Soheila Pashang on Teaching Diversity
Tags: March 2022, Vol. 2, Issue 3
Dr. Soheila Pashang, faculty in the Faculty of Social and & Community Services (FSCS), has taught and researched the topic of social justice for many years. In her most recent research on the topic, entitled Pedagogy and Practice: Teaching Diversity in Classrooms, Soheila and her research team interviewed faculty and students from within the FSCS, and divided the data into four major themes:
- Sociodemographic information and pedagogical approaches
- Classroom dynamics and student engagement
- The impact of diversity education on faculty and students
- Administrative support and recommendations
Along with Soheila as research lead, the research team also comprises Jaspreet Bal and Christine McKenzie, professors in the FSCS, along with Humber Associate Deans Joanna Amirault and Theresa Knott. External investigators Neil Price, Dean at Fleming College, Rai Reece, faculty at Ryerson University, and research assistants from Humber, Trisha Harber, Juan Jeramaillo, and Valentina Tasillo also contributed.
Applying anti-racism, anti-oppression, anti-colonial, intersectionality, feminist, and equity theoretical frameworks, the team examined the various ways in which diversity education impacts students and faculty inside and outside classroom spaces. “Our research is among a very few in Canada to explore barriers that might hinder diverse groups of students from reaching their potential” notes Soheila on the importance of this research topic. The hope is that this research will help to create a more informed, conscious, and inclusive discourse about social justice at Humber. Humber’s commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion requires a willingness to confront, challenge, form allyship, advocate, influence, and negotiate change.
