Users of the McKay School website are attracted to different pages based on their interests.  In the past eight years, one page in particular has drawn more of the users’ attention than the rest.

Over 10,000 views are logged by the McKay School’s Diversity page every month, with most users coming from outside of Utah. In May, 390 people directly typed in the URL (http://education.byu.edu/diversity/) to the Diversity page, rather than searching it on a search engine, with 85 percent of them being new visitors.  The McKay’s School’s Diversity page also continues to be the number one search result on Google.

The McKay School’s Diversity page guides users to links with resources that are useful regardless of the makeup of any particular class.  This page includes information on cultures, along with ideas for activities and curriculum to browse.  Instructional Psychology & Technology (IP&T) professor Peter Rich, who co-chairs the McKay School Multi-cultural Education Committee, said, “It’s not just about racial or cultural diversity, but really just about how to teach well and reach all students.”  Rich suggested that the Diversity page offer resources and links on how to teach students of all backgrounds.

The page is intended to appeal to everyone and to help teachers understand issues regarding diversity in schools.  Experts share their experience on video, and educators are invited to go online at any time to use these videos in their classrooms to help teach difficult topics.  Also the McKay School Diversity page offers several specific teaching ideas, including suggestions for lesson plans.  “People don’t always know how to talk about multi-cultural issues or the best way to approach these kinds of topics because [they] can be sensitive or tricky if you are coming in as a novice,” Erin Whiting, the other co-chair of the Multi-cultural Education Committee, explained.  “The intent is to create space to have easy access to the information and offer ways to think about the ideas presented.”

Rich commented on the broad use of the page.  “As teachers, we have all had that student we just couldn’t reach,” Rich said.  “Most will go out of their way to find a solution to their difficulties, and I believe the resources the Diversity page offers [meet that need].”

Whiting emphasizes that multi-cultural issues are foundational for everyone, not just teacher candidates.  The McKay School Diversity page can assist anyone in his or her own field of work.

October 16, 2012