Module 2: Activities
Understanding Your Students

Our second module contains 5 required activities, 1 optional activity and many resources to explore should you have the time. Several activities require a response posted to the E-Mail List. If possible, try to complete Activities 1 and 2 earlier in the week. This will facilitate publishing material during the module.

Activity 1: Introduction and Objectives

Review the introduction, objectives and checklist and evaluation criteria for our class. This is the time to orient yourself and begin to learn the "ways" of your online classroom.

Activity 2: Your School - Your World

If we are to change the World 'one classroom at a time' we have to start right where we are now. What is your world like? Describe your school in terms of diversity and multicultural issues. What are your institution's strengths? What needs improvement? Please use the Your World, Your School - Publishing Form found on the SiteMap to answer these questions. This way we cut back a bit on our e-mail this week. I will publish a summary of your school descriptions as soon as everyone has contributed.

Activity 3: Understanding Learning Styles

Please take both the VARK and Teaching Styles or Teaching Styles Inventory.

After you consider the results of your Teaching and Learning inventories, report on your results by using the Learning Styles Report Form found on the SiteMap.

You will note that some of the survey questions re-appear as Journal prompts this week. Feel free to copy and paste from your journal.

I will publish the results of the private survey by the end of the week. It will be interesting to see if there is a 'preferred style' in our group! No post to the e-mail list is required for this activity.

Activity 4: Understanding the meaning of 'multicultural'

If we break the word multicultural into parts it might help us better understand what the term really means. I think we would all quickly agree that 'multi' means various, different, or many, but what does the word 'cultural' mean to you?

Please think of all the dimensions of the word 'cultural'. Reflect on your own culture as you think about this.

• What does cultural mean to you in a personal sense?
• What are some typical expressions of culture?
• What realities of your daily life reflect your culture?
• What are some of the deeper aspects of culture?

Please contribute a thoughtful list of responses and ideas to the e-mail discussion.

I will compile and post a list of the group's ideas which will act as a springboard for further discussion.

Email Subject Line:
Mod 2: Act 4 Meaning of culture

Activity 5: Cultural Misunderstandings - Reading Reactions

After completing the required readings this week, respond to one or more of these questions:

• What did you learn by reading the Cultural Scenarios?
• How did you react to the other readings this week?
• What new insights did you gain?
• What seemed false or inconsequential?
• What Cultural Scenario of your own would you like to share?

Please post your answers, reactions or questions to the class e-mail list.

Email Subject Line:
Mod 2: Act 5 Cultural Misunderstandings

Activity 6: Reflective Journal Reflective Journal Questions

***Reflective Journals are due by the end of the Module (Usually the Monday of each week).

Each week Reflective Journal Questions are listed for your consideration. Reflect on a few of these ideas or ask questions and offer answers of your own.

Record your responses in your Reflective Journal. A reflective journal entry could be just a paragraph or much longer. The idea is to think (and write) about your thinking.

• What are your questions, thoughts, and insights for the week?
• How does your learning style relate to your teaching style?
• Why is it important for students to understand learning styles?
• Do you explicitly teach your students how to adapt to different teaching styles? If so, how do you do this?
• How do learning styles and cultural background relate?
• Is it reasonable to ask teachers to adapt lessons to multiple learning styles? Are learners responsible for adapting to teaching styles?
• Is it possible to transform education by teaching with a multicultural perspective?
• Could 'single style presentations' be considered discriminatory or racist?
• Are gender and sexuality multicultural issues?
• Is lifestyle choice a multicultural issue?
• Name three values all of your students should have
• What role does competition play in your teaching?
• Do you feel you were an active participant in this week's discussions?

TIP: Continue your reflective journal using the Quick Topic message system or a word processor. If you use QT, be sure to email me an invitation to your message area. If you are word-processing your journal, use the Journal Drop box on the SiteMap page to send me a copy of your journal.