Diversity and inclusion provide a competitive advantage in both higher education classrooms and professional settings — but getting there takes conscious effort and commitment. Engage students and employees at all levels, of all backgrounds, with Impact Interactive’s programs, built to examine the challenges and benefits of working and living in a diverse world.

Take a look at one example of an interactive scene and the questions explored:

“IN THE THICK OF IT” – Diversity and Inclusion in the Higher Education Classroom

When Lizzy attempts to lead her undergraduate biology section, she has trouble managing the diverse needs of her students. Ryan seems bored and uninterested; Jasmine is afraid to speak up for fear of being wrong; Andres struggles to speak English, relying on his friend Mari to interpret for him; Olivia has moderate hearing loss and loses focus when she arrives late and can’t find a seat up front; AJ is a fast-paced bio wiz who dominates discussion; Brandon needs additional time to process information but has not shared details of his learning needs with Lizzy, who assumes he doesn’t understand what’s going on.

This scene explores issues related to unconscious bias, language barriers, learning styles and abilities, assumptions, inappropriate language, differences in personality and experience, and other barriers to creating a more inclusive classroom environment.

Questions we explore:

• What are the challenges of effectively engaging a diverse group of students?

• How do the assumptions we make based on race, gender, culture, language, learning style, ability, etc. impact the way we relate to students and affect the overall classroom environment?

• What is unconscious bias?

• How does empathy impact our teaching skills?

• What can we do to be more inclusive and encourage participation from all students?