It is likely that over a third of our students and our colleagues are introverted. However, according to Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking (2012), introverts are dramatically undervalued, both inside and outside of our classrooms. The buzz generated by her work suggests how pervasive the impact of the phenomenon she refers to as the extrovert ideal has been—and yet, Cain believes we are “at the very beginning” in exploring possibilities for more effectively learning from and with one another (Grant, 2012). Reviewing and extending upon round table discussions of introversion at STLHE 2014, we will provide a more detailed overview of the introversion-extroversion spectrum, highlighting specific differences in preferences and tendencies, and probing implications for higher education. Participants will be invited to engage in a series of exchanges to explore strategies for increasing the inclusion of introverts in higher education. By wrestling with the topic from a variety of perspectives, we hope to identify ways we, as educators, might tune into our differences in more productive—and potentially more harmonious—ways. Cain’s continued work in this area makes a compelling case that we can do better to meet the learning needs of all of our students and to address our own needs, as educators. Participants will have an opportunity to partake in her Quiet Revolution, where contemplation is as valued as participation, where gregariousness is optional, and where both introverts and extroverts are able to do what they do best.
