UNDERSTANDING

DIVERSITY

PROFED 8 – FOUNDATIONS of SPECIAL

MODULE 1
This lesson provides a better understanding of what
diversity is. It will discuss the use of Loden’s Wheel of
Diversity. It offers understanding the importance of
recognizing disability as part of diversity. Accounts on
laws, policies, and systems that uphold one’s
individuality and uniqueness will also be discussed.
1.What is diversity?
2.What is Loden’s Wheel of Diversity?
3.What is the goal of the importance of knowing
diversity?
4.What are some legal bases of inclusive
education in the Philippines?
Diversity is from the Latin word divertere, which
means to turn away, separate, oppose (Latin
Dictionary n.d.)
the Collins dictionary defines diversity as “the state
or quality of being different or varied; a variety or
assortment; a point of difference; the inclusion of
people of different races, genders, religions, etc. in a
group; the relation that holds between two entities
when and only when they are not identical; the
property of being numerically distinct.”
diversity is defined as “people’s
differences which may relate to their
race, ethnicity, gender, sexual
orientation, language, culture,
religion, mental, and physical ability,
class, and immigration status.”
(UNESCO 2017).
Diversity is an issue we have to
face and conquer.

Why?
What could be the best thing to do
to conquer the issue on diversity?
- it is imperative that we make an effort to
understand the different dimensions of
diversity, which is not just all about
accepting, understanding, and tolerating
one’s uniqueness or differences
- discover and explore areas that could
connect us and allow us to do
collaborative works
- Accepting and celebrating uniqueness of each
individual will allow for respecting different
experiences and qualities of individuals that will
open up more avenues to solve problems and
innovate
- Collaboration and communication are skills
that are needed, to develop and succeed
- understand our differences and master how
these could be used to harness tolerance,
cooperation, and unity that will lead to
productivity
 LODEN’S
DIVERSITY
WHEEL
Marilyn Loden and Judy Rosener, 1990
• Developed a framework to respond to the flourishing
divergence in America’s labor force.
• Their Goal
❖ was to capacitate people to make their voices
heard by pointing to their diversity and its
impact on their person, their rights, and their
freedom (Lou and Dean 1991).
Marilyn Loden and Judy Rosener, 1990
• recognized the demand for an instrument that would
help people better understand how group-based
differences influence people’s identities
• when the different dimensions of diversity are not
given recognition, dissatisfaction, distrust, and
competition would ensue
• Revised the model in 1996 to cover additional
aspects of group differences that were implied in the
first model
Marilyn Loden and Judy Rosener, 1990
• Loden states, “I think diversity discussion are really
about understanding our social identities,
acknowledging what is important and learning to
integrate into society so that no sub-group feels
excluded or one down”
The Diversity Wheel pointed to the significance
• of our social characters
• and the ways in which people develop their identity
when they can establish a connection with a specific
group of people
The Wheel consists of
• Primary or core dimensions
• and the Secondary dimensions
• The dimensions are the components that comprise
the whole person.
• The categories put forward the effect of these
differences on a person’s beliefs, expectations, and
life experiences.
The Primary or Core Dimensions
• These are the stronger ones
• the characteristics we were born with or
established by significant experiences we had or
people we interacted with
• considered to be distinctly persuasive in establishing
who we are
a. our principles d. our perceptions
b. our sense of self e. how we think about others
c. our image
The Secondary Dimensions
• These characteristics are also part of our social
identity
• but they can change or be discarded as our life
experiences impact us
• They are influenced by
a. people we encounter
b. places we go to live in
c. experiences we go through
The Primary or Core and the Secondary Dimensions
• Together, they remarkably affect our prior
experiences, viewpoints, and principles, giving us an
exclusive mind-set of the world around us, making
each one of us distinct individuals.
The above wheel of diversity has been adapted from
Marilyn Loden’s Implementing Diversity
How to Use the Diversity Wheel
• Loden (1991) states that, “The Diversity Wheel is
useful in explaining how group-based differences
contribute to individual identities.”
The Function of the Wheel
• to encourage people to talk and discuss with each
other
• generate new points of view among each one in the
group
• each individual is made aware of his/her differences
• What’s next?
• What do we do after finding out that we are
different from each other in so many aspects?
• Loden presents four principles for managing our
own behavior in a global context and interacting
successfully with people globally
a. Respect
b. Inclusion
c. Cooperation
d. Responsibility
➢ Respect: treating others the way we wish to be
treated
➢ Inclusion: making certain everyone on the team is
truly a part of the team’s decision-making process
➢ Cooperation: actively helping others succeed rather
than competing or attempting to one-up someone
➢ Responsibility: managing personal behavior to
maintain a diversity-positive environment and
questioning inappropriate behavior when it occurs
By using Diversity Wheel:
• one can consider how different aspects may form
other people’s identities and perspectives in the
world.
• Knowing all these should give each one an open and
more accepting stance on a variety of opinions and
differences in behavior
• A person’s attitude therefore should be is: tolerance
and cooperation in coming together to work for a
common goal or objective.
The Kind of World We Live in will be Determined by:
• the efforts we all make to bridge diversity and come
together
• The contribution he/she can for the betterment of
the world.
Ability and Disability as a Dimension of Diversity
According to the Collins English Dictionary
• ability refers to the possession of the qualities
required to do something; necessary skill or
competence, or power.
Ability and Disability as a Dimension of Diversity
According to the World Health Organization (WHO n.d.)
• Disability is defined as the umbrella term for impairments,
activity limitations, and participation restrictions, referring
to the negative aspects of the interaction between an
individual (with a health condition) and the individual’s
contextual factors (environmental and personal factors).
• Disability is not only a health issue, but also an issue that
affects a person’s state in life and the environment he/she
is in.
Ability and Disability as a Dimension of Diversity
• A person with disability have to be:
✓acknowledged as part of the spectrum of diversity.
✓recognized as human beings who should not be
discriminated.
✓rather understood, accepted, and tolerated.
✓accorded their rights.
✓seen as a natural part of life and a natural part of
diversity.
✓perceived and accepted as people with distinct abilities.
Ability and Disability as a Dimension of Diversity
• Persons with disability have to identify themselves
as having disabilities so that the world can accept
them and create avenues for them to live in.
The Dilemma of Diversity
• In this age of fast paced development where diversity
plays a unique role, there are still challenges that
confront a lot of people who have been identified as
“different”.
• Discrimination issues still abound, despite charters,
laws, and policies that uphold diversity.
The Dilemma of Diversity
Discrimination still happens in:
• Women and people of color in some workplaces
• People of a certain race are stereotyped
• Muslims have been taken aside in immigration and
interrogated
• Non-married and same-sex couples are still not
accepted in some parts of the world.
• In some schools, children with special needs are
shunned with the reason that they are not ready for
school yet or are not suited for the school
The Dilemma of Diversity
Discrimination still happens in:
• Children from indigenous groups have to go through an
educational system that does not consider their ethnic
background, needs, and values
Progress in Diversity:
• More workplaces have systems and processes put into
place to intentionally promote diversity
• Diverse ways of thinking and doing things bring in
creativity and productivity
• Innovative thinking and collaboration are encouraged
when different people work to come up with solutions
to problems or challenges
• In schools, diversity is the best way to teach what it
means to be tolerant and respectful of each other’s
differences.
Progress in Diversity:
• In government, the acknowledgment that diversity is an
integral component of community equates to laws and
policies being passed to look out for the welfare of the
people of diverse cultures and backgrounds.

Diversity, therefore, is an integral component of life