Multicultural Education & Technology Journal

Bolanle A. Olaniran; Mary F. Agnello

doi: 10.1108/17504970810883351pmid: N/A

Purpose – The paper aims to put into context globalization as educational, economic, and technological relations, with attention to dimensions of variability and other problems associated with domination of western and northern post‐industrial developed nations on the developing world. Design/methodology/approach – The approach taken in this paper is that of a discussion of the issues. Findings – Education in its broadest functional terms prepares populaces for interaction within the social, economical, political, and cultural domains of daily life. Global education in its encompassing reach toward the macrocosm prepares populations in many countries to co‐exist, particularly with information age technological innovations. Such an overstatement or broad sweep of the maximum view of international education overlooks in‐depth understanding of the exercise of power in the international realm. Originality/value – The paper discusses the issues surrounding globalization, the economic gap between technologically trained workers and agrarian economies and the cultural divide caused by policies and assumptions.

Raj Singh Badhesha; James M. Schmidtke; Anne Cummings; Scott D. Moore

doi: 10.1108/17504970810883360pmid: N/A

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the effects of watching a video providing knowledge about either a Sikh student or an older student on participants' knowledge about each particular group, their attitudes towards that group. Design/methodology/approach – The study used a pre‐post experimental design and examined the effects of diversity awareness training using a short web‐based video. Findings – Results indicated that watching a Sikh video significantly increased knowledge of Sikhs and had a marginally significant effect on improving attitudes toward that target group. Additionally, White participants experienced a greater positive attitude change towards Sikhs than non‐White participants. There were no significant effects on knowledge or attitude change for older individuals. However, watching either video was associated with a decline in participants' multiculturalism attitudes. Research limitations/implications – The results suggest that further work is needed on the effects of specifically focused diversity training as well as more general multicultural training. The study only examined short‐term change in participants' knowledge and attitudes: more research is needed to examine the long‐term effects of diversity training. Practical implications – The results indicate that organizations should perform some type of need assessment prior to conducting diversity training because narrowly focused diversity training is not likely to have generalized effects. Originality/value – The paper should interest academics and practitioners since there is very little research that has examined how diversity training works and whether it is effective.

Jayne R. Beilke; Matthew J. Stuve; Maria A. Williams‐Hawkins

doi: 10.1108/17504970810883379pmid: N/A

Purpose – This article aims to provide a case study example of the uses of podcasting in a multicultural educational setting. Design/methodology/approach – Pre‐service undergraduate teaching majors collaborated with graduate students enrolled in an educational technology course and clients of a community agency service minority, low‐income youth to produce a “radio” show podcast. Findings – The project demonstrated the potential and limitations of using a podcast to improve the literacy skills of inner city youth and technical proficiency of pre‐service teaching majors. Research limitations/implications – The study was limited to its one‐semester implementation phase. Practical implications – This is an example of the use of technology among low‐income minority youth and its ability to close the digital divide as well as the social divide between inner city youth of color and white pre‐service teachers and technology majors. Originality/value – Because of the digital divide, podcasting has not been introduced into under‐resourced environments such as inner‐city community agencies. Additionally, pre‐service teaching majors are not generally taught the pedagogical uses of MP3 players.

Todd Malone; Hilary Wilder

doi: 10.1108/17504970810883388pmid: N/A

Purpose – To describe an exploratory study in which an online learning system was used to provide an intercultural experience for pre‐service education students from New Jersey and Namibia. Design/methodology/approach – Pre‐service education students from New Jersey and Namibia were enrolled in an online course in the fall of 2004. The following semester, spring 2005, only students from New Jersey were enrolled in the course. Online discussion postings were analyzed for both course cohorts and compared. A pre/post questionnaire of students' understanding of cross‐cultural differences in general, and in teaching in particular, was also administered to both course cohorts. Findings – This paper focuses on the growth of New Jersey students' understanding of what teaching in Namibia is like and also looks to see if this led to a greater understanding of their own practice. While there was an indication that the former was achieved and a number of New Jersey students did show a deeper understanding of teaching in Namibia, this did not appear to then lead to a deeper understanding of their own teaching practice. Research limitations/implications – This was an exploratory pilot study, conducted principally to see if the technology supported this type of experience for students in both developed and developing nations. While this experience will never substitute for a real, in‐person, exchange program or study abroad, the technology did support a limited virtual “exchange” program. Practical implications – The study indicated that an online course is a very feasible option for providing an intercultural experience for students from developed and developing nations. In order to help students reach deeper levels of understanding of both their intercultural peers and of their own practice, students may need to be exposed to a more explicit model of inter‐ and intra‐ cultural reflection. Originality/value – This paper gives teacher educators and others a way of providing a virtual intercultural exchange to their students. This is particularly important for students from both developing and developed nations who do not have the financial means to participate in an actual (in‐person) exchange program.