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Unit 2 -Managing Diversity in the Classroom: Applications and Implementation Principles

INFORMATION

 

LEVEL                                 EQF, level 6

 

ECTS                                  1

 

TEACHING LANGUAGE          English, German, Greek, Italian, Spanish, Turkish

 

By using case studies, stories, film, drama learners will be exposed and required to respond to real life issues associated with managing diversity in a classroom context. Kolb’s cycle of experiential learning highlights the fours stages of reflection, which we would apply to these experiences and acknowledge the skills and experiences, which learners themselves bring to the classroom. There is a possibility that we could employ the use of drama and include the techniques of Augusto Boal, as a way of exploring issues and methods associated with managing diversity. The intention is that this process empowers learners to develop their own strategies and develop reflection skills, which are essential to help learners to sustain their ability to manage diversity within their own classrooms.

CONTENT

 

  • Principles related to diversity:

    • Personal and professional context

    • Their influence on your teaching practice

  • Evaluating ideas and concepts

  • Strategies for managing diversity:

    • Methods to nurturing an effective learning environment/ community

    • Approaches to managing power and status

    • Mediation and conflict resolution/ Scenario building [Beer and Stief (1997) Conflict Triangle]

  • Impact of management strategies on the class

    • Review the impact and application of organisational systems and professional codes and conduct (professional integrity)

  • Tools for managing diversity

    • Behavioural change strategies

    • Group work skills

    • Basic facilitation and mentoring skills

    • Attentive listening techniques

  • Implementing and using reflective practice techniques

  • Sustainable approaches to managing diversity

OBJECTIVES

 

  • What you need to know to achieve learning outcomes:

  • Principles associated with diversity

  • How to evaluation ideas and concepts

  • Strategies designed to manage diversity in the classroom

  • The impact of different management strategies on the class

  • Tools to help manage diversity in the classroom

  • Understanding conditions under which each tool works best – reflective practice

  • How to plan for managing diversity in the future

Activities

The activities in this unit include the use of experiential learning, including problem based learning, small group work and case study analysis. The emphasis will be on participatory learning, so that in each of these teaching methods we will use participatory activities including role play (forum theatre / playback theatre), discussion and critical thinking activities. 

 

Forum Theatre/Playback Theatre

Forum theatre is used as a forum for teaching people how to change their world. The observers can suggest different actions for the characters to carry out in an attempt to change the outcome of what they are seeing.

 

Playback Theatre is an original form of improvisational theatre in which  group members tell stories from their lives and watch them enacted back to them. It is a visual form of reflection.

 

Goto Activity

 

 

Inclusion by Design-Reflective Practice

 

The curriculum should represent the diversity of contemporary society, facilitating an environment in which all students feel welcome

 

Goto Activity
Critical Thinking and Discussion

 

As a cornerstone to problem solving is the ability to think in a critical way and discuss the possible options available at the time in a given situation. This activity explores our different levels of siocial comfort based on subtle prejudices and makes us ask the question why?

 

Goto Activity

Photo acknowledgements: John Thorne

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