White Preservice Teachers' Cognitive Dissonance in the Immigrant Professor of Color Classrooms

• In Event: Understanding Immigrant Students and Educators' Transnational Experiences

Abstract

This study investigated whether White pre-service teachers experience cognitive dissonance when taught by immigrant professors of color and if so, how they restore harmony and balance to complete the course successfully. Interviews from 10 immigrant professors of color and archival data indicated the students manifested dissonance by “othering” the professor through cultural and racial profiling, questioning the professor’s qualification, professionalism and credentials, and expressing anger and anxiety. These processes have significant implications for the career trajectory of the immigrant professor of color, while also impacting the knowledge access for White preservice teachers.

Authors

• Faith Maina, Texas Tech University

• Amani Zaier, Texas Tech University

• Gonzaga Mukasa