Unlocking Engagement: Embracing Inclusivity and Relevance in K-12 and Beyond

Imagine the all-too-familiar sight of a disinterested student, lost in the shuffle, feeling like a forgotten presence in the classroom. It's a common scene – where curiosity remains stifled and engagement fades away. Now, picture a different realm – a world where learners of all ages become co-creators, adventurers, and seekers. Here, cultural competency and relevance emerges as the catalyst that sparks engagement. It's the missing piece often overlooked by educators and scholars, yet it holds the power to foster inclusiveness, empathy, and rich engagement.

Before diving in to how these principles can increase engagement, I will first define cultural competency, cultural relevancy, and cultural consciousness. These terms are used interchangeably in a lot of scholarly text, but they are not synonymous.

Cultural competency is the ability of individuals, organizations, or institutions to effectively interact, communicate, and engage with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.Cultural relevance refers to the practice of incorporating elements of various cultures into educational, professional, or social contexts to create a more inclusive and engaging environment.Cultural consciousness refers to an elevated awareness and understanding of different cultures, their values, norms, traditions, and their impact on individuals and societies. It goes beyond simply recognizing cultural differences and putting the faces of black and brown children on textbooks or showing diverse individuals on training manuals; cultural consciousness involves actively seeking to learn about and engage with diverse cultural perspectives and experiences.

Cultivating Curiosity

As a Spanish teacher, I was often asked "what does Spanish have to do with me." My students at times were disengaged because they didn't see the real connection between learning a foreign language and their own lives. On the other hand, I've also seen how exposure can be a beacon for curiosity and engagement. When my students encountered materials that mirrored their truths and stories, their faces lit up with excitement. As we delved into discussions about inequity in neighboring countries, their body language changed, and their voices brimmed with enthusiasm. While they didn't explicitly state it, I knew a spark had been ignited – a newfound fondness for Spanish intertwined with the culture. Why? Because they saw themselves within it, but also because they were curious about the wider world beyond. It was my role as a teacher to cultivate this curiosity and keep engagement present in my classoom. It was important to me that every lesson I designed embraced students' backgrounds, passions, and interests in order to resonate deeply with them.I also wanted to introduce them to other cultures and help to close gaps in their knowledge through exploration and rich discussion. I did this by carefully selecting text, media, and discussion topics that met them where they were. Most importantly, I encouraged healthy disagreement.

Empowerment Through Choice

Empowering learners is about relinquishing the reins and allowing students to become the architects of their own learning experiences. This shift is facilitated by the offering of culturally diverse materials, a practice that not only provides a wealth of content but also resonates with students on a personal level. When educators curate a diverse range of materials, they empower students to explore topics through lenses that align with their backgrounds and interests. This principle, firmly rooted in the concept of choice and control, goes beyond mere engagement – it lays the foundation for an enriched and self-directed learning process. Reiser and Dempsey (2022) echo this sentiment by advocating for the integration of personal relevance into instructional design. Allowing students to choose content that resonates with their identities paves the way for deeper connections with the subject matter. It transforms learning from a passive reception of information to an active and engaged process of exploration and discovery. Ginsberg and Wlodkowski (2000) further emphasize the significance of incorporating cultural perspectives in education. By acknowledging and integrating students' cultural backgrounds, educators tap into a wellspring of motivation and engagement.

Empathy as a Bonding Force

Empathy forms the heartbeat of human connection, nurtured through cultural awareness. As learners explore stories beyond their own, they broaden their horizons and forge deep connections. This empathy goes beyond understanding; it sparks engagement, infusing learning with a personal touch. Imagine a classroom where students from diverse backgrounds dive into history together. Instead of conventional textbooks, the curriculum weaves stories from varied cultures, connecting with each student's experiences and inspiring curiosity. Shift to a corporate training session. Visualize training materials reflecting employees' diverse backgrounds. Carefully selected visuals, case studies, and examples resonate with participants' experiences. The outcome? Employees feel acknowledged and understood, fostering a sense of ownership in the learning process. This personal touch heightens engagement, magnifying the training's impact. An example of this can be found in workplace training on effective communication. In a K-12 setting, students might learn about different communication styles, but their limited life experiences might make it harder for them to truly understand how someone from a different cultural background might communicate. On the other hand, in an adult training session, participants, drawing from their own diverse experiences, could readily grasp the significance of cultural nuances in communication, fostering greater empathy toward colleagues with different backgrounds.

"...when we incorporate art, critical self-reflection, storytelling, and peer dialogue in to professional development, we prepare teachers to be better leaders, and reflect on their own biases that they bring to the classroom...that increases their engagement and build stronger relationships with their students and have higher academic achievement in the classroom" - Melissa Crum

Building Trust and active participation

Cultural competency and relevancy lay the foundation for trust – the crucial ingredient that powers engagement and encourages learners to embrace bold steps. When students see their experiences mirrored in education, they feel acknowledged and valued. This sense of belonging fosters trust in the learning environment (Adams & Bell, 2007). Individuals who feel respected are more likely to engage actively and explore new ideas. Research shows that students in inclusive spaces feel at ease expressing their thoughts and experimenting with new concepts, forming a deeper connection with the subject (LaFromboise et al., 2010). This journey of trust extends beyond classrooms to corporate domains. When employees encounter training materials that incorporate their perspectives, they feel recognized and valued. This inclusivity nurtures trust, creating an environment where employees eagerly participate in learning and embrace calculated risks. Research underscores how diverse and inclusive workplaces promote trust and psychological safety (Nembhard & Edmondson, 2006). When employees feel valued, they're more prone to share innovative ideas, collaborate openly, and tackle challenges, fostering a workplace culture thriving on engagement and boldness.

References

• Adams, M., & Bell, L. A. (2007). Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed.). Routledge.

• Ginsberg, M. B., & Wlodkowski, R. J. (2000). Diversity and motivation: Culturally responsive teaching. Jossey-Bass.

• LaFromboise, T., Coleman, H. L. K., & Hernandez, A. (1991). Development and factor structure of the Cross-Cultural Counseling Inventory–Revised. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 38(3), 382-386.

• Nembhard, I. M., & Edmondson, A. C. (2006). Making it safe: The effects of leader inclusiveness and professional status on psychological safety and improvement efforts in health care teams. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 27(7), 941-966.

• Piaget, J. (1963). Cognitive development from a biological point of view. In Cognitive development and epistemology (pp. 233-241). Springer, Dordrecht.

• Reiser, R. A., & Dempsey, J. V. (2022). Instructional Design Theories and Models. Routledge.