Beyond Neutral: Embedding Diversity in Curriculum and Instruction

In today’s classrooms—whether physical or digital—diversity is the norm. Students bring with them different cultural backgrounds, perspectives, and ways of learning. To meet their needs, educators and curriculum designers must go beyond “one-size-fits-all” approaches and instead embed culturally inclusive practices into their teaching. As Heaster-Ekholm (2020) argues, instructional design models and teaching strategies are never culturally neutral. Every framework reflects the values, assumptions, and contexts of its creators. Recognizing this reality allows us to intentionally design learning that honors the diversity of our students.

Reflecting on Our Own Cultural Lens

The first step toward inclusion begins with us. Teachers and administrators should reflect on how their own culture shapes expectations for instruction, classroom behavior, and student success. As Heaster-Ekholm reminds us, instructional designers often unconsciously import assumptions about knowledge, authority, and learning into the curriculum they produce. By pausing to examine what values shape our own teaching practices, we can begin to expand our instruction to include multiple perspectives.

In-Practice Tips:

• Journal or PLC reflection on cultural assumptions (e.g., “What do I consider ‘respectful behavior’?” and how might that differ across cultures?).

• Invite colleagues to observe and give feedback on classroom interactions through a cultural lens.

Understanding That No Curriculum Is Neutral

All texts and curricula are created within a socio-cultural space, and we know that classrooms are microcosms of the diversity in our society. To assume a curriculum is “neutral” risks perpetuating what Subramony refers to as blind spots (2017). ALL instructional design models contain embedded cultural assumptions that may not serve diverse learners equally well. Acknowledging these assumptions pushes us to incorporate a wide range of texts, practices, and ideas that reflect the lived experiences of our students.

In-Practice Tips:

• Audit reading lists for representation of multiple cultures, identities, and perspectives.
• Pair canonical texts with counter-narratives (e.g., alongside Of Mice and Men, include short stories from migrant worker perspectives).
• Allow students to research and bring in texts or media that reflect their backgrounds and interests.

Avoiding Essentialism

It is tempting to group students under broad cultural labels—“ELL learners,” “Latino students,” “first-generation college students”—and assume homogeneity within these categories. Yet, this is the danger of essentialism. Essentialism erases individuality by reducing students to stereotypes. Heaster-Ekholm (2020) echoes this point: cultural differences are complex and dynamic, and they should not be treated as static or uniform. Educators must value diversity of thought and ways of knowing within groups as much as between them.

In-Practice Tips:

• Use student interest surveys to learn about personal identities, hobbies, and experiences.
• Highlight diversity within cultural groups (e.g., showing multiple Latino/a authors with different perspectives).
• Frame identity as dynamic—encouraging students to share “one story” of themselves without suggesting it represents their whole group.

Giving Students a Voice in Curriculum

Culturally inclusive practice means allowing students to shape their own learning. Providing choice in texts, assignments, and modes of expression honors the different ways students engage with material. Heaster-Ekholm (2020) highlights recommendations from Frechette, Layne, and Gunawardena (2014), who argue for giving learners flexibility in pace, process, and outcomes while recognizing that cultural neutrality is a myth. Simple practices—such as letting students select reading materials, adjust timelines, or design alternative assessments—signal that their identities and voices matter.

In-Practice Tips:

• Offer assignment options (e.g., written essay, podcast, digital story, or art project).
• Allow students to co-construct rubrics for major projects.
• Build in flexible timelines or “grace periods” for assignments to recognize different home responsibilities and life circumstances.

Valuing Both Process and Product

It is also important to value both how students learn and what they produce from that learning. The focus of instruction usually rests on outcomes—tests, projects, or performance objectives. But process matters too. Encouraging students to reflect on their learning journey, even when their conclusions challenge mainstream ideas, validates the role of diverse perspectives. This aligns with Frechette et al.’s (2014) recommendation to embrace multiple learner responses without forcing a single “correct” outcome.

In-Practice Tips:

• Use process journals or learning logs to document growth, struggles, and reflections.
• Make time for peer-to-peer dialogue where students can respectfully challenge each other’s ideas.
• Grade with a balance between product quality and evidence of effort, revision, and reflection.

Practical Takeaways for Educators

• Reflect on personal biases and cultural assumptions.
• Acknowledge that curricula and design models are never neutral.
• Avoiding essentialism by honoring diversity within groups.
• Empower learners to co-create curriculum through choice and flexibility.
• Value the process alongside product, recognizing that learning is both the journey and the outcome.

Conclusion

Culturally inclusive practices are not add-ons to “regular” teaching; they are essential to effective learning. Curricula provide helpful structures, but they must be adapted with cultural inclusivity in mind. By reflecting, acknowledging bias, avoiding stereotypes, empowering learners, and valuing multiple ways of learning, we move closer to classrooms—physical and digital—that reflect the diversity and richness of today’s students.

References

Frechette, C., Layne, L. C., & Gunawardena, C. N. (2014). Accounting for culture in instructional design. In I. Jung & C. N. Gunawardena (Eds.), Culture and online learning: Global perspectives and research (pp. 27–47). Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing.

Heaster-Ekholm, K. L. (2020). Popular instructional design models: Their theoretical roots and cultural considerations. International Journal of Education and Development using Information and Communication Technology, 16(3), 50–65.

Powell, G. C. (1997). On being a culturally sensitive instructional designer and educator. Educational Technology, 37(2), 6–14.

Subramony, D. P. (2017). Instructional technologists’ inattention to issues of cultural diversity among learners. In A. D. Benson, R. Joseph, & J. L. Moore (Eds.), Culture, learning, and technology: Research and practice (pp. 31–42). New York, NY: Taylor & Francis.