Asset-Based Practices: Teaching Diverse Populations

As our society becomes increasingly diverse, we must find ways to instruct students of varied cultural backgrounds to higher levels of achievement. Many school factors affect the success of culturally diverse students: the atmosphere and overall attitudes toward diversity, community involvement, and culturally responsive curriculum, to name a few. The relationships between teachers and their students may be the most influential. Much of the asset- and strengths-based work is on community colleges and universities, in ways that transform institutional structures, such as financial aid, curricula, and modes of delivery. This incorporates the experiences of students from marginalized, minoritized populations to better serve them and their communities. We must ask ourselves: What works in enhancing the postsecondary experience and pathways for first-generation students and students of color?

What are we doing about it?

The College of Education is conducting research on:

  • Effectiveness of culturally responsive practices throughout a learner's education journey
  • Designing literacy pedagogies that leverage everyday language practices
  • Asset-based and place-based practices for students of diverse cultural backgrounds in curriculum design and learning
  • Instructional strategies that facilitate equitable participation
  • Asset-based practices to enhance student curiosity and self-direction
  • Participatory action for first-generation students of color to understand educational assets in communities
  • Anti-racism and anti-oppression curriculum development
  • How best to recruit and retain culturally diverse students
  • Addressing social inequity and research practices that eliminate inequality
  • Whiteness and education
  • Programming using equity literacy
  • Mathematics instructional strategies that build on students' diverse strengths and experiences
  • Building asset-based, culturally responsive, and inclusive mentoring among STEM faculty to better serve Pell-eligible HSI community college students transferring into STEM majors
  • Impacts of ethnic studies

Who is doing it?

Limited Term Adjunct Instructor, Lukretia Amanda Beasley-Knecht
Professor, Teaching, Learning & Sociocultural Studies, Julio Cammarota
Associate Professor, Educational Policy Studies & Practice, Nolan Cabrera
Assistant Dean, Research, Sara Chavarria
Assistant Professor of Practice, Educational Policy Studies and Practice, Meg Cota
Associate Professor, Teaching & Teacher Education, Cindy Cruz
Professor, Educational Policy Studies & Practice, Regina Deil Amen
Assistant Professor, Teaching, Learning & Sociocultural Studies, Leah Durán
Associate Professor of Practice, Teaching, Learning & Sociocultural Studies, Maura Varley Guitérrez
Associate Professor, Disability & Psychoeducational Studies, Sunggye Hong
Assistant Professor, Teaching, Learning & Sociocultural Studies​​​​​​​, Sung eun Jung
Associate Research Scientist, Broader Impact​​​​​​​, Corey Knox
Assistant Professor, Educational Policy Studies & Practice, JD Lopez
Assistant Professor of Practice, Disability & Psychoeducational Studies, Stephanie MacFarland
Project Coordinator, Teaching, Learning & Sociocultural Studies, Eric Meyer
Associate Professor, Teaching, Learning & Sociocultural Studies, Richard Orozco
Assistant Professor, Higher Education​​​​​​​, Educational Policy Studies & Practice, Karina Salazar
Associate Professor of Practice​​​​​​​, Disability & Psychoeducational Studies, Marsha Spencer
Professor, Teaching, Learning & Sociocultural Studies, Erin Turner
Department Head, Teaching, Learning & Sociocultural Studies, Marcy Wood