Transforming Pedagogy to Transform Learning - Research Paper Example

Transforming Pedagogy to Transform Learning Introduction Pedagogy refers to the process or practice of learning and teaching which are adopted in education system with the objective of enhancing the behavior as well as the knowledge of students or learners of higher education. Pedagogy is a process of imparting knowledge to individual or group of learners in order to develop their skills and abilities so that they are able to solve different sorts of issues independently. It has been viewed that the world is seemed to be changing in a rapid pace in relation to technological development. The learners of the 21st century are observed to possess a diverse requirement or need in relation to skills as well as knowledge (Baram, 2013; Mortimore, 1999; Phuntsog, 1999). With this concern, the research paper intends to discuss on the instructional strategies which are acquired to impart knowledge effectively to a diverse culture of learners. In this regard, the concepts of ‘Standards of learning’ (SOLs) and ‘Common Core Standards’ (CCS) will be taken into concern. Moreover, research-based multicultural instructional strategies will be emphasized in this research paper. Additionally, CDLF questionnaire will be formulated with the intention of determining the effectiveness of multicultural instruction or cultural awareness of the instructors. Besides, an annotated bibliography will also be performed in this particular research paper within the circumstance of multicultural instructional practices. Rationale for Relating Instructional Strategies to Cultural Diversity It has been apparently observed that different higher education institutions adopt along with execute certain effective policies, frameworks and principles on the basis of which the teaching and learning process is executed. Moreover, the higher education institutions formulate effectual curriculum and practices based on the requirements of the students or learners in this 21st century. The teachers are perceived to be adopting various techniques of classroom management as well as instructional strategies with the objective of improving the cultural beliefs and values of students within the context of a diverse cultural classroom. Teachers with appropriate instructional strategies are able to develop a better relationship amid teaching and learning process acquired by higher education institutions for better maintenance of diverse group of students in classroom (Pearson Education, Inc., 2013; New York University, 2008; Gay, 2002). In order to determine the rationale for relating instructional strategies to cultural diversity, instructional strategies are often referred to the methods or the techniques that are adopted by the teachers with the intention of assisting students to develop their skills in order to sort out any sort of issue independently. The students develop their capabilities to select and use suitable strategies so that they can achieve their requirements and purposes in an effective manner. The teachers should provide the learners with different similar as well as dissimilar procedures of solving problems with the aim of assisting them to acquire a clear understanding of different valuable concepts in a simpler way. It has been apparently observed that learners or students with diverse culture are able to excel their activities at the time when their culture, heritage and language among others are valued (Azziz, 2013; New York University, 2008; National Education Association, 2008; Neely, 2003). The seven key approaches which are quite significant for the management of diverse group of learners have been depicted hereunder. Knowing the Learner The teachers are required to acquire and possess adequate knowledge in order to comply with the requirements of the students. Moreover, the teachers should also ascertain the learning styles and the qualities of students for effective management of culturally diverse learner groups. Furthermore, the teachers should be familiar with their capabilities and family background as well (Montgomery County Public Schools, 2013; New York University, 2008). Traits of a Quality Teacher The teaching process should be based on the notion that every student are capable of gaining appropriate knowledge and learn effectively. In this regard, the teachers should be efficient in formulating and differentiating instructions as well as curriculum on the ground of their cultural and ethnic beliefs. The teachers should also possess practicability and well-versed knowledge or instruction with the aim of managing such diversity in classroom (New York University, 2008). Quality Curriculum Curriculum which is formulated should be devised in accordance with the potentialities and cultural values. The curriculum on the basis of diverse culture will assist learners availing higher education in determining the importance of various cultures. In the respect, students acquiring the knowledge about diverse culture grow in a better social and ethical way (New York University, 2008). Classroom Learning Environment The classroom learning environment should be based on certain principles on the basis of which the population of the class will be managed. The students should be offered with appropriate grade as well as lesson program which will lead towards better knowledge acquisition and future development. The students are to be grouped in a flexible manner for minimizing cultural diversity (New York University, 2008). Flexible Teaching and Learning Time Resources The teachers should seek that the students are offered with a flexible mode of teaching as well as learning time, so that students can acquire knowledge appropriately (New York University, 2008). Instructional Delivery and Best Practices The teachers must ensure that the students are provided with the required instructions properly so that they are able to determine the expected behaviors from the part of the teachers. The students should be facilitated with various learning stations as well as web applications from where the learners can obtain requisite instructions (New York University, 2008). Assessment, Evaluation and Grading The teachers should evaluate the performance of learners and should be guided accordingly with the aim of enhancing the pedagogic setting (New York University, 2008). These are the various processes or approaches that are essential for relating instructional strategies to cultural diversity within different cultural groups. There are certain specific standards including ‘Standard of Learning’ (SOL) and ‘Common Core Standards’ (CCS) on the basis of which the teaching and learning process is executed with the objective of improving education and knowledge standards by a greater level. These standards have been elaborated in the following. Standard of Learning (SOL) Standard of Learning (SOL) implies to the minimum knowledge expectations that teachers perceive amid students. This standard signifies the expectations in relation to knowledge and capabilities to perform at each grade level or course of K-12 related to English, science, technology, foreign language and mathematics among others. In this regard, annual assessments should be executed with the intention of obtaining appropriate knowledge with respect to individual accomplishment and special requirements of the students. Students with various foreign language and historical or social science courses will acquire an immense knowledge about the various facets and importance of diverse culture present in the society. The students are offered with various foreign languages which include French, Latin, German and Spanish among others. All these will assist towards developing better classroom environment for development of learners in a better cultural as well as in a social way (Commonwealth of Virginia, 2012). Common Core Standards (CCSs) Common Core Standards (CCSs) provides the knowledge in accordance with the expectations of learners or students that they desire to learn or acquire from schools. On the basis of these expectations, the teachers as well as the parents will be able to undertake necessary steps in order to ascertain the expectations of the learners at large. These standards are formulated and implemented with the intention of providing the learners with appropriate knowledge as well as competencies that are seemed to be quite essential for their better growth and progress in their career prospects. Furthermore, these standards assist students to be fully prepared so that in future they can solve various sorts of problems or challenges effectively. In this modernized world, the students on acquiring efficient potentialities will be able to compete successfully on a global context [1] (Common Core State Standards Initiative, 2012). The students or learners of K-12 grade level are offered with CCSs relating to ‘English Language Arts & Literacy in History or Social Studies’ with the objective of enhancing student with better knowledge in the literacy segment. The K-12 standards denotes that the students should be imparted with adequate literacy for better career growth and improved performance in higher education [2] (Common Core State Standards Initiative, 2012). These standards are formulated and implemented in K-12 grade level of education system with the objective of ensuring that the learners or students are offered with quality learning and teaching services for better acquisition of knowledge. It has been apparently observed that the curriculum and the practices adopted by different schools are primarily based upon the values as well as the cultural standards of students. The instructions are usually student-centered and are self-evaluating in nature (Kea, Campbell-Whatley & Richards, 2006, 2008). Research-Based Multicultural Instructional Strategies Multicultural instructional strategies are normally devised with the objective of developing a suitable classroom environment for establishing a proficient learning and teaching procedure. In this respect, in order to acquire a better cultural classroom environment, certain strategies are adopted within the background of research-based multicultural instructional strategies (Alenuma-Nimoh, 2012; Allison & Rehm, 2007). The strategies are as follows: Visuals The teachers are often observed to adopt visual strategy as an effective teaching technique for diverse learners. It has been viewed that the visual aids are normally used by teachers for communicating effectively to every student present in the classroom. In this context, various visual techniques like charts, graphs, diagrams and other multimedia applications are executed for conveying messages to learners proficiently (Allison & Rehm, 2007). Peer Tutoring In peer tutoring strategy, pairs of two students of different potentialities, cultural values and backgrounds are formed with the objective of managing culturally as well as linguistically diverse students. In higher education, pairs of different cultural students are formed in order to perform certain assigned tasks or projects for developing better bondage amid them. This strategy is effective in improving communication as well as motivating students towards accomplishing their expected goals and developing association with different culturally background students (Hart, 2009; Allison & Rehm, 2007). Cooperative Learning Cooperative learning is regarded as an important strategy of multicultural instructional strategy. In accordance with this strategy, groups of different culturally background students are formed for executing certain problem-solving assignments or projects. In this respect, students are able to develop better affiliation amid them. Additionally, the students are also able to develop better inter-ethnic and cross-cultural knowledge and associations. This strategy eventually assists in building and identifying the importance of teamwork. Furthermore, this strategy also aids in developing the knowledge in relation to languages of diversified cultural students (Allison & Rehm, 2007). Assessment Tool In this research paper, the ‘Cultural Dimensions of Learning Framework’ (CDLF) as an evaluation tool has been taken into concern with the objective of evaluating the effectiveness of multicultural instruction and/or the awareness of instructors in relation to cultural diversity. The three important factors like culture, human nature and personality are seemed to be influencing the thoughts as well as behavior of the students by a greater level. This can be better understood with the help of the following diagrammatical illustration. Source: (Parrish & Linder-VanBerschot, 2010) The CDLF generally comprises three factors that include social relationship, temporal perception and epistemological beliefs (Parrish & Linder-VanBerschot, 2010). These have been represented in the table below: Factors Cultural Dimensions Social relationship Equality and authority Individualism and collectivism Nurture and challenge Epistemological beliefs Stability seeking and uncertainty acceptance Logic argumentation and being reasonable Casually and complex systems (analysis and holism) Temporal perceptions Clock time and event time Linear time and cyclical time It is to be affirmed that the above eight cultural dimensions of the CDLF will assist in understanding the differences in the learning process on the basis of culture. This tool will also assist in determining the different requirements or goals of diverse learners. The CDLF has been largely used by various instructional providers with the objective of recognizing cultural biasness and accordingly formulate plans or practices for enhancing institutional approaches concerning effective management of cultural diversity in classroom. The validity of the CDLF will be approved from the reliability of the data collected. Moreover, the data collected from the teachers as well as the learners would depict the cultural situations that seemed to be quite suitable for improving the learning and teaching process. Specially mentioning, the appropriateness of this tool can be ascertained from the success of an educational institution implementing changes in their curriculum on the basis of the findings of the CDLF (Parrish & Linder-VanBerschot, 2010). Conclusion Pedagogy is referred to the practice of teaching and learning procedure. With the changing scenario in the present day context, the pedagogic settings are modified accordingly in order to improve the efficiency of the teaching and learning process. The main emphasis is to put much significance on diverse culture and in this respect, instructional strategies are modified with the intention of managing culture as well as linguistic diversity in classroom. Moreover, in current scenario various aspects linked with research-based multicultural instructional strategies are adopted with the objective of developing a better association or relationship amid different students or learners. Thus, the transformation of the pedagogic settings is observed to modify the learning and teaching process in accordance with the requirements of the learners by a greater level. Annotated Bibliography 1. Gay, G. (2002). Culturally responsive teaching in special education for ethnically diverse students: setting the stage. Qualitative studies in education 15(6), pp. 613-629. In this article, it has been viewed that students of different cultural groups or backgrounds should be provided with equal learning opportunities. In this regard, teachers are required to be aware of the strategies as well as the principles in accordance with which effective multicultural curriculum ought to be formulated. 2. Pearson Education, Inc. (2013). Strategies for teaching culturally diverse students. Retrieved from http://www.teachervision.fen.com/teaching-methods/resource/6039.html This article reveals certain specific strategies in relation to the teaching process that are to be adopted for linguistically as well as culturally diverse learners. It has been perceived from the article that there are various factors which are responsible for successful management of diverse learners like the environment as well as the attitude of a school towards diversity, involvement in societal along with communal affairs and curriculum. 3. Azziz, R. (2013). Turning it around: strategies for working with culturally diverse students. Retrieved from http://www.indiana.edu/~equity/docs/Strategies_for_WOrking_with_Culturally_Diverse_Students__Renae_Azziz.pdf The article reveals various important facts in relation to cultural responsibility and practices. The article portrays the concepts of ‘culturally responsive practices’ that are significant for effective management of culturally as well as linguistically diverse students. 4. Phuntsog, N. (1999). The magic of culturally responsive pedagogy: in search of the genie’s lamp in multicultural education. Teacher education quarterly 26(3). The article signifies various aspects that are seemed to be attached with ‘culturally responsive teacher’. The article portrays the challenges that are often faced by the teachers in order to manage diverse students. 5. Alenuma-Nimoh, S. J. (2012). Taking multicultural education to the next level: an introduction to differentiated-multicultural instruction. The journal of multiculturalism in education 8, pp. 1-17. The article reveals different aspects of differentiated instruction (DI) as well as multicultural instruction (MCI). These instructions comprise numerous principles and practices on the basis of which the teaching and learning process will be executed. The concepts of inclusive pedagogy are explained. 6. Montgomery County Public Schools. (2013). Strategies for working with diverse learners: a research review. Retrieved from http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/development/documents/diversity/diversity_article.pdf In this article, effectual strategies are performed with the intention of identifying the best practices which will be relevant towards effective management of culturally as well as linguistically varied students. The article reveals the policies that are quite important for the management of diverse students in classroom. 7. Baram, E. (2013). Connect, participate and learn: transforming pedagogies in higher education. Bulletin of the IEEE technical committee on learning technology 15(1), pp. 9-12. The article depicts that with the development of technological factors, the pedagogic settings can be modified to assist students with better knowledge in the 21st century. Social media applications will assist students with better community collaboration opportunities. 8. Hart, J. E. (2009). Strategies for culturally and linguistically diverse students with special needs. Preventing school failure 53(3), pp. 197-206. This article signifies the issues that are seemed to exist in the traditional methods of pedagogic setting utilized by different educational institutions. 9. Neely, A. (2003). Teaching African American students: a look at instructional methods and cultural differences. Retrieved from http://imet.csus.edu/imet11/portfolio/smiley_k/WebQuest/Neely.pdf The main objective of this article is to reveal the institutional techniques as well as the procedures on the basis of which changes can be acquired in the classroom so that the students can develop a better association amid them. 10. National Education Association. (2008). Promoting educators’ cultural competence to better serve culturally diverse students. Retrieved from http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/PB13_CulturalCompetence08.pdf The aim of the article is to depict the importance of diverse culture in a classroom. Moreover, the educators or teachers are required to be concerned about the management of diverse culture so that the students are able to obtain vast knowledge in relation to cultural diversity. References Alenuma-Nimoh, S. J. (2012). Taking multicultural education to the next level: an introduction to differentiated-multicultural instruction. The journal of multiculturalism in education 8, pp. 1-17. Allison, B. N. & Rehm, M. L. (2007). Effective teaching strategies for middle school learners in multicultural, multilingual classrooms. Middle school journal 39(2), pp. 12-18. Azziz, R. (2013). Turning it around: strategies for working with culturally diverse students. Retrieved from http://www.indiana.edu/~equity/docs/Strategies_for_WOrking_with_Culturally_Diverse_Students__Renae_Azziz.pdf Baram, E. (2013). Connect, participate and learn: transforming pedagogies in higher education. Bulletin of the IEEE technical committee on learning technology 15(1), pp. 9-12. Commonwealth of Virginia. (2012). Standards of learning (SOL) & testing. Retrieved from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/english/sol_ccss_comparison_english.pdf [1] Common Core State Standards Initiative. (2012). Implementing the common core state standards. Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/ [2] Common Core State Standards Initiative. (2012). English language arts standards. Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy Gay, G. (2002). Culturally responsive teaching in special education for ethnically diverse students: setting the stage. Qualitative studies in education 15(6), pp. 613-629. Hart, J. E. (2009). Strategies for culturally and linguistically diverse students with special needs. Preventing school failure 53(3), pp. 197-206. Kea, C., Campbell-Whatley, G. D. & Richards, H. V. (2008). Becoming culturally responsive educators: rethinking teacher education pedagogy. Retrieved from http://www.nccrest.org/Briefs/Teacher_Ed_Brief.pdf Montgomery County Public Schools. (2013). Strategies for working with diverse learners: a research review. Retrieved from http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/development/documents/diversity/diversity_article.pdf Mortimore, P. (1999). Understanding pedagogy: and its impact on learning. United States of America: SAGE. National Education Association. (2008). Promoting educators’ cultural competence to better serve culturally diverse students. Retrieved from http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/PB13_CulturalCompetence08.pdf New York University. (2008). Culturally responsive differentiated instructional strategies. Retrieved from http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/scmsAdmin/uploads/005/120/Culturally%20Responsive%20Differientiated%20Instruction.pdf Neely, A. (2003). Teaching African American students: a look at instructional methods and cultural differences. Retrieved from http://imet.csus.edu/imet11/portfolio/smiley_k/WebQuest/Neely.pdf Parrish, P. & Linder-VanBerschot, J. A. (2010). Cultural dimensions of learning: addressing the challenges of multicultural instruction. The international review of research in open and distance learning 11(2). Pearson Education, Inc. (2013). Strategies for Teaching Culturally Diverse Students. Retrieved from http://www.teachervision.fen.com/teaching-methods/resource/6039.html Phuntsog, N. (1999). The magic of culturally responsive pedagogy: in search of the genie’s lamp in multicultural education. Teacher education quarterly 26(3). Read More