I’m generally wary of the open curriculum approach to general education, in which students take any courses they want. Some students may be at a disadvantage when it comes to the curricular and cultural decoding they will have to do. Rather than throw out the idea of an open approach to general education entirely, this article suggests several best practices that may allow for greater inclusion and deeper learning for all students.

It’s been three months since the historic occupation of the US Capitol. In the weeks since, many Americans—including graduates of US colleges and universities—have made statements that ignore current realities and deny our history. The Learning Zone theory can help educators create environments where our students feel safe enough to share ideas, test out new ways of seeing the world, admit they may have misunderstood or believed wrong information, and listen to the ideas of others.