Designing Learning Environments That Support Diverse Students' Needs in a Teacher Education Program

Abstract

The need to design learning environments (virtual, hybrid, and face-to-face) that support racial and ethnic minority students' academic success has increased tremendously. The data presented here were collected via a cross-sectional survey of 59 students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) as part of a more extensive study that included closed- and open-ended questions. The data were collected mid-fall 2020 semester, and data were gathered until the end of spring 2021. During this period, all activities were conducted remotely because of the pandemic. Face-to-face instruction was non-existent compared to “normal situations.” Summary statistics of the closed-ended questions highlighted the challenges students encountered in their learning environments and were further confirmed through the recurring themes identified in responses to the open-ended questions. Findings were used to recommend designing learning environments undergirded by culturally responsive teaching and a humanizing pedagogy.