Empowering Culturally Diverse Students within a Collaborative Learning Community: A Student Perspective

Abstract

Psychologists are typically obliged to learn about the cultures of their minority clients and students before working with them, refining their specific cultural knowledge and deepening their understanding of the influence of cultural factors on their clients and students through direct interaction. Likewise, professors of psychology can utilize these principles to empower minority students by (a) modeling cultural openness, (b) acknowledging students' rich cultural knowledge and experiences, (c) tailoring assignments to minority students' culturally influenced learning needs, and (d) seizing teachable moments. Empowering minority students in such a collaborative learning environment allows the burden of incorporating cultural views to shift from minority students to the larger classroom community, in which cultural dynamics may be safely explored, respected, and valued.