Any Course Can Include Diversity Somewhere
Indicate how much the following happen in your course:
Very Some Quite Very
little
a bit Much
Students gain an understanding of how to connect
their learning to societal problems or issues
Students develop skills necessary to work effectively
with people from various cultural backgrounds
The course content emphasizes contributions to the
field by people from multiple cultures
The course covers topics from multiple theoretical
perspectives
You explore your own cultural and intellectual
limitations as part of class preparation
You address your potential biases about courserelated issues during class
You try to learn about student characteristics in order
to improve class instruction
You vary your teaching methods to encourage the
active participation of all students
You work on creating a classroom atmosphere that is
conducive to student learning
You try to empower students through their class
participation
You evaluate student learning using multiple
techniques
You adjust aspects of the course (e.g., pace, content, or
assignments) based on student learning needs
--Questions taken from the Faculty Survey of Student Engagement
Nine (9) Diversity Course Elements
Content:
 Purpose/goals: your course prepares students for active participation in a
diverse society; your goals contribute to creating a more just multicultural
society.
 Content: your course content includes material about different cultures or
emphasizes contributions to the field by people from multiple cultures;
discussion of diversity is not simply additive or an afterthought.
 Foundations/perspectives: your course explores multiple foundations and
theoretical perspectives; it discusses different approaches to problems or tasks.
Students:
 Learners: in planning your course and delivering content, you learn about
student characteristics and learning styles in order to improve instruction; you
take into consideration how students’ differing learning styles impact delivery
and success.
Instructors:
 Instructor(s): you explore your own views, biases, and value and come to an
understanding of which are important; you address your own cultural and
intellectual limitations during class preparation.
Process:
 Pedagogy: you vary your teaching methods and content delivery; your course
encourages critical inquiry and student empowerment.
 Classroom environment: your classroom environment is inclusive and
empowering; conditions encourage the engagement and participation of all
students.
 Assessment/evaluation: your course uses multiple methods of
assessing/evaluating student learning; your evaluation methods are sensitive to
student diversity.
 Adjustment: you adjust the pace, content, assignments, etc., based upon student
learning needs.