Centre for diversity and learning

Steunpunt Diversiteit en Leren
Start - End 
1995 - 2024 (ongoing)
Department(s) 
Department of Linguistics
Additional tags 
Diversity in education
Social inequalities in education
student diversity
inclusion
Multilingualism
language learning
Language acquisition
partnerships in education

Tabgroup

Abstract

The 'Centre for diversity and learning' (CDL) (formerly Centre for Intercultural Education) is part of the MULTIPLES research group at Ghent University in Flanders, Belgium. The principal goal of the CDL is to support the diversity management of the Flemish education world by providing a coherent and scientifically-based support to professionals and organizations active both inside and outside the field of education.

The central subject of the CDL is the diversity in our present societies and the consequences of this for education and within education. Diversity covers a wide range of individual and group differences as well as inequalities: cultural, ethnic, linguistic, social, sexual etc. The CDL does not only reflect upon diversity and learning in education, it also intends to give shape to it by introducing, deepening, innovating and assessing concrete strategies, methods and actions in Flanders and abroad.

The CDL brings together a range of activities: research, in-service teacher training, development of materials and tools, consultancy. These activities are all pursued with diversity in mind and coordinated on the basis of constant exchange and cooperation within the multidisciplinary team.

The CDL carries out predominantly qualitative research into processes and strategies of dealing with diversity. The point of departure is not preconceived ideas but the everyday life and the negotiation and construction of meanings of those involved. The aim is to obtain a better understanding of the way in which individuals and groups deal with diversity, particularly in learning environments. Experiences to date have been concerned principally with methods of ethnographic research, action research and evaluation research carried out in classrooms, schools and the school environment.

Het Steunpunt Diversiteit & Leren (SDL) is verbonden aan de Vakgroep Taalkunde van de Universiteit Gent en biedt een wetenschappelijk onderbouwde ondersteuning met betrekking tot het thema ‘Omgaan met diversiteit’.

SDL beschouwt dit thema als een belangrijke hefboom om onze pluralistische en democratische samenleving te versterken en sociale rechtvaardigheid te bevorderen. Volgens het SDL is het erkennen en benutten van diversiteit immers een voorwaarde voor effectieve interactie en communicatie tussen onderling verschillende groepen en individuen.

SDL biedt het onderwijs, maar ook andere sectoren, dan ook ondersteuning om de talenten van iedereen, ongeacht hun identiteit en achtergrond, maximaal te helpen ontplooien en op die manier gelijke leerkansen te scheppen. Het SDL biedt die ondersteuning aan in de vorm van visieontwikkeling, onderzoek, materiaalontwikkeling en vorming, coaching en consultancy.

People

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