Diversity Project

-N.Rachael Sweeten

Learner Needs Assessment

Learner population is: Graduate students in the EDPS Department at University of
Utah.
Learners will have basic computer skills, college-level reading and comprehension skills
and no required prior knowledge of the topic.
Learners present a variety of attitudes toward diversity topics, the details of which may
be as unique as the people involved. The most relevant (assumed) attitudes of learners
are: They want to maintain self-value and confidence. They want to think of themselves
as good people. They want to feel respected, safe and welcomed by those around
them. They want to succeed in their education and subsequent jobs market. They
typically want to create no damage to others in their interactions, and to feel well-liked.
They are aware of their own pain areas, and have memories of feeling attacked, leftout, or demoralized by social encounters. They value the ideas of inclusiveness and
global citizenship. They tend to underestimate the frequency of unpleasant encounters
and the seriousness of the impacts on target groups to which they do not belong. (ie,
white people underestimate
Graduate students in EDPS are generally cooperative and familiar with the necessity of
research taking place around them.
Not all learners participate with the Diversity Committee or are familiar with its practices.
Learners interest will need to be inspired for this topic, as well as being reassured with
an expectations of usefulness, and the confidence that they can achieve without
disproportionate difficulty or failure/criticism.
Learners are typically willing to spend a finite amount of time, when convenient or
required by classes. They are willing to provide value to research project in general and
expect little reward or long-term value in return.
Learners come equipped with knowledge in some relevant areas for microaggressions,
particularly in areas where they themselves have suffered or someone close to them, or
where they have witnessed events that caused them distress.
Learners are motivated by a variety of goals and emotions. Most prominent are the
desire to contribute knowledge and enjoy a positive cultural environment.
The learners face barriers of: time constraints and motivation to participate in the study.
Learners at this education level typically have few technological knowledge barriers.
Ideally the learners will demonstrate knowledge immediately for testing, and take this
knowledge forward in the form of behaviors at the University and within the larger
community and spheres of influence.
To achieve learning goals, it is necessary for the learners to: acquire terminology
definitions, apply concepts within context (awareness), reflect on experiences and

empathize with presented scenarios, contribute to a group knowledgebase, and form a

personal plan for future action/application.
Learners prefer that the training materials be anonymous (confidential), computer
based, brief, interesting, relevant, fun where possible, and highly organized.
Challenges/issues that will need to be resolved over the course of the project:
Many of the topics within "Diversity" are potentially controversial and delicate, with a
wide variety of stakeholders.
Terminology is not universally understood or accepted, and reaching knowledge
consensus--even within one population like Graduate Students--is a challenge to be
met in the process of encouraging consistent behavioral changes.
The focus on offenses may risk sensitizing the receivers as well as the offenders for the
Microaggression incidents--which strategy initially appears to be at odds with the
(understood) goals of individual cognitive mental health training.
There are many potential detours and reasons why the target learners may tune-out or
avoid the topic altogether.
These topics are sensitive, loaded and challenging to the greatest minds in the
culture, which suggest that practical, obvious answers may be elusive.
Contrasting with this initial challenge, the opposite issue may be that the most
enthusiastic participants are the client's team (Diversity Committee) and not their target
learners. This creates a risk of preaching to the converted.
There is challenge in how to reach the learner population, narrowing larger ambitions
into SMART goal increments, and making the materials desirable to learners.
Topics which fall within Diversity Committee discussions may include anger, power
shifting/power imbalances, and strongly-felt complaints directed towards a group with
more perceived power. In narrowing specific client goals to achievable increments,
there will be a need to continually examine why the learner might "want" the materials,
or be convinced that it is interesting, fun, useful, necessary, or at minimum better to
master than to avoid.

Initial Instructional Analysis

1. Analysis of Current Situation

Learning Items
Terminology /Knowledge
acquisition

Goal State

Current State

(What should be)

(What is)

Learners will acquire

current best terminology
definition related to the
subject and apply correctly
in scenarios.

Words and common

expressions are used
interchangeably and
inconsistently by different
segments of the population
(age groups, education
levels, races, genders,

etc.) increasing the

potential for confusion and
offenses.
Awareness & Recognition

Learners will demonstrate

sensitivity to and
recognition of common
Microaggressions.

Learners may recognize

when giving offense (and
feel bad), be oblivious, or
feel justified (and not
sorry.)

Application of concepts in
context

Learners identify & deliver/

rehearse optimal
communication in
hypothetical scenarios.

Learners have reflex

reactions to offenses
(giving and receiving,)
which risk cementing
existing beliefs and
missing opportunities for
connection and social
innovation.

Empathy Activity

Learners will participate in

empathy-building
Define and apply indicators scenarios in order to
of empathy
define, categorize and
apply empathy skills.

Learners are currently

most aware of receiving
Microaggressions, and
tend to minimize or
maximize (feel ashamed)
when they commit them-without a clear follow-up
plan for interaction error.

Action plan: Learner

designed follow-up plan for
committing & receiving
errors

Learners reflex reactions

vary widely, including
attitudes and verbal
responses that aggravate
offense to the receiver.

Learners will gain skills for

follow-up of (inevitable)
Microaggressions, and
formulate ideas about how
to reduce or minimize.

Sample Instructional Analysis Diagram