Multicultural Education Improvement - Research Paper Example

Can Multicultural Education Improve Engagement and Attachment? Introduction Researchers have linked the achievement gap among diverse cultures to student engagement and attachment. Similarly, researchers have noted a disparity in attachment and engagement among diverse cultures. Therefore investigating the possibility of multicultural education improving student engagement and attachment is worthy of attention. This paper evaluates the hypothesis that multicultural education can improve student attachment and engagement, with the result that the achievement gap among diverse cultures will be narrowed. This hypothesis will necessarily address the following questions: What is multicultural education? How is student engagement and attachment impacted by cultural diversity? How does engagement and attachment impact academic achievement? How does multicultural education respond to the difficulties of cultural diversity? In what ways can multicultural education improve engagement and attachment? Each of these questions are addressed in this paper and the final question will evaluate recommendations calculated to improve multicultural education in ways that can improve student engagement and attachment and therefore narrow the achievement gap. This paper therefore takes the position that cultural diversity impacts student attachment and engagement which in turn, has an impact on student outcomes. Therefore, students who do not belong to the dominant culture are less likely to feel attached and engaged in school. An obvious solution to the achievement gap is an effective multicultural education which fosters a feeling of belonging and by extension academic or school attachment and engagement. A. Multicultural Education Banks (1994) identifies five dimensions of multicultural education. The first of these dimensions are “content integration” which is a technique by which educators ensure that teaching reflects cultural diversity (Banks 1994, p. 4). An example is to emphasize contributions in the field of study by diverse cultural heroes. Secondly, educators utilize “knowledge construction” which informs students how perspectives are influenced by “conclusions reached within that discipline” (Banks 1994, p. 5). The third dimension of multicultural education is referred to by Banks (1994) as “prejudice reduction” which helps students to form objective views of diverse groups (p. 5). The fourth dimension is “equitable pedagogy” which attempts to alter classroom instructions that all students among different cultural groups perform academically (Banks 1994, p. 5). The final dimension is “empowering school culture and social structure” which focuses on the environment within the school and ensuring that it supports diversity among the student body (Banks 1994, p. 5). Multicultural education can be defined as education strategies designed to accommodate teaching and learning for diverse cultures. The idea is to provide for fostering pluralism among races, cultures and classes. Theoretically at least, if students are subjected to multicultural education that is properly integrated into teaching and learning processes, attachment and engagement should improve. Ukpokodu (2009) informs that if multicultural education focuses on transformative learning, students of all races, cultures and classes transform their way of thinking and their perspectives and attitudes to more democratic and objective ways of thinking (2). Arguably, students become more responsible citizens and want to be productive citizens. As Banks (2008) argues, responsible citizenship can be hampered and can be lost on minorities when they are forced to detach themselves from their own cultures and languages (p. 130). Therefore by virtue of transformative learning under the auspices of effective multicultural education, students can be expected to become more engaged and attached to school, as they are not forced to become detached from their own cultures, races and classes. To substantiate this claim it is now necessary to evaluate the impact of cultural diversity on student engagement and attachment. B. The Impact of Student Attachment and Engagement on Academic Performance A working definition of student attachment and engagement is offered by the Willms (2003). Willms (2003) describes student attachment and engagement as occurring when a student participates in: academic and non-academic activities at school, and develop a sense of belonging – their friends are there, they have good relations with teachers and other students, and they identify with and value schooling outcomes (p. 3). In other words, student attachment and engagement is directly linked to a student’s academic and non-academic performance. As Willms (2003) points out, a student who does not a sense of belonging is not engaged and not attached to school and its environment. The result is the student will not perceive education as having a significant impact on their respective futures. They may ultimately become detached from the academic environment, underperform and could ultimately drop-out of school or be disruptive in terms on his or her relations with teachers and students (Willms 2003, p. 3). C. The Impact of Cultural Diversity on Student Attachment and Engagement Willms’ (2003) definition of student attachment and engagement is instructive. When one looks at the academic achievement gap across cultures, races and classes, it is possible to conclude that student attachment and engagement can account for the achievement gap. According to Coggins and Campbell (2008) research results from thirty years of studies in the field of education in the US, reveals that at least one third of African American students, other minority students and students of lower income manifest poor academic performance (p. 46). A recent study conducted by Frederickson and Petrides (2004) reveals that ethnic minority students and students of low socio-economic status produced poorer academic results than white students and students of higher socio-economic status (p. 144). Theoretically, if student attachment and engagement are prerequisites for academic and social development and if minority students and students with low socio-economic status perform poorer than white students and students of higher socio-economic status, there is a correlation between cultural diversity and academic performance. It is therefore hypothesized that students who do not belong to the dominant culture and are of low socio-economic status are less likely to become engaged and attached to school. This therefore offers an explanation for why ethnic minorities and low socio-economic students typically produce poorer academic results than students of the dominant culture and students of higher socio-economic status. It therefore follows that cultural diversity has an impact on student attachment and learning. The impact of cultural diversity on student attachment and engagement is well-documented. Johnson, Crosnoe and Elder (2001) reviewed the literature beginning in the 1980s and identified a common conceptualization. This common conceptualization is that minority students and students of low socio-economic status are not as engaged in school and usually feel isolated from the school environment than the dominant culture does. More specifically, it is commonly reported in the literature that African Americans and Latin American students are not as engaged in school primarily because they do not see the value of an education and perceive that their career opportunities are fewer and virtually unattainable. Johnson, Crosnoe and Elder (2001) go on to explain of this conceptualization: Students from these minority groups resist what they see as structures, such as education, that are imposed on them by the dominant group and avoid the appearance of “acting white” in their efforts at school (p. 321). Jonson, Crosnoe and Elder (2001) also point out that there are reports in the literature that contest this particular conceptualization. In other words it is not unanimously agreed among researchers that attitudes toward the dominant culture and its role in education has an impact on minority student and students of low socio-economic status attachment and engagement in school. However, there is no debate over the fact that minority students and students of low socio-economic status “put forth less effort at school” (p. 321). In addition, there is no dispute over the conceptualization that minority students generally fell “less embedded in schools and less close to their students” (Johnson, Crosnoe and Elder 2001, p. 321). Even if it is accepted that attitudes toward an education that supports a dominant culture has nothing to do with student engagement and attachment, an effective multicultural education can still improve attachment and engagement on the part of minority students and students of low socio-economic status. This is because transformative learning, redirects attitudes about the value of an education. This paper will not examine how multicultural education can respond to the difficulties associated with diverse cultures. D. How Multicultural Education Responds to the Difficulties Associated with Diverse Cultures. Thus far it has become demonstratively clear that the greatest difficulties associated with cultural diversity in American schools, is the underachievement or the poorer academic performance of minority students and students of low socio-economic status. When one of the primary roles of education is examined it is palpably clear, how a multicultural education can respond positively to the difficulties associated with cultural diversity. According to Vandeyar (2003), one of the primary goals of education is the “transmission of the normative heritage of a person from one generation to the next” (p. 193). Moreover, education is designed to equip the students with the instruments necessary for obtaining the necessary knowledge and skills for effectively integrating into the community. In taking these two primary roles of education together, reference must be made to the fact that: A people’s culture is the carrier of values evolved by that community in the course of their economic and political life. The values they hold are the basis of their world outlook, the basis of their collective and individual image of self, their identity as a people who look at themselves and to their relationship to the universe in a certain way (Vandeyar 2003, 193). Looked at in this way, it is clear that learning and by extension is culturally sensitive. Students who are subjected to an education that does not take account of their own values and at the same time emphasizes the values of a dominant culture is in danger of alienating minority students and students of low socio-economic status. If education is going to achieve two of its primary functions as stated on the previous page, diverse cultural heritages must be taking into account in the learning and educating process. In this regard, this is where multicultural education responds to the purpose of education and the need to ensure that all students regardless of economic, social and cultural heritage are amenable to learning and achieving. Multicultural education therefore has the potential to improve engagement and attachment among culturally diverse students, particularly those who have manifested a lower degree of engagement and attachment. E. How Multicultural Education Can Improve Student Engagement and Attachment The objectives of a multicultural education inform the extent to which it can improve student engagement and attachment, particularly for minority students and lower income students who have traditionally exhibited a lower degree of attachment and engagement in school. Borrowing from Banks and Banks (1995), one of the primary objectives of a multicultural education is to: create equal educational opportunities for students from diverse racial, ethnic, social-class, and cultural groups. One of its important goals is to help all students to acquire knowledge, attitudes, and skills needed to function effectively in a pluralistic democratic society and to interact, negotiate, and communicate with peoples form diverse groups to create a civic and moral community that works for the common good (p. xi). As previously reported, researchers have generally agreed that minority students and lower income students have typically demonstrated less effort in learning and academic achievement in school. Whether or not we accept that this is because they feel detached from the cultural environment and therefore are less engaged and attached, a multicultural education which focuses on engaging all cultures and all social and economic classes can improve engagement and attachment. Students as a result will feel a part of the learning and teaching environment and will feel more attached and engaged. This is particularly so where, students are not forced to become detached from their own cultural environment in pursuit of an education and all of its attending benefits and opportunities. This is the promise of a multicultural education. It does not force any one culture on the students as a whole. It steadfastly and conscientiously fosters tolerance and respect for diversity and teaches students to co-exist in a multicultural world. In this regard, no specific culture is isolated. Banks (2008) informs that a multicultural education not only illuminates cultural differences, but also encourages students to accept that despite our differences we are all human beings and share common human traits and values (p. 132). Conclusion/Recommendations The poorer academic performance of minority students and students of low socio-economic status has been a major concern for educators and researchers for decades. For just as long, researchers and educators have looked at the extent to which students of lower socio-economic students and minority students are not as engaged and attached as students of the more dominant culture. The inescapable conclusion is that minority students and students of low socio-economic status can become more engaged and attached if they perceive education as a means to improve career opportunities or as a method for improving their own lives and at the same times does not disregard their own cultural values and perceptions. Striking the proper balance is not easy with the result that educators have a difficult task ahead of them. However, a multicultural education promises to improve student engagement of all students without purposely excluding the dominant culture and thereby reversing the prejudicial effect of a dominant cultural education. This can be accomplished by ensuring that a multicultural education accomplishes what Banks (2008) suggest that it aims to accomplish. This means building and fostering responsible citizenship in terms of ensuring that there is mutual respect for the differences among all human beings. However, at the same time a multicultural education must ensure that students are aware that all students are bound by the concepts of humanity. This approach has the potential to engage all students and to ensure that all students, regardless of culture, race, ethnicity and/or socio-economic status feel motivated to participate in school. It is more likely that all students, regardless of differences will feel a part of a larger and more important purpose: the advancement of the common good of the larger community. Works Cited Banks, James, A. “Transforming the Mainstream Curriculum.” Educating for Diversity, 51(4) (1994): 4-8. Banks, James, A. “Diversity, Group Identity, and Citizenship Education in Global Age.” Educational Researcher, 37(3) (2008):129-139. Banks, J. A. and Banks, C.A.M. Handbook of Research on Multicultural Education. New York: MacMillan, 1995. Coggns, P. and Campbell, S. D. “Using Cultural Competence to Close the Achievement Gap.” Journal of Pan African Studies, 2(4) (June 2008):44-59. Frederickson, N. and Petrides, K.V. “Ethnic, Gender, and Socio-Economic Group Differences in Academic Performance and Secondary School Selection: A Longitudinal Analysis.” Learning and Individual Differences, 18(2) (2nd Quarter 2008): 144-151. Johnson, M. K.; Crosnoe, R. and Elder, G. “Students’ Attachment and Academic Engagement: The Role of Race and Ethnicity”. Sociology of Education 74(4), (Oct. 2001): 318-340. Ukpokodu, O. N. “Pedagogies that Foster Transformative Learning in a Multicultural Education Course: A Reflection.” University Libraries Las Vegas, 4(1), (2009): 1-7. Vandeyar, S. “The Jagged Paths to Multicultural Education: International Experiences and South Africa’s Response in the New Dispensation.” African Journal of Education, 23(3) (2003): 193-198. Willms, J. D. “Student Engagement at School: A Sense of Belonging and Participation”. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. (April 2003): 1-84. Read More