(U1Topic 2) Foundations of Special and Inclusive Education

Summary

This lecture on Loden's Diversity Wheel explores the inner and outer spheres of diversity, with the inner circle focusing on innate factors like age, gender, and race, and the outer circle representing experiential factors such as education, religion, and personal values. The video delves into four key principles—respect, inclusion, cooperation, and responsibility—that underpin a diverse and inclusive environment. Through a classroom activity, students reflect on how their unique characteristics shape their interactions. The lecture emphasizes the importance of understanding and celebrating diversity in fostering cooperation and positive societal change.

Takeaways

• 😀 Loden's Diversity Wheel is divided into two circles: the Inner Circle (Embedded Sphere) and the Outer Circle (Outer Sphere).
• 😀 The Inner Circle consists of characteristics that are innate and unchangeable, such as age, gender, ethnicity, race, and physical ability.
• 😀 The Outer Circle contains aspects that can be influenced or changed over time, like income, education, work experience, thinking styles, personal values, and appearance.
• 😀 The activity encourages imagining your own diversity and comparing it to a classmate's diversity, categorizing the characteristics into the Inner and Outer Circles.
• 😀 Respect is defined as treating others how they wish to be treated, following the Golden Rule or the concept of karma.
• 😀 Inclusion involves ensuring that everyone is part of decision-making, valuing everyone's opinion even if it's not ultimately adopted.
• 😀 Cooperation emphasizes helping others succeed rather than competing, offering support for shared success.
• 😀 Responsibility means managing your own behavior to maintain a positive and diverse environment, and questioning inappropriate behavior in others once you model proper conduct.
• 😀 The Diversity Wheel emphasizes that diversity is not just about recognizing differences but also about understanding the implications of those differences in social interactions.
• 😀 The key principles behind Loden’s Diversity Wheel—respect, inclusion, cooperation, and responsibility—help guide interactions in diverse environments.
• 😀 Developing a diverse and inclusive environment starts with self-awareness and personal responsibility, which leads to greater cooperation and community engagement.

Q & A

What is the main concept of Loden's Diversity Wheel?

Loden's Diversity Wheel presents two spheres: the inner circle (embedded sphere) which includes inherent, unchangeable aspects of identity such as age, gender, and race, and the outer circle (outer sphere) which includes more changeable aspects such as income, education, and personal values.

What are the factors included in the inner circle of the Diversity Wheel?

The inner circle consists of factors that are inherent and cannot be changed, such as age, gender, physical ability, sexual orientation, and ethnicity/race.

What are some examples of factors in the outer circle of the Diversity Wheel?

The outer circle includes factors like income, religion, education, work experience, thinking styles, personal values, political beliefs, appearance, and mental status.

Why are the factors in the inner circle described as unchangeable?

These factors are described as unchangeable because they are inherent to an individual from birth, meaning they cannot be altered through personal choice or effort.

How does the Diversity Wheel help in understanding human differences?

The Diversity Wheel encourages reflection on the differences between individuals, emphasizing that even among people who may appear similar, there are unique aspects of identity that shape their experiences and perspectives.

What is the principle of 'Respect' in the context of the Diversity Wheel?

Respect, according to Loden, means treating others the way they wish to be treated. It is based on the idea of reciprocity—what you give to others, you will receive in return.

How does inclusion play a role in diverse environments, according to Loden's Diversity Wheel?

Inclusion ensures that everyone in a group or team feels valued and that their opinions are considered in decision-making processes. It promotes a welcoming atmosphere where everyone’s input matters.

What is the difference between cooperation and competition in diverse groups?

Cooperation is about actively helping others succeed and offering support, whereas competition involves attempting to outdo others. Cooperation fosters mutual assistance, while competition can hinder collaboration if not managed properly.

What does responsibility mean in the context of Loden’s Diversity Wheel?

Responsibility refers to managing one’s own behavior to maintain a positive, inclusive environment. It also involves holding others accountable for inappropriate behavior, ensuring that the group functions in a respectful and diverse-friendly manner.

How can the principles of respect, inclusion, cooperation, and responsibility be applied in a classroom setting?

In a classroom, these principles can be applied by treating everyone fairly, welcoming diverse ideas in group work, offering assistance to classmates to ensure everyone succeeds, and holding oneself accountable for contributing positively to the learning environment.