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EDUC 50003 will help future educators recognize the influences of identity and the relationship among power, privilege and oppression in educational settings. It will prepare them to respond to diversity issues and inequities in schools.

Instructor: Taryn Ozuna Allen, associate professor of higher education leadership

Class times: Wednesdays, 5-7:40 p.m.

Class size: 11 graduate students in the higher education leadership master’s program, accelerated master’s curriculum, social work master’s program and science education doctoral program

Text: Is Everyone Really Equal? An Introduction to Key Concepts in Social Justice Education by Ozlem Sensoy and Robin DiAngelo (Teachers College Press, 2011)

Classwork: Readings and discussions factor into students’ participation grades throughout the semester. 

Students write three papers on assigned readings in which they identify key terms and passages while making connections to class discussions. They also have two journal assignments to reflect on their own personal social and ethnic identities. 

Throughout the semester, each student facilitates a class discussion based on
course readings. 

Their final assignment requires students to discuss a specific diversity and equity issue in education. They can choose topics such as inequitable discipline for boys of color or lack of faculty diversity in higher education. They will turn in a proposal for their topic, an eight- to 10-page paper and a final presentation.