As you look around your online classroom, you’ll probably see a standard course design, which will likely remain consistent throughout your degree program. It’s this presence of uniformity that often gives students a feeling that they are also the same, especially since you are not present to visually assess the differences. You become little more than a name that appears within a discussion board thread, and the words you use when you post a message often is the only thing that represents you as a person – and that’s how other students make judgments about you. In fact, most of the time, the only moment that you realize there are distinct differences is when you see a name that looks “unique” from your perspective.
 
However, the online student body is anything but uniform. If you look for demographics about online students, the most recent stats indicate that the online class is typically made up of a higher percentage of females (53%) than males (47%), and that the average age for an online student is 34. But this only tells part of the real story because the online classroom is so much more than those basic facts. Once you’ve taken a class, you’ll find that one of the many characteristics of the online classroom is the diverse nature of the students – it becomes a “melting pot” or collection of cultures, ages, personalities, and backgrounds.

But what does diversity mean to you as a student? For one, it’s a reminder that the online classroom has a potential to connect students from locations all over the world, which means you have a unique opportunity to learn about cultures and experiences that go beyond your local community and hometown. Diversity also extends beyond cultural or location-related differences and includes physical (disabilities, appearance, generational), career (jobs, professional organizations, affiliations), and educational differences. When you consider the extent of your potential differences with other students, you’ll find that it isn’t possible to truly define a “normal” or "typical" student.

When you think about interacting with such a diverse group of students, you may question how it is possible to work together. Online schools have wondered this too, and have put together a way to make sure that all students feel welcomed, despite their differences in lifestyles, beliefs, and upbringings. A starting point is the ground rules established by your school or instructor. There is a standard set of Internet etiquette rules that is often used by online schools, referred to as Netiquette, which establishes a respectful classroom environment. The most important aspects of classroom interactions that I’ve found helpful for students is to remain professional, open-minded, and not believe that your way is the only way of thinking. But sometimes that is easier said than done.

When students (especially students that have limited prior academic experience) begin to participate in class discussions, they often view the world from the lens of their own values and belief systems. That’s a natural reaction because our values guide our actions, and we develop our values from social norms, along with what we are taught is moral and ethical. Our beliefs are the result of experiences and previous interactions with others. Have you considered why you believe what you do? Most students don’t – until they develop critical thinking skills and gain experience working in a classroom environment with diverse students, opinions, and experiences.

One particular aspect of class discussions where diversity becomes an issue occurs when students interject their religious viewpoints into class discussions. When students express their religious opinions, the class discussions often veer off of the required topic and frequently become heated debates. The reason this happens is that a religious-based perspective is anchored in a belief system, which may not be inclusive and accepting of the diverse views, and it may be narrowly focused on a strict sense of right and wrong.

What I encourage students to do, as a means of learning from each other, is to offer more than an opinion. I’ll post follow-up questions to prompt critical thinking and ask students to reflect on their beliefs and how they were formed, along with the role of those beliefs on development of their worldview. Because there is such a diverse background among students, I encourage them to share their thoughts, provided that they utilize logic and reasoning, while demonstrating the relevance of their response to the discussion question. Because of the multi-cultural nature of the online classroom, the diverse backgrounds of students can enrich the discussions if all students are willing to read the views of others and engage them in constructive dialogue. After all, every student is entitled to hold a belief system; the question to consider is the applicability of those beliefs for a class discussion.

Another way online schools handle student diversity is to advise students to “find common ground” when working with one another, and this can be accomplished by getting to know your classmates. When they post an introduction, read it and ask questions about similar interests or hobbies as a starting point. What this does is reduce the initial, potential barrier because they will become more of a real person to you from a perceptual perspective. Also, as you interact with them within the discussion threads, you will be more willing to consider their perspective. That helps develop productive working relationships and your critical thinking skills because you are more willing to read, process, and evaluate what they’ve written.
 
Another thing to keep in mind is that many of the differences between you and other students will not have a direct impact on your learning experience. For example, students with disabilities (physical, learning, or mental) will not reveal those aspects within the class discussions and it is not appropriate to ask questions of a personal nature.

What you can discuss are aspects of students’ postings that relate to the course topics, which may include professional experiences, cultural views, academic goals, or other neutral talking points. The best approach to take for class discussions is to develop an unbiased response and instead of making statements, ask questions. Here is a statement you can follow as you interact with other students:

•    We are the same because we work together as students and have educational goals.
•    We are different because of our unique view of the world and background.
•    We can learn from each other because we have had similar and different experiences.

The purpose of learning is to expand your knowledge base, gain broader perspectives of the course topics and materials, and develop essential skills, such as communication and writing. Interacting with others who are different than you can provide you with the contrast needed to explore what you know, and further develop the information, thoughts, and ideas you are processing as you participate in class and complete assignments, leading to a better overall learning experience.

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By Dr. Bruce Johnson

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