making meaning of student voices: promoting dialogue and collaboration around diversity initiatives...
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Making Meaning of Student Voices: Promoting Dialogue and Collaboration Around Diversity
Initiatives
Preparing College Students for a Diverse Democracy
University of MichiganFunded by OERI, Department of Education
Sylvia Hurtado, Mark Engberg, and Shirley Greene
Session Overview
Introduction to the Project Context for Diverse Interactions Learning through Diverse
Interactions Small Group Activity Summary & Final Remarks
Preparing College Students for a Diverse Democracy:
A Collaborative Research Project
To learn how colleges are creating diverse learning environments
To discover how students are learning from diverse peers
To understand and share how different campuses achieve goals for cognitive, social, and democratic outcomes
Participating Institutions Arizona State
University Norfolk State
University University of
California-Los Angeles University of Maryland University of
Massachusetts-Amherst
University of Michigan
University of Minnesota
University of New Mexico
University of Vermont
University of Washington
Research Activities
Inventory of campus practices Campus site visits National survey of institutions Longitudinal survey of students Focused classroom-based studies
Student Focus Groups Student focus groups on each campus
- Racial/ethnic majority student group(s)- Largest minority group(s)- Students engaged in diversity and civic initiatives- Specific ethnic groups unique to each campus &
geographic region Student experiences with diverse peers
- In what contexts do diverse interactions occur?- What/how have they learned from diverse peers?
Inventory of Campus Practices
Purpose:
To develop a typology of initiatives that intentionally use diversity as a central learning tool
Typology of Campus Practices Academic Support
Initiatives
Co-Curricular Initiatives
Curricular Initiatives
Community Outreach Initiatives
“Safe Space” Initiatives
Integrative Learning Initiatives
Institutional Strategic Initiatives
Student Voices: Contexts of Interactions with Diverse Peers
Curricular Contexts Classes focusing on diversity Small classes Intergroup dialogue classCo-curricular Contexts Cultural centers Living/learning communities Informal social contexts Community service activities
Classes Focusing on Diversity “…it was a diversity class and everybody
was with different backgrounds, different hair, different styles…” (White student)
“…there’s an Asian American studies program here, it’s one of the way’s I’ve had a lot of opportunities to interact with students…” (African-American student)
Small Classes “The smaller the class size, the more
like chance you have to interact with the other person…” (Asian student)
“…I’ve had some really like great experiences in smaller classrooms where I’ve just been able to connect with the people in that room.” (Engaged student)
Intergroup Dialogue Class “…it was good to have a dialogue…to
talk about issues where we come from and talk about…our backgrounds…” (Latino student)
“…there’s no stigma attached to if you want to be hanging out with folks that are not from your racial group…” (African-American student)
Theory of Diversity and Learning Most of our thinking is mindless, we use
scripts rather than engage in active thinking
Disequilibrium that results when one tries to reconcile one’s own embedded views with that of other (Piaget, 1975)
Cognitive and social development occurs in interaction with others
Social diversity presents an important opportunity for learning to occur under conditions of support and facilitation
Learning Through Diverse Interactions
Socio-historical/cultural knowledge Perspective-taking/open-
mindedness Self-awareness/self-reflection Collaboration and Communication
Skills
Socio-historical/cultural Knowledge “…I learned a lot about a lot of
different people in that class…” (Engaged student)
“I learned so much, I was so angry that I didn’t learn anything in high school. (African-American student)
Self-awareness/Self-reflection
“…I learned incredible amounts about class privilege and about what it means to grow up middle-class as opposed to poor or working class…” (Engaged student)
“The common theme from any course where we’re discussing racial or ethnic issues is the idea of White privilege…” (White student)
Perspective-taking/Open-mindedness “…you become more aware of other
people, how they feel, how they live,…what they believe…” (Latino student)
“And I feel like such a different person now that I’ve started meeting those people and listening to their ideas and how they think and going to their homes…” (White student)
Collaboration and Communication Skills “I think that being [a] diverse group and of
different races and ethnicities gives you a chance to…work in a team…” (Latino student)
“…we always talked about our differences, because that’s what really pulled us together, because were all so different from one another…” (White student)
Small Group Activity:Barriers to Interactions with Diverse Peers
“Spokesperson” role Large classes Avoiding conflict Self-segregating Comfort zone Background/socialization
Discussion Questions
What are some creative strategies for addressing these barriers?
What are potential obstacles to implementing your strategies (e.g., institutional, departmental, financial barriers)?
What types of innovative practices are occurring on your own campus?
Implications for Practice Cultivate a positive climate for
diversity Provide structured learning activities
Specific, sustained, follow-up Support interaction with diverse peers
Administrators, faculty, and staff Be attentive to students’ voices
