Culturally Responsive Teaching in Undergraduate Online Courses

• In Event: Culturally Responsive and Equity-Focused Uses of Educational Technology

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the characteristics of culturally responsive teaching that are reflected in the responses of 12 instructors in a fully online undergraduate general education course required in the first term of enrollment. Analysis involving deductive coding involved four major themes of cultural competence, sociopolitical/cultural consciousness, communities of learners, and high academic expectations, and the subthemes of each. Inductive data analysis led to the identification of themes of nondifferentiated responses and posts in which the instructor missed an opportunity for addressing linguistic or cultural differences, made stereotyped comments, used language not accessible to all students, pushed their personal opinion, and did not encourage collaboration or a sense of community.

Authors

• Barbara R. Schirmer, Walden University

• Alison Schirmer Lockman, Walden University