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Preservice Teachers Construct a Viewon Multicultural Education: Using Banks'Levels of Integration of Ethnic Contentto Measure ChangePorter L. Troutman Jr. a , William J. Pankratius a & Nancy P. Gallavana

a University of Nevada , Las Vegas , USAPublished online: 06 Jan 2012.

To cite this article: Porter L. Troutman Jr. , William J. Pankratius & Nancy P. Gallavan (1998)Preservice Teachers Construct a View on Multicultural Education: Using Banks' Levels ofIntegration of Ethnic Content to Measure Change, Action in Teacher Education, 20:1, 1-14, DOI:10.1080/01626620.1998.10462901

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01626620.1998.10462901

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Preservice Teachers Construct a View on Multicultural Education: Using Banks’ Levels of Integration of Ethnic Content to Measure Change

Porter L Troutman Jr. William J. Pankratius Nancy I! Gallavan University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Abstract

This study examines the use of concept maps to assess learners’ prior knowledge, and changes in their knowledge, as a result offifieen hours of classroom instruction in multicultural education during the students’ enrollment in an undergraduate teacher preparation program. Bank’s Levels of Integration of Ethnic Content were used to measure change. Sample concept maps are analyzed. The findings of this study are not surprising yet they communicate strong implications for preservice teachers, teacher education, and K-12 schools. Our students came to us with prior knowledge and the change in that knowledge was conspicuous. I t was signijkant that Banks’ Levels of Integration of Ethnic Content, which were used as a framework in the instruction of the course, can serve to measure change in learning in students of multicultural education.

Introduction

This study examines the use of concept maps to assess learners’ prior knowledge, and changes in their knowledge, as a result of fifteen hours of classroom instruction in multicultural education during the students’ enrollment in an undergraduate teacher preparation program. University students come to us with well-established knowledge bases regarding their conceptual understanding of cultural diversity and multicultural education. We know that preservice teachers accommodate constructed knowledge, attitudes, assumptions, values, and beliefs about teaching and education (Pankratius, 1997). They enter teacher education programs with well-established teacher role identities (Crow, 1987) and an extensive inventory of “personal practical knowledge composed of such experiential matters as images, rituals, habits, cycles, routines, and rhythms” (Connelly & Clandinin, 1985, p. 194-195). They maintain strong convictions about teaching and intentions on how to teach (Clark, 1988), conceptions of intelligence (Slate, Jones, & Charlesworth, 1990), common sense beliefs, and pre-existing knowledge structures on teaching (Stoddart & Roehler, 1990).

These pre-existing ideas can be rich, pervasive, contrary, and highly resistant to change. With over 10.000 hours of classroom observations offering widely varying beliefs and values about teaching, prospective teachers construct primitive, well-established, yet underdeveloped knowledge bases about cultural diversity in the classroom and multicultural education. These knowledge bases influence their teaching styles and daily interactions with their students and colleagues while affecting their responses to teacher education programs (Pankratius, 1997).

If we do not recognize and address students’ prior knowledge -- especially with regard to multicultural education -- preservice teachers will pass through our programs with little or no change in their values and beliefs. “An examination of the knowledge construction process is an important part of multicultural teaching” (Banks, 1993, p.23). Knowledge of these preconceptions provides the foundation for meaningful learning and for the infusion of a multicultural perspective

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throughout the teacher preparation program. In this article we will examine knowledge bases of preservice teachers enrolled in a fifteen hour course on multicultural education illustrated by their before-and-after representations of that knowledge base and structural changes. This experiment has significance for multicultural education as teacher educators tend to view the “world through transparent templates which we create and then attempt to fit over the realities of which the world is composed” (Kelly, 1955, pp. 8,9). Concept mapping offers a way to see those constructs or transparent templates and to guide preservice teachers in their cultural diversity awareness.

Concetx M,appmg

A concept map is a visual representation of an organized knowledge structure centered on a principle construct, concept or topic. Kelly (1995, p. 14) declares that “constructs are used for predictions of things to come, and the world keeps on rolling on and revealing these predictions to be either correct or misleading.” Constructs about multicultural education are adjusted and reconstructed in the same manner. “This fact provides the basis for the revision of constructs and eventually, of whole construct systems” (Kelly, 1995 p. 14). Concept mapping (of a system of constructs) describes a strategy that requires learners to bring forth prior knowledge and to participate actively in the construction of their own knowledge. Learners examine their own understandings and represent concepts under study in relationship to superordinate, associated, and subsumed concepts (Pankratius, 1990). The mapping process is idiosyncratic, clears up learner misconceptions, reflects changes in understanding and employs a powerful device to assess a learner’s knowledge base related to major concept or conceptual scheme. It has power resulting from a process which involves synthesizing a knowledge base that expresses relationships and is not mere recalling of information (Pankratius, 1990).

One of the most profound differences between novices and experts is found in the well ordered, hierarchically arranged, easily retrievable schematically organized, knowledge base found in expert problem solvers. Concept mapping offers a learning strategy that enables students to construct a visual representation of an organized knowledge structure centered on a principle concept. In this manner, students who are able to map the concepts of a topic possess the tools to represent that topic in its relationship to associated concepts and subsumed concepts; hence, they are able to demonstrate mastery of the content of the topic. In addition, concept mapping is a visual learning device and provides an outstanding exemplar for enabling students to assess their own thinking and learning process -- a discipline of the mind (Pankratius, 1990). Finally, the organized knowledge base gives students the confidence to reason persuasively and to capitalize on their background (Cole, 1995, p. 54).

The Course

Course Description

The course introduces multicultural education as a concept and examines the cultural diversity of the United States. Students examine their own awareness and attitudes towards diversity, cultural knowledge, instructional practices, and curricular resources, along with diversity issues impacting K-12 schooling. The course also focuses on developing reflective teachers for diverse and urban populations.

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Course Goa 1s and Ob jectives

This course presents an overview of multicultural concepts and cultural diversity, teaching and learning styles, various material and resources, and important issues related to multicultural education applicable to K- 12 curriculum and instruction.

This course will provide students with the opportunity to:

explore one’s own personal awareness, attitudes, and sensitivity to cultural diversity;

identify and define key concepts and concerns relevant to multicultural education;

gain insight into perspectives and experiences of a multicultural society with an emphasis on diverse groups of people in the United States;

recognize factors related to race, gender, and social class influencing the educational process;

assess instructional practices and curricular resources including teachedstudent interactions, textbooks, literature, displays, and other educational materials for elements of racism, sexism, stereotyping, and historical inaccuracies;

integrate content about culturally different groups across the curriculum;

develop alternative approaches and strategies for working with diverse student populations, their parents, and the school community;

gain an awareness of resources related to multicultural education; and,

delve into issues and controversies associated with the educational processes of diverse populations.

Purpose o f the Studv

This study examined the knowledge bases of preservice teachers before and after fifteen hours of instruction during their enrollment in an undergraduate multicultural education course. Responses to open-ended questionnaires and student generated concept maps served as the primary sources of data. Indicators of growth included the addition of concepts, changing of terminology, elaboration of structure, appropriate conceptual relationships, and richness of detail. As an added benefit, the mapping process functioned as an advance organizer (Moore & Readence, 1984).

Framework

The framework for the study is constructivist in nature. That is: learners construct knowledge in order to make sense of their universe (Von Glaserfeld, 1988), and that knowledge (constructs or transparent templates) is subject to change (Kelly, 1955). Concept mapping serves as a lens to filter out the learners’ basic knowledge about multicultural education. Banks’ Levels of Integration of Ethnic Content (1997, p. 26), were used to ascertain the depth of changes.

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All of the students in a required one credit multicultural education course for preservice teachers were offered the opportunity of participating in the study. No extra credit was assigned for participating nor were points taken away from those choosing not to participate. The course instructor did not have access to the questionnaires or the concept maps until after the grading period was completed. All of the participants were asked two open ended questions: “What does multiculturalism mean to you?“ and, “In your mind what is multicultural education?” Twenty-six students participated in this activity.

ConceDt MaDDine Instruction

At the first class meeting the class was given 30 minutes of interactive instruction on concept mapping and asked to map the concept “multicultural education.” The same task was completed on the last day of the class. Only twelve pairs of concept maps (a small number) were found to be valid by the examiners. Several students did not complete the initial or final map and one student, who apparently had difficulty following directions, constructed a different map according to the notes on his or her final concept map, “I elected to focus more on the organization of a thematic unit as I would teach it in the classroom.”

Findings

Students come to us with prior knowledge

This finding was expected and confirmed the necessity for multicultural education courses in teacher education programs. Our students do not live in a vacuum. Their responses to the open- ended question reflect the world in which they live and will teach. The average level of integration of ethnic content (Banks, 1997, p. 26) before instruction was Level 2-The Additive Approach: Content, concepts, themes, and perspectives are added to the curriculum without changing its structure. There were four free responses considered to be Level 3-The Transformation Approach: The structure of the curriculum is changed to enable students to view concept, issues, events, themes from the perspective of diverse ethnic and cultural groups. There were two responses at Level 1 -The Contributions Approach: Focuses on heroes, holidays, and discrete cultural elements and no responses at Level 4-The Social Action Approach: Students make decisions on important issues and take actions to help solve them.

Some of the significant student responses included remarks submitted by Student 4 (Free responses are indicated by numbers and concept maps are indicated by letters.) who described Multicultural Education as “Learning to recognize other peoples’ belief systems and learning how to respect them. Figuring different strategies for implementing cultural differences into lesson plans.” While her response indicated her concern with different ethnic groups, it clearly included changing the curriculum -- not just adding a few lesson plans; thus, this response was given a Bank’s Level of 3. At the other end of the spectrum, Student 6 described multicultural education as, “The study of many diverse groups,” and Student 14 answered, “Teaching to a diverse culture.” While both statements are appropriate, they are also shallow, too concise, and at the lowest level of cultural diversity awareness.

The concept map analysis revealed an average Banks’ Level before instruction of 1.7. Student A focused on negative aspects such as gangs, funding, language barriers, and controversy. (Free responses are indicated by numbers and concept maps are indicated by letters.) Student C

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mentioned economics and gangs along with IQ. Student J focused on inequalities and fears. Student K had a linear map with few concepts. These four students were functioning at Banks’ lowest level when they began the course in Multicultural Education. Student D, functioning at Banks’ Level 4 prior to instruction, showed three main branches: students, teachers, and curriculum. The curriculum branch included allowing for student expression and parental involvement. In contrast to students A, C, J, and K, student D had a well-organized knowledge base on Multicultural Education.

The change in the learne rs’ knowledge b ase was notable in all but a fe w cases

In both the free responses and concept mapping phases no student regressed with respect to Banks’ levels. Twenty-three (out of 26) free respondents improved at least one level. Seven of the twelve concept mappers improved more than one level. One improved one level and four started and remained at Banks’ Level 2.

Table 1

Mean Banks’ Level Before Instruction After Instruction Gain

Free Respondents 2.0 3.2 1.2

Concept Mappers 1.7 3.3 1.6

Free Responses.

An increase in the Banks’ level of 1.2 (60%) coupled with the average response length increase from 11.8 to 18.4 (56%) are valid indicators that learning did take place. The richness in the verbal responses can be seen dramatically. Eight of the participants succeeded in reaching Banks’highest level: Student 4 described multicultural education as, “Teaching people or children about other cultures and asking the student to contribute hisher own cultural background.” Student 10 echoed, “The ability to work, study, teach and help others to understand the cultures around us each and every day. As a teacher we need to help others appreciate that we can become stronger through cultural diversity.” Student 15 believed in, “Teaching children to preserve and respect the cultural differences of others in a natural cross curricular way.” There were some simplistic and shallow responses at Banks’ Level 2: Student 14 offered, “Education that covers and teaches other cultures.” Student 18 simply stated, “Teaching the fact that there is a difference.”

ConceDt MaDo ing,

An increase in the Banks’ level of 1.6 (94%) coupled with an increase in the number of concepts from 23.5 to 25.3 (8% increase) leads us to conclude that learning did take place. A sample concept map of multicultural education prepared by one of the investigators appears at Appendix A. It has four main branches and five levels of hierarchy. The four general concepts are idea, movement, strategy, and change process. It is important to note that this is not a correct or right concept map -- it merely represents the writer’s knowledge base on multicultural education at the time of writing. Appendix B is a concept map based on an article appearing in the Partisan Review (Haack, 1995). This map has three main branches headed by the general concepts (constructs) of social aspect, philosophy, and pedagogy. The branch labeled pedagogy would correspond to multicultural education. This map was constructed by one of the authors of this study as an aid

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to comprehend the article by Haack. The number of general concepts, their clarity and richness indicates a knowledge base that is well thought out.

The number of general concepts that headed branches of the concept maps decreased from 33 to 22 (33% decrease). More importantly the concepts were more concise, (see Table 11), more school oriented, teacher appropriate, and better focused.

Table 11. Concepts Heading Main Branches. Number indicates frequency of responses.

Before

awareness

beliefs (2)

biaces [sic]

community

controversy

culture bag

customs

differences

economics

education[al] (3)

ethnicity

financial

goals

history

individual cultures

individual differences

language (2)

After

awareness

beliefs

biases

community

culture (3)

curriculum (2)

education (3)

fight against

individual needs

our own culture

peacekeeper

people

politics

racism

respect (2)

resources (2)

school (3)

materials/resources (2) socioeconomics

multicultural/race (2) student (3)

others (1 5 ) teacher (4)

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Individual MaDs.

It is often instructive to explore individual maps for a more detailed analysis. Appendix C and D are teacher created facsimiles of the before-and-after instruction maps for student E. Student E went from Banks’ level 2 to Banks’ Level 4. Note the right branch of the ‘after’ map where fighting against oppression, racism, sexism, and repression are emphasized. This student had a ‘before ‘ map that was primitive with two branches and sixteen concepts. The branches were headed by the general concepts multicultural and education, a simple division within the major concept of multicultural education. Languages and cultures were mentioned in this map. The ‘after’ instruction map for this student had three well defined branches (cultures, education, and fight against). There was an emphasis on fighting against and on identifying self. The process of educating was also a key branch. Considerable growth is seen in this map.

Student K’s before-and-after maps appear in Appendix E and F. It is obvious that there is something distinctive about this student’s maps: they are linear and do not exhibit the dynamic cross linking and two dimensionality as shown in student Es maps. The ‘before’ map shows limited understanding of the idea that concepts are subsumed by all the concepts appearing above them. This map identifies three branches headed by the general concepts labeled: differences, awareness, and prior knowledge. The ‘before’ map has 12 concepts.

Student Ks ‘after’ map has 25 concepts, 4 main branches and one sub branch. Again. there is considerable linearity. Of note in this map is the emphasis on year round instruction and the active involvement of the students.

Conclusion

The findings of this study are not surprising. Our students come to us with prior knowledge and the change in that knowledge -- indicating growth -- was conspicuous. It was significant that Banks’ Levels of Integration of Ethnic Content, which was used as a framework in the instruction of the course, can serve to measure change in learning in students of multicultural education. The use of concept maps created a meaningful instrument to unravel a student’s knowledge base on multicultural education. In essence, the before-and-after maps served as conferences with each of the students. The components derived from the maps were as rich as interview material.

ImDlicationS

The findings of this study strongly support the efforts of many teacher educators advocating the inclusion of not only one semester-long, three-credit multicultural education course required as part of preservice teacher education programs but, more important, the need to infuse multicultural education practices across entire teacher education programs. Many colleges have added introductory required courses in multicultural education, much like Banks’ Level 2-The Additive Approach: Multicultural education, content, concepts, themes, and perspectives have been added to the teacher education cumculum without changing the basic traditional structure of most courses or the overall program.

Following this same thinking, colleges of education, faculty, and staff must develop mechanisms to move through Banks’ Level 3-The Transformation Approach: Changing the structure of the teacher education cumculum to view multicultural education concepts, issues, events, themes from diverse perspectives to Banks’ Level 4-The Social Action Approach: Participants making decisions on important issues and taking actions to help solve them. Every person involved in the

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teacher preparation process needs to be fully aware of these advanced levels and effective strategies for integrating them not only throughout their course curricula and instructional practices but during their interactions with students and forms of assessment.

Assessment plays a key role for preservice teachers in all college courses. During assessment procedures, preservice teachers personally experience tools that culminate a course, allowing them to demonstrate their learning while communicating a sense of closure to the instructor and course of study. Preservice teachers benefit from participating in a variety of alternative and authentic assessments that provide them with opportunities to express their learning in the styles that best showcase their knowledge and skills. Likewise, preservice teachers gain great insight for meeting their own future students’ needs and interests when a multitude of assessments are incorporated into the course and shared with all students. These alternative assessments permit preservice teachers to link the teaching and learning process together with students and achievement. Preservice teachers can apply their knowledge construction seen through the concept mapping experience to their own developing areas of academic expertise.

Some of the most powerful constructs related to multicultural education focus on the formal and informal interactions that faculty and staff conduct with students. In the classroom, faculty model and reinforce essential skills for facilitating effective learning experiences while managing the classroom environment through a balanced curriculum and treating all students equitably. These formal interactions communicate a wealth of information supporting multicultural education as both content and process as faculty demonstrate skills for mastering key concepts.

Porter Troutman is an Associate Professor of Education at UNLV. He teaches courses in multicultural education and has provided training in the implementation of culturally sensitive policies and programs. His research is i n transformative curriculum in an intergrative context.

William Pankratius approaches multicultural education from a class perspective. His framework is found in critical and liberation pedagogy. He considers himself a radical constructivist educator in a postmodern world.

Nancy Gallavan is a reflective practitioner teaching elementary school social studies and K- 12 multicultural education at UNLV. Her research examines transformative practices related to the critical community within our social context.

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Appendix A Multicultural Education an Overview and Goals

is a

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Appendix B Multiculturism From The Partisan Review

(Haack, 1995)

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Appendix C Student E Before Instruction

many

ENVIRONMENT

Appendix D Student E After Instruction

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Appendix E Student K Before Instruction

EDUCATION

AWARENESS

CUSTOMS

STUDENTS SPEAKERS BELIEFS

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Appendix F Student K After Instruction

should be YEAR ROUND MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION

comes from (3 AWARENESS

about

CULTURES 8 BELIEFS

(5 VALUES

8 RELIGIONS

indudes

who teach

LANGUAGE

ACTIVITIES from

FRIENDSHIP that give MANNERISMS

INFORMATION

COUNTFIIES

STUDENTS YEAR ROUND

to become

AWARE

SIMILARITIES

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References

Banks, J. A. (1997). Teaching strategies for ethnic studies. (6th Ed.) Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Banks, J. A. (1993). Multicultural Education: Development, Dimensions, and Challenges. Phi Delta Kappan Sept 23, 21-28.

Clark, C. M. (1988). Asking the right questions about teacher preparation: Contributions of research on teaching thinking. Educational Researcher; I7(2), 5- 12.

Cole, R. W. (Ed.). (1 995). Educating everybody S children: Diverse teaching strategies for diverse learners. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Connelly, F. M. & Clandinin, D. J. (1985). Personal practical knowledge and the modes of knowing. In E. W. Eisner (Ed.), Learning and teaching the ways of knowing, (84th Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education, Part 11) (pp. 174-198). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Crow, N. A. (1987, April). Preservice teachers' biography: A case study. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Washington, DC.

Gallavan, N. P. (1997). At last a child with a normal name: Issues supporting multicultural education for practicing teachers. Unpublished paper.

Haack, S. (1995, Summer). Multiculturalism and objectivity. Partisan Review, 3.

Kelly G. A. (1955). The Psychology of Personal Constructs, Volume One, A Theory of Personality. New York: W. W. Norton.

Novak, J. D. (1984). Applications of advances in learning theory and philosophy of science to the improvement of chemistry teaching. Journal of Chemical Educarion, 61(7), 607-12.

Moore, D. W. & Readence, J. E. (1984). A quantitative and qualitative review of graphic organizer research. Journal of Educational Research. 78( l), 11-17.

Pankratius, W. J. (1997). Preservice teachers construct a view on teaching and learning styles. Action in Teacher, Education. 18(4), 68-76.

Pankratius W. J. (1990). Building an organized knowledge base: Concept mapping in secondary school physics. Journal of Research in Science Teaching. 27(4), 3 15-33.

Stoddart, T. 8z Roehler, L. (1990, April). The development of preservice teachers' knowledge structures for reading. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Boston, MA.

Von Glassersfeld, E. (1 988). Constructivism as a scientific method. Scientific Reasoning Research Institute Newslettec 3(2), 8-9.

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