Presentation

This subject will deal with different terms that are closely related to each other and how they are applied in the classroom.

The first part introduces the basic concepts of equality and diversity. It also explains the main theoretical perspectives about diversity in the classroom.

In addition, we will study the issue of exclusion in the classroom. We will discuss the “hidden curriculum”. We will talk about intolerance and xenophobia and address school bullying and its possible consequences.

We will also address the issue of academic failure, the characteristics of stereotypes and prejudices and the way they can be handled. To this end, we will explain the Pygmalion effect and its relation with self-esteem.

In the second part of the subject, we will discuss the inclusive school, a school that relies on the collective work of the whole educational community and on interaction with its social environment.
At the same time, we will explore further the inclusion of ICT in society. We will analyse the changes brought about by the use of technologies, along with identification of exclusion caused by the digital gap.
Lastly, and in connection with the above, we will discuss the advantages of using ICT to draw attention to diversity, obtaining the students help with educational support needs and the accessible curriculum design.

Competences

Basic competences

• BC3. Students have the ability to gather and interpret relevant data (usually within their area of study) to make judgements that include a reflection on relevant social, scientific or ethical issues.
• BC4.Students can transmit information, ideas, problems and solutions to a specialised and non-specialised public.
• BC5. Students have developed the learning skills required to undertake further studies with a high degree of autonomy.

General competences

• GC3.Design and regulate learning spaces in contexts of diversity that address the unique educational needs of students, gender equality, equity and respect for human rights.
• GC4. Promote coexistence inside and outside the classroom and address the peaceful resolution of conflicts. Know how to systematically observe contexts of learning and coexistence and know how to reflect on them.
• GC7. Know the educational implications of information and communication technologies and, in particular, television in early childhood.
• GC11. Reflect on classroom practices to innovate and improve teaching. Acquire habits and skills for autonomous and cooperative learning and promote it among students.

Specific competences

• SC6. Know the pedagogical dimension of interaction with peers and adults and know how to promote participation in collective activities, cooperative work and individual effort.
• SC13. Critically analyse and incorporate the most relevant issues of current society that affect family and school education: social and educational impact of audio-visual languages and screens; changes in intergenerational and gender relationships; multiculturalism and interculturality; discrimination and social inclusion and sustainable development.

Program

Unit 1. Basic notions of equality and diversity
Equality, diversity, difference, justice and fairness
Diversity as a positive value and part of life
Relativism and ethnocentrism
Human dignity and human rights
Theoretical perspectives on diversity in the classroom
Bibliography

Unit 2. Exclusion in schools
The hidden curriculum
Intolerance and xenophobia
How to detect bullying in the classroom
Bibliography

Unit 3. Main factors in failure at school
Stereotypes and prejudices
Self-fulfilling prophecies, the Pygmalion effect
Other factors that influence failure at school
Bibliography

Unit 4. Inclusive schools and interculturality
The school as an open entity
Dialogue
Intercultural education and education for diversity
What an intercultural school is
Problems in the school environment
Actions
Proposals about interculturality for application in the classroom
Bibliography

Unit 5. Digital exclusion in the knowledge society
Transformations in the information and knowledge society
Access to information
Web 2.0: from consumers to creators
Risks of using ICT
The digital divide: a new type of exclusion
Education in the face of digital exclusion
Bibliography

Unit 6. The inclusion of ICT in the diverse school
Educational inclusion and digital inclusion
Digital inclusion in school, advantages and requirements
Changes in the idea of the educational process
Transformations in the roles of teachers and students
ICT as an element of attention to diversity
The use of ICT for students in need of educational support
Bibliography

Methodology

The different tasks and activities programmed during the semester have been developed with the goal of adapting the learning process to the different capabilities, necessities and interests of the students.

The activities included in the subject are:

• Work. These are activities of different types: reflection, case analysis, practice, etc.
• Participation in events. Events are scheduled every week of the semester: virtual face-to-face sessions, discussion forums, tests.
• Reading commentary. This is a very specific type of activity that consists in the analysis of texts of articles by expert authors in different units of the subject.

In the weekly program you can find the specific tasks you need to complete in this subject.

These activities are combined with the following aspects:

• Personal Study
• Tutoring. The tutoring class can be implemented through different tools and means. During the course of the subject, the teacher-tutor plans the individual tutoring on specific days for the resolution of academic-oriented doubts through “Consultation sessions”. Supplementing these sessions, students have also available the “Ask your teacher” forum through which they can formulate questions and check the corresponding answers on general aspects of the subject.  Due to the very nature of the media used, there are no fixed schedules for the students.
• Mandatory on-site final exam.

Bibliography

Basic bibliography

The necessary texts for the study of this subject had been elaborated by UNIR and are available in a digital format for consultation, download and print in the virtual classroom.

Barragán, R., Cano, J., García, J. M. y Solera, E. (2016). Igualdad y diversidad en el aula. Manual para maestros de Infantil y Primaria. Logroño: Unir Editorial.

Evaluation and assessment

The evaluation system is based on the following numerical chart:

The grade is made up of two components:

On-site final exam (60%). At the end of the semester, you need to assist a mandatory on-site final exam. You need to pass the final exam so the grade obtained from the assignments (continuous assessment) is summed up to the final grade of the subject. 

Continuous assessment (40%): this type of assessment will be measured through the different assignments you need to complete during the course:

• Active participation and involvement in forums, online classes.
• Tasks. The completion of the different activities the students need to send through our virtual classroom such as research, critical thinking, practice cases.
• Self-evaluation tests. At the end of each unit, students will find a short quiz which will help the students to check the knowledge acquired during the course.

Remember that you can check the points (value) of each assignment in the weekly program.

Take into account that the sum of the grades of the assignments included in the continuous assessment is 6 points. You can do as many as you want to until a maximum grade of 4 points (which is the maximum grade you will be obtaining in the continuous assessment)In the weekly program, you can find the grade of each assignment. .

Tips

Studying online means you can organize your study as you wish, as long as you meet the due dates of the different assignments (activities, tasks and tests). In order to help you, we propose the following steps:

1. From our online platform you will have access to each of the subjects you are enrolled. Apart from this, the virtual classroom of Lo que necesitas saber antes de empezar (All you need to know before starting). In this section, you have available all the documents on how to use the different tools included in the virtual classroom, how a subject is organized and you will also have the possibility to organize your study plan with the tutor.
2. Do not forget to check the weekly program. You will see which part of the content of the course you have to work on every week.
3. After knowing your work for the week, go to Temas in your virtual classroom. There, you will have access to the study material (theory and practice) from the unit you need to study throughout the week.
4. Start by reading the Key ideas of each unit, there you will find the specific study material and it will help you understand the most important points of the unit. Afterwards, check out the sections Specially Recommended and More Information where you will find more resources in order to deepen on the topic of the unit. .
5. Devote some time to the practical cases and tasks in the subject (assignments and test). Remember that in your weekly program you find all the information related to the schedule for each assignment and the maximum grade you can obtain in each of them.
6. We strongly recommend you to participate in the Events of the course (online classes, forums….). To know the precise schedule of the events, you need to check the communications tools in the virtual platform. Your teacher and tutor will inform you on the updates of the course.

Remember that in Lo que necesitas saber antes de empezar (All you need to know before starting) you can check how the different tools of the virtual classroom work: email, forum, online classes, sending the tasks, etc.