Abstract
Our culture is the lens through which we view the world. In better understanding our cultural lens, we may better realize the importance of honoring the various cultures of students in our classrooms. This paper looks at strategies for better inclusion of many different cultures and nationalities in higher education classes. We review strategies for better communication styles, avoiding stereotypes, and how to use more differentiated instructional skills. Multi-cultural strategies will be reviewed that better meet the needs of learners from diverse cultures including use of resources that show thinking with a more multicultural lens. Website, media clip and text use that incorporate more diversity in sources of information relating to global or multicultural trends and issues are overviewed as well as how to diversify existing courses through revision of assignment topics and assessments that have a more multicultural lens, creating activities that show appreciation of differences and avoid stereotypes by examining ideas to incorporate relevant global and multicultural trends and issues into curriculum. Better class discussion strategies that provide for a warm and comfortable environment for all, analyzing, comparing and contrasting perspectives on different global and multicultural trends/issues in class discussions are included in the themed presentation as well as pairing students from different backgrounds, cultures, and learning styles. Additionally, ideas for developing more multicultural-friendly syllabi to match our changing classroom demographics are addressed.
Presenters
Alexa LandrusAdjunct Full Professor, Department of Arts and Humanities, University of Maryland Global College, Maryland, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Learner Diversity and Identities
KEYWORDS
Inclusive, Multicultural, Cross-Cultural, International, Global, Identity, Equity, Participation
