Education for Diversity and Inclusion

The guiding principle of the programme Education for Diversity and Inclusion is the promotion of diversity as 'a potential asset or resource that can be used to make learning activity purposeful and meaningful across cultures' (Haines 2017, p. 45). The interdisciplinary undergraduate programme comprises the following disciplines: education, psychology, social education, and special and inclusive education. The interdisciplinary areas adressed in the key profile courses include inclusive and intercultural education, social justice and global learning, psychological aspects of learning and teaching, self-experience-based learning and mindful reflection, theory and methodology of education, and research methods in education. The objective is to develop students' capacity to critically evaluate and communicate cultural, international, and ethical insights in education, to engage in effective and appropriate behavior in intercultural situations, and to address and find solutions for educational issues in their locallities as well as internationally. The programme further aims at skills and understandings beyond the expertise in education by developing the whole student in the context of their professional, personal, and social lives and by equipping the student with transversal skills relevant for both local and global markets. The programme is built on fully internationalized curriculum and learning outcomes: students engage in international tasks and teams and develop the ability of effective and culturally sensitive communication and cooperation with others in the context of diversity; students enhance their capacity to relate well to people from diverse educational and social backgrounds and recognize intercultural issues relevant to the theories and practice in education.; students demonstrate their understanding of education in the national context, are able to relate the knowledge to the local context, and see the interdepedence of educational and social issues on local and global level. The internationalised curriculum of the programme aims at engaging students' and teachers' international and intercultural experience by implementing comparative methodology which integrates international perspectives and topics into the teaching content and compares similarities and differences in educational practice across the borders. The methodology also provides for students' mindful reflection of knowledge, theories, and intercultural experience in the process of learning. The learning assessments and teaching methods are sensitive to the cultural needs of students and further enhance students' international experience. Further, students utilize their knowledge and understanding gained through the curriculum by participating in field trips and teaching practice, volunteering in non-profit organizations, and engaging in community work both locally and abroad.

After successfully completing his/her studies the graduate is able to:

• demonstrate that they know education theory and practice from a local and global perspective, with a commitment to promote education for a sustainable future
• are able to evaluate and apply ethical judgements to personal and professional actions informed by a global perspective
• demonstrate the necessary attitudes and professional values to meet the needs of children, adults, and other actors in education environments, including a commitment to care, social justice, and inclusion
• recognise cultural ethnic, religious, gender, sexual, physical and other differences and value them as a source of learning, and show respect and empathy in communication with cultural others
• assess the diverse needs of learners, identify appropriate strategies to meet those needs, and make informed and ethical decisions in diverse education environments in local and global context
• understand the nature of pedagogical action and the applicability of the pedagogical theory
• recognize different cultures of school environment and can explore wider societal influences on schools
• discuss the assessment and evaluation of learning and recognizes learning as a life-long process
• adapt their behaviour and action in culturally diverse educational and teaching situations and critically reflect their action in various educational situations
• demonstrate autonomy and responsibility in social and educational situations and actively contributes to innovations and problem-solving in school environments and broader community
• demonstrate knowledge, attitudes, and skills of digital age and facilitate instruction in the new literacies that emerge within digital and interactive learning environments
• demonstrate awareness of social, ethical, and legal issues surrounding digital and other technologies
• design projects, carry out international research tasks, and produce academic texts in English

Education for Diversity and Inclusion leads to a range of employment opportunities in both local and international labor markets, in the educational sector, in schools, organizations, non-profit and profit organizations and where there is a demand for policies and practices of equal access to education and inclusion of learners of diverse backgrounds. In the private sector, the graduates are needed as coaches/facilitators in global businesses to promote an interculturally inclusive environment for multinational and multilingual workforces.

Already during the first semester you will familiarize with educational processes, systems and policies in local schools and organizations. In the second semester you can choose the experience of observing the conditions of education of pupils with special educational needs. In the third semester you can do a teaching assistant practice at school, or you can tutor children in socially disadvantaged families. Throughout your practice, you can share your experience and different perspectives with Czech students, who will help you navigate yourself through culturally complex situations and provide you with a language assistance, if needed.

The highlight of your practice and community engagement will come in the fourth semester when you go on a 12-week long, 15-credit international internship abroad in schools, NGOs, or civil service departments across Europe or overseas. You will receive predeparture preparation, ongoing support during your stay abroad, and guided debriefings when you return.

A standard scope of the thesis ranges from 72,000 to 90,000 characters. The thesis consists of theory and literature review and students' project work. The theory and literature review clearly demonstrates students' ability to work critically with academic texts and data obtained by means of studying, analysing, and interpreting international primary and secondary sources in English or other world languages. The project presented in the thesis has clearly defined objectives, research design, research methods, target groups, and findings obtained by means of ethnographic research during students' internship abroad.

It is expected that graduates of the proposed programme will pursue their study in a follow-up Master’s degree programme in English focusing on Leadership skils in Education that that will be created at the Faculty of Education following the proposed study programme. Graduates with an interest in the special and inclusive education track will be also able to pursue Master’s study degree in Special Education in English at the faculty.

- International School of BRNO

- Labyrinth: primary and lower-secondary school with bilingual elements and the first laboratory school in the Czech Republic

- Mateřídouška: Private Czech and English kindergarten for children 2.5 – 7 years

- Non-profit organizations in Brno (IQ Roma servis; Ratolest Brno...that help us select children who need tutoring.

- International organizations (Hague: https://bigbenkids.com/childcare-location/the-hague-scheveningen/; Council Network Foundation)

- ETEN (European Training and Education Network)

List of cooperating schools is available here: https://www.ped.muni.cz/pedagogika/fakultni-skoly-a-zarizeni/