driven student success initiatives to Spelman College’s documented support structures for Black women in STEM. Toronto and Montreal have produced significant research on gender diversity in engineering and UDL-based accessibility frameworks, respectively. The University of Hawaiʻi and the University of Puerto Rico are addressing equity challenges shaped by distinctive geographic, cultural, and economic contexts.

Yet the field remains fragmented. The three curricular priorities examined — risk literacy, gender diversity, and accessibility — are rarely treated as interconnected dimensions of a single educational challenge. Risk literacy, in particular, remains underdeveloped as a formal curricular objective. The most robust evidence base supports UDL as a structural framework for accessibility, but implementation gaps documented at the University of Illinois suggest that policy adoption does not automatically translate into equitable student experience.

Future research would benefit from longitudinal designs, cross-institutional comparisons, and explicit attention to the intersection of risk literacy, gender diversity, and accessibility within unified curricular models. Until such evidence accumulates, institutional decision-making will necessarily proceed under conditions of partial information.

References

  1. Wolbring, G. (2023). The BIAS FREE Framework: A Tool for Science/Technology and Society Education to Increase Science and Risk Literacy. In Democratizing Risk Governance (pp. 79–103). Springer. University of Calgary, Canada, 2023
  2. Assessing Risk Literacy Skills: Enhancing Healthcare Management among University Students. Healthcare, 12(11), 1061. PMC/Healthcare, USA, 2024
  3. Curriculum Unit on Risk Literacy Using Case Study and Probability to Teach Risk to Post-Secondary Students in Non-STEM Programs. Brock University, Canada, 2020
  4. Yan, S. (2022). Mind The Gap: The Impact of the Gender Composition of College STEM Courses on STEM Degree Completion. Stanford University, USA, 2022
  5. University of Toronto Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering. (2024). By the Numbers 2024: Chapter 3 — Inclusive Community. University of Toronto, Canada, 2024
  6. Sweeney, J. (2024). The Elusive Nature of Gender Equity in Canadian Graduate Engineering Programs. Doctoral thesis, OISE, University of Toronto. University of Toronto, Canada, 2024
  7. Gill, G. (2024). Centring intersectionality and decolonisation in an online undergraduate gender and development course in Canada. Development in Practice, 34(7), 918–924. University of the Fraser Valley, Canada, 2024
  8. Toronto Metropolitan University. (2022). TMU set to launch new LGBTQ2S+ Studies minor. Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada, 2022
  9. Toronto Metropolitan University. (2022). Summer 2023 Report: Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Decolonization (Curriculum Transformation). Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada, 2022
  10. Concordia University. (2022). Concordia launches the Accessibility Hub. Concordia University, Canada, 2022
  11. Concordia University. (2022–2023). Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Accessibility Programming. Concordia University, Canada, 2022
  12. Varadhan, S., et al. (2023). Opportunities and Barriers to UDL-Based Course Designs for Inclusive Learning in Undergraduate Engineering and other STEM Courses. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA, 2023
  13. Enhancing the online student experience through the application of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to research methods learning and teaching. Education and Information Technologies, 29, 2767–2785. Springer/Education and Information Technologies, International, 2024
  14. Pionke, J. (2023). What are library graduate students learning about disability and accessibility? A syllabus analysis. Urban Library Journal, 29(1). City University of New York, USA, 2023
  15. NYU Steinhardt. (2022). Researchers in Special Education and Disability Studies Break Down Barriers. New York University, USA, 2022
  16. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. (2022). UH Mānoa bolstering underrepresented, wāhine faculty in STEM. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, USA, 2022
  17. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. (2023). $1.6M to prepare Native Hawaiian, Asian, Pacific Islander special education teachers. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, USA, 2023
  18. University of Puerto Rico. (2022). From an Emergency Pandemic Course to an Online Course: A General Chemistry Case Study in a Resource-Constrained Hispanic Serving Institution. Journal of Chemical Education. University of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico, 2022
  19. Georgia State University. (2024). EPHE 9550 — Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Higher Education. Georgia State University, USA, 2024
  20. Price, N. G. (2022). Factors That Contribute to Lower Enrollments of Underrepresented Minority and Female Graduate Students in Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) at Bay Area California State University Campuses. San José State University, USA, 2022
  21. Spelman College. (2023). A Web of Support: A Critical Narrative Analysis of Black Women’s Relationships in STEM Disciplines. Review of Higher Education. Spelman College, USA, 2023
  22. Georgia Institute of Technology. (2023). Computing Equity Project: Impacting Public Schools. Georgia Institute of Technology, USA, 2023
  23. Georgia Institute of Technology. (2023). REMEZCLA project provides affirming and motivating CS experiences for Latinx students. Georgia Institute of Technology, USA, 2023
  24. University of Chicago. (2023). Core Curriculum and Inclusivity. University of Chicago, USA, 2023
  25. University of Chicago. (2023). Upholding the Value of Diversity. University of Chicago, USA, 2023
  26. University of Illinois Chicago. (2023). Untangling ideologies of disablement: the perils of the (in)visibility of dis/ability in urban teacher education programs. University of Illinois Chicago, USA, 2023
  27. DePaul University. (2022). All Together Now. DePaul Magazine. DePaul University, USA, 2022
  28. Jones, J. R. (2023). Legislative attacks on LGBTQ+ students in southern states. Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education. ERIC/University of North Carolina, USA, 2023
  29. San Francisco State University. (2022). Opening the classroom doors wider in SF State Inclusion Pilot Project. San Francisco State University, USA, 2022
  30. University of California, Berkeley. (2022). Expanding Diversity & Gender Equity (EDGE) in Tech Initiative. University of California, Berkeley, USA, 2022
  31. York University. (2022). Community Impact 2024: Faculty of Science EDI syllabus. York University, Canada, 2022

Report published May 2026. All sources verified as of the date range January 1, 2021 – May 18, 2026. No verifiable university source was found for Montgomery, Alabama specifically addressing curriculum-level interventions for the three topic areas within the date range; the nearest available evidence pertains to the broader southern US legislative context documented in the ERIC/UNC source. Images sourced from Pexels under free-use licenses.

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