My cultural competency is built on a lifetime of international experiences. I grew up in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and finished my graduate degrees at different universities in the U.S. Growing up surrounded by cultures different from my own and being a Chinese-Ecuadorian minority; I had early experiences about identifying the commonalities and differences that shaped my human experience. As I moved further into my professional career, I have further exposed the diverse groups of people that enhanced and questioned my worldview and values. More importantly, these experiences have taught me how to interact with different groups of people in higher education and corporate settings. My awareness of societal norms and stereotypes has enabled me to navigate such intricacies better and engage with a respectful discourse in safe spaces where diversity, equity, and inclusion are valued at levels of the organization.
In my research and instructional design work, I strive to incorporate views and ideas I have not previously considered. Such considerations other than my own are potential opportunities for further creativity of new research projects and exploration of solutions to past problems that seemingly did not have a solution at a given time. It is also critical to embed support mechanisms in developing online courses promoting inclusive practices along with instructional design theories and frameworks.
The inclusive practices in online course design begin with the initial understanding of the contextual characteristics of learners and instructors, designing instructional materials of diverse backgrounds, and providing multiple means for summative and formative assessments to address learners' various cognitive capabilities. In addition, course policies and scaffolds help with effective and efficient instruction and enable an increased online social presence of instructors that provide a welcoming space for students.