Diversity and Inclusion of All Adult Learners

Creating an Inclusive Classroom

Learning Outcomes:

Students will be able to: Define Diversity Participate in activities that demonstrate understanding of

diversity and inclusion in the classroom Identify strategies for accommodating diverse adult learners

Icebreaker: Human Scavenger Hunt

Go back to “Student Profiles” Forum in week one and find someone who: Lives in Brampton Has children Has a full time job Works in the dental field Has worked in their field for over 3 years Is new to online learning Is bilingual Is new to Moodle

Food for thought: Activity1

What did this tell you about the learners in this class? Share an experience you have had in training/education

where your needs were not met. How can professors accommodate the different needs of

students in their class room?

What is Diversity and how does it affect adult learning environments? As defined in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary Diversity \də-ˈvər-sə-tē, dī-\ is:

:the condition of having or being composed of differing elements : variety; especially: the inclusion of different types of people (as people of different races or cultures) in a group or organization <programs intended to promote diversity in schools>

(Merriam-Webster Dictionary , 2012)

Our Ontario, Did you know?

• Canadians reported more than 200 different ethnic origins, and more than 100 languages.

• 1 in 5 people in Canada was born in another country, the highest percentage it has been for 75 years

• 32% of Canadians speak a language other than English at home• 28% of the population are immigrants, the highest percentage in the

country**• Aboriginal population increased to 3.8% of total (from 3.3% in 2001)• More than 60 different Aboriginal languages are spoken in Canada**• 10% of the general population is estimated to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or • 13.5% of people in Ontario live with disabilities*• 1 in10 people in Canada have some degree of hearing loss (Canadian Hearing

Society)

(Statistics Canada, Census 2001)

Picture this: Gary is an instructor who has a class of 30 students with the following students included (below), how can the instructor facilitate equal and fair learning experiences to all of them?

Garry;Is facilitating a class for a

diverse group of individuals from across the learning

spectrum, abilities & cultural backgrounds. He is teaching a Gen-ed class at the college

level which is open to different students from

different programs for the first time.

Sohee:A student with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder & gets distracted easily in class.

Martha:A 67 year-old retired teacher who had extensive experience working in the field but no traditional approach to learning.

Tamar:Of Brazilian descent, her knowledge base derives from traditional story-telling & cultural beliefs.

Jean Claude:An international student who speaks English as a second language.

Molly:A visual learner who understands & processes information quickly. She has an MBA in Accounting and a BSc in Computers.

The Answer:

Inclusion through Universal Instructional Design

Universal Instructional Design is: Designing learning environments where the content is

accessible to all learners regardless of learning style, age, background or learning ability.

An approach that encourages those involved in the learning process to practice techniques that support UID principles at a pace and in a manner they can manage with success.

(Jim Bryson, 2004)

Principles of Universal Design

be accessible and fair, be flexible, provide flexibility in use, participation and

presentation be straightforward and consistent , be explicit, information is explicitly presented and

readily perceived be supportive, provide a supportive learning

environment minimize unnecessary physical effort or requirements, learning space, ensure a learning space

accommodates both students and instructional methods.

(Jim Bryson, 2004)

Food for Thought: Activity 2

Watch the following video on YouTube, please remember to click the closed captioning button on the right side corner for more accessibility.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7eUf_7dZVM

Back to our case scenario, how can the instructor facilitate equal and fair learning experiences to all learners?

Garry;Is facilitating a class for

a diverse group of individuals from across the learning spectrum,

abilities & cultural backgrounds. He is

teaching a Gen-ed class at the college level

which is open to different students from different programs for

the first time.

Sohee:A student with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder & gets distracted easily in class.

Martha:A 67 year-old retired teacher who had extensive experience working in the field but no traditional approach to learning.

Tamar:Of Brazilian descent, her knowledge base derives from traditional story-telling & cultural beliefs.

Jean Claude:An international student who speaks English as a second language.

Molly:A visual learner who understands & processes information quickly. She has an MBA in Accounting and a BSc in Computers.

Students with Disabilities

• Human Rights and the Duty to Accommodate– Accommodation is a shared responsibility.

Everyone including the person with disability, should work to look for accommodation solutions together.

– There is no set formula for accommodating people with disabilities. Even though some accommodations can benefit many people, you need to consider individual needs each time a person asks to be accommodated. A solution for one person may not work for someone else.

(OHRC, 1999)

Accommodating Sohee

• Sohee is a student with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder & gets distracted easily in class.

• Sohee is not alone, 10% of students have a disability (Sheridan, 2010)

Learners with a ADHD benefit greatly from:– Referral to Accessible Learning Services to get accommodations such

as Extra time on exams and sessions with a Learning Strategist– Preferential seating so they can pay attention in class– Assistive Technology such as recording lectures to review after class– Accessing extra notes from professors – Completing a learning style inventory to understand their strengths

and challenges for example “Kolb’s learning styles” – Different instructional strategies that incorporate hands-on learning– Using time management planners

English Language Learners

• Based on a survey of immigrants who arrived in Canada between Oct 2000 and Sept 2001, 40% reported at least one problem with 27% identifying language barriers as the most serious obstacle

(Chui, 2003)

• Within any training program it is important to acknowledge and support the needs of second language learners (Hancock & Beach, 2011). It is also important to assess progress, evaluate level of learning throughout the course, and provide regular feedback. Instructors should:– assess if the student understands how the task needs to

be completed, and– gage if the student understands why it is important

(“Breaking the Language Barriers”, 2000)

Accommodating Jean-Claude• Jean-Claude is originally from France and speaks English as

a second language. He is concerned he will not be able to understand concepts used throughout the course and might struggle to keep up with his classmates.

Learners with language barriers benefit greatly from:– Clear framework of course standards– Conversation circles– Referral to international office and other support services– Clearly-defined skills to be learnt– Regular assessment and clear feedback of progress– varied learning formats

(“Breaking the Language Barriers”, 2000)

Educational BackgroundsMini-Survey

• To understand how a student in Molly’s situation feels, A short survey comprised of 7 questions was completed on 3 different individuals with different educational backgrounds and with high averages. The questions are as follows:

1) After you learned the information and understood it, did you feel bored or restless having to listen to it being repeated for others?

2)If yes, to answer 1, then what did you do to pass the time?

Did repeating the information make you feel less motivated to attend classes or even learn, since no further effort was required on your part?

4)Would you have liked to have been challenged further as a student?

5)What do you feel could have been done to challenge you more or use your time wisely?

6)Did helping others (if you had to perform that task) help you to remember the information better because you were explaining it to someone else?

7) Is there something in your educational background that enabled you to understand what was being taught to you better? Or process the information faster? Or organize yourself or tasks more efficiently?

Results

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q70

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

NoYes

Accommodating Molly

• Molly is a visual learner who understands & processes information quickly. She has an MBA in Accounting and a BSc in Computers. Molly has a low motivation for learning because she does not feel challenged in the classroom.

Learners with advanced educational background benefit greatly from:

– Using problem based learning, where the trainer/teacher would provide the information needed to solve the problem, and then create a problem that would encourage the student(s) to use the knowledge gained in the classroom (Kenzie, 1998, p.47).

– Using mental tools necessary to address the issues presented in their work/life scenario

– Incorporating group work to help Molly take on an advisory role and helps “hearing others’ ideas and receiving immediate feedback on proposed solutions stimulated group members’ understanding” (Kenzie,1998, p.46)

– Using multidisciplinary examples that reach learners from different backgrounds

Accommodating Martha

• Martha is a 67 year-old retired teacher who had extensive experience working in the field but no traditional approach to learning.

Mature Learners benefit greatly from:– A respectful environment which involves reflective discussions,

with the mature learners acting as mediators, thus encouraging a positive outcome in this “psychological” level of Maslow’s hierarchy. 

– Clear guidelines on class expectations– Optional computer and technology-based tutorials that will

assist mature students in developing these skills needed. – Opportunities to offer mentoring sessions in order to foster

acceptance.  In light of Knowles’ theory, connecting past experiences to current material will make the learning experience more meaningful (Russell, 2006, p.350).

– Handouts and well-organized written material to supplement any use of audio-visual material or other contents presented without print.

Cultural Diversity

• Refers to identities such as race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender and other dimensions of difference derived from membership in groups that are socio-culturally distinct”

(Foldy, 2004)

“The integration and learning perspective argues that heterogeneous groups function better when they believe that cultural identities can be tapped as sources of new ideas and

experiences about work” (Foldy, 2004).

Accommodating Tamar

• Tamar is 45 years old and originally from Brazil. She arrived in Canada 10 years ago but still has a Brazilian accent. She was educated in a small village school and much of her knowledge comes from information passed down through story-telling.

Learners with diverse backgrounds benefit greatly from:– Integration of Learning Perspective coupled with learning frames,

therefore activating learning.

– Employing High Learning Behaviours or Model II Learning frames enable learning in culturally diverse groups.

– Including ways to test one’s advocacies and attributions and encourages inquiring into why others view things the way they do.

– Using multidisciplinary examples that build on the strengths of diversity and inclusion

Tips for Creating an Inclusive Learning Environment for all Adult Learners

First Class• Discuss Support Services available to students:

– International Office– Accessible Learning Services– Counselling– ESL class– Tutoring– Opportunities for engagement and leadership such as peer mentoring and volunteering

• Provide students with school policies and a detailed course outline, including:– course objectives, skills to be learnt– due dates for tests and assignments– topics to be covered each class– a definitions list of key terms/concepts that will be covered (students are encouraged to add to this

list throughout the course). – assignment details, and marking schemes will be provided and clearly explained to students well in

advance of due dates. • Ask students to complete a short questionnaire regarding:

– motivations for taking the course, and goals– any issues/questions of concern– learning preferences.

This information is used to design/modify subsequent lesson plans and exercises to meet the specific needs of students.

Instructional Strategies

• Include a variety of teaching and learning formats including:– lectures and PowerPoint slides– use of audio and visual examples of the application of information learned (eg-

video clip, on-site visit/observation)– hands on practice using the information learned (eg-case studies, role playing,

simulation exercises)– group work

• Throughout the course:– Provide handouts of course material (eg-PowerPoint slides) are provided to

students at the beginning of each class (and include references for further self-study, if desired).

– At the end of each class students have the opportunity to identify any terms/concepts, theories, and practices that they are having difficulties with, and would like clarified. There is time allocated to addressing these items at the beginning of each class.

Thank You

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