Advantages and Disadvantages of Diversity in Institutional Education - Research Paper Example

? Importance of Diversity in the Background In both educational and governmental s, al diversity remains an issue of great interest. The benefits associated with diversity in the institutions of higher learning continue to receive universal acknowledgement. Many policy discussions revolve around institutional diversity with goals of maintaining competitiveness of the knowledge based societies specifically in institutions of higher learning (Trow, 2005). The discussions stemming from institutional diversity also aim at addressing the ever growing diversity needs arising from both students and other educational stakeholders (Bankston, 2006). While institutional diversity is highly regarded as a positive thing by many, others argue that it can lead to institutional drift and mission overload if parity of esteem does not prevail between institutional types. Despite the many benefits associated with institutional diversity, many institutions of learning in the current day education system are highly characterized with student bodies which are highly deficient of the desired diversity (Vught, 2009). Many factors have been put forth to explain this severe lack of diversity in the institutions of higher learning among them being lack of proper selection mechanisms into the institutions of higher learning and discrimination during the selection process (Devins, 2003). Emergence of many private institutions offering higher education is another major causative agent for higher deficiencies of diversity in higher institutions of learning. Such institutions are merely profit driven and at times tend to compromise the educational values associated with diversity. They often concentrate on the breed of students who are capable of raising the huge amounts of tuition fees they charge with less regard to diversity balance (Warner and Palfreyman 2001). In attempts to enhance diversity in institutions of higher learning, states and governments have well defined legal provisions focusing on matters related to students’ diversity (Mellor, 2008). The numerous benefits associated with a diverse student body are universally acknowledged and practices such as provision of racial bonus points are constitutional in some nations. This offers the minority foreign applicants a higher probability of securing places in institutions of higher learning outside their own countries. In other provisions, race is an important factor during admissions for undergraduate programs (Vught, 2009). This helps to achieve a balanced ethnic diversity hence attaining the so much desired diversity in the student body. Notable also is the incorporation of affirmative action policies in many public education systems, a strategic move usually geared towards elimination of discrimination and also aimed at coming up with a student body which is ethically balanced in order to a achieve a diverse student body. In most states, measures to mitigate discrimination based on gender, colour, race, religion, which are deeply embedded in their constitutions (Bankston, 2006). Everyone has equal rights to access education and this further enhances diversity since selection process is free and fair and not in favor of any particular group of people. To further uphold diversity in higher institutions of learning, special consideration is usually given to special groups of people in the society (Pollak and Louis, 2005). Women and the disabled for instance are at times given special consideration during the selection process to ensure their numbers in the institutions of higher learning match that of their male counterparts. An important legal provision also aimed at upholding diversity in the institutions of higher learning is the great emphasis given to respect of basic human rights. For purposes of peaceful co-existence of the diverse student community, basic human rights such religious and cultural rights are highly upheld. This allows easy integration of people of different cultural and religious background in a single society whose main objectives are educational based. Importance of diversity in the university The very fact that diversity is highly emphasized and incorporated in many education systems underscores its utmost importance in higher institutions of learning (Bankston, 2006). Educationists and academic scholars argue that the very essence of pursuing university education is not to attain good grades and eventually graduate with some first class degree. The goals of university educations exceeds beyond excellent grades to other important learning experiences which are better achieved in a diverse societal set up (Teixeira et al., 2004). A diverse learning environment gives the learners a more realistic or practical picture of their future world or working environment. The ability to successfully coexist with people from different cultural backgrounds is in itself a learning process. Unlike learning institutions characterized by students from the same region, a diverse learning environment prepares a student to effectively fit and co-exist in environments other than his own cultural background (Teichler, 2003). Although big disparities do exist between colleges and universities, they all adhere to the principles of diversity in their undergraduate selection processes. Diversity has been found out to continuously enrich educational experiences in institutions of higher learning. When people from different places interact, they learn to appreciate other people’s believes and perspectives towards various issues in life (Trow, 2005). This provides not only a rich diverse intellectual environment but also a good social environment for learning. Sharing of intellectual knowledge is highly promoted as a diverse institution of higher learning brings together intellectuals from diverse backgrounds (Vught, 2009). Personal growth, which is a crucial aspect in the education process, is better accomplished in a diverse learning atmosphere. The ability of diversity in challenging individual or societal or regional stereotyped perceptions is paramount in the process of attaining personal growth. It offers a good platform for critical thinking and also imparts good communication skills especially with people from different backgrounds among students. Some colleges and institutions of higher learning regard diversity in very high esteem that it is deeply embedded in their academic mission (Bankston, 2006). Such institutions have a set of well-defined mechanism for upholding and promoting diversity among the learners. Such mechanisms are implemented as early as during the selection of undergraduate students and highly encouraged throughout the learning process (et al., 2004). A diverse student body is a pre-requisite for good academic performance, as it brings together students with different academic potentials and in the process of challenging one another academically; individual and eventually overall academic performance is greatly improved. It extends the competitiveness mentality among students from regional top global. In such an environment, important aspects of learning such as innovativeness and creativity are highly enhanced (Mellor and William, 2008); this offers a good environment for talent development owing to diverse ideas from the diverse student body. Diversity also plays a major role in improving regional growth; thus selection of students into the universities without discrimination from all regions ensures every region is able to experience the benefits of skills learnt at the university (Witte, 2006). This ensures some regions do not necessarily lag behind in form of development thereby achieving balanced nation or regional development (Teichler, 2003). One of the main purposes of university education is to produce graduates who are both regionally and globally competitive in their individual professions. A diverse student society places one at a better position to understand people from different regions in the world hence establishing a strong foundation for global competitiveness (Bankston, 2006). Diversity expands ones social interaction skills imparting the necessary dynamism essential for one to be a globally prolific graduate in his or her own profession. This expands the boundaries such graduates can be able to look for employment after completion of their university education (Teixeira et al., 2004). Importance of diversity to future career as a teacher at the university Diversity at the university serves as a good foundation for students pursuing careers leading to future university teachers. The fact that one pursues his or her studies in a diverse institution places one at a more strategic position to effectively handle a diverse student body should one be faced with such an opportunity as teacher at the university. Having passed through the system, diversity will gives a teacher the necessary skills which are essential for accommodating differing perspectives and personalities from the students, and ensures one is not limited to work only in certain regions. Learning in a diverse environment nurtures growth of important virtues such as understanding and humility which are important to a teacher in dealing with a diverse student body (Teichler, 2003). University as an institution of higher learning is highly characterized by a rich diverse student body. Students are usually drawn from different cultural backgrounds characterized by different beliefs, practices and perspectives (Wilkenfeld, 2004). Integration of such diverse cultural beliefs, practices and perspectives in a single conducive learning environment conducive for effective learning can be a challenging task. However the task cannot be forgone as it is the first step towards achieving a good learning environment favorable to all students and teachers regardless of their cultural background (Trow, 2005). Foregoing the task of successful integration of different culture integration contradicts the very goals of incorporating diversity in the institutions of higher learning. The first step towards achieving a harmonious co-existence of different cultures should be aimed at equally appreciating the various cultures in a manner that no culture is regarded to be superior to others (Pollak and Louis, 2005). Practices which may seem to discriminate students on the basis of their cultural background should be discouraged as they are a big hindrance to the benefits associated with diversity in the institution of higher learning (Warner and Palfreyman, 2001). These makes every person in the diverse cultural set up proud of and willing to express and share his or her cultural experiences with other people. Since every culture is characterized by unique cultural practices and beliefs, teachers should highly encourage their students to freely exercise or express these beliefs and practices (Vught, 2009). This provides a better understanding of a particular culture by people or students from a different cultural background. Cultural practices may involve activities such as cultural music and visits to places of cultural heritage such as museum (Warner and Palfreyman, 2001). Personal reflection Diversity is of utmost importance in university education and its numerous benefits cannot go unnoticed. Since university education is the highest institution of learning in the education system, it should be able to open up the mind of the learners beyond regional to global understanding, which is better availed by diversity (Trow, 2005). Efficient social development is an important attribute for the learners, and without diversity this social development would be limited to only particular regions or groups of people (CUC, 2009). It would be difficult if not impossible to understand and effectively interact with people from some cultural backgrounds. University teachers would encounter difficult moments in trying to understand the diverse needs of their students (Devins, 2003). The traditional learning environment characterized by students from one cultural background is eliminated and in turn a rich learning environment composed of students from different backgrounds is put in place (Teichler, 2003). Measures by universities to encourage and uphold diversity are highly encouraged. The full benefits of university education cannot be realized without implementation of diversity in the institutions of higher learning (Warner and Palfreyman, 2001). It would be useless for university to produce graduates whose skills are limited in particular regions. Encouraging diversity at the university will involve collective effort of both policy makers and teachers at the university. Policies should clearly spell out how diversity is to be implemented and upheld at the university (Teixeira et al., 2004). Since university teachers possess the fundamental roles of directly interacting with the students, they can play important roles in promoting diversity among students (Trow, 2005). They take every initiative to promote free sharing of cultural experiences among students will help them understand and appreciate cultures other than their own. Necessary measures should be made to break cultural barriers among students, as this will facilitate free exchange of intellectual knowledge thus creating a good learning experience. Governments also play important roles in promoting diversity in institutions of higher learning. Through legal provisions and setting of control standards to govern diversity in both private and public institutions of learning, government can greatly supplement efforts made by education institutions to achieve the desired diversity (Teixeira et al., 2004). Apart from availing a good environment for learning, diversity also remains a powerful tool for promoting both national and international relations. For an efficient labor force within a country, no governing system can stand to compromise the values associated with diversity in an education system (Vught, 2009). However, since students are greatly affected by issues revolving around diversity, they should take full advantage of the diverse environment to reap the anticipated full benefits (Teichler, 2003). They should be encouraged to devise ways which would enable them benefit from the diverse learning environment set in place such as co-curricular activities that can greatly facilitate sharing of different cultural practices. Reference Bankston, C. (2006). "Grutter v. Bollinger: Weak Foundations?". Ohio State Law Journal 67 (1): 1–1 Committee of University Chairmen- (CUC) (2009): Guide for Members of Higher Education Governing Bodies in the UK. Retrieved from http://www.hefce.ac.uk/media/hefce1/pubs/hefce/2009/0914/09_14.pdf Devins, N. (2003). "Explaining Grutter v. Bollinger". University of Pennsylvania Law Review 152 (1): 347–383. doi:10.2307/3313063. Mellor, W. H. (2008). "Equal Protection and Racial Preferences". The Dirty Dozen: How Twelve Supreme Court Cases Radically Expanded Government and Eroded Freedom. Levy, R. A., & Mellor, W. H.. New York: Sentinel. pp. 198–214. Pollak, L. H. (2005). "Race, law & history: the Supreme Court from Dred Scott to Grutter v. Bollinger". D?dalus 134 (1): 29–41. doi:10.1162/0011526053124488. Teichler, U. (2003), The future of higher education and the future of higher education research, TertiaryEducation and Management,Vol 9, 171-185. Teixeira, P. et al.(2004), Markets in Higher Education. Rhetoric or Reality? (Higher Education Dynamics) Heidelberg: Springer Trow, K. (2005), Reflections on the transition from elite to mass to universal access: Forms and phases of higher education in modern societies since WWII, In International Handbook of Higher Education, Vol. 18 (2006), pp. 243-280, doi:10.1007/978-1-4020-4012-2_13 Vught, V. F. (ed.) (2009), Mapping the Higher Education Landscape. Towards a European Classification of Higher Education. Heidelberg: Springer. Warner, D. & Palfreyman, D. eds. (2001), The state ofUK higher education. Managing change and diversity. Buckingham: SRHE & Open University press. Wilkenfeld, J. (2004). "Newly Compelling: Reexamining Judicial Construction of Juries in the Aftermath of Grutter v. Bollinger". Columbia Law Review 104 (8): 2291–2327 Witte, J. (2006), Change of degrees and degrees of change. Comparing adaptations of European higher education systems in the context of the Bologna Process. Retrieved from http://www.che.de/downloads/C6JW144_final.pdf . Read More