Chapter 1: A Student-Centered Approach to College Classrooms

Culture; Cultural Mismatches; Discrimination; Inclusion or Inclusive Education; Learning Styles; Multiple Intelligences

Today’s college classrooms are inherently different places than they were in the past. Going to college has become a right and a necessity rather than a privilege for a large part of the American population. For many students, going to college is seen as a way of bettering themselves and thus bettering the outcomes for their families. More and more students are showing up on college campuses with a strong desire to get a college diploma, but they have fewer skills for being successful in the college setting than previous generations of students. Most college students have spent previous academic years learning how to succeed individually, how to stand out, and how to be a star. They have also learned that conforming and not challenging authority are ways to get ahead. Yet students in the 21^st century must be global thinkers who readily work in teams and use creativity in their problem solving.