Diversity, identity and belonging in e-learning communities: some theories and paradoxes Teaching in Higher Education

It is often assumed that online collaborative learning is inclusive of diversity. In this exploratory paper I challenge this notion by developing a theory which proposes that inclusion occurs through congruence between learners’ social identities and the identities implicitly supported through the interactions in a particular community. To build identity congruence, e-learning communities need spaces for both commonality and diversity and I present three paradoxes which underlie the aims of online learners and teachers to embrace diversity online. I illustrate these with some examples from online learning and teaching. The ability to ‘listen’ to each other online offers a way forward and the paper ends with some future possibilities about how we can ensure that e-learning communities benefit from diversity

Supporting Students with Math Anxiety

Math anxiety has been the focus of much research throughout the years. Math anxiety is defined as the feeling of discomfort and disturbance that is experienced when facing mathematical problems. Math anxiety causes students to avoid mathematics and learning of it because of the feeling of distress when confronted with a problem to complete. Math is studied so that students can learn about numbers in order to complete simple and complex calculations each and every day. The studying of mathematics has even impacted future career options for individuals. Career fields in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) have been on the decline because individuals have been avoiding taking classes in mathematics which results in fewer individuals pursuing such careers. Research has shown that beliefs about math are developed early on; once they have been established, they are hard to change. This study was conducted to determine how to support students with math anxiety. The study involved five math teachers, five science teachers, three special education teachers, and four administrators. Through the survey responses and the interviews, I found that educators need to support students with math anxiety. Educators need to make sure every student has opportunities to be successful in math