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Title: How higher education instructors conceptualize diversity: A phenomenographic study
Higher education institutions around the globe have increasingly made the commitment to diversity. Instructors play an integral role in creating inclusive learning environments. Guided by sociopolitical perspectives on learning, we ask: How do higher education instructors conceptualize diversity? How do these conceptions inform curriculum and instruction? Interview data from 30 instructors teaching at minority-serving institutions in the United States revealed three distinct conceptions of diversity defined by variations in five aspects: student identities, intelligence mindset, pedagogical motivation, learning environment, and legitimized membership. The essentialist conception is based on students having inherently determinate traits described by preexisting universal categories. The functionalist conception differentiates students by academic performance. The existentialist conception acknowledges that students have unique experiences that impact the learning process. Our results indicate that while instructors acknowledge different student features and have varying understanding for why diversity is important, some conceptions of diversity do not necessarily suggest an inclusive culture.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2113355 1821724 1645083 1612258
NSF-PAR ID:
10336188
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ;
Editor(s):
Chinn, C.; Tan, E.; Chan, C.; Kali, Y.
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Proceedings of the 16 th International Conference of the Learning Sciences - ICLS 2022
ISSN:
1573-4552
Page Range / eLocation ID:
289-296
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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