Changes in Students’ Attitudes Toward Diversity in a Preservice Teacher Education Course

• In Event: Poster Session 17
  In Poster Session: Research on Preservice Teacher Education for Diverse Urban K-12 Settings

Abstract

By the year 2040, children of color are projected to comprise more than half the children in public school classrooms in the United States (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). However, as student populations increase in racial and ethnic diversity, the teaching force is decreasing in diversity (Hodgkinson, 2002). The current study investigated attitude changes in adolescents enrolled in an undergraduate multicultural education course for students considering a teaching career. Results disconfirmed the first hypothesis. Students enrolled in the course showed a small but significant negative change in their comfort towards diverse groups of individuals. This information might help guide teacher education programs in developing appropriate curriculum that focuses on providing preservice teachers with the proper tools in teaching diverse student populations.

Author

• Cynthia Hudley, University of California - Santa Barbara