Session III b: July 26-28, 2010

39. Teaching About Diversity in the College Classroom: Design for Development Mark Harden Interculturalizing the new American campus is a top priority for educators. This mandate involves teaching and learning about cultural diversity, building intercultural competence, and assessing the impact of our work. The focus in this seminar will be the proven strategies and methods that build intercultural awareness and sensitivity, minimize learner resistance, and reduce ethnocentric bias and prejudice. We will examine research findings that demonstrate what works in the classroom. Participants will learn multiple curriculum models, including developmental design using the Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity and other approaches to conducting these difficult dialogues.

Designed for Objectives Learning Activities Mark Harden Those who teach diversity in higher education as well as diversity instructors seeking to improve their ability to teach intercultural awareness and sensitivity for adult learners. This workshop is also for individuals with responsibilities that include teaching diversity in informal settings. Participants should have basic knowledge of diversity concepts and some experience in teaching or training in intercultural awareness and competence. Participants will have the opportunity to: Examine instructional strategies and classroom models that help to increase intercultural awareness and sensitivity Learn methods and techniques that are useful for engaging the resistant learner Increase their ability to create opportunities for experiential learning in a cross-cultural context Develop strategies for building learner confidence for cross-cultural learning Design course content based on delivery formats for maximum learner impact Examine research results assessing learners’ development Lecture and interactive discussion on instructional design for development Performance exercises and participant reflections Small group case study reviews of learning style applications Lesson plan development activities for a variety of delivery formats   Dr. Mark Harden serves as lead faculty and the dean of intercultural Relations at Bethel University, Bethel Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. Mark currently teaches graduate courses in a seminary graduate degree program. He is a consultant and human ecologist specializing in program development and evaluation related to family and youth development interventions, community development, and intercultural competence assessment, training, and development.