Recognise diversity

Diversity exists across many dimensions, including differences in socioeconomic status, educational background, cultural background, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexuality, age, mode of attendance (full time, part time, on campus, off campus), and ability or disability.

One of the best ways to avoid making assumptions about students’ attitudes or existing knowledge, or stereotyping them according to preconceived categories is to be aware and be informed about different dimensions of diversity that may be represented within your student cohort.

Originally developed by the Monash University Library team, this guide provides some background content about the diverse experiences of students at Monash, and additional resources which can help you take a broad and inclusive approach in your teaching.

Diverse genders, sexes and sexualities View

A lot of progress has been made over the years in terms of gender and sexuality inclusivity in the university environment, but more can be done to make university culture safe and welcoming for all students (Australian Human Rights Commission 2017). Whenever we interact with students or engage in educational activities, we can play a role in changing cultures within the university by demonstrating and promoting respect for students of all genders, sexes and sexualities.

In 2019, Monash University released its Inclusive Education Guidelines, a document that reflects on some of the direct and indirect discrimination experienced by LGBTIQA* (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, asexual) students in the university environment. These guidelines seek to address heterosexism and heteronormativity, which assumes that heterosexuality is inherently normal, rendering the experiences of others – such as LGBTIQ people – invisible, unacknowledged or ignored. Heteronormativity is the normalisation of heterosexist ideals and behaviours in our everyday lives on an institutional, interpersonal, and personal level. Likewise, cisnormativity erases the existence of trans and gender diverse people, by assuming everyone will identify with the gender they were assigned at birth (Australian Institute of Family Studies 2017).

Heteronormativity and cisnormativity can permeate our language and practices, often in ways we don’t expect, so it can be challenging to recognise, examine and adapt our behaviour. Unintentional heterosexism and cissexism can be harmful to LGBTIQA+ students, who may be made to feel inferior or abnormal. The reinforcement of stereotypes concerning gender and sexuality can also make students feel unwelcome in their courses of study, ill suited for their desired career, or increase their feeling of isolation.

Additional resources

Cultural and linguistic diversity View

Monash University is an international university with a culturally and linguistically diverse population. Over a quarter of students enrolled at Monash University are international students (Monash University Planning and Statistics 2017). Additionally, there is a significant population of domestic students who were either born overseas or have a culturally and linguistically diverse ancestry. Therefore, developing intercultural competence is essential to be able to incorporate and respond to the cultural diversity at Monash appropriately.

This involves learning about other cultures, worldviews, and ways of knowing, whilst simultaneously examining your own culture and assumptions.
It should be noticed that the development of intercultural competence is a lifelong process (Lundgren, 2005), and its development entails having continual interest in upskilling oneself in effective intercultural communication, exposure to multiple intercultural encounters, and gaining intercultural knowledge through education and training. The key factor in becoming an interculturally competent teacher is openness to view the world through others’ lenses and understand the world from their viewpoint (Deardorff, 2009).

Be aware that conventions around personal names differ between cultures, and in some cultures naming conventions might be different from western conventions.

When teaching citing and referencing, for example, it is best to avoid referring to a 'Christian name' and 'surname', and instead clarifying what you mean by 'given name' and 'family name'.
Consider including examples of how to cite non-Western names that may not neatly fit into Western categories and citation systems.

Without stereotyping, consider the ways non-Western approaches to education may impact students’ learning.

In many Asian countries with Confucian world-views, students primarily learn through repetition and memorising. These students may need more encouragement and guidance about engaging in critical thinking or creative expression (Merriam & Kim, 2008).
Some cultures discourage speaking out of turn, or even speaking without being asked, impacting on how students engage in collaborative learning (Maringe & Sing, 2014). Seek ways to encourage all members of a group to participate (ie. you could assign each member a task to complete).
Take into account that some non-Western cultures privilege the collective good over individual rights, which can impact on how students are motivated to learn and how they understand and interpret knowledges and referencing.
Understandings around the role of the teacher and authority vary from culture to culture. Talking in the presence of elders, or questioning the teacher or their knowledge can be considered highly disrespectful.
Some students come from countries without copyright laws and that have different approaches to referencing and academic integrity. You may mention when discussing plagiarism that the concept of ‘owning’ knowledge, as currently understood by Australian Universities, largely stems from the historical development of copyright laws in Australia, Britain and the USA. These can conflict with Indigenous understandings of knowledge, for example. Some concepts or stories are only to be shared under particular circumstances or with particular people with a specific relationship to the storyteller, something that copyright laws (and referencing systems) in Australia do not reflect.
Include group or pair work to assist students establish intercultural relationships and recognise the value of diversity (Edmead 2012).

Make a conscious and regular effort to develop your knowledge of diversity, inclusion and exclusion.

Allocate time in your calendar to expand your knowledge in a particular area. You could spend this time to read a journal article or watch a documentary on Kanopy.

Additional resources

Monash's English Connect
SBS’s Cultural Atlas
IEAA. Learning and teaching across cultures
Faith Communities Council of Victoria, “Multifaith Calendar”
Kanopy (All Monash staff and students can access Kanopy for free)

Indigenous backgrounds View

Indigenous Australians comprise just over 1% of all students enrolled in Australian higher education institutions (Pechenkina, 2015). A lack of awareness of Indigenous cultures among university staff can have a significant impact on Indigenous students’ access to, and retention in, higher education (Evans, 2017). When teachers don’t understand the importance of Indigenous cultural practices and ceremonies, they may not be in a position to respond appropriately during interactions with Indigenous students.

Named in honour of the activist, visionary and community leader, William Cooper, known for organising a number of protest organisations and petitions campaigning for Indigenous rights, the William Cooper Institute coordinates support for Indigenous students and staff at Monash University. The William Cooper Institute provides a range of programs and services for students, including subject tuition, skills programs, pathways programs, and assistance finding accommodation or applying for scholarships or bursaries. Students also have access to William Cooper study spaces at Clayton, Peninsula and Caulfield campuses.

For larger classes, or an ongoing series of classes, you may wish to make an Acknowledgement of Country at the beginning of class.

Depending on where you are located, different Monash University campuses and sites have different Traditional owners.
- Clayton and Caulfield campus: Kulin Nations (inclusive of all Indigenous peoples in the area)
- Parkville campus: Wurundjeri people
- Peninsula: Bunurong (sometimes spelled Boon Wurrung) people
Suggested wording for an Acknowledgement of Country on campus: 'I wish to acknowledge the people of the Kulin Nations, on whose land we are gathered today. I pay my respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging.'
Suggested wording for an Acknowledgement of Country online: 'I wish to acknowledge the people of the Kulin Nations, on whose land Monash University operates. I pay my respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging. Attendees may based elsewhere, so we pay our respects to Traditional Owners of the land from wherever you may be joining us.'
You can also acknowledge Traditional Owners in official documents or your email signature—for example: 'I wish to acknowledge the people of the Kulin Nations, on whose land Monash University operates. I pay my respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging.'

Take the time to learn about Indigenous cultural practices and teachings.

Consider incorporating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' knowledges into your teaching, see the Great Guide to Indigenisation of the Curriculum.
Consider signing up for an Indigenous Cultural Safety workshop on MyDevelopment (Monash staff only).

Be aware that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are diverse, and their heritage may not be obvious to you.

It is inappropriate to make assumptions about students' heritage, and rarely appropriate to ask students about where they're from.
Avoid asking questions like 'is anyone in this class Indigenous?' or asking Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to provide an 'Indigenous perspective' on discussions in class. This singles out students and suggests that Indigenous people are 'outsiders' in your classroom.

Additional resources

Socioeconomic diversity View

Disability and neurodiversity View

People with disabilities and mental health concerns can face many challenges in the education environment which range from physical barriers, to obstructive policies, practices and attitudes. These health concerns are not always visible or obvious, making it important to teach in a way that includes students with a range of abilities and health statuses, even in circumstances where you are not aware of teaching students with disabilities or impairments.

Fundamentally, it is important to understand that disability, mental health conditions and neurodiversity are normal part of human diversity and should not be viewed as a ‘problem’ for which allowances or alterations need to be made. Instead, barriers to access and participation should be seen as a result of social and environmental factors which need to be made more inclusive, locating the ‘problem’ within society rather than individual. Generally, an inclusive approach to education will benefit students with disability and mental health conditions.

Additionally, although there are a growing number of students registering with Disability Support Services (DSS), many student choose not to disclose conditions due to a fear of stigma and discrimination (Li, Denson & Dorstyn, 2017). Mental health can impact student’s education in a number of ways, from attendance and physical well-being to issues with concentration, self esteem, and decision making ability. As a particularly vulnerable population, university students are five times more likely to be diagnosed with a mental health issue than the general population (Usher & Curran, 2017), and 86% of students with a mental health disorder do not complete their course of study (Hughes, Corcoran & Slee, 2015).

Learn about the software available in the library’s adaptive technology rooms (ATRs)

If you know the kinds of assistive tools available to students and how these programs can impact use of e-learning resources, you can more easily provide accessible documents. Assistive softwares includes:
- Screen readers (JAWS)
- Screen magnifiers (MAGic or ZoomText)
- Dictation software (Dragon)
- Learning and literacy support tools (texthelp read&write, inspiration)
- Optical character recognition (OCR) software (ABBYY FineReader).
Understand how screen readers work. This will help you recognise the importance of proper page structure, appropriate use of headings and hyperlinked text, and the necessity of alt text for images and icons when designing online resources.

Become familiar with the services offered by Disability Support Services (DSS) so you can refer students on as required.

To access the Adaptive Technology Room, students must be registered with DSS. For more information, students should contact Disability Support Services (DSS) or talk to one of the library’s Disability Contact Officers.
For more information, see the DSS website(Monash intranet).

Additional resources

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Recognise diversity

Diverse genders, sexes and sexualities View

Additional resources

Cultural and linguistic diversity View

Additional resources

Indigenous backgrounds View

Additional resources

Socioeconomic diversity View

Additional resources

Disability and neurodiversity View

Additional resources

Your feedback matters