Other Titles
Culturally Responsive Teaching in Online Higher Education [Title Slide]
Abstract
Online teaching and learning continue to expand across U.S. institutions (Martin et al., 2020). Online courses often attract even more diverse students than traditional classrooms, including individuals from varied racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, linguistic, religious, and gender backgrounds (Ballenger & Jiang, 2023). To enhance learning and promote success, instructors must address these cultural differences (Kumi-Yeboah et al., 2022; Shonfeld et al., 2021). Culturally responsive teaching (CRT) draws on students’ cultural knowledge, prior experiences, and performance styles to make learning more relevant, engaging, and effective (Abacioglu et al., 2020).
This mixed-methods study entailed revising the Culturally Responsive Teaching Knowledge and Practices of Online Faculty Scale (CRTK-CREP) (Heitner & Jennings, 2016) to align with current realities post-COVID-19 pandemic. The quantitative phase examined faculty members’ knowledge, values, and practices related to culturally responsive teaching (CRT) in online settings, while the qualitative phase delved deeper into selected quantitative findings.
Survey data show high internal consistency (α = .988) reliability scores for each subsection of the revised CRTK-CREP scale, based on analysis of questionnaires from the full sample of participants (N = 66). The overall scale demonstrated high internal consistency. Intraclass correlation coefficients (single measures) suggest moderate to high reliability across sections. These findings support the reliability and cohesion of the instrument’s subcomponents. Participants (N= 13) were interviewed for the qualitative phase of this study. Thematic analysis of the interviews revealed five key themes influencing culturally responsive educational practices: communication, adaptation, technology, equity, and mentorship. Participants identified barriers such as digital miscommunication, gaps in technological skills, and inadequate institutional support. Results indicate that although faculty recognize the importance of CRT, they face challenges in its implementation due to structural, technological, and training obstacles.
Findings emphasize the need for professional development initiatives and institutional policies that prioritize inclusivity, transparency, and student-centered learning. Improving the CRTK-CREP tool and offering practical insights will help cultivate a more diverse and culturally competent nursing workforce, ultimately improving patient care outcomes.
Notes
References:
Abacioglu, C. S., Volman, M., & Fischer, A. H. (2020). Teachers’ multicultural attitudes and perspective-taking abilities as factors in culturally responsive teaching. The British Journal of Educational Psychology, 90(3), 736–752. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12328
Ballenger, J., & Jiang, M. (2023). Culturally responsive teaching knowledge and practices of online faculty in educational administration: A pilot study. Multicultural Learning and Teaching, 18(1), 99–123. https://doi.org/10.1515/mlt-2019-0001
Kumi-Yeboah, A., Dogbey, J., Yuan, G., & Amponsah, S. (2022). Cultural diversity in online learning: Perceptions of minority graduate students. In Research anthology on racial equity, identity, and privilege (pp. 1132–1153). IGI Global.
Martin, F., Sun, T., & Westine, C. D. (2020). A systematic review of research on online teaching and learning from 2009 to 2018. Computers & Education, 159, 104009. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2020.104009
Shonfeld, M., Cotnam-Kappel, M., Judge, M., Ng, C. Y., Ntebutse, J. G., Williamson-Leadley, S., & Yildiz, M. N. (2021). Learning in digital environments: A model for cross-cultural alignment. Educational Technology Research and Development, 69(4), 2151. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-021-09967-6
Sigma Membership
Mu Pi
Lead Author Affiliation
Albany State University, Albany, Georgia, USA
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Mixed/Multi Method Research
Keywords:
Faculty Development, Competence, Cultural Competence, Cultural Diversity--Education, Curriculum Development, Teaching Methods, Online Education
Recommended Citation
Okafor, Oluwatoyin and Howe, Deanna L., "Culturally Responsive Teaching and Practices of Online Faculty" (2026). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 34.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2026/presentations_2026/34
Conference Name
37th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Conference Year
2026
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-07-23
Culturally Responsive Teaching and Practices of Online Faculty
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Online teaching and learning continue to expand across U.S. institutions (Martin et al., 2020). Online courses often attract even more diverse students than traditional classrooms, including individuals from varied racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, linguistic, religious, and gender backgrounds (Ballenger & Jiang, 2023). To enhance learning and promote success, instructors must address these cultural differences (Kumi-Yeboah et al., 2022; Shonfeld et al., 2021). Culturally responsive teaching (CRT) draws on students’ cultural knowledge, prior experiences, and performance styles to make learning more relevant, engaging, and effective (Abacioglu et al., 2020).
This mixed-methods study entailed revising the Culturally Responsive Teaching Knowledge and Practices of Online Faculty Scale (CRTK-CREP) (Heitner & Jennings, 2016) to align with current realities post-COVID-19 pandemic. The quantitative phase examined faculty members’ knowledge, values, and practices related to culturally responsive teaching (CRT) in online settings, while the qualitative phase delved deeper into selected quantitative findings.
Survey data show high internal consistency (α = .988) reliability scores for each subsection of the revised CRTK-CREP scale, based on analysis of questionnaires from the full sample of participants (N = 66). The overall scale demonstrated high internal consistency. Intraclass correlation coefficients (single measures) suggest moderate to high reliability across sections. These findings support the reliability and cohesion of the instrument’s subcomponents. Participants (N= 13) were interviewed for the qualitative phase of this study. Thematic analysis of the interviews revealed five key themes influencing culturally responsive educational practices: communication, adaptation, technology, equity, and mentorship. Participants identified barriers such as digital miscommunication, gaps in technological skills, and inadequate institutional support. Results indicate that although faculty recognize the importance of CRT, they face challenges in its implementation due to structural, technological, and training obstacles.
Findings emphasize the need for professional development initiatives and institutional policies that prioritize inclusivity, transparency, and student-centered learning. Improving the CRTK-CREP tool and offering practical insights will help cultivate a more diverse and culturally competent nursing workforce, ultimately improving patient care outcomes.
Description
The growing diversity of students in online learning environments presents new challenges for educators. Culturally responsive teaching (CRT) offers a valuable framework for addressing these challenges. However, findings from this mixed-methods study indicate that although faculty recognize the importance of CRT, they encounter difficulties implementing it due to structural, technological, and training barriers.