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Developing a Learning Model to meet the demands of Cultural Diversity By Dorothy Little InsT 7000 Pro-Seminar: Educational Technology Dr. Byron R. Burnham, Utah State University Introduction In today’s global, multiculturally-sensitive society where education is in a constant state of “reform”, learning models are needed more than ever before to provide research-based “roadmaps” for both instructional designers and classroom teachers. New ways of viewing multicultural issues raise serious questions about the fragmentation of our approach to “where on a learning model” the multicultural aspects of learning should be addressed, and whether the learning model could remain viable in the face of change. A viable learning model would need to retain basic principles of psychological, sociological, and of the brain developmental and functional aspects of learning while maintaining enough flexibility to accommodate change. Teacher-related variables within a useful learning model would include the philosophy of how the teacher teaches and the teacher’s ethnic background, teacher-student relationships, classroom structure, and the nature of curriculum. Student-related variables would include dealing with unmotivated students and highly motivated students, low, middle, and high achieving students, students of multicultural backgrounds or backgrounds stemming from poverty, family stress, and community decay (Bracey, 2003). It would include effectively challenging students from affluent and/or “privileged” backgrounds. It would include dealing with all of these students in their differing learning styles, brain dominances and developmental levels. Multiculturalism and Existing Learning Models In the case of the ADDIE model (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation), which began as a two-dimensional model that was mono-directional and linear (Tracey, Flynn, & Legere, 1966; Briggs, 1977; Shrock, 1991), Ritchie and Hoffman (1996) attempted to address the rigidity of the ADDIE model by introducing an iterative approach. This change enabled the model to enter into a state of continuous development allowing it to meet the demands of an unstable environment. It then began to be considered bi-directional, iterative and two-dimensional. Some instructional designers felt that “culture was equately addressed in existing ADDIE model structures” or in other models discussed in the past. The ASSURE (Analyze learners, State objectives, Select methods, media, and materials, Utilize media and materials, Require learner participation and Evaluate and revise) model of Heinich, Molenda, Russell, & Smaldino (1999), for example, addresses culture in the initial phase, (Analyze Learners) and in the final phases (Require learner participation and Evaluate and revise).
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