Journal for Multicultural Education

Kye, Hannah

2020 Journal for Multicultural Education

doi: 10.1108/jme-02-2020-0014

This paper aims to describe the results of a qualitative case study of three beginning elementary teachers’ knowledge-in-practice of multicultural science education.Design/methodology/approachData included interviews, focus group discussions, audio-recorded lessons and daily field notes through the course of a month-long summer science program. Data were coded deductively using a framework of receptivity and resistance, and then coded inductively to determine themes within each category of data.FindingsAnalysis revealed three key elements of teachers’ knowledge-in-practice: positive perceptions of teaching for social justice, practices that overlooked students’ perspectives and practices that discounted race and culture in science.Originality/valueInsights from this case study respond to the well-documented need to address the gap between knowledge and practice in multicultural science education by revealing potential roadblocks and guideposts useful for bridging this gap.

Van Allen, Jennifer; Katz, Stacy

2020 Journal for Multicultural Education

doi: 10.1108/jme-04-2020-0027

Open Educational Resources (OER) are learning materials openly licensed so that others may retain, reuse, revise, remix or redistribute (the 5Rs) these materials. This paper aims to raise awareness of OER by providing a rationale for using these learning materials and a strategy for educators to get started with OER during the collective crisis and beyond.Design/methodology/approachUsing a broad research base and anecdotes from personal experience, the authors make the case that OER improves student access to learning materials and improves the learning experience in both PK-12 and higher education contexts.FindingsThe authors define and describe the benefits of OER to provide practical suggestions educators can implement during the pandemic and beyond.Practical implicationsTo support educators in finding and using OER, this paper highlights repositories that include a breadth of various learning materials across subject areas and educational contexts. The authors provide specific suggestions for finding, personalizing and contextualizing OER.Originality/valueThis work not only provides an overview of OER with particular considerations for educators during the COVID-19 pandemic but also makes the case that OER should be integrated into classrooms beyond the pandemic.

Eliza, Liyana; Sabki, Aishah Ahmad; Hardaker, Glenn

2020 Journal for Multicultural Education

doi: 10.1108/jme-06-2020-0053

The purpose of this study is a reaction to COVID-19 and is intended to transcend the regular thoughts to deeper issues towards humanity and nature. The study explores the notion of extinction, and what we value, and alludes to humanity increasingly having fractured self-awareness in the context of the uncharted health threat of the global pandemic of 2020. The study focusses on a holistic perspective towards pedagogy that explores related issues of knowledge, spirituality, self-awareness and embodied actions.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts a reflective, and exploratory, style that is an enabler for future research into pedagogy that is focussed on humanity and nature.FindingsThe conceptual paper explores an holistic perspective towards pedagogy that considers issues of knowledge, spirituality, self-awareness and embodied actions.Originality/valueThis study’s intention is to extend our notion of pedagogy that looks beyond educational institutions in seeking a wider understanding of humanity and nature. The concept of “pedagogy of life beyond extinction” is used as a way to identify a selfless way in life that is underpinned by self-awareness. This provides a lens to intrinsic and extrinsic values that come from an interpretation of truth in our existence beyond self-interest.

Othman, Azam; Ruslan, Norbaiduri

2020 Journal for Multicultural Education

doi: 10.1108/jme-04-2020-0024

This paper aims to present the qualitative findings on students’ and teachers’ experiences in communicating and interacting with students and teachers from different ethnic backgrounds in the Malaysian vision schools initiative.Design/methodology/approachFace-to-face interviews were conducted involving 15 informants comprising of three headteachers, three teachers and nine students. The interviews centred on the informants’ experiences and views living and experiencing the reality of the vision schools which is comprising three major races; Malays, Chinese and Indians; which is represented by the three school types which are a national school, Chinese vernacular and Indian vernacular schools.FindingsThe interview data revealed that the intercultural communication in the vision schools had triggered intercultural understanding and awareness of cultural diversity in the schools. However, the interview data with experienced teachers showed some drawbacks of the intercultural dynamics at the school complex. Among the weaknesses were the absence of structured and formal training on intercultural and multicultural education, lack of trust and poor social skills which may have hindered effective intercultural communication from taking place.Originality/valueThis study presents the informants’ experiences and views on the reality of intercultural interaction among students and teachers in the context of the Malaysian vision school initiative.

Underwood, Kimberly; Taylor, Joy; Smith, Donna; Roberts, J. Medgar

2020 Journal for Multicultural Education

doi: 10.1108/jme-02-2020-0012

This paper aims to provide a critical examination of the career trajectories of Black male educators through the discussion of key issues relevant to the professional development and advancement of this population.Design/methodology/approachThe authors approach this paper through the examination of literature related to Black male educators. The authors seek to provide insight into the status of Black male educators through a critical focus of scholarship in the three critical areas of Black male educator recruitment, retention and mobility.FindingsThis examination supports the need to generate sustainable initiatives to diversify our nation’s classrooms and create additional opportunities for Black male representation in school leadership positions. Effectively dismantling the entrenched hurdles many encounter within their teaching careers requires a concerted commitment by advocates, policymakers and school administrators at all levels. Additionally, there is a continued need for stakeholders to keep the diversification of P-12 schools as a key priority in current education reform strategies.Social implicationsThis paper serves as an impetus to highlight the continued need for further exploration and consequential action to increase the numbers of Black males in the teaching profession.Originality/valueThis paper adds to the literature surrounding Black male educators by providing a holistic view of their career trajectories of Black male educators and shedding light on the need for ongoing efforts to diversify the P-12 teaching workforce.

Deckman, Sherry L.; Fulmer, Ellie Fitts; Kirby, Keely; Hoover, Katharine; Mackall, Abena Subira

2020 Journal for Multicultural Education

doi: 10.1108/jme-04-2020-0037

In light of the systemic and pervasive nature of ableism and how ableist ideology structures – or limits – educational opportunities, this paper aims to contribute to the ongoing conversation within the field of multicultural education regarding how to meaningfully include dis/ability in K-12 curricula.Design/methodology/approachThis paper explores how elementary and middle school health textbooks from two prominent publishers in the USA portray dis/ability through quantitative and qualitative content analysis methods of 1,468 images across texts.FindingsFindings indicate that the majority of the textbook portrayals of dis/ability tacitly forward assimilationist ideals. Specifically, the textbooks assume and speak to a normatively-abled reader, pointing out those with dis/abilities as different from the reader. Additionally, mainstream or normative markers are provided as evidence of success and those with dis/abilities who have been successful as such are positioned as overcoming their limitations.Practical implicationsSuch portrayals stifle the possibility of social transformation by reinforcing and privileging dominant, ableist views. Therefore, teachers are recommended to take steps that might counter such messages in curricular materials and teacher educators are called on to support these efforts.Originality/valueThis paper extends the tradition of curricular analysis as one of the first studies to examine the portrayals of dis/ability in US health textbooks and offer practical implications for educators.

Gindi, Shahar; Gilat, Yitzhak; Sagee, Rachel

2020 Journal for Multicultural Education

doi: 10.1108/jme-04-2020-0022

Minority teachers is a growing phenomenon that is encouraged as part of a quest to diversify teaching staff. Among minority teachers, there exists a group of boundary-crossing teachers whose “otherness” contrasts with the different student population and/or staffroom composition. The study aims to examine parent, teacher and student attitudes toward teachers crossing two types of “borders” that are central to Israeli society: the Jewish-Arab rift and the religious-secular rift.Design/methodology/approachA representative sample of 182 Jewish Israeli parents, 201 Jewish Israeli students grades 10–12 and 101 Jewish Israeli teachers completed questionnaires regarding their attitudes toward boundary-crossing teachers.FindingsThe overall attitudes toward cross-boundary teaching were positive. Attitudes were found to be associated with political affiliation, religiosity and age. The more left-wing participants were, the less religious and older the more they supported boundary-crossing teaching. Students were significantly less supportive of teachers crossing the Jewish-Arab divide compared with adults. The attitudes toward boundary-crossing ultra-orthodox teachers in a secular school showed a distinct pattern, as it received support from all divides of the research participants.Social implicationsThe findings point to the vicious cycle of segregation in Israeli society whereby the lack of contact between Jews and Arabs leads to intergroup anxiety which in turns leads to less support in further contact through boundary-crossing teaching, especially among high school students.Originality/valueThe minority teachers’ literature often refers to the need to diversify the teaching staff or examines teachers and their relations with students. This study if the first to examine how other stakeholders’ view the idea of minority teachers.