Online Instructional Practices for Racially Diverse Student Populations in United States Higher Education Institutions: Challenges and Best Practices

Abstract

Both individual online courses and fully online programs in the United States have gained widespread acceptance. They are also more diverse than ever due to students’ demographic changes. There are multiple challenges to student learning and to instructor teaching, and in this chapter, the authors present literature on online learning challenges and possible best practices for faculty training, instructional design, course content, intercultural miscommunication, accessibility for students with disabilities, and social isolation. Use of inclusive teaching methods are recommended. These are methods that promote effective cross-cultural pedagogies including methods that create learning tasks that foster reciprocal learning about cultures, expose learners to multiple perspectives, and facilitate development of skills in global thinking and intercultural competence. Use of universal instructional techniques to address multiple learning styles and integrating multicultural perspectives in course content have resulted in student success, satisfaction, as well as reduced stress and social isolation in online classes. Online Instructional Practices for Racially Diverse Student Populations in United States Higher Education Institutions: Challenges and Best Practices