Multicultural Awareness
Project for Institutional
Transformation: MAP IT
Jeanne L. Higbee
Presentation made at the
17th International Conference on
The First-Year Experience
Contact Information
• [email protected]
• Center for Research on Developmental
Education and Urban Literacy (CRDEUL)
General College, University of Minnesota
Appleby Hall, 128 Pleasant Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Web Sites for Resources
• Go to http://www.gen.umn.edu/research/crdeul to
download the full MAP IT report and a
comprehensive bibliography free of charge
• Go to http://www.gen.umn/research/ctad to
download the film, “An Uncertain Welcome” and
other materials related to Universal Instructional
Design and curriculum transformation free of
charge
Presentation Agenda
• Introduction: The value of diversity in the
first-year experience; the role of the General
College Multicultural Concerns Committee
• Conceptual and Theoretical Foundations
• Research Process and Summary of
Quantitative and Qualitative Findings
• Implications for Practice
Conceptual and Theoretical
Foundations
• Definition Issues
• Changes in Our Approaches to
Diversity and Multiculturalism
• Theoretical Framework: James Banks
Defining Diversity
“Diversity signifies the simple
recognition of the existence of
different social group
identities.”
(Miksch et al., 2003, p. 5)
Inclusive Definition of Diversity
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race
gender
ethnicity
religion
socioeconomic class
age
home language
sexual orientation
disability
Defining Multiculturalism
“If diversity is an empirical
condition . . .,
multiculturalism names a
particular posture towards this
reality.”
(Miksch et al., 2003, p. 6)
Defining Multiculturalism
“an idea, an educational
reform movement, and a
process”
(Banks, 2001, p. 2)
“As an idea, multicultural education seeks to
create equal educational opportunities for all
students, including those from different racial,
ethnic, and social-class groups. Multicultural
education tries to create equal educational
opportunities for all students by changing the
total school environment so that it will reflect the
diverse cultures and groups within society and
within the nation’s classrooms. Multicultural
education is a process because its goals are ideals
that teachers and administrators should
constantly strive to achieve.” (Banks, 2001)
Transitions in how we have
approached diversity in the U.S.
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intolerance
tolerance
acceptance
affirmation
celebration
critical reflection
transformation
James Banks’ 5 Dimensions of
Multicultural Education
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content integration
knowledge construction
prejudice reduction
equity pedagogy
empowering school culture
Multicultural Awareness Project
for Institutional Transformation
(MAP IT)
Adapted for higher education
from Banks et al. by
Karen L. Miksch, Jeanne L. Higbee,
Rashne R. Jehangir, Dana Britt Lundell,
Patrick L. Bruch, Kwabena Siaka,
and Michael V. Dotson
Adapted with permission of James A. Banks,
Center for Multicultural Education,
University of Washington, Seattle,
for higher education from:
Banks, J.A., Cookson, P., Gay, G., Hawley, W.D., Irvine,
J.J., Nieto, S., Schofield, J.W., & Stephan, W.G. (2001).
Diversity Within Unity:
Essential Principles for Teaching and Learning
in a Multicultural Society.
Seattle, WA: Center for Multicultural Education,
College of Education, University of Washington.
Available:
http://depts.washington.edu/centerme/home/htm
MAP IT Contents
• 10 Guiding Principles
• The MAP IT Process: Focus on
collaboration
• 4 Questionnaires: Administrator, Faculty
and Instructional Staff, Student Support
Services, Student
• Bibliography
Guiding Principles
• Institutional Governance, Organization, and
Equity
• Faculty and Staff Development
• Student Development
• Intergroup Relations
• Assessment
Research Process
• Collaboration with Multicultural Concerns
Committee in General College (GC)
• Pilot study of faculty and staff within the
General College, University of Minnesota:
Quantitative and qualitative findings
• Pilot study of GC students
• Administration to MCTC students, ongoing
• Follow-up study of GC students, ongoing
Summary of Qualitative Findings
from Faculty-Staff Pilot Study
• Gathered and analyzed open-ended comments
from respondents
• Responses were about the guiding principles,
related to their work and learning
environments, or reactions to survey itself
• Looked at themes and issues people brought
up themselves, emphasizing what emerged
from their perspectives and concerns about
multiculturalism in the institution
Qualitative Findings, cont’d.
• Examples of common issues:
– Position in the college (employment category as it
relates to individual work in multiculturalism)
– Policies and Practice (how policies and principles of
multiculturalism play out in reality--good or bad)
– Power proximity (how people perceive their own
influence and ability to change things)
– Concerns/Perceptions of Individual versus
Community (reactions such as isolation, passion
about work, frustration/anger, segregation, etc.)
– Professional Development (training, information-availability or lack thereof)
Quantitative Results from
Faculty-Staff Pilot Study in GC
• Pilot used a 5-point scale
• Does the General College (GC) ensure that
all students have equitable opportunities to
learn and meet high standards? M=4.30
• Do admissions policies allow for enrollment
of students from diverse backgrounds?
M=4.70
Quantitative Results (cont.)
• Does GC provide appropriate role models for all
students? M=3.50
• Are successful efforts being made to recruit a diverse
administrative, teaching, student support services,
and clerical staff? M=3.93
• Do teaching strategies accommodate diverse student
interests and learning styles? M=3.80
• Are students in GC taught about stereo-typing and
other related biases? M=4.20
Quantitative Results (cont.)
• Are students taught about values that are shared
by many cultures, such as justice, equality,
freedom, peace, compassion, and charity? M=4.05
• Do faculty and staff implement these values in
their interactions with students? M=3.93
• With one another? M=3.66
• Is advocacy around multicultural issues central to
the student services mission? M=4.41
Student Perceptions from Pilot
• Revised questionnaires use a 4-point scale
• Do you think it is beneficial to be part of a
multicultural environment? M=3.49
• Does GC operate in a manner that values a
multicultural learning environment? M=3.42
• Do administrators, faculty, and staff
demonstrate a knowledge and understanding
of diverse groups? M=2.95
Student Perceptions:
Discussion Questions
• How do you think that your students might
respond to these questions?
• Do you think that your faculty’s, staff’s, and
administrators’ perceptions would line up
with those of your students?
• How might you use this assessment tool in
your institution? Your classroom?
Implications for
Practice
How can we promote the
centrality of multiculturalism
in our everyday practice in
higher education?