Exploring Sociocultural Perspectives on Diversity in Education Contexts
Week
Big Idea
1
Understanding
humans as
cultural beings
and identifying
elements of
culture.
2
3
The development
of culturally
influenced
cognition,
interactional
styles, language
and
communication.
Essential
Questions
What is culture?
What are the
elements of
culture?
What function
does culture
serve?
How does culture
impact human
development?
What is a world
view?
What shapes
world views?
How have these
elements shaped
world views.
What is my
cultural identity?
What shaped my
cultural identity?
What is cognitive
learning style?
How does culture
identity affect
learning style?
How does culture
identify affect
interactional
styles?
How does
cultural identity
affect language
and
communication?
How has my
cultural identity
impacted my
learning style,
interactional
style, language
and
Course Objective
Assessment
Examine the nature
and function of
culture.
Journal activity
Presentation of
one culture
Explore how
history and culture
shape world views.
Journal activity
Interview peer
& draft venn
diagram
Examine the
development of
his/her own
cultural identity
and learning styles.
Learning style
quiz & journal
reflections
View video &
reflect on
interactional
styles observed
Quiz on terms,
major concepts,
analysis of
example case
studies
communication?
4
The sociocultural
contexts of
families and
communities.
5-6
Instruction on
participant
observation.
7-9
Sociocultural
influences on
learning.
Awareness of
culturally
responsive
pedagogies.
Effects of policy
and practice on
culture, race,
social class,
persons with
disabilities,
gender, sexual
orientation, and
other categories
of diversity.
Equity in
education:
testing, tracking,
disciplinary
policies, and
special education
placement.
10 -11
11-12
13
History of
prejudice,
discrimination
and racism in
U.S. and their
current
educational
implications.
Develop and apply
strategies for
observing,
analyzing, and
comparing
differences related
to family
structures,
socioeconomic
status,
abilities/disabilities
and culture.
Articulate
strategies for
teaching culturally
diverse students in
the classroom
View video and
complete
observation
protocol
Identify school
practices and
policies that
perpetuate and
maintain
achievement gaps,
including negative
stereotypes, related
to race class,
persons with
disabilities, gender,
sexual orientation,
and other forms of
prejudice and
discrimination.
Review case
study on
schools not
meeting AYP
and identify
factors related
to
discrimination.
Identify educators’
cultural practices
and expectations
that perpetuate and
maintain
achievement gaps.
Structured
interview of
educator &
report
View video and
identify
strategies –
write
justification for
use of strategy
14-15
Cultural diversity
and its influence
on teaching and
learning.
Identify strategies
that creatively deal
with challenges and
differences
between the
cultures of
educators and
students.
Identify assets and
values of diverse
populations to
bring student
learning to high
levels.
Quiz on terms,
concepts, case
study analysis
Develop chart
aligning
learning style/
cultural
background/and
pedagogy.