LRC 640 - Multicultural Education & Social Justice
Dr. Richard Ruiz
Course Description​ - This course will be a critical examination of some of the literature on education and social justice. This version of the course has five parts: (1) The Conceptual and Theoretical Foundations of Social Justice; (2) Social Justice and Race; (3) Social Justice, Language and Culture; (4) Social Justice and Education Research; and (5) Social Justice and Higher Education (including teacher preparation). This course will discuss issues such as race, ethnicity, language, socio-economic status, handicapping conditions, affirmative action, and others.
Learning Objectives - The purpose of this course is to understand what it means to teach for social justice in a multicultural world. During the semester, we had class discussions on weekly readings and kept reading reflection logs. The final is paper and presentation on an appropriate topic related to social justice and multicultural education.
Multicultural Education, Technology and the Digital Divide
Multicultural education can be a vehicle for educators to develop strategies to face tough issues of inequality and social justice in the classroom. Technology and the Internet can be one strategic channel for advancing multicultural education, however, educators must be cautious. There are many replications of inequalities bound up in technology and the Internet that reflects upon our society. A critical eye must be used before we apply strategies involving technology and the Internet in the classroom environment. A major factor to consider is the digital divide that exists in both the classroom and in our society. The divide is both political and economic in nature. This paper will discuss the divide and how it encompasses race, gender, class, language and the disabled. Finally, there will be ideas for educators about the implementation of technology and the Internet in a multicultural classroom.