Multicultural Course Transformation in Higher Education

Book excerpt: Responding to increasing enrollments of students of color, students with disabilities, students whose first language is not English, and students entering college in their mid-twenties or later, many colleges and universities are including multicultural issues in their course and curriculum preparation. Faculty members and administrators involved in multicultural initiatives will find here a suggested framework for making course and curriculum changes, along with specific examples and scenarios from a variety of disciplines. At the heart of the book is a two-dimensional model for infusing multicultural elements into a course or curriculum. The model identifies three levels of change (exclusive, inclusive, transformed) and four course components in which change can be applied (content, instructional strategies, assessment of student knowledge, and classroom dynamics). The authors suggest that instructors approach course change by focusing on one or more of these components and identifying a target level, depending on the instructor's multicultural goals and the nature of the discipline. The book draws upon the skills of experienced college and university educators to show how the model may be applied in specific disciplines and courses. This book is an indispensable, thoroughly documented resource. It will appeal to all post-secondary educators and administrators interested in creating an academic environment that reflects the needs of today's students and the reality of today's diverse society.