Preparing Undergraduate Students for Culturally Responsive Teaching

Location

CSU 253

Start Date

16-4-2013 11:10 AM

End Date

16-4-2013 12:10 PM

Student's Major

Elementary and Early Childhood Education

Student's College

Education

Mentor's Name

Lori Piowlski

Mentor's Department

Elementary and Early Childhood Education

Mentor's College

Education

Description

This is a qualitative and quantitative study investigating the procedure of preparing undergraduate teacher candidates for culturally responsive teaching in the elementary classroom. The hypothesis for this study is that intentional experiences and collaborative discussion activities will increase students’ knowledge of implementation of culturally responsive teaching. “Culturally responsive teachers not only know their students well, they use what they know about their students to give them access to learning” (Lucas and Villegas). This project is significant because classrooms in the United States are rapidly growing in diversity. According to Lucas and Villegas, teachers must move beyond the superficial notion of diversity that is prevalent classrooms today and gain a fresh vision of teaching and learning in a diverse setting to intentionally guide their curriculum (Lucas and Villegas, 2002). Undergraduate students will participate in a four-week field experience in a Midwestern school district working with kindergarten through second grade students. Teacher candidates will complete a survey administered by researchers after the field experience, which will be analyzed for cultural competence in the classroom. Students will also be asked to take the Intercultural Developmental Inventory (IDI) developed by Milton and Bennett. The population is thirty-two undergraduate students in the first phase of professional education. Ages range from nineteen to thirty-five. Researchers predict that students will demonstrate a higher understanding of culturally responsive teaching due to intentional instruction through the field experience placement in the elementary school.

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Apr 16th, 11:10 AM Apr 16th, 12:10 PM

Preparing Undergraduate Students for Culturally Responsive Teaching

CSU 253

This is a qualitative and quantitative study investigating the procedure of preparing undergraduate teacher candidates for culturally responsive teaching in the elementary classroom. The hypothesis for this study is that intentional experiences and collaborative discussion activities will increase students’ knowledge of implementation of culturally responsive teaching. “Culturally responsive teachers not only know their students well, they use what they know about their students to give them access to learning” (Lucas and Villegas). This project is significant because classrooms in the United States are rapidly growing in diversity. According to Lucas and Villegas, teachers must move beyond the superficial notion of diversity that is prevalent classrooms today and gain a fresh vision of teaching and learning in a diverse setting to intentionally guide their curriculum (Lucas and Villegas, 2002). Undergraduate students will participate in a four-week field experience in a Midwestern school district working with kindergarten through second grade students. Teacher candidates will complete a survey administered by researchers after the field experience, which will be analyzed for cultural competence in the classroom. Students will also be asked to take the Intercultural Developmental Inventory (IDI) developed by Milton and Bennett. The population is thirty-two undergraduate students in the first phase of professional education. Ages range from nineteen to thirty-five. Researchers predict that students will demonstrate a higher understanding of culturally responsive teaching due to intentional instruction through the field experience placement in the elementary school.

Recommended Citation

Molenaar, Emily; Michelle Burke; Sadie Leidall; Pathy Xiong; and Patrick McCann. "Preparing Undergraduate Students for Culturally Responsive Teaching." Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mankato, MN, April 16, 2013.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/urs/2013/oral-session-08/4