Diversity in the College Composition Classroom: A Phenomenological Study of Faculty Experiences

While faculty members in higher education contribute to curricular diversity through active learning techniques and course content, over the last decade there has not been a substantial increase in their commitments. Literature examining diversity in colleges and universities establishes who is committing to diversity and how those commitments are enacted in the classroom, but a look beyond those parameters is necessary in order to understand what influences faculty members’ decision-making. This phenomenological study was aimed at exploring the nature of faculty members’ experiences with diversity in the classroom. Three English composition instructors in the Pacific Northwest were interviewed to understand how they are experiencing diversity, and the factors influencing their commitments to diversity. Participants’ lived experiences revealed that there are rewards and challenges that come with enacting commitments to diversity. While participants perceived receiving support in their diversity efforts from internal and external influences, they also perceived experiencing barriers from influences in departments and institutions. This study concluded that exploring the nature of faculty persistence with curricular diversity has the potential to help institutions further their commitments to diversity overall