Asking whether implicit bias training “works” is as misguided as asking
whether teaching math “works”. This is because the answer will depend
entirely on how they are taught. As with regular teaching, implicit bias
training varies greatly in approach, content, teacher expertise, use of
effective teaching techniques, and learning goals. Some trainings involve
little more than a series of narrated PowerPoint slides. Other trainings
involve expert instructors who hold small, intensive workshops that can
last for days. Re-conceptualizing implicit bias training as just another
form of teaching opens up new avenues for developing best practices and
metrics for assessing learning outcomes.