Multicultural Education Approaches

Our schools teach us a lot, from maths to history. But how well do they teach us about diversity and the value of different cultures? Many educational programmes around the world still miss out on sharing the full spectrum of global histories and cultures. This gap doesn't just limit knowledge; it also limits understanding and acceptance. So, what steps can we take to make our classrooms more inclusive from the start? 1) Diversifying Reading Materials: Instead of confining reading lists to traditional Western authors, why not introduce students to literary gems from Africa, Asia, and Latin America? Exploring varied narratives allows students to appreciate the richness of global cultures. 2) Teacher Training: Before educators can impart values of diversity and inclusion, they themselves need to be equipped. Regular workshops addressing unconscious biases and strategies for fostering inclusive classrooms can be transformative. 3) Incorporate Global Histories: Instead of a Eurocentric approach, curriculums could weave in histories from different continents, highlighting achievements, struggles, and contributions that shaped the modern world. The benefits of such early D&I interventions are manifold. Students exposed to diverse perspectives tend to be more empathetic, open-minded, and adaptable. They're better equipped to navigate our increasingly interconnected world, fostering environments of mutual respect and collaboration. Imagine a world where every classroom becomes a vibrant tapestry of ideas, histories, and cultures. A place where every student sees a reflection of themselves and also learns to value the reflections of others. Isn't that a future worth striving for? How can we, as stakeholders in education, take actionable steps towards that vision today? For those keen on delving further into the intricacies of early D&I strategies in education, I've linked a seminal article that offers both insights and actionable steps. You'll find it in the comments below. Let's shape the future, one inclusive classroom at a time. #Education #Diversity

Amuzu, D. (2023). “African magic” or “African science”: Issues of technology in African higher education. British Journal of Educational Technology, 54(6), 1505-1519. https://lnkd.in/gWTDS-iD Abstract: African ideas, science, technology, scholarship and worldviews have been disproportionately displaced and marginalized in relevant global dialogues. In academic circles, African methods of knowing have been questioned, undervalued, mocked, misconstrued, and disregarded, causing apprehension. These negative attitudes are internalized via the educational system, stifling agency and conditioning African learners to rely on technology from outside sources, resulting in the exteriorization of innovation and creativity. African inventiveness becomes “African magic” with no real desire to interrogate, explain, or grasp its basic mechanics. This article contends that technology and creative imaginations exist in African societies. The task, however, remains the exploration and integration of African knowledge systems into higher education. The study aims to demonstrate how the interaction of two components of traditional African education—a sense of community and informal learning—could assist in the embrace, facilitation, and mainstreaming of marginalized African technologies. Although the paper may appear eclectic, it is intended to conscientiously push the paradigm that technology has been integral to African education. Regardless of Africa's technical challenges, salvation does not lie in excessive external reliance but rather in investing and building on Indigenous African knowledges/practices in order to establish an African technological identity.

Every culture has its own unique approach to understanding the world. In Indigenous Somali culture, the transmission of knowledge is deeply rooted in oral traditions, communal relationships, and a profound connection to the land. Education is a holistic process that involves sharing wisdom through poetry, storytelling, and lived experiences. This approach views knowledge as a communal asset, passed down through generations and integrated into daily life. The impact of English, Italian, and French colonialism during the 19th and 20th centuries disrupted these Indigenous knowledge systems. Colonial education systems aimed to replace the rich, oral traditions of the Somali people with Western methods that were foreign to their cultural context. This was not merely about introducing new languages or administrative structures; it was a profound disruption, severing Somali people from their traditional ways of understanding and interacting with the world. This disruption has caused a deep sense of disconnect within Somali society. Colonial legacies introduced a Eurocentric model that prioritised written over oral knowledge, individualism over communal values, and abstraction over lived experience. These changes have had significant psychological impacts, leading to a fragmentation of cultural identity and memory. Scholars like Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o and Frantz Fanon have highlighted how colonialism creates a psychological divide, alienating people from their cultural roots and imposing a new identity shaped by the coloniser’s perspective. From a psychological standpoint, this disruption can be seen as a form of cultural trauma—collective suffering that alters the social fabric of a community. For the Somali people, the imposition of colonial education systems has led to a loss of linguistic and cultural heritage and a struggle to reconcile traditional ways of knowing with the imposed colonial frameworks. Reclaiming and revitalising Indigenous Somali knowledge requires a conscious effort to decolonise education. This means reintegrating Somali language and oral traditions into educational systems and rethinking the goals of education itself. A decolonised education should restore balance by embedding knowledge within its cultural, environmental, and spiritual contexts, honouring the interconnected nature of Somali culture, where knowledge links individuals to their ancestors, community, and the natural world. By doing this, we can begin to heal the wounds inflicted by colonialism and restore balance within Somali society. Decolonisation is not only about recovering lost traditions but also about creating an education system that acknowledges and values Indigenous knowledge as vital to the collective well-being of the Somali people.

In education, our perspective is powerful. When we see reality as isolated components, our instinct is to address each part separately. But what if we view reality as a network of interconnected elements? 🗺️ Focusing on the whole picture becomes crucial. As we face future challenges, systemic issues will arise. Whether financial crises or climate change, understanding intricate systems is vital. 🌐 It's about grasping the interplay of components in their entirety, not just fixing parts. In this complex age, our education system needs a paradigm shift. Regardless of the field, we must perceive the world as interconnected nodes, not disjointed elements. 🔑 Let's be architects of change, not just fixers. By honing skills to comprehend intricate networks, we can address root causes. I hope to see education evolve for holistic thinking, preparing us for grand challenges. 10 tips on how to start in your classroom today: 1. Define Clear Holistic Learning Outcomes Set overarching learning goals that emphasize interconnectedness and understanding relationships between concepts. 2. Identify Interdisciplinary Connections Use a mind-mapping tool to map out how different subject areas intersect and weave those intersections into your course structure. 3. Foster Systems Thinking Introduce the concept of systems thinking early on to help students understand the complex interplay of factors. 4. Integrate Real-World Challenges Incorporate projects that require students to address multifaceted, real-world problems. 5. Use Collaborative Projects Assign group projects that encourage students to combine insights from various disciplines. 6. Explore Ethical Considerations Discuss the ethical implications of various decisions within complex systems. 7. Holistic Assessment Methods Develop assessment methods that measure students' ability to connect concepts rather than rote memorization. 8. Embrace Ambiguity Teach students to navigate uncertainty and complexity, enhancing their adaptability. 9. Simulations and Role-Play Use simulations and role-play scenarios that involve dynamic interactions between different components. 10. Reflect on Personal Growth Prompt students to reflect on how their holistic understanding has evolved throughout the course.   #HolisticEducation #SystemsThinking #EducationForChange #NavigatingComplexity #LifelongLearning #HolisticCourseDesign #InterdisciplinaryLearning #SystemsThinking #EducationInnovation #LifelongLearning

One of the most exciting shifts we’ve seen in student research? The rise of questions that cut across traditional disciplines. Last year, hundreds of students explored fields like economics, psychology, IR, gender studies, and susiness- not in isolation, but in combination. A student who usually spent all his time thinking about business and finance, chose to do research at the intersection of economics and sociology. He interviewed dozens of people working in restaurants and discovered that the unique characteristics of the hospitality industry in India created barriers to women in the workplace: working late nights, having to interact with men without others around, and the expectation of care. Another student looking at AI also explored its impact on identity, healthcare and power: How can we use AI to expand access to healthcare, especially in the Global South? Can AI revamp management at healthcare centres to allow for greater efficiency? These aren’t just academic exercises. They reflect the world students are stepping into: one where problems don’t fit neatly into categories. When students connect disciplines, they’re not just broadening their knowledge- they’re learning how to approach complexity with clarity.

Transdisciplinary AI Education: A Paradigm for the Future 🌍🤖 by International Baccalaureate In an era where artificial intelligence is reshaping every facet of society, how we educate the next generation about AI holds profound implications. The recent work on transdisciplinary AI education at @Neom Community School offers a compelling vision: AI is not merely a standalone subject but a thread woven into the fabric of a broader curriculum, fostering critical thinking, collaboration, and ethical awareness. 🧠💡 Why This Approach Matters? #Transdisciplinary education moves beyond traditional, siloed instruction by embedding AI across disciplines. Students engage not only with its technical dimensions but also with its ethical, social, and practical implications. An holistic understanding of AI’s role in society positioning students as creators of their AI-driven futures. 🌐🔍 1. 🌱 #HolisticUnderstanding: By integrating AI into a broader curricular framework, students grasp its relevance across fields—from ecology to ethics. This enriches their perspective, ensuring they see AI not as an isolated tool but as an enabler of interdisciplinary solutions.   2. 🚀 #ActiveEngagement: Through inquiry-driven projects, students transition from passive learners to active participants, shaping solutions to challenges that matter to them.   3. 🔧 #ExperientialLearning: Hands-on exercises, from coding robots to tackling real-world problems, bridge the gap between theory and application, preparing students to thrive in industry and academia.   4. 🧑🎓 #FutureReadiness: Middle school—a pivotal time for influencing career trajectories—is leveraged to inspire students to view AI not just as a field of study but as a catalyst for societal change.  Insights from Neom Community School Using the International Baccalaureate’s (IB) "Units of Inquiry," Neom Community School exemplifies transdisciplinary education. Students engage in collaborative projects like creating AI-powered museum guides or ecological classification systems, integrating technical skills with broader societal insights. 🏛️🌿 Challenges and Opportunities 1. 🧩 Curricular Cohesion: The integration of AI across disciplines requires careful design to avoid fragmentation and ensure learning objectives align across subjects.   2. 🧑🏫 Teacher Preparedness: Equipping educators with the tools and confidence to teach AI transdisciplinarily is critical. Collaboration among educators from diverse fields is both an opportunity and a logistical challenge.   3. 🌍 Equitable Access: Lowering entry barriers for students with varying levels of technical expertise ensures inclusivity and diversity in AI learning.  The transdisciplinary AI curriculum at Neom Community School highlights a transformative model for education—one where students not only learn about AI but also learn through AI, exploring its implications across the human and natural sciences 🤝💻 https://lnkd.in/eY-esUMF

Over the last few years, I have been working with Prof. Recep Senturk on a research agenda that can be broadly called applied multiplexity research, which aims to bring wisdom and pluralism to contemporary discourse. Some of our papers/ works include: —“A Holistic Education for the 21st Century Engineer Based on Wisdom and Multiplexity”, J. Qadir, The Future of Engineering Conference (TE'2022), Cambridge, Boston, USA, July 2022. —“Educating for the AI Era: Harnessing the Wild GenAI Horse through Multiplex AI Humanities and Critical AI Literacy”, J. Qadir and R. Şentürk, to be published. https://lnkd.in/dTwbKiEV —“The Ghazalian Project for the AI Era: A Multiplex Critical AI Approach”, J. Qadir, R. Arshad. To be published. https://lnkd.in/dVzC5Rfz —“An Islamically-Inspired Critical Pedagogy in the AI Era: A Multiplex Framework for Fostering Wisdom”, J. Qadir, R. Senturk, accepted as a Book Chapter in the Handbook of Critical Studies of AI and Education. I want to share with you why Multiplexity is a transformative paradigm upon which we need to develop the various applied sciences. —Multiplexity is pluralistic and applies not only to convergent problems (that belong to the EITHER/OR world and have single closed answers) but also to divergent problems (that belong to the BOTH/ AND world, which are open-ended and admit plural answers). —Multiplexity is focused on the wisdom of integration. By adopting a BOTH/ AND approach, multiplexity unifies analysis and synthesis, differentiation and integration, science and systemics. —Multiplexity is based on Islamic ideals and worldview (on the concept of Maratib) and the underlying unity in the many, but applies universally. —Multiplexity, with its layered both/and logic, can move beyond dichotomies and dualities and unify polarities and see wholes. Multiplexity is the science of the one and the many, which fundamentally underlies reality. —Multiplexity, with its layered ontology, can recognize multiple levels of reality and admit adequate methods per the context. In this way, multiplexity can reconcile various epistemological sources. —Multiplex logic respects both the unity of truth and the plurality of perspectives. —Multiplexity replaces the tyranny of OR (exclusivism, parochialism) and the tyranny of AND (relativism) by embracing OR with AND. —Multiplexity aligns with the dynamic Iqbalian concept of Khudi and of Whole-Making, where one focuses on unifying multiplicities under the pursuit of ideals and objectives. —Multiplexity aligns well with modern advances in systems thinking, critical complexity, and cybernetics, and provides a solid foundation for developing open science that is pluralistic and not hegemonic. I hope this motivates you to explore Multiplexity as a foundation for your research. Happy to share more, give presentations on these ideas, and collaborate. Welcome your ideas and comments.

How can we leverage culturally inclusive practices to support urban students' literacy development, critical thinking and writing abilities, and their ability to address their community's present conditions and issues? Leveraging culturally inclusive practices to support urban students' literacy development, critical thinking, and writing abilities, as well as their ability to address their community's present conditions and issues is crucial for their holistic development. Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings' research provides a valuable starting point for addressing this question, emphasizing academic achievement and the pivotal role of teachers in fostering engaging learning communities. One key aspect of Dr. Ladson-Billings' research is her focus on students engaging in the "critique of texts and activities." This emphasis on critical questioning, such as "Why are we doing this?" "Why is this important?" and "How does this enrich my life and/or the life of others?" can be extended to questions related to community empowerment and investment. By connecting teaching and learning activities to creating public policy statements and real-world applications, urban students can better understand the relevance and impact of their education. As you reflect on Dr. Ladson-Billings' culturally relevant pedagogy framework, which includes academic achievement, cultural competence, and sociopolitical awareness, consider how you can integrate historical studies and references into your lesson planning and activities. Many of the texts urban students read and the contemporary issues they research, analyze, and interpret have deep historical roots and influences. By framing teaching and learning activities within a historical context, urban students can gain a deeper understanding of their own history and its impact on current societal challenges. Incorporating historical context into lessons not only enriches students' critical thinking but also empowers them to become active and informed participants in addressing their community's present conditions and issues. This approach encourages students to see the relevance and significance of their education in shaping a better future for themselves and their communities. Dr. R. Faisal Higher Learning

“Every aspect of our system is a colonial legacy.” In this conversation, Omolara Oriye, Dr. Hadiza Kere Abdulrahman, and Baraka Muazu explored how colonialism continues to shape Africa’s education systems from what is taught, to how knowledge is defined and whose knowledge is validated. Baraka emphasized that colonial influence runs deep: language, governance, and education structures all carry its legacy. Habiba called for decolonization and critical thinking, while Omolara raised the urgent issue of epistemic agency, especially for African women whose knowledge is often dismissed. While no simple solutions emerged, the conversation underscored a shared commitment to decolonizing education and reclaiming African ways of knowing. 📢 Listen in here: https://bit.ly/3GnheWf #DecolonizeEducation #AfricanFutures #EpistemicJustice #KnowledgeLiberation #FeministEducation Nawi Africa African Women's Development Fund (AWDF) FEMNET - African Women's Development and Communication Network South Feminist Futures Black Feminist Fund

One of the questions I often get to answer is how to connect and integrate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into the classroom. The SDGs are not abstract or unreachable ideals. They are rather a framework for real impact that students can work towards. It is also a known fact that education is more than delivering subject content. It is about raising leaders who can tackle real-world challenges with confidence. The world is interconnected, and the issues we face require a generation ready to think critically and act responsibly. As educators, we have a sacred opportunity to bridge the gap between traditional subject content and the realities our students will soon face. Here's how we can start: Bring in real-world examples that reflect the SDGs. In a math class, for instance, explore statistics on global poverty. In English, analyse literature that touches on social justice themes. By showing students how classroom content connects to broader societal issues, we invite them to see themselves as part of the solution. Students engage more deeply when they see how their learning impacts real lives. With this, global awareness becomes a natural extension of daily learning. Encourage students to think beyond exams and projects. Try a different approach by creating assignments that prompt them to identify and explore global issues, empowering them to think about solutions critically. When students view themselves as problem-solvers, they develop a sense of responsibility and a desire to make a difference. Introduce open-ended questions and projects that require students to research, communicate, and collaborate. Engage them in case studies, debates, and group projects that explore different perspectives on complex global issues. This teaches them to approach problems from multiple angles and consider a range of solutions. Drum into your students that they are part of a global community. Share with them relatable stories of the impact of how local actions or policies impact people in other parts of the world. This perspective will help build empathy, global awareness, and a sense of responsibility. Finally, provide platforms where students can contribute ideas for local or global change. Small actions like organising a school recycling program or raising awareness about hunger will give students a chance to lead and see the immediate impact of their actions. The role of education is not to take students away from reality but to prepare them to navigate it as informed, capable, and empathetic leaders.