Heterogeneity – the Reality of Diversity in our Classrooms

By Dr. Nasreen Sultana, Teaching and Learning

Classroom heterogeneity refers to how students differ in age, gender, cultural and social backgrounds, and learning environments and have unique cognitive, motivational, and emotional needs (Hirschauer & Kullmann, 2009). In today’s world, Canadian post-secondary classrooms are diverse and multi-dimensional. The phrase around international students is widely used as a catch-all phrase without recognizing the heterogeneous nature of their experiences (Heng, 2019). The glossing overuse of international students as a homogeneous group may create unwanted classroom biases, risking an overgeneralization and otherization of internationals (Lee, 2014). The same happens with domestic students, too, when we use another catch-all phrase, “domestic students,” without acknowledging the diversity in them.

Not considering diversity in the students may lead to the following biases in the classrooms:

• All domestic students have the same cultural values and identities.
• All brown students are domestic.
• All internationals are rich or poor.
• Everyone has the same goals or motivation to study.
• Everyone has the same learning preferences, leading to a “one size fits all” approach in teaching.
• All students have the same level of linguistic abilities.
• Students have only a few or even only one known identity.
• There is no intersectionality in the international students.
• Students are limited within the boundary of their national identity.
• Brown students usually cannot be queer.
• Students coming from one country follow the same religion or have the same religious perspective.
• Students from a particular ethnicity are high performing than the other.

Usually, overgeneralization may create a set of polarized and stereotyped reactions from the teachers, which are often inaccurate. Citing Beate Wischer, Drinck (2018) offers comprehensive categories of heterogeneity, such as heterogeneity due to achievement levels, cognitive learning needs, age, socio-cultural heterogeneity, differences in social competence, differences in interests and inclinations, linguistic ability, migration, state of health, differences in mental and physical health, and gender-based diversity.

Heng (2019) studied 18 Chinese international students in the USA and found that the experiences of these selected international students were multi-dimensional based on communication in English, engagement with the subject matter, gender, preparation for the future, and motivation in extracurricular activities and socialization. Simply put, students may share their common national identity but may not share a common language. For example, students from Nigeria often do not share a common language, religion, or idiosyncratic values. Domestic students in Canada come from different social, economic, and ethnic backgrounds. Canadian Indigenous students often have their own unique languages, customs, and cultural values.

Teach with diversity in mind. This is the FIRST step to acknowledge the heterogeneity in today’s classrooms.

If students are not recognized as individuals in the classroom, that can lead to long-lasting harmful impacts on them, such as,
• Demotivation
• Disengagement
• Low self-esteem
• Barriers to growth and progression
• Lower retention in the programs/courses
• Behavioural issues

Creating a supportive and inclusive classroom environment where students feel seen and appreciated is crucial for their development and success. The first key mantra would be teaching with a heterogeneous audience in mind.

Want to learn more? Sign up for the upcoming series Teaching for Student Diversity.

References:

Drinck, B. (2018). Dealing with Heterogeneity in the School Class. 東洋哲学研究所紀要= Bulletin of the Institute of Oriental Philosophy, (34), 243-255.

Hirschauer, M., & Kullmann, H. (2010). Lehrerprofessionalität im Zeichen von Heterogenität–Stereotype bei Lehrkräften als kollegial zu bearbeitende Herausforderung (pp. 351-373). VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften.

Heng, T. T. (2019). Understanding the heterogeneity of international students’ experiences: A case study of Chinese international students in US universities. Journal of Studies in International Education, 23(5), 607-623.

Lee, J. J. (2014). Understanding international students: Beyond U.S.-centrism and towards international consciousness. In S. Harper & S. Quaye (Eds.), Student engagement in higher education: Theoretical perspectives and practical approaches for diverse populations (pp. 105-120). New York, NY: Routledge.