Lesson 3: Diversity, Cultural Understanding, and Global Awareness

Standard 5:

5.4. Diversity, Cultural Understanding, and Global Awareness- Model and promote diversity, cultural understanding, and global awareness by providing and supporting digital-age communication and collaboration tools for students and faculty to engage in cross-cultural, collaborative projects addressing global issues (In other words, ensure your units model and promote these listed topics)

Objective: 

• Objective 1: Explore the importance and impact of diversity and cultural understanding in a globally connected digital learning environment.

• Objective 2: Develop teaching strategies that incorporate diverse perspectives and promote cultural understanding among students.

• Objective 3: Enhance global awareness and facilitate global collaborations to enrich the learning experiences of students.

What do we know about Diversity, Cultural Understanding, and Global Awareness?

Diversity: Diversity embodies acknowledgment and appreciation of the myriad backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives found in a global online learning environment.

In Online Learning: Diversity is encountered through varied cultural backgrounds, differing perspectives, multifarious languages, and a plethora of unique experiences brought into the virtual learning space by global participants.

Global Citizenship Impact: Embracing diversity allows global citizens to be adaptable, respectful, and empathetic towards different viewpoints and cultures, fostering an inclusive mindset that transcends borders and prejudices.

Cultural Awareness: Cultural understanding revolves around perceiving, respecting, and valuing the beliefs, norms, and practices of different cultures.

In Online Learning: The multicultural fabric of virtual classrooms necessitates educators and learners to cultivate a deep-seated understanding and respect for different cultural norms, communication styles, and learning preferences.

Global Citizenship Impact: A well-rounded cultural understanding nurtures global citizens who can communicate empathetically, collaborate effectively, and navigate through global dynamics with a sense of respect and inclusivity.

Global Awareness: Global Awareness entails having a conscious understanding of global issues, interdependencies, and the shared humanity that binds individuals across geographical boundaries.

In Online Learning: Curricula and discussions often navigate through global challenges and celebrations, fostering a collective consciousness about global affairs and shared responsibilities.

Global Citizenship Impact: By nurturing global awareness, citizens are better equipped to comprehend, empathize, and engage with global issues, contributing to solutions that advocate for collective well-being and sustainable development.

To learn more about Diversity, Cultural Understanding, and Global Awareness, watch the following videos:

Discussion

Objective: Share, explore, and discuss strategies that educators globally utilize to infuse cultural understanding and global awareness in their digital classrooms.

1. Engage in a shared online community using Padlet.

2. Contribution: Share at least 3 experiences, strategies, or resources that promote cultural understanding and global awareness.

3. Response: Respond to at least 2 peers on new insights gained, strategies discovered, and potential implementations in your practice.

Assignment: Collaborative Global Exploration (Online Collaboration)

Objective: Research, explore, and curate content that highlights the unique cultural aspects, educational practices, and challenges of a specific location within the assigned region.

Instructions:

• Participants will be grouped (2-3) and assigned different global regions. (1. East Asia, 2. West Asia, 3. Africa, 4. North America, 5. South America, 6. Europe)

• Tools: Utilize the collaborative platform, Padlet, to collaboratively compile and showcase information.

• Outcome: Create a collaborative digital poster using Canva, highlighting key learnings about the educational and cultural context of the assigned region. 

• Peer Interaction: Engage in the discussion forums on Padlet, providing constructive feedback and reflections on peer posters.

• Submission:

  • Post the poster to the Padlet discussion page. Here is an Example. 

Assessment

• Collaborative Poster: Assessed based on depth of research, collaboration, and representation of cultural and educational insights.

• Community Engagement: Assessed based on active participation, contribution of resources, and engagement in discussions within the OCoP.

• Empathy Circle Participation: Assessed based on active participation, adherence to guidelines, and post-circle reflective documentation.

Resources

• Create a centralized digital repository where resources, experiences, and strategies shared during the lesson are compiled and made accessible for future reference and utilization.

Reflection

Padlet Activity

• Reflect on your Collaborative Global Exploration. Write a thoughtful response to the following question:

  • What are the key takeaways from your research on Collaborative Global Exploration and its benefits for diverse learners?

• Upload your reflection on the following Padlet link: https://padlet.com/jdo255_/etc645-reflections-qunx0wqgd4yk1yrf