The Office for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning (OATL) is spreading awareness about the importance of multiculturalism in the classroom at the University of Rhode Island.
During a discussion held on Friday, Feb. 14, OATL discussed how to teach international students in better ways as well as how to emphasize the roles of culture in education as a whole.
Professor Rabia Hos led the conversation with faculty members in the audience, using interactive videos and written workshops to facilitate conversation around culture on URI’s campus, microaggressions, breaking prejudices and supporting international students’ learning inside and outside of the classroom.
Dr. Anna Santucci, a faculty development specialist from OATL, set up the conversation after recognizing lack of awareness among the campus community.
“We identified a need for more intercultural competence support for both our faculty and our students on our campus, and we have a lot of expertise on our campus so these events are meant for people that had that expertise that could serve the whole community,” Santucci said. “We specifically support faculty members but of course this has an impact on our students so that’s why we do it and that’s why we love it.”
One of the main topics of the conversation involved breaking prejudices and microaggressions.
Hos and faculty members who attended the event looked at statements such as “I don’t see color,” “you speak English very well,” “I’m not racist, I have many friends of color” and “you don’t have the coronavirus, do you? Stay away from me!”
When breaking down these common prejudices and microaggressions many had heard, witnessed or experienced themselves, the attendees discussed how these statements might be interpreted and how they could be changed in a positive manner.
When discussing microaggressions, they found that a common response is that people believe they are “innocent acts” and that the person who experiences them are told to “let go of the incident” and “not make a big deal out of it” which does not lead to any benefits.
Aside from microaggressions and prejudices, the conversation also revolved around the strengths they have seen with international students such as the insight and cultural differences they bring to the other students, the different talents they bring to classroom settings and discussions, and the overall exposure to life outside of the United States.
“We had a conversation today about how interesting it is that the people that signed up are the ones who already have an investment in helping our international students so I am very happy that that was an outcome, that we were able to gather in this room and talk with expertise to build something bigger,” Santucci said.
Hos also stated that she was very pleased with the outcome of the event and that she believed that they had some great conversations within the group.