Cultural Diversity and its Effects on Learning and Teaching Monica A. Devanas Teaching Excellence Center Rutgers University

Diverse Students motivational and learning characteristics of students different from white, middle class males interplay of social and cultural diversity and learning style, curriculum content and instructional style

Diverse Students Social relational skills, values, characteristics Information processing orientations and skills Communication patterns Learning styles and strategies Motivational styles Psychological characteristics

Cultural, Learning and Motivational Styles Non-traditional –Social interactions –Peer cooperation –Performance –Visual perception –Symbolic expression –Narrative Traditional –Independence –Competition –Verbal skills

Cultural, Learning and Motivational Styles Females –affiliation –relationships –collaborative- cooperative interaction Males –separation –autonomy –competitive achievements

Learning Styles Relational –holistic, global –intuitive –social –verbal –nonacademic task oriented –affected by opinions –withdraw from drill –style conflicts with school environments Analytical –focus on detail –sequential –impersonal –abstract –academic task oriented –not affected by opinions –persist in drills –styles matches school environments

Experiential Learning Model Concrete Experience Testing Implications Observations and of Concepts in New Reflections Situations Formation of Abstract Concepts and Generalizations

Experiential Learning Model Concrete Experience Testing Implications Observations and of Concepts in New Reflections Situations Formation of Abstract Concepts and Generalizations

Experiential Learning Model Visual Concrete Experience Testing Implications Observations and of Concepts in New Reflections Situations Connected Separate Formation of Abstract Concepts and Generalizations Verbal

Learning Styles and Strategies Felder and Soloman Model Active/Reflective Sensing/Intuitive Visual/Verbal Sequential/Global /felder/public/ILSpage.html

Effective Teaching Strategies Concrete Experience - readings, examples, fieldwork, problems, observations, simulations, primary texts, films, games

Effective Teaching Strategies Concrete Experience - readings, examples, fieldwork, problems, observations, simulations, primary texts, films, games Reflective Observation - logs, journals, discussion, brainstorming, thought/rhetorical questions

Effective Teaching Strategies Concrete Experience - readings, examples, fieldwork, problems, observations, simulations, primary texts, films, games Reflective Observation - logs, journals, discussion, brainstorming, thought/rhetorical questions Abstract Conceptualization - lecture, papers, projects, analogies, model building

Effective Teaching Strategies Concrete Experience - readings, examples, fieldwork, problems, observations, simulations, primary texts, films, games Reflective Observation - logs, journals, discussion, brainstorming, thought/rhetorical questions Abstract Conceptualization - lecture, papers, projects, analogies, model building Active Experimentation - projects, fieldwork, homework, laboratory, case study, simulations

UCLA Freshman Survey rd year sampled: 383,815 students, 668 Two & Four Year Institutions adjusted: 275,811 students, 469 Institutions represent: 1.6 M entering 1st year students

UCLA Freshman Survey 82.9% Internet – educational, research tool 65.9% 54.2% chat rooms 72.9% “other” 80.4% play computer games

UCLA Freshman Survey private public black colleges in HS 80.1% 41.4% homework

UCLA Freshman Survey Interest in: Politics Law 1998 – 25.9%* 3.0%* 1997 – – – 5.4 * record low

UCLA Freshman Survey Volunteerism in HS: 1998 – 74.2* 1997 – – 62.0 * record high

UCLA Freshman Survey Academic Disengagement: (“bored in class” in HS) 1998 – 37.7* 1997 – – 26.4 * record high

Implementing the Principles of Good Practice for Diverse Learning Styles Technology as the Lever

Promising Instructional Technologies Visual Materials –artifacts –overhead projector and slides –computer graphic presentation –movies, video, videodisk

Promising Instructional Technologies Visual Materials –artifacts –overhead projector and slides –computer graphic presentation –movies, video, videodisk Auditory Materials –tapes –instruments –human voices

Classroom Technologies “Smart” Classrooms (HEFT) see, hear, breathe equipment: –overhead, ceiling, 16 mm, slides –VCR, CD/Video disk –computer connections –audio tape player/recorder

Video Conferencing “Open your Classroom to the World” languages, cultures, literature, film Students at a Distance Research, Meetings, Seminars

“EXTRA-classroom” Instructional Technologies Electronic data bases –library –web-based Graphic Data Statistical Data

“EXTRA-classroom” Instructional Technologies Listserv newsgroups/discussion groups “chat rooms” real time web-based materials on-line courses

Uses of Communication - Q&A, “virtual” office hours Information distribution - FAQ’s, announcements Course Organization - homework, assignments Content Enrichment

Intro to Macro & Micro Economics

Biomedical Issues of AIDS

Student’s Listserv Discussions megan wrote: just a question to ponder.... how do you think life will change if a cure is found. do you think people will change their attitudes … In respone to megan if there was a cure i think people will have another excuse to hace unprotected sex. I know many people who refuse to use… For the past week or so, I have received many l messages about a conspiracy theory. It bothered me to hear that people had that little faith in their government….. in response to what megan wrote...i think people will still have protected sex because the cure for AIDS is going to be very expensive, and besides … I must say that for those of you who believe that our government would not withhold the cure for AIDS, have to much faith in their government…

Listserv Discussion Groups Group 2: Should convicted criminals be required to disclose their HIV status and/or be tested for HIV? Many people agreed that, for the majority of cases, a criminal should not be forced to be tested and therefore disclose their information. Afterall, as someone stated, "having your personal medical records made public is not part of the sentence." Others felt that it would be too expensive to test everyone in prison and that the money could be used elsewhere. The fact is that other inmates would discriminate against the HIV positive person and a great deal of violence would occur. If you think about it, why should criminals be forced to be tested and/or forced to disclose their personal medical history just because they are in jail? Afterall, they don't test you for any other diseases in jail- why only HIV?

Conferencing Software Conferencing - Web-Based Discussion –Nicenet ( –NetscapeProfessional, Allaire Forum WebCT ( –conferencing –organization –testing

Testing Software Half-Baked Potato Software – –JBC on-line quizzes (multiple choice) –JQuiz (short answers) –Markin (annotate text) PerfectMatch (beta preview) – –match image with concept

Precautions for using Instructional Technologies Purpose Evaluation of Effectiveness –teaching –learning Back-up plans Reliance on Infrastrucure

“Highly Interactive” Learning Model Bork Model “New Learning Structures” learning and evaluation blended –frequent interaction (20 sec) –Socratic format –memory of learning style

Assessment Student survey Instructor satisfaction Attendance Graduates quantitative scores

“Seven Principles of Good Practice” Increase Contact Cooperation Active Learning Feedback Time on Task High Expectations Respects Diverse Talents and Ways of Learning Chickering and Ehrmann 1996 IMPLEMENTING THE SEVEN PRINCIPLES: Technology as Lever. AAHE Bulletin

Teaching Effectiveness Goal Research - Strategies - Assessment “Multicultural Teaching Repertoire” is…. …effective teaching for all students