"Growth Occurs Outside of My Comfort Zone": The Perceptions of Culturally Diverse Graduate Students on Multicultural Education

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 12
  In Poster Session: Multicultural/Multiethnic Education SIG Poster Session (San Diego)

Abstract

This study illuminated the perceptions of educational leadership graduate students regarding multicultural education and transformative leadership through the lens of critical pedagogy. In this qualitative case study, the researchers used course materials, including discussion and responses, book reviews, and presentations, to answer these research questions: What factors drove the graduate students to seek further experiences for them or their students with multicultural education? What did the participants perceive as potential barriers to influencing educational reform? In what ways did the graduate students' perceptions regarding multicultural education change over a semester? Three themes emerged from the analysis, 1) the illusion of inclusivity, 2) cultural awareness, and 3) the disconnection between theory and practice.

Authors

• Brenda Doucette, Florida Gulf Coast University

• Alyssa Sanabria, Florida Gulf Coast University

• Ashley Quinn Sheplak, Lee county school district