The primary purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which preservice elementary education students participating in Ball State University's Urban Education Semester would evidence a change in attitudes toward multicultural teaching and learning based on their experiences in the program. A treatment group of 22 Urban Semester participants was compared to a control group of 21 preservice teachers engaged in coursework and field experience in a traditional, on-campus setting. Employing a case study approach, both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to explore the phenomenon under investigation.The qualitative aspect of the study examined treatment and control group pretest and posttest scores on the Teacher Multicultural Attitude Survey (TMAS) (Ponterotto, Baluch, Grieg, & Rivera, 1998), to ascertain the extent to which attitudes would change as a result of curricular and experiential treatments. A follow-up administration of the TMAS occurred approximately six weeks following the intervention to determine the extent to which attitude change in the treatment group was either lasting or transitory in nature. The treatment group evidenced a highly significant difference in pretest / posttest scores on the TMAS (p = 0.002**), and the change was retained in follow-up measures.Qualitative methodology included analysis of student journals, content of two focus groups conducted throughout the semester, student discussion observed in Ball State courses, and personal interviews conducted at the end of the Urban experience. Analysis revealed common themes including the importance of direct experience with diversity, personal reflection, professional mentoring and teaching opportunities for student multicultural growth. Additionally, the experience served to dispel myths and stereotypes regarding urban teaching and encouraged movement from a color denial perspective to an appreciation for and respect of cultural differences.The present study illustrates the potential of curricular intervention to alter student attitudes toward multicultural teaching and learning. Implications for the development of initiatives geared toward this end include the importance of cultural immersion, opportunities for personal reflection, infusion of multicultural content across curricular areas, and carefully planned student / mentor teacher pairings in order to affect such change. / Department of Elementary Education
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/182272 |
| Date | January 2003 |
| Creators | Zygmunt-Fillwalk, Eva M. |
| Contributors | Stroud, James C. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | xiv, 210 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
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