Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Upon successful completion of the course, students will:  

• Consider how the cultural backgrounds of their students influence their lives on a daily basis.
• Be better equipped to manage and facilitate effective communication and learning around cultural differences in the classroom.
• Understand a broad definition of culture that includes nationality, ethnicity, race, gender, age, sexual orientation, region, physical ability, amongst others.
• Consider and better understand one’s own cultural framework and how that shapes one’s own pedagogical methods and communication styles.
• Recognize and apply the necessary elements for the development of knowledge and understanding of cultural diversity in the classroom.

The course will function as a lecture class with a hands-on, cooperative format. Students will work in independently and in small groups to actively and knowledgeably engage in discussion and exercises to raise their collective awareness about diversity issues in the K-12 setting. The student will be able to articulate strategies that will help them to more appropriately meet the needs of culturally diverse learners.

Students will be evaluated, and criteria developed for assigning a course grade using the following tools:

• written assignments
• participation in group and class discussion
• final project: oral and written presentation to analyze an aspect of one’s own culture.
• final exam: written response to major concepts presented in class

Students will:

• Respond orally and in writing to current multicultural issues
• Develop final project using written and oral presentation skills
• Develop tools and strategies to effect change
• Be able to articulate their own cultural identity and bias, and how that impacts their work as educator

Communication: Graduates of Portland Community College should be able to communicate effectively by determining the purpose of communication; analyzing audience and context to sue appropriate language and modality; and by responding to feedback to achieve clarity, coherence, and effectiveness.
Community and environmental responsibility: Graduates of Portland Community College should be able to apply scientific, cultural, and political perspectives in understanding the natural and social world and in addressing the consequences of human activity both globally and locally, demonstrating an understanding of social change and social action.
Critical thinking and problem solving: Graduates of Portland Community College should be able to think critically and creatively to solve problems, understanding and using various methods of reasoning and evaluating information and it sources.
Culture awareness: Graduates of Portland Community College should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the varieties of human cultures, perspectives, and forms of expressions as well as their own cultures complexities.
Professional competence: Graduates of Portland Community College should demonstrate mastery in a discipline of profession at a level appropriate to program and transfer requirements through the application of concepts, skills, processes, and technology in the performance of authentic tasks that enhance community involvement and employability.
Self-reflection: Graduates of Portland Community College should be self-appraising in applying the knowledge and skills they have learned, examining and evaluating personal beliefs and comparing them with the beliefs of others.