Learning-through-Diversity

The literacy and engagement of all students in STEM is a priority goal for U.S. higher education. Delta seeks to contribute to this goal by enabling present and future STEM faculty to enhance the learning of all students whom they teach irrespective of, but not limited to, preferred learning styles, race, ethnicity and culture, gender, sexual orientation, disabilities, religion, age or sociodemographic backgrounds.

Delta’s contributions to diversity in STEM are founded on the principle that excellence and diversity are necessarily intertwined. Faculty and students bring an array of experiences, backgrounds, and skills to the teaching and learning process. Effective teaching capitalizes on these rich resources to the benefit of all, which we call “Learning-Through-Diversity”.

At the same time, Delta recognizes the reality that existing social and educational practices do not always promote equal success for all learners. Thus, creating equitable learning experiences and environments requires intentional and deliberate efforts on the part of present and future faculty. Delta is committed to developing a national STEM faculty who model and promote the equitable and respectful teaching and learning environments necessary for the success of Learning-through-Diversity.

To achieve these goals, Delta provides development experiences, programs and resources that promote the abilities of present and future faculty to:

• Know the diverse backgrounds of their students and their implications for learning.
  
• Identify curricular, teaching and assessment practices that promote learning for all.
  
• Draw upon the diversity of their students to enhance and enrich the learning of all.
  
• Recognize existing inequities, and promote an equitable, inclusive and respectful climate for learning.

These aims require specific attention of the instructor to:

Instructor-student interactions. Such as inclusion and engagement of the ideas of all students; respectful teaching behaviors; accessibility for all students; mentoring of teaching assistants.

Student-student interactions. Such as respect for the ideas of all and recognition of their value; welcoming and respectful inclusion in collaborative work; accessibility outside the learning environment.

Student-content interactions. Such as how students experience content; how content can be varied; and how exploring of novel contexts for presentation can enrich the experience of students and instructors alike.

Download these Learning-through-Diversity Guidelines in MS Word format...

Visit the CIRTL Diversity Institute website, and find resources for use in your STEM classroom...

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