A Community Unseen Should Not Be Left Unnoticed: A Web-based Instructional Module on Promoting Campus Diversity

Abstract

Unlike the lesbian, gay, or bisexual populations, the transgendered community is more at risk of becoming victims of harassment, violence, and discrimination. Transgendered students are more likely to become victims of hate crimes and social prejudice because of the physical or behavioral characteristics they possess that easily distinguish, and readily identity them as transgendered. The creation of the web-based instructional module was to educate students of the University of Hawaii at Manoa about gender diversity and equity on campus, raise awareness regarding transgender specific issues in education, and increase the cultural sensitivity towards gender variant students on campus. The effectiveness of the module was determined by data retrieved through a formative evaluation process. Participants were given pre and posttests, as well as likert-type surveys. Overall, the instructional module was positively received, and the results were favorable, with implications of where the instruction needed to be revised. Revisions to the instructional module were made based on participants’ feedback and assessment results.