No two people are the same. Especially in a digital classroom where geographical boundaries have been dissolved through technology, there are bound to be learners spread across a global demographic. Students may come from different countries, languages, different ethnicities, cultures, etc.
It is thus important to promote diversity and inclusion in the classroom to help the learners understand and accept this diversity of the human populace. From the level of grassroots, it is imperative that they learn to respect the differences while expressing their points of view in a constructive manner.
Let’s look at some strategies that help implement diversity and inclusion in the classroom.
Strategies for managing student diversity
The six strategies discussed below lay down the cornerstones for establishing a respectful culture in the classrooms.
1. Build a culture of respect
The first step is always to encourage students to approach each other with respect – regardless of religion, ethnicity, beliefs, faith, or any other differences. The foundation of a thriving educational community is built on mutual respect that transcends the superficial boundaries created by man.
You can achieve this by establishing open communication between students and focusing on working together. It helps students to get to know more about each other on a personal level, casting the differences aside.
Technological solutions like QFix help educators create collaborative environments focusing on equitability, inclusion, and diversity. Modules that help students learn DE&I can be included in the coursework.
2. Understand the students
Until and unless an educator knows their students inside and out, they can not possibly hope to encourage the same level of understanding among the students.
As an educator, take your time to speak personally with each student and try to understand the walk of life they are coming from. It helps you tailor a learning experience that is inclusive and considerate towards the needs of everyone.
By doing this, educators set an example before the students – a demonstration of respect towards diversity through being sensitive and considerate of others’ needs.
Technology can help with gathering student data about demographics and learning preferences, helping teachers create an inclusive environment.
3. Implement a variety of pedagogies
While some students prefer referring to books for learning better, some students may prefer a more hands-on approach to understanding the same concept.
Inclusivity doesn’t merely concern a learner’s background but also their learning preferences. By understanding how students interact with the online modules, teachers can gather analytical data to design pedagogies that address everyone’s preferences and needs through the same interface.
For example, including text-to-speech with every lesson and providing gamified assessments can help address a wide range of learners in ways that they prefer to engage with a course.
4. Encourage collaboration and open communication
The best way to get students to see the good in each other is to encourage them to work together. Educators need to promote group activities, projects, and assignments.
It helps to design special activities that focus on highlighting differences in perspective, sharing experiences, and fostering a culture that is based on understanding and mutual respect.
Digital tools like QFix provide educators with the necessary features to create shared assignments that multiple students can work on at the same time. The files can be monitored closely to prevent misbehaviour and misuse, helping to keep the students on the right track.
5. Encourage feedback
Feedback is necessary. It doesn’t necessarily have to be negative or positive all the time – educators should aim for an objective balance that lets the students know what they are doing right while highlighting what they can do differently.
Feedback goes both ways – in order to ensure that educators are promoting an inclusive classroom, students should be able to submit their feedback on teaching methods and classroom experience.
The software implements that help flag feedback that contains keyphrases of diversity or inclusivity problems should be implemented in the classroom. It helps teachers track down the source of discrimination and take suitable action.
6. Be adaptive in your approach towards teaching
Change and evolution are the only ways to improve the classroom environment and make it more diversity-inclusive.
Educators need to constantly stay observant of the dynamics of their classroom – of how students are interacting with each other, how they are interacting with the students, and how the learning modules are impacting the students.
Based on this analysis, educators must continuously adapt their teaching methods to the changing dynamics of the classroom. Digital tools like QFix help educators with student performance analytics, hinting at the parts of the module that could be improved further for better lesson delivery.
Technology can help manage student diversity and promote inclusion
In the age of technology, students are already open to collaborating freely with one another on projects and assignments.
Technological solutions like QFix can help educators further enhance the efficacy of DE&I initiatives using features like:
- Assessment and assignment over unified platforms
- Collaboration tools
- Student and lesson analytics
So what are you waiting for? Understand how QFix can aid your DE&I initiatives today!