classroom diversity
DESCRIPTION
Suggestions on ways to include diversity in classes that are not about diversityTRANSCRIPT
Classroom Diversity
Inclusiveness in communication skills classes
ADPR 5920 (PR Communication) Course objectives
– Strategic thinking before writing– Styles and formats
Typical topics– Lectures on strategies for working with
reporters, using research to inform writing– Skills labs (news release, fact sheet, PSA)
Adding diversity to the mix
Beginner– Including multicultural names and faces
Intermediate– Thinking about diverse publics
Advanced– Questioning the concepts
Diversity for beginners
Use examples that include people from different population subgroups
Beginners
When creating assignments or providing examples, include names of different ethnic origins
Beginners
Bring in guest speakers who represent different population groups, even if they don’t talk about diversity per se. Suchita Vadlamani,
Fox 5 morning anchor
ADPR 5920 guest lecturer
Nadine Randall, BellSouth
Intermediate level
Make assignments that require students to learn about different kinds of people
Sample assignment
Write a pitch letter that tries to convince editors to assign a reporter to interview someone about the UNCF’s campaign to help the affected schools.
Background: United Negro College FundToday, of the approximately 65,000 students UNCF supports at about 900 colleges and universities, some 60% are the first in their families to attend college and 62% have annual family incomes of less than $25,000. UNCF provides operating support to 39 member historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), which helps the member schools keep tuition down to a rate 54% lower than tuition at other comparable schools….
Intermediate
Ask students to conduct research on different target populations
Intermediate
Bring in guest speakers who can talk about race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, etc.
Example: Enrique Carrion
Guest lecture on gatekeepers
In class:– Questions about
editors’ preferences in dealing with PR people
– Questions about the Hispanic community in Athens
Out of class:– Paper on
gatekeeping– Must include
examples about targeting a bilingual news publication
Advanced level
Rather than assuming differences, question or problematize concepts relating to race, gender, sexual orientation, age, etc.
“Problematizing” differences
Q&A with Enrique– “What are some of
the problems for Latinos in Athens?”
– “The same problems everyone has: housing, education, consumer issues…”
Enrique Carrion
Questions and comments