Extending Multicultural Education into Our Colleges and Universities

1
Extending Multicultural Education into Our
Colleges and Universities

• Latifah Muhammad
• EDCI 6300 Summer 2007
• Tennessee State University

2
Introduction

• Multicultural education has not be an overall
  area of focus on many college campuses. Also, it
  is not a required in the general education
  program in man of our colleges and universities.
  
• Many institutions offer multicultural education
  as part of their teacher education curriculum in
  order to prepare teachers for the primary and
  secondary education environment. Thus, unless
  college students are Education or Teacher
  Education majors, students are not required to
  take a course in multicultural education.
• The college campus is an environment rich in
  diversity race, language, cultural traditions,
  and religious beliefs. Thus, making it the most
  ideal place and opportunity for students to
  immerse themselves in learning and understanding
  differences that surround them everyday.

3
Overview

• Limited research and discussion has been
  conducted on the importance and impact of
  campus-wide multicultural education, specifically
  religion. Although recent studies have suggested
  that religion in higher education has been
  steadily declined in importance due to the
  process of secularization through intellectual
  and educational developments.
• (Cherry, DeBerg, and Porterfield, 2001).
• There has been research conducted countering
  theories of secularization. This research has
  shed light on important developments in how the
  new generation of college students view, explore,
  and experience religion and diversity.

4
Summary

• The impact of the college experience on the
  social and moral development of our students can
  be greatly enhanced through exposure and
  constructive understanding of cultural diversity.
  
• This is critical at this stage of student
  development as our colleges and universities
  shape and mold the future leaders and educators
  of our ever expanding culturally diverse American
  society.

5
Emerging Adulthood

• According to Arnett (2000), the ages between 18
  and 25 make up a new, distinct developmental
  period the Emerging Adult. This period is
  characterized by heightened risk-taking behavior
  and self exploration of numerous domains,
  including ones spirituality (Arnett, 2000).
• It is within this age range that many emerging
  adults are enrolled in our colleges and
  universities. Thus, students at this
  developmental stage are constantly surrounded by
  and exposed to an environment teeming with vastly
  diverse peoples, cultures, and beliefs
• The campus serves as a force that demands
  student inquiry of self (self-exploration) and
  others in the context of diversity.
• It is at this point in their lives when
  individuals place greater importance on thinking
  critically about spiritual issues rather than
  accept an existing dogma in its entirety (Barry
  and Nelson, 2005).

6
Spirituality vs. Religion

• Qualitative study conducted at 4 universities
  (large public, Protestant, Roman Catholic, and a
  HBCU)
• The students interviewed preferred using the
  words spiritual and spirituality instead of
  religious and religion.
• understood religion to mean institutions or
  organizations and spirituality to mean a
  personal experience of God or ultimate values.
• Spiritual and spirituality connoted a quest, a
  journey, something not yet completed, whereas
  religion and religious signified something
  completed, fixed, handed down.
• Students could be characterized as spiritual
  seekers rather than religious dwellers.
• The students construct their spirituality without
  much regard to the boundaries dividing religious
  denominations, traditions, or organizations.
• (Cherry, DeBerg, and Porterfield, 2001)

7
Getting to the Core Whats Next?

• Revisit our institutions general education
  core
• Multicultural education course(s) incorporated
  into the core, addressing race, religion,
  sexuality, and other issues of difference that
  students face on our campuses everyday.
• Introduction to Multicultural Education and
  Cultural Diversity
• Single-issue and/or general overview courses
• Open discussion forum vs. seminar-style
• An open discussion format is preferable because
  it allows students and faculty to establish a
  comfort level that will allow for more open and
  fluid discussion, listening, and understanding
  the views and experiences of others without
  feeling they may be judged, chastized, or made to
  feel inferior.

8
Related Website Resource

• http//www.diversityweb.org/
• This site is designed to provide a comprehensive
  compendium of campus practices and resources for
  campus practitioners seeking to place diversity
  at the center of the academy's educational and
  societal mission. The site is supported by The
  American Association of Colleges and Universities
  (AACU). It is a grear resource for college and
  university faculty and administrators.

9
Conclusion

• Religion has not lessened in significance or
  relevance in the lives of our young adults. It
  has evolved and been redefined based on the
  changes many students have experienced in our
  multicultural society, specifically on our
  campuses.
• Responsibility of educators to provide students
  with structure and accessibility to resources to
  promote student comfort in thinking openly and
  critically about their spirituality and other
  issues of difference and diversity.

10
References

• Arnett, J.J. (2000). Emerging adulthood a
  theory of development from the late teens through
  the twenties. American Psychology. 55, pp
  469(12).
• Barry, Carolyn McNamara, and Nelson, Larry
  J. (June 2005). The role of religion in the
  transition to adulthood for young emerging
  adults. Journal of Youth and Adolescence. 34.3,
  p245 (11).
• Carpenter, Lucas. (April 2007). Religion
  and the liberal arts education. The Humanist. 67,
  p25(4).
• Cherry, Conrad, DeBerg, Betty, and
  Porterfield, Amanda. (Fall 2001). Religion on
  campus. Liberal Education. 87, p6(8).
• Copeland, Jennifer E. (February 2002). The
  religious option what students crave. Christian
  Century. 24, p36(4).
• Estanck, Sandra. (June 2006). Redefining
  spirituality a new discourse. College Student
  Journal. 40, p270(12).
• Uecker, Jeremy, Regnerus, Mark D., and
  Vaaler, Maragret L. (June 2007). Losing my
  religion the social sources of religious decline
  in early adulthood. Social Forces. 85.4,
  p1667(26).