Beyond the Comfort Zone: Diversity Issues as Catalyst for Student Learning

This project analyzes the case study of a fall 2005 African American Literature class to determine whether the intellectual risk of confronting diversity issues can serve as a catalyst to deep learning, even in a class that is generally racially homogenous. The paper begins with a definition of the term "deep learning " as it has been employed by several contemporary pedagogical scholars. Next, in the case study description, the writer examines several key class discussions on topics of race. Reflecting on the conflicts addressed, questions raised, and assertions made by students during these discussions, the writer concludes that diversity issues can indeed provoke students to a deeper understanding of society's complexities and a more sophisticated level of thought. Keywords: diversity, African American literature, critical thinking, deep learnin