Proposal: Addressing Learner Diversity and Belonging

[mesako]

Session Title: Addressing Learner Diversity and Belonging

Session Details

• Session type: Skill-up
• Keywords: teaching practices, active learning, inclusion, virtual learning, diversity
• Permission to record this session: Yes

Abstract

Learning Goals:

• Appreciate the diversity of learners and the importance of the affective aspect of learning
• Identify effective strategies for fostering community to improve learner belonging
• Outline categories of instructor talk and their potential effects on learner belonging
• Discuss activities and structural changes that leverage learners from different levels of preparation through differentiated instruction

In an era of social distancing, difficulties in creating an authentic feeling of connection and presence for online learners exacerbates already challenging hurdles to learner persistence in programming. A sense of belonging has long been known to influence learners and their intent to actively engage or even stay in a class. Feelings of belonging are often significantly lower in learners identifying with groups historically underrepresented in STEM. How can we continue to foster belonging even when we are separated by a screen? In this session, we will explore how we can intentionally craft and monitor the structure (e.g. modes of participation) and framing (e.g. instructor talk) of our online workshops to create a positive learning community. Importantly, we will dive into a commonly cited challenge, different background levels of preparation, and discuss ways to address this diversity in learners. Through a differentiated instruction framework, we can identify learner differences and provide flexible content/goals without establishing barriers or setting lower expectations. Through this session, participants will ultimately consider different building blocks for an equitable learning experience and identify small, meaningful steps to improving student belonging when they teach.

Personal Details

• Name or pseudoname of the session lead: Melissa Ko (mesako)
• Co-leads' names (we recommend involving 2 helpers/co-leads): Lori Ling, more TBD
• Email or other ways to contact the session leads/co-leads: mesako@stanford.edu
• Country of residence and/or compatible Time Zones (provide options): USA Pacific Time (PT) or UTC - 7:00 compatible with North America/South America time zones
• Would you like to present this multiple times, in other time zones: can also present in Asia/Oceania time zones (UTC + 8:00 to UTC + 10:00)
• Would you like to volunteer to be listed as a wrangler/host for your time zone: No

Is there any help you would like to invite from the community? Please provide below in bullet points.

• Open for collaborators on this session!

[JasonJWilliamsNY]

I am willing to be assigned as an issue monitor/facilitator

[serahkiburu]

Hi @mesako, the organising committee reviewed this session proposal and had this to say:

This skill-up session aims to teach learners different aspects of creating equitable learning experience and improve students' belonging when they teach. They also address how to improve experience of diverse participants in workshops specifically when teaching online. It is very very relevant for the current climate and we are grateful that the session leads will run this.

Looking forward to this, thanks Melissa!