An Active Learning Model of Diversity Training

Abstract

United States companies spend an estimated $8 billion dollars annually on diversity training, which currently is a fixture in nearly all Fortune 500 companies, as well as a majority of mid-sized firms. Naturally, researchers have studied these efforts to a fare-thee-well attempting to ascertain why some succeed, while others don’t. Much of this research is solid and potentially useful, but it is also discouragingly difficult to locate and often tough to decipher. As an antidote, the authors of this study not only conducted an extensive search and analysis of the relevant literature, but also integrated their findings into a comprehensive active learning model of diversity training. While meant primarily for researchers, the model also provides theoretically and empirically sound guidance for program designers and administrators.