Using "Bloom" and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy to Teach Statistical Concepts to Diverse Learners

• In Event: 34.073 - Providing Equitable Opportunities to Educate Diverse Populations for Achievement Outcomes That Equal or Exceed Expectations

Abstract

There is a broad range of experiences and perspectives that are brought to higher education, specifically by non-traditional students who are culturally, linguistically, and ethnically diverse. This powerful vehicle of diversity is also a unique resource for everyone to learn in different ways, in new environments, and with different types of people. This context, therefore, necessitates and encourages the development and use of diverse teaching strategies designed to respond to each student as an individual.
Teaching Strategies
Cognitive psychologists postulate that the learning process occurs when new knowledge is added to an existing knowledge web/network by creating associations to existing knowledge. A concept map is a graphic representation for organizing and representing the pieces and parts of knowledge. Concept maps include concepts, usually enclosed in circles or boxes of some type, and relationships between concepts or propositions, indicated by a connecting line between two concepts .The principal goal of concept mapping is to have students discover, define, and develop an understanding of the interrelated parts of a complex set of ideas. Students who are visual learners benefit greatly from the combination of both audio and visual pedagogical strategies.
This presentation will include a brief demonstration of how these teaching strategies are utilized in the classroom. The presenter will demonstrate how students can quickly grasp the concept of “Pearson correlation between two continuous variables” by: (1) providing “scaffolding" that links what may be an academically challenging concept to the cultural resources that students bring to school; and (2) focusing on students' creation of meaning about content in an interactive and collaborative learning environment.
Reference
Bloom, B.S., Engelhart, M.D., Furst, E.J., Hill, W.H., & Krathwohl, D.R. (Eds.). (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives – The Classification of Educational Goals – Handbook 1: Cognitive Domain. London, WI: Longmans, Green & Co. Ltd.

Author

• David Graham, Coppin State University