<p> Religion and spirituality have been found to contribute to the well-being of American university students. Although practiced by a small minority, Islam is the fastest growing faith in the United States, indicating a growing campus presence. The purpose of this study was to identify campus experiences that influenced the identity perception of traditional age Muslim American women. The conceptual framework included theories of identity negotiation, intergroup contact, and religious identity as well as campus climate structures developed to improve diversity. This phenomenological study took place at 2 public 4-year universities in California and included interviews with 6 participants. Interview protocol was framed by 4 research questions and focused on classroom and campus experiences that affected the choice to wear or refrain from wearing the hijab, campus satisfaction, and how student services might support a positive religious climate. Data were analyzed through continuous comparison of codes developed from organization of significant student statements into units of meaning, context, and synthesis of significance of events experienced. Themes that emerged were harassment, stereotyping based on media portrayals, and student and faculty ignorance of Islam. The participants expressed a deep personal and spiritual identification with their faith and requested campus spaces for this expression. This study may contribute to positive social change through the initiation of education and training programs for campus policymakers, student affairs personnel, faculty, and staff regarding the unique needs of religious minority groups, including Muslim American women.</p>

<p> This qualitative case study examined the everyday life activities of 16 young people living in NiNi status in Mexico City. The term NiNi comes from the Spanish words Ni estudia, Ni trabaja [neither study, nor work]. The purpose of the study was to better understand their everyday life experience, their meaning-making and learning processes, and their impediments to their development. The conceptual framework is grounded in the perspective of performance of the CHAT tradition that examines the processes that are constitutive of who these individuals are and who they are becoming (Holzman, 2009). The researcher analyzed the everyday life activities of 16 individuals in NiNi status and 12 working adults to conduct a historical comparison.</p><p> The study identified five main findings associated to the research questions. First, young people in NiNI status perform a variety of activities, mainly non-remunerated, such as household chores, taking care of children, performing arts and sports, and temporary work in low-level and informal jobs. Second, meaning-making processes reveal that they feel trapped in "a system of not progressing". They live in a continuous paradox of not having resources to do what they want to do. The negative labels that society puts on them makes them feel inferior and excluded. Third, young people learn by creative imitation when they create zones of proximal development in collaboration with their networks. Fourth, the lack of opportunities at school and work creates a movement away from institutions that reinforces the informality in the Mexican labor market. Fifth, the main impediment to their learning and development is their isolation that does not allow them to learn from more expert people's key skills to foster their economic independence and future integration as productive members of society.</p><p> A major contribution of this study is to bring the perspectives of these young people to balance the negative views that society has about people living in NiNi status. Their voices reveal the need for greater opportunities and support to "level the playing field" and to overcome cultural and historical limitations faced by these young people. The current worldview wrongly positions the "problem" at the individual level and not at the group or societal level. </p>

<p> The White-Black achievement gap still persists, leaving Black children far behind their White peers. Research shows that children who struggle during their early childhood years are more likely to be at risk for academic failure in their elementary and high school years. Educators and social scientists continue to grapple with creating schools that improve Black educational achievement. </p><p> This study is grounded in the premise that racial perception is intrinsically linked to school success. Racial preferences are explored through participant selection in the forced choice questionnaire. Racial perceptions are examined in this study by how children take in racial stimuli and their reactions in response to these stimuli.</p><p> Two themes emerged from the participant responses: physical attributes (or visual cues) and behavioral attributes. Generally, participants perceived the physical traits of the Black doll positively. In the past, the studies of racial perception indicated that Black children were rejecting the visual images (dolls, pictures, etc.) that indicated internalization of negative physical (visual) perceptions of Black images. Unlike these former studies, the participants in this study show positive perceptions of physical characteristics of Black images. The participants ascribed negative behavioral characteristics to the Black doll, especially those related to school. The fact that Black children are ascribing negative behavioral traits to the doll they most identify with should not be overlooked. The consistent assignment of negative behaviors to the Black doll by Black children is problematic because the children identify with the group which they believes regularly behaves undesirably. This presents a conflict in how Black children are developing their racial perceptions and the perceptions of school success that may incorporate into their developing racial identity structures.</p><p> This study has raised several issues for further research and also suggests a need for intervention during the early childhood years. The disconnect between the students identifying positively with physical characteristics of Blacks but assigning negative behavioral traits to Blacks is too great to ignore. Given that racial perceptions are tied to school success, interventions that develop positive racial identity outcomes are necessary in schools.</p>

<p> The U.S. population is rapidly diversifying, with the expectation that culturally diverse groups&mdash;including students&mdash;will outnumber European Americans by the year 2050. In contrast, public school teachers are expected to remain largely middle class, female, and Caucasian. Most multicultural education research has focused on cultural diversity in urban education settings. However, a gap in the literature has existed regarding student diversity and teachers' culturally responsive teaching in predominantly rural areas. In this study, Appalachian elementary school teachers shared their perspectives and experiences on effective multicultural teaching. An important gap has been bridged by using a 3-part theoretical framework, based on critical reflection, scaffolding, and perspective taking, related to the main research questions regarding (a) the qualities and experiences that in-service public school teachers possess that allow them to effectively teach students from a variety of backgrounds, and (b) what in-service teachers suggest for improving teacher preparation to meet the challenges of cultural diversity in schools. A qualitative, phenomenological approach anchored in a constructivist paradigm was used to gather voice data via a digital voice recorder from 8 participants. Semi structured, open-ended interviews were conducted to collect the data, followed by transcription and analysis. Data analysis resulted in the discovery of 5 themes related to the research questions and revealed mapping onto the conceptual framework. Social change implications can result in improved teacher education programs in rural areas and can enhance collaboration with professional development schools to improve pre-service teacher preparation for teaching diverse students.</p>

<p> Nationwide, teacher attrition is a steady and costly phenomenon. Teachers have left the field of education or have left urban schools for better teaching assignments. Although many studies delineated some factors for teacher attrition, namely urban teacher attrition, little has been done to reverse the cycle of teachers leaving prior to realizing their full potential as an educator. A gap in knowledge exists because researchers have not addressed if administrators of teacher preparation programs have included sufficient experiences and supports in the program to prepare teachers for the urban classroom. The implications for urban teacher attrition are far reaching. Urban attrition can force urban students to have an unsteady influx of beginning teachers with limited experience and skills who leave the schools after a few years. To assist with closing the achievement gap and making sure urban students are ready for the competitive job market, urban students need teachers with increased experience and skills. Teachers enter the teaching profession academically prepared but unprepared for the challenges and demands of the urban classroom. The findings from this phenomenological study produced five themes and one subtheme that teachers believe are important preparation experiences to for urban teacher preparation and reducing attrition. The themes were (a) comprehensive preparation, (b) subtheme support, (c) classroom management, (d) field experience, (e) necessary skills, and (f) multicultural preparation. The recommendations invite future studies that can include input from educational leaders, policy makers, and stakeholders to take a proactive role in reducing urban teacher attrition. </p>

<p> This study explored undergraduate teacher candidates' multicultural identity development. Forty-three participants were in two sections of the course Introduction to Education. The research questions investigated the ways in which candidates examine their cultural awareness, knowledge of diverse learners, and effective practices for 21st century classrooms. Participants in Group 1 experienced face-to-face instruction on issues of diversity. Group 2 engaged in a blended format with an educational online social networking site that extended class discussions on issues of diversity. </p><p> Quantitative and qualitative approaches were used to collect and analyze data. The findings revealed that instruction on multicultural awareness, knowledge, and skills in a one semester course had an effect on participants. Both groups demonstrated increased cultural self-awareness, appreciation of cultural differences, and knowledge of diverse cultures. There is evidence to suggest that the use of an online social network made a significant difference in the changes in Group 2 participants who evidenced greater changes in attitudes and beliefs in both the quantitative and qualitative data and analyses. </p><p> Understanding how candidates learn about and develop cultural competence extends research literature on educator preparation for diverse classrooms. The implications for teacher educators suggest a focus on the identity transformation process of teacher candidates and reexamination of the ways candidates are prepared for the multicultural realities of schools and society.</p>

<p> This study examines a cultural pedagogy relating to race, culture, and improving student achievement, as well as the extent to which teachers' critical and reflective practices influence how they deliver classroom instructions. When teachers' practices are critical and reflective they can re-assess their current teaching practices while attempting to improve their teaching pedagogy (Morton, 2009; Hatzipanagos &amp; Lygo-Baker, 2006). This study seeks to determine the relationship between student achievement and teachers' use of a cultural pedagogy. Research for this study considers three styles of pedagogy: culturally responsive pedagogy, culturally relevant pedagogy, and critical pedagogy. This study is intended to contribute to the body of research that focuses on student achievement in school districts with a predominantly African American student population. Information gained from this study should be of interest to most education administrators, practitioners, and counselors. </p>

<p> Intercultural competence through study abroad is widely recognized as a preferred teaching approach for the development of globally competent health care practitioners. Colleges and universities are looking for multiple ways to encourage students to study abroad because of the noteworthy effects that these experiential opportunities have on students. Sparse research has been conducted to determine if short-term study abroad trips of less than two weeks are achieving these same outcomes. </p><p> The purpose of this basic interpretative qualitative study was to describe the nature and meanings of a short-term international cultural experience for nursing students, and whether or how their understanding of the role of the professional nurse was changed. A group of baccalaureate nursing students traveled to Tanzania and took part in professional and social opportunities over an 8-day period. All participants were required to complete a nursing course with global objectives prior to the trip and pre-immersion seminars. Data were collected from reflective journals during the study abroad experience, focus group discussions one month after returning home, and personal interviews 6 months later. The results indicated that the participants experienced culture shock, but they also gained in self-awareness, cultural empathy, leadership skills, a desire to learn more, and a new perspective of the role of the professional nurse. Langer's theory of Mindfulness, Bennett's Developmental Model of Sensitivity and Campinha-Bacote's Process of Cultural Competence provided the theoretical framework for this study.</p>

While i was studying abroad in Spain and China, I found that, although there are many differences between two countries, i feel that they share some similarities in various aspects. My thesis will be a comparative study focusing on the problems of the educational system in Spain and China. In order to understand about the problem, I will also talk about the history of the educational systems in both countries, since the beginning of the twentieth century. Furthermore, this thesis will also explore the changes in both countries after the Franco regime, and the Post-Mao era, so that readers will know about the progress governments in both countries have been made in order to improve the educational system.

<p>Colorblind racial attitudes are described as the denial or minimization of race and racism (Neville et al., 2000), which may silence accounts of racial discrimination and lead White Americans to ignore their racial privileges, ultimately supporting and reproducing racial inequality in the US (Bonilla-Silva, 2001). Alarmingly, colorblind attitudes are the dominant racial ideology among White Americans (Lewis, 2004), and inform the way White adults talk to their children about race (Schofeild, 2007). The current study explored the development and maintenance of Whites&rsquo; colorblind attitudes, using ideas from Stephan and Stephan&rsquo;s (1985) theory of intergroup anxiety, Helm&rsquo;s (1995) theory of White racial identity, and concepts underlying Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT; Hayes et al., 2006). Informed by these theories, the study examined the roles of interracial anxiety and psychological flexibility in Whites&rsquo; colorblind racial attitudes. </p><p> Participants were 323 White American adults, consisting mostly of females from the Midwest. The study hypothesized that Whites&rsquo; level of interracial anxiety with Blacks would predict their level of colorblind racial attitudes. The study also hypothesized that Whites&rsquo; level of psychological flexibility, or their ability to remain present with unpleasant experiences without defense, would moderate the relationship between interracial anxiety and colorblind racial attitudes. </p><p> Results indicated that Whites&rsquo; interracial anxiety with Blacks did not significantly predict their colorblind racial attitudes, and that psychological flexibility did not moderate the relationship between interracial anxiety and colorblind attitudes. Results did reveal that psychological flexibility was related to colorblind attitudes, indicating that Whites who reported lower levels of flexibility also reported higher levels of colorblind racial attitudes. </p><p> Results support the notion that psychological flexibility may play an important role in Whites&rsquo; racial attitudes. Specifically, White Americans with high levels of psychological flexibility may be less likely to engage in avoidance or denial when they experience unpleasant thoughts and feelings related to race, allowing them to actively process and integrate racial information, ultimately leading to increased racial awareness. Findings suggest that research and theory on racial attitudes should consider incorporating psychological flexibility in the future, and that diversity interventions focused on increasing psychological flexibility may be beneficial for promoting attitude change. </p>