Welcome To The Center For Helping Professions At Kaplan University

Our goal is to share current information from Kaplan University faculty regarding issues, trends, and debates in the helping professions. Though a number of career fields focus on helping or serving individuals, the Center focuses on a select few:  psychology, human services, and two specific roles in the educational environment –early childhood development and educational paraprofessional. We hope you enjoy the wide array of topics dedicated to helping others. Please come back and visit us again soon.

• This Month's Topic is Diversity

Diversity in Online Education
By Trinette Hylton

As borders of trade, travel, and immigration shift throughout the world, it is imperative that people become prepared to work with those of a varied cultural background.¹ This is even evident in current local landscapes. Spend an afternoon flipping through cable television channels, or at your local shopping center and you are bound to hear a cacophony of various languages and dialects spoken by people who may or may not look like you. Drive around town any election season and you will undoubtedly be faced with various signs for political candidates with differing political and religious views. This is diversity—the differences among people characterized by variations in race, culture, age, gender, religious, and political beliefs. Defined simply as differences, these factors often define communities, ideals, and individuals.

Diversity encompasses all of the following:

1. Age
2. Gender
3. Race/culture
4. Religious affiliation
5. Sexual orientation
6. Economic background
7. Physical appearance
8. Political affiliation
9. Education
10. Disability...