Teachers in the classroom often rely upon assumptions about student’s prior knowledge and educational background. However, conceptions of a received “canon” of information vary across national education systems and backgrounds. Instructors must be prepared to work in an environment where they must avoid making hasty assumptions about prior student knowledge. On the other hand, a diversity of experience and knowledge among students constitutes a tremendous resource for stimulating classroom conversation and shared learning. We will discuss strategies on how to engage this resource in the classroom.
This is session two in a three-part learning community series, "Columbia International: Cultural Diversity Among Teachers and Students," that explores the benefits for student learning that arise from an instructor’s ability to draw on a diversity of knowledge and experience in the classroom, and to assess the challenges that arise for teachers in preparing their classes whilst avoiding hasty assumptions regarding shared prior knowledge.