A Mixed-Methods Study of the Landscape of Multicultural Education Professional Development

• In Event: Professional Development in Culturally Relevant Pedagogy for In-Service Teachers

Abstract

To date the research literature on educator professional development (PD) related to multicultural education (ME) focuses primarily on studies of individual programs rather than large-scale investigations into the prevalence and perceived effectiveness of such PD. The purpose of the present mixed methods survey study was to investigate the degree to which teachers are engaging in ME PD, the types of ME PD teachers are encountering, and the perceived quality of this PD. Based on responses from 2,384 teachers, we found that the plurality had engaged in no ME PD in the prior year, the topics covered across these PD experiences ranged widely, and the majority of respondents rated PD they attended as ‘effective’.

Authors

• Chu Yi Lu, University of Delaware

• Hillary Parkhouse, Virginia Commonwealth University

• Krystal R Thomas, University of Virginia

• Fantasy T. Lozada, Virginia Commonwealth University