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=Welcome to the UMD Diversity Commission Curriculum Integration Wiki!= The purpose of this wiki is to provide a place in which Div Com members and other interested people can share their ideas, suggestions and experiences about integrating diverse perspectives into university curricula and instruction. Suggestions for topics for this collaboration include: The exact format for this wiki will evolve over time, and we will create separate pages for each of the areas listed below, but for now these all appear on this main wiki page so that we can see them all in one place.
 * support
 * resources
 * ideas to a campus community on ways to use and integrate the DivCom calender events
 * annual theme
 * summit
 * diverse perspectives in general

Directions on how to contribute
Any part of this wiki is editable. To add your contributions to the wiki:
 * 1) Click on the "edit" tab at the top right side of the wiki --> this will open a text box showing the current contents of the wiki.
 * 2) Click on the wiki at the place where you want to insert your contribution, and type your entry there
 * 3) Repeat as many times as you like until you have added your ideas into the different sections of this wiki page
 * 4) When you are done, click the "save" button at the top of the the text editing box.
 * 5) Admire your handiwork! :)

Next steps with this wiki

 * big picture: what do we want this to be?
 * A resource that is available to members of the campus to help them generate syllabi that are more inclusive. It is a forum
 * Other people can contribute
 * What will get people to want to do this?
 * How done does it need to be? Not totally done -- the whole idea is that it will constantly be evolving
 * Do we want people to be able to contribute ideas? Yes -- but then who is the moderator? Should it be one person or the whole committee? There are risks inherent in having an open site. We need to be careful.

Links to UMD resources and policy statements to help guide us

 * VCAA Policy on Teaching and Learning: http://www.d.umn.edu/vcaa/TeachingLearning.html
 * UMD Student Life Creed http://www.d.umn.edu/catalogs/current/gen/creed.html
 * VCAA Syllabus Policy http://www.d.umn.edu/vcaa/Syllabus.html
 * UMD Syllabus suggestions for disability and universal design: http://www.d.umn.edu/access/faculty/basics/#syllabus
 * Policy Statement

Syllabus creation (statements on mutual respect, etc.)
[Note: We can include syllabi if we want to (can be PDF of we can put up as web pages)]


 * UMD Sample Disability Statement:**
 * It is the policy and practice of the University of Minnesota Duluth to create inclusive learning environments for all students, including students with disabilities. If there are aspects of this course that result in barriers to your inclusion or your ability to meet course requirements – such as time limited exams, inaccessible web content, or the use of non-captioned videos – please notify the instructor as soon as possible. You are also encouraged to contact the Office of Disability Resources to discuss and arrange reasonable accommodations. Please call 218-726-6130 or visit the DR website at www.d.umn.edu/access for more information.


 * Shelley suggests adding a more welcoming personal statement before the policy piece:**
 * Accommodations for Participants with Disabilities: We believe every student deserves the opportunity to have the most productive and comfortable learning experience possible. Participants with special needs are invited to meet with the instructor as soon as possible to gain maximum access to course information. All discussions will remain confidential.


 * Insert examples of diversity statements:**

Good examples of diversity statements to set the tone in your syllabus: > Successful education can only occur in an atmosphere of mutual respect, free from racism, sexism, and other forms of prejudice and intolerance, and from their harmful effects. Educational excellence depends on the creation and maintenance of environments in which all members of the academic community can thrive, working up to their full potential (Minnesota' Commitment to Educational Excellence developed by the President's Task Force: Strengthening Excellence through Diversity, June 1990.) > As one of a number of items that I list in the expectations area of my course syllabus, I include the following expectation: >> IMPORTANT: If you have a disability, either permanent or temporary, //or any other special circumstances// that may impact your ability to perform in this course I encourage your to inform me. You do not have to have a formal, medical diagnosis of a disability in order to request that adaptations be made to help you learn. All I ask is that you advocate for yourself and work together with me to design your learning experiences so that you can succeed. I will work with you confidentially and make every effort to adapt methods, materials, and evaluations as needed and as appropriate to provide for equitable participation.I recommend that if you have a disability and have not registered with the UMD ACCESS Center, you should do so as they will provide you will additional support. >> Thank you! Helen > Assumptions and Ground Rules to Guide us in Class Discussion: The following is based in part on suggestions made by Lynn Weber Cannon in "Fostering Positive Race, Class, and Gender Dynamics in the Classroom". > > We can assume that discrimination exists in many forms (e.g. sexism, racism, classism, ageism, homophobia, anti-Semitism, ableism, etc.). Any critical understanding of these various -isms means that we need to recognize that we have been taught misinformation about our own group as well as about members of other groups. This is true for both dominant (e.g. white, male, upper class, heterosexual, able-bodied, etc.) and subordinate (e.g. people of color, women, poor, and working class, gay/lesbian, disabled, Jew, etc.) group members. > > Based on these assumptions then, let's agree that we cannot be blamed for the misinformation we have learned, but we are responsible when we repeat misinformation after we have learned otherwise. People and groups are not to be blamed for their subordinate positions. Let's assume that people are always doing the best they can. Let's actively pursue information about our own groups and those of others. Let us share information about our own groups with other members of the class but never demean, devalue, or in any way put down people for their experiences. We each have an obligation to actively combat the myths and stereotypes about our own groups and other groups so that we can break down the walls which prohibit group cooperation and group gain. Let's create a safe atmosphere for open discussion. > > **COURSE FORMAT & PHILOSOPHY** > This course is a discussion-based seminar. As instructors and facilitators of the course, we want you to learn! Learners reconstruct their understanding by interpreting the new information in relation to their prior knowledge. We use reading, writing and dialogue as modalities for learning, as well as assessing knowledge. In this course, we will try to provide guidance in terms of the structure and general content of our readings and discussions. We will also try to nurture a climate that allows freedom in discussions regardless of differences in experiences, values, or perspectives. The same approach will also be extended for choice of topics, frameworks, and approaches to the assignments you will be expected to complete. We expect that we (the students and instructors) will successfully co-construct an environment in this seminar that can be viewed as the most democratic form of dialogue possible, which is both inclusive and informative. > > **Syllabus Statement (Ranelli)** > **Diversity and Civility:** In studying the complex traditions, roles, and responsibilities of health care, it is very important that we are also aware that we each bring diverse backgrounds, beliefs, experiences, and viewpoints to this class. Inasmuch as these differences impact our understanding and interpretation of the readings, we would encourage us to use these divergent points of view to challenge our assumptions and expand our intellectual horizons. This can be accomplished if we are civil toward and respectful of each other both inside and outside the classroom.
 * **From Paula Pedersen:**
 * ** Samples from Helen Mongan-Rallis: **
 * **Respect & trust & cooperation:** The nature of this class is such that you will be asked to reflect deeply on complex issues that may be controversial and personal. For us all to do this requires that we create and maintain a community founded on mutual respect and trust. Every person in our class helps to create a learning environment in which others feel safe and comfortable in sharing their thoughts. Two guiding principles here are:
 * 1) //Seek first to understand, and then to be understood//: We do not need to agree, but we do need to be open to listening to and seeking to understand others.
 * 2) //Do unto others as they would have you do unto them//: When you understand others, you will come to realize that they may not want to be treated in the same way as you. Be careful not to assume that they do!
 * **Disability statement from Helen:**
 * **Statement from Deborah's syllabus**
 * **Syllabus Statement (Ranelli)**

UMD Integration

 * [Megan will add in here]
 * Do we want to have a concept map/visual to show this? " See example

Ideas on how to create an inclusive classroom environment
> Welcome! One of our first activities in our class is to get to know each other, especially in terms of understanding the unique culture and background from which we each come. Although some of you may already know each other, it is likely that there are many aspects of each others' lives and cultures that you do not yet know about. Most of your forum posts in this class will be done in small groups, so that you do not have to read through responses from and engage in discussion with the entire class. However, for this first post we ask you all to post in the one area so that you can "meet" each other online in one place. > In this first forum post, Anna and I begin with a short paragraph telling you all something about who we are today and what is important to us in our lives right now. We then ask you to respond, sharing in the same way with us and the rest of the class. We also invite you to include questions to us about anything else that you would like to know about us (of course we may not tell you, depending on what you ask!). //One rule: in this post you MUST make at least one spelling mistake//. Reason: this way we won't know who is good at spelling and who isn't, and that way it makes it far less stressful for the poor spellers as you take the plunge in sharing your thoughts and experiences here in our Moodle discussion forums (spelling does matter on formal papers, but not here in our discussion forums). > **Important**: Compose your response in a text file (recommended: on a Mac, use TextEdit and on Windows use Notepad). Then copy and paste it here in the forum when you are done (this is a good strategy to follow in all online posts, in case for some reason you lose your Internet connection and along with it, your wonderful ideas that you have been writing!). [Please do not copy/paste text directly from Microsoft Word. See explanation here] > **Optional**: include a small photo ( resize to no larger than 100 KB *) of yourself that tells us something more about who you are (e.g. photo of you in a favorite place, or with someone who is important to you, or doing something fun). //As with all postings and other methods of sharing in this class, please be sure to share in ways that are professionally appropriate and respectful of others//. > * For quick easy way to resize photos, see: my resizing guidelines. > > We look forward to reading your posts and getting to know you better through these!
 * Helen's ideas:**
 * I send a welcome email to my students right at the start of the semester
 * I post a welcome letter on our Moodle course page, introducing myself, telling them about why the course is important to me and what I bring to teaching that particular course, and then I overview some expectations for them. See example letter that I wrote this semester for my EdSe 4100 Teaching in A Diverse Society class [Note: This letter is much longer than my normal intro to a course letter, because in this class there is a point to my story that I come back to later. In my other classes my letter is far less emotionally laden! :)]
 * Create an "self introduction forum" in Moodle in which I ask students to tell us about themselves. Here is what I ask them to do:


 * Statement from Deborah's syllabus**

I encourage students in this class to pursue issues associated with the mass media by way of out-of-class projects and assignments, independent writing, small group work and general class discussions.

I welcome your questions and contributions. In an effort to get to know you, I request that when you do make such comments that you preface your remarks by stating your name. I have found that a friendly climate wherein we use each others' names is much more conducive to lively discussions and exchanges of ideas. If time does not permit a question in class, please use my office hours or make an appointment. I also welcome alternative forms of participation (including short presentations, submissions of clippings and recordings on relevant topics, etc.)--all I ask is that you identify these contributions with your name, the class number and the date and source of your submission.

The class will promote open and exploratory learning by way of active learning strategies. Questions based on the readings and previous class experiences will spur class discussion. Our classes will be conducted in this fashion as much as possible. I want you to go beyond the class lectures, readings and assignments to using our questioning approach in everyday life. The out-of-class project, class discussions and examinations in this class will promote the development and exercise of critical thinking skills. I want you to question facts, to challenge authority and to perceive the social construction of reality. I want you to take personal responsibility for your own learning. The assignments, class discussions and examinations will help promote an informed citizenry.

Events (link to multicultural center calender, etc.)
Need to put up links to community events (such as MLK day events), HR calendary, religious holiday calendar [Mary C will add stuff here...] > []
 * UMD - Calendar of Events []
 * UMD Multicultural Center - Calendar of Cultural Events []
 * Duluth Central Hillside - Calendar of Events
 * Duluth MLK Holiday Events - []

Making the case
> **Cultural Activity (10%):** To gain insight and have an opportunity to experience the traditions of another culture other than your own, you will attend and **actively participate** in a non-western cultural/ethnic public event at the University, Twin Cities, Duluth or surrounding areas. All events must be approved prior to attendance and/or by the fourth week of class. Prior to attending, you must research the history of the event to gain conversational knowledge of this cultural event. Additionally, you should “interview” another participant (from the cultural group) to gain additional insights regarding the event and its relevance to the culture and the interviewee, in particular. > > Upon completion of this experience, you will write a letter to your Aunt (who happens to be a retired, English composition professor). She is not familiar this event or this culture. In the letter, provide a summary of your event including a brief history, a description of your participation in and your reactions/reflections before, during, and after the event (maximum 4 pages). The activity will be evaluated for a concise history and program description, a substantive reaction to/reflection on the event, and grammar. This experience will be shared during a class session.
 * Syllabus Statement/Activity (Ranelli)

Strategic alignment
>
 * The following PDF is a document that describes the alignment of this Diversity Commission Curriculum Project with the University of Minnesota's strategic plan