Culturally Responsive Online Teaching

Andrew Miller

andrew@andrewkmiller.com

By the end of this session, you will

O Review Best Practices in Online Teaching

O Understand Culturally Responsive Teaching and its best practices

O Synthesize and reconcile best practices in both Culturally Responsive Teaching and Online Teaching

O Identify personal key “take aways” and next steps

O All of the Above

MY STORY

“Distance learning environments are by no means immune to the problems arising from cultural differences. In fact, these environments may even be more prone to cultural conflicts than traditional classrooms as instructors in these settings not only interact with students who have removed themselves from their native culture, but they also interact with students who remain ‘physically and socially within the different culture, a culture that is foreign to, and mostly unknown, to the teacher’(Moore, 2006, p. 1).”

“Questions of Culture in Distance Learning: A Research Review” Sedef Uzuner

THINK SHARE

Prior Knowledge: What are some online teaching best practice that you know?

Best Practices in Online Learning(out of a list of hundreds)

• Games and Simulations

• Learner Led Activities• Problem Solving• Authentic Audience• Specific Feedback• Scaffolding• Constant

Communication• Organizational

Strategies• Compassion

• Team Activities• Team Building

Activities• Reflective Activities• Presence of Instructor• Modeling• Discussion• Student Teachers• Explorations or

Discoveries

“Engaging the Online Learner.” Conrad and Donaldson

Problem/ Project Based

Learning

Constructivist Principles

Collaboration

Figure 1.1 – “Engaging the Online Learner.” Conrad and Donaldson

Cultural DynamicsVariables

• Affiliation• Gender• Age• Social Class• Sexual Orientation• Education• Individuality• Residence• Immigration

Expressive Behaviors

• Thinking• Relating• Speaking• Writing• Performing• Producing• Learning• Teaching

Ethnicity and Culture

Gay describes culturally responsive teaching as using the cultural knowledge, prior experiences, and performance styles of diverse students to make learning more appropriate and effective for them; it teaches to and through the strengths of these students.

“Culturally Responsive Teaching: Theory, Research and Practice,” Geneva Gay

Online Student Strengths and Resiliencies

• Students can quickly navigate through information and media.

• Students use language creatively.• Students are digital natives.• Students enjoy the use of technology in learning.• Students can time manage.• Students are self motivated.• Students want to share interests and identities• Students write often• Students are creative

African American Student Strengths and Resiliencies• Call-Response and Performance communication• Topic-associate discourse style – prolific use of

conjunctions, topic chaining, circular rather than linear, creativity as much as content

• Contextual problem solving• Storytelling – details that seem irrelevant• Inductive Reasoning• Personal Assertiveness

“Black and White Styles in conflict.” Thomas Kochman“Culturally Responsive Teaching: Theory, Research and Practice,” Geneva Gay

Latino Student Strengths and Resiliencies

• Participatory-interactive communication.• Contextual Problem Solving• Topic-associate discourse style – prolific use of

conjunctions, topic chaining, circular rather than linear, creativity as much as content

• Inductive Reasoning

“Functions of Language in the Classroom.” C. B. Cazden, V.P. John, and D. Hymes.“Culturally Responsive Teaching: Theory, Research and Practice,” Geneva Gay

Asian Student Strengths and Resiliencies

• Students work collaboratively to solve a problem with an emphasis on consensus building

• Congeniality• Inductive reasoning• Collaborative knowledge building

“A study of mathematics achievement of Black students at the University of California..”Treisman, P.U. “Culturally Responsive Teaching: Theory, Research and Practice,” Geneva Gay

Native Student Strengths and Resiliencies

• Participatory-interactive communication• Topic-associate discourse style – prolific use of

conjunctions, topic chaining, circular rather than linear, creativity as much as content

• Emphasis on practical application• Verification through repetition• Perseverance through experimentation • Co-narration storytelling

“Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Alaska Native Ways of Knowing,” Ray Barnhardt andAngayuqaq Oscar Kawagley

“Culturally Responsive Teaching: Theory, Research and Practice,” Geneva Gay

Adaptability and Agility

“Cultural Resiliency: 5 Essential 21st Century Competencies. “ Juan Carlos Arauz

Teamwork

“Cultural Resiliency: 5 Essential 21st Century Competencies. “ Juan Carlos Arauz

Acculturation

“Cultural Resiliency: 5 Essential 21st Century Competencies. “ Juan Carlos Arauz

Cross-cultural Communication

“Cultural Resiliency: 5 Essential 21st Century Competencies. “ Juan Carlos Arauz

Innovation and Imagination

“Cultural Resiliency: 5 Essential 21st Century Competencies. “ Juan Carlos Arauz

Culturally Responsive Teachers are:

• cultural organizers• cultural mediators• orchestrators of social contexts for

learning• caring – “from can’t to can”• translators of cultural resiliencies

“Culturally Responsive Teaching: Theory, Research and Practice,” Geneva Gay

“Cultural Resiliency: 5 Essential 21st Century Competencies. “ Juan Carlos Arauz

Culturally Responsive Teachers identify and utilize

cultural strengths and resiliencies

What does it look like online?

Where does the teaching and learning occur online?

VIDEOS

TUTORIALSLIVE SESSIONS

SOCIAL NETWORKS

READINGSGAMES

DISCUSSION BOARDSRECORDINGS

AND MORE…

Best Practices in

Online Teaching

Culturally Responsive

TeachingTenants

Culturally Responsive

Online Teaching

Culturally Responsive Online Teachers identify and utilize

cultural strengths and resiliencies through aligned online teaching

best practices, while utilizing diverse discourse structures and

curriculum.

Curriculum Example

Curriculum Example

Curriculum Example

Curriculum Examples

Example Tools

Structure Example

Structure Example

Structure Example

Structure Example

Crucial Implications• Ongoing, Embedded Professional

Development in online Best Practices AND Cultural Competency/ Culturally Responsive Teaching• Value Collaboration…really!• Implementation of diverse perspectives and

material in curriculum• Learning Management Systems and Online

Schools structures need to be re-examined for appropriate structures that facilitate diverse discourse styles

andrew@andrewkmiller.com

andrewkmiller.com

twitter.com/betamiller