This document discusses strategies for customizing student learning activities and promoting diversity and cultural understanding. It recommends differentiating instruction to accommodate student needs, using universal design for learning to remove barriers, and taking a culturally responsive teaching approach to capitalize on student cultural attributes. The document also provides ways to encourage deeper cognition, create an inviting learning environment, address the digital divide, and promote equitable access to technology resources.

1. Customizing Student Learning
Activities & Diversity and Cultural
Understanding
“It is important for educators and practitioners to be
aware of the negative effects of exclusion and the
positive benefits of diversity, inclusion, and cultural
awareness for several reasons.” (Ruggs, 2012)

2. Differentiation
 Providing flexibility during
teaching in terms of content,
process, and product, based on
the needs of your students.
 Differentiation strategies are
based on respect for all
individuals and their
backgrounds, abilities, and
interests.

3. First Construct
 Differentiated Instruction (DI):
purposefully designing instruction to
accommodate the known needs of
one’s students and providing them
with the different content,
strategies, and means of
demonstrating the desired learning
goals.

4. Second Construct
 Universal Design for Learning
(UDL): an approach to
instruction in which teachers
remove barriers to learning by
providing flexibility in materials,
methods, and assessments.

5.  In order to know how and why
to differentiate requires the
teacher to know and understand
their abilities, interests, and
learning preferences which is
referred to as the student’s
learning profile.

6. Culturally Responsive Teacher
 One who understands and capitalizes
on the unique cultural attributes and
experiences of students to promote
student achievement.
 Requires you to know and understand
the learning styles, preferences, and
abilities of your students, similar to
differentiated instruction.

7. Key Elements to an Invitational
Environment
 Teacher modeling
 Questioning
 Quality Responding
 Peer interaction and discussion
 Reflective journals

8. Encourage Deeper Level of
Cognition
 Observe closely
 Building explanations and interpretations
 Reasoning with evidence
 Making connections
 Considering different viewpoints
 Capturing the heart and forming
conclusions
 Asking questions
 Uncovering complexity

9.  Teachers should “address the
diverse needs of all learners by
providing equitable access to
appropriate digital tools and
resources” as indicated in
Standard 4.b.
 HOW CAN WE DO THIS?

10. 4 Ways to tackle the Digital Divide
 Access up-to-date hardware and
software, and connectivity
 Access meaningful, high-quality,
and culturally responsive content
 Access educators who know how to
use digital tools and resources
 Access to systems sustained by
leaders with vision and support for
change via technology.

11. Bibliography
 Ruggs, Enrica & Hebl, Michelle.
(2012) Diversity, Inclusion, and
Cultural Awareness for Classroom
and Outreach Education.In B.
E. Cady (Eds.). Apply Research to
Practice Bogue & (ARP)
Retrieved <Month Day, Year> from
Resources.
http://www.engr.psu.edu/AWE/ARPRe
sources.aspx