Learning Through Diversity

Describe the scope of diversity in learning environments, of both students and instructor. Does Diversity Matter in the Education Process? An Exploration of Student Interactions by Wealth, Religion, Politics, Race, Ethnicity and Immigrant Status at the University of California. Center for Studies in Higher Education, University of California Berkeley, Research & Occasional Paper Series: CSHE.5.08.

The scope of diversity in learning environments includes race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, religion, political affiliation, sexuality, and more. These various aspects of identity can affect how certain groups interact with each other, notably if they have positive interactions with others. It can also affect whether they feel a sense of belonging in learning environments, such as college campuses. For instance, those from underrepresented or underprivileged groups are more likely to feel like they do not belong in a campus environment, which may lead to decreased performance. This trend likely applies to faculty, as well, who may feel less welcome if they are from an underprivileged or underrepresented group.

Describe how an instructor’s beliefs and biases can influence student learning. Tarr, Kathleen, “‘A Little More Every Day’: How You Can Eliminate Bias in Your Own Classroom,” The Chronicle of Higher Education, September 23, 2015, http://www.chronicle.com/article/A-Little-More-Every-Day-/233303.

An instructor’s beliefs and biases can influence student learning in many ways. In one case, an instructor may be more lenient to students they perceive as more disadvantaged and stricter to students they perceive to be more privileged. While well-meaning, this may prevent those disadvantaged students from learning and growing as well as the other students. Bias is often subtle and often goes undetected by the perpetrator; instructors may unintentionally be more critical of Black students and less critical of white students when grading assignments. Instructors may also not “listen actively” and project their own biases onto students, preventing them from hearing and understanding a student’s ideas and hindering their learning.

Describe and recognize the value of drawing on diversity in the development of teaching plans (including content, teaching practices and assessments) to foster learning. Lee, Amy, Robert Poch, Marta Shaw, and Rhiannon Williams. “The Need for Intercultural Competency Development in Classrooms”. (1-21). Engaging Diversity in Undergraduate Classrooms: A Pedagogy for Developing Intercultural Competence. ASHE Higher Education Report 38, no. 2. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, 2012.

Drawing on diversity in the development of teaching plans is integral in ensuring the success of all students in a classroom. Particularly, the integration of diversity in teaching strategies encourages the development of necessary skills in students, including teamwork, cooperation and leadership skills. The purposeful integration of diversity in teaching is especially important because these skills do not come passively, and the intentional use of diversity in teaching leads to significantly more student success, especially as this encourages diversity to be taught all throughout college and in all courses, rather than being a one-off class. Notably, integration of diversity in teaching plans also improves student success in less privileged groups, and ensures the success in all students in general.