Promoting a Multicultural Learning Environment in the Online Classroom and University

Gollnick & Chinn (2017) write that “[m]ulticultural education is a construct that acknowledges the diversity of students and their families and builds on the diversity to promote equality and social justice in education” (p. 19). For multicultural education “to become a reality in the formal school situation, the total environment must reflect a commitment to multicultural education” (Gollnick & Chinn, 2017, p. 25). For the online educator who often works off-site with a diverse, international student population, this might seem challenging. Thankfully, Gollnick & Chinn (2017) provide a framework from which the online educator and the online institution can actively work to acknowledge and build upon student diversity in order to promote equity, equality, and social justice in all educational environments.

This session shares practical strategies for promoting a mindfully multicultural classroom in the online classroom and university. In order to best support the ultimate goal of improving the online learning experience, we explore the challenges and share strategies from a dual-sided lens. The session explores both student-focused and faculty-focused perspectives, tools, and strategies.