CIDR - Understanding Students

Understanding Students is key to developing an effective curriculum. Students come from a wide range of backgrounds and diverse experiences. This multiplicity can play a role in how students learn in the classroom and it can have an effect on the classroom environment.

Being aware of students' differences will help you plan your class in such a way as to engage the students with course material. For example, you will be able to link class content to their prior knowledge. You will also be more prepared to create an inclusive environment where all students have a chance to flourish.

CIDR Resources

	CIDR Web Guide Understanding Your Students from CIDR's Inclusive Teaching web guide

	Consult with CIDR CIDR consultants are available to discuss strategies that will help you learn more about your students, or to plan an assessment of your class as you work to create an equitable learning environment. See our Consulting pages on exploring teaching issues, diversity and inclusive teaching practices, designing courses and assignments, and collecting student feedback for more information. To schedule a consultation, call 206-543-6588, or contact us by email to arrange an appointment.

UW Resources

Demographic Profiles of the UW Student Body
from the UW Factbook

Working Together: Faculty and Students with Disabilities
from the DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) website

UW Diversity Home Page
including Resources for Students and UW Statistics Related to Diversity

Catalyst Tools
to create on-line opportunities for student interaction

Additional Resources

Essential Demographics of Today's College Students
AAHE Bulletin, 51(3), November 1998

Group Profiles
Part 2 of Teaching for Inclusion, a publication of the Center for Teaching and Learning at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

Mindset List
published annually by Beloit College, highlighting life experiences and perspectives of this year's incoming freshman class

Name Pronunciation Guide
designed to help native speakers of English more accurately pronounce common Asian names, from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Do You Know Where Your Students Are?
Speaking of Teaching, 4(2), from the Center for Teaching and Learning at Stanford University

What They Don't Know Can Hurt Them: The Role of Prior Knowledge in Learning
by Marilla Svinicki, University of Texas