During the early development of higher education in the United States, women were largely excluded from attending colleges and universities. Additionally, African American people were enslaved during this time and denied any education. White and poor Americans also faced exclusion from higher education.
Today, at NIU, we proudly uphold our commitment to inclusivity and diversity. Our data for the Fall 2023 class reveals a significant shift in demographics with 70% of undergraduate students of color as compared to 2010 when over 67% of undergraduate students were white. This makes us a minority-majority institution. While White citizens are the (59.5%) majority population in the city of DeKalb, White students are now in the minority on NIU’s campus. Additionally, 57% of students in the freshman class of 2023 were first-generation college students, and 6.7% of the student body were international students. Many of these students are also multilingual learners of English.
Let’s expand our conception of what diversity means to encompass differences and similarities not only in race and ethnicity but also in language, personality, learning preferences, life experiences, class, gender identity, sexual orientation, country of origin, ability, as well as cultural, political, religious, and other affiliations. Just imagine the collective richness we bring to this institution and the endless creativity and innovative potential it presents if we get it right! And culturally responsive teaching pedagogies can show us how to get it right.
What is Culturally Responsive Teaching?
Culturally Responsive Teaching is an instructional pedagogical strategy that aims to address the needs of all students. Culturally Responsive Teaching recognizes that each student is a unique individual and thus has a unique starting point. It involves flexibility to account for differences in accessing resources and experiences.
What we are asking of higher education educators is momentous.
In addition to cognitive development in specific disciplines, today’s diverse workplace demands that our graduates learn practical skills such as problem-solving, communication, creativity, data analysis, digital literacy, project management, teamwork, and leadership. As educators, we must move beyond traditional subject-matter expertise to cultivate robust transferable skills that empower graduates to succeed in any career path. Moreover, we must do this while fostering a culturally responsive teaching and learning environment in which students experience academic success and develop cultural competence and critical sociopolitical consciousness.
Expanding Our Concept of Academic Success: Asset-Mindedness
Be mindful that academic success is about more than just subject expertise. It encompasses personal growth, emotional well-being, and the ability to navigate life’s challenges. Academic success involves developing a wide range of skills to prepare students for their future careers and lives. As educators, it’s vital to help students recognize their unique abilities and learn how to make the most of them. It’s like the old saying (misattributed to Albert Einstein), if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid.
Educators should view students’ diverse identities and experiences as assets, not deficits. Utilizing students’ background knowledge and skills can improve their understanding of new information while promoting academic vigor. Humans learn best when new information is connected to what they already know. Relating the curriculum to students’ cultural experiences, for example, can make learning more meaningful and interesting—fostering deep learning while maintaining motivation. This approach can also help students develop cross-cultural communication skills to engage with difficult conversations that encourage personal growth and foster cultural competence.
Benefits of Culturally Responsive Teaching
Culturally responsive teaching can enhance student success by improving attendance, increasing interest in learning, promoting higher cognitive levels of learning, encouraging persistence, and fostering social-emotional learning. These positive outcomes will hopefully lead to a higher education environment that empowers learners to co-create meaning, purposes, and knowledge with educators.
How should NIU faculty incorporate culturally responsive teaching into their educational approach, and what measures should they take to ensure student success? Stay tuned for more!
Resources
- Academic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Toolkit
- Equity in Teaching Guides
- Fostering Engagement and Belonging
- How to Make Your Teaching More Inclusive
- Supporting Underprepared Students
