The Multiple Meanings of Diversity: College Students' Views

• In Event: 16.050 - Diversity and Multiculturalism in Higher Education

Abstract

This presentation, which is based on qualitative data collected through focus groups, attends to the ways in which students in one college of education on the Western part of the U.S. discussed the term ‘diversity’. Specific research questions included: What dimensions of diversity did the student participants discuss? What underlying meanings characterized their views of diversity? The findings revealed that multiple aspects of diversity were addressed by the participants, but the general admission that diversity was limited tended to result in distant cross-cultural relationships at the college. The presentation concludes with recommendations for both teacher education theory and practice.

Authors

• Eleni Oikonomidoy, University of Nevada - Reno

• Lynda R. Wiest, University of Nevada - Reno

• Jafeth Sanchez, University of Nevada - Reno

• Lydia DeFlorio, University of Nevada - Reno