Considerations for Differentiated Teaching and Learning at a University Setting: The Cultural Factor
- Comfort Akwaji-Anderson (Iowa State University)
Abstract
Iowa State University maintains a culturally diverse student population with attendees from all 50 states and over 110 different countries (University Relations, 2010). Each student’s background experiences and attributes play a role in shaping the outcomes of their overall collegiate experience (Davis & Hillman Murrell, 2003). Tapping into the varying cultures that students possess can help mold the classroom environment into an inviting and encouraging place where content and student diversity exist simultaneously (Peters, 2009). Culture includes behavioral patterns, cognitive constructs, beliefs, values, and understanding shared via socialization that is similarly possessed by a group (Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition, 2009; van Broekhuizen, n.d.). Often, the cultural background of the student in the classroom can differ from the professor, which should be taken into account in order to create an equitable and multi-perspective learning context (Chesler, 2003). At the end of the session, participants will have an idea of the importance of including cultural differences into the classroom in two ways: (1) by means of the professor understanding the student-base and acknowledging their previous experiences and (2) the students understanding the value of the diversity that is present within each of their courses.