Approaches to Modeling Diversity in the College Classroom: Challenges and Strategies

Authors

  • Evangeline A. Wheeler Towson University Author
  • Jean F. Ayers Towson University Author
  • Maria P. Fracasso Towson University Author
  • M. Paz Galupo Towson University Author
  • Joan S. Rabin Towson University Author
  • Barbara R. Slater Towson University Author

Abstract

A team of psychology professors discusses the challenges they faced in teaching a curriculum based on multicultural theory. They identify three challenges: the large volume of scholarship on diversity, student resistance to diversity issues, and their own attitudes toward diversity. They present a technique for meeting these challenges based on modeling appropriate diversity-sensitive behaviors that involves the use of language and course content to model respect for several forms of diversity. The authors provide specific strategies for creating and sustaining a diversity-sensitive classroom climate, and suggest that their strategies and processes are appropriate for a wide range of college courses.

Published

2024-03-22