Exploring Sociocultural Perspectives on Diversity in Education Contexts
Week
1
Big Idea
Understanding
humans as cultural
beings and identifying
elements of culture.
2
3&4
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.
How do world views
influence behavior?
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
identity affect
interactional styles?
Course Objective
Examine the nature and
function of culture.
Class Activity
Student group
presentation of one
culture
Assessment
Journal activity
Explore how history and
culture shape world
views.
List elements of
your world view.
Interview peer &
draft venn diagram
Journal activity
Examine the
development of his/her
own cultural identity and
learning &
communication styles.
Learning Style
Inventory
Journal activity
View video &
reflect on
interactional styles
observed
Quiz on terms,
major concepts,
analysis of example
case studies
5
The sociocultural
contexts of families
and communities.
6-7
Instruction on
participant
observation.
How does cultural
identity affect
language and
communication?
How has my cultural
identity impacted my
learning style,
interactional style,
language, intercultural
communication style?
What are
insider/outsider
perspectives?
How does the
sociocultural context
of family &
community impact
students?
How do you assess
cultural information
that impacts
instruction?
What is participant
observation?
How do
preconceptions impact
observations?
How do I focus on
objective vs subjective
recording?
Develop and apply
strategies for observing,
analyzing, and
comparing differences
related to family
structures,
socioeconomic status,
abilities/disabilities and
culture.
Complete culture
wheel activity –
your personal
cultural context
View video and
complete
observation
protocol
Journal activity
What behaviors are
culturally relevant?
What behaviors are
educationally
relevant?
8-10
11
12
Sociocultural
What are culturally
influences on learning. responsive
pedagogies?
Awareness of
How do they impact
culturally responsive
student learning?
pedagogies.
Articulate strategies for
teaching culturally
diverse students in the
classroom
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.
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.
How have school
practices and policies
changed over the years
and why?
How do school
practices and policy
impact learning of
students with diverse
learning needs?
What school practices
and policies have a
positive impact on
learning of students
with diverse learning
needs?
Journal activity
View video and
identify strategies –
write justification
for use of strategy
Journal activity
Review case study
on schools not
meeting AYP and
identify factors
related to
discrimination
13
History of prejudice,
discrimination and
racism in U.S. and
their current
educational
implications.
14-15
Cultural diversity and
its influence on
teaching and learning.
How have prejudice,
discrimination,
handicapism, and
racism impacted the
educational progress
of students with
diverse learning needs.
How are these
elements reflected in
teacher behaviors.
How are these
elements reflected in
my behavior?
How can knowledge
of culture impact
instructional practices?
What instructional
practices help you
learn?
How can you identify
student assets and use
that information to
plan instruction?
What factors impact
development of a
school environment
and classroom
environment that
invites all students to
feel safe and
motivated to learn?
Identify educators’
cultural practices and
expectations that
perpetuate and maintain
achievement gaps.
Identify one website Journal activity
that demonstrates
prejudice and list
examples of how
this prejudice is
exhibited.
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.
Review CREDE
website
Journal activity
Cultural immersion
project report due
Develop chart
aligning learning
style/ cultural
background/and
pedagogy.
Quiz on terms,
concepts, case study
analysis
Assessment:
Reflective journal entries (rubric)
Cultural immersion project and report (rubric)
Quiz on major concepts (objective scoring)