This study presents findings from an instrument designed to assess preservice teachers’ perceptions regarding whether the environment and curriculum in a College of Education (COEDU) in a southeast, urban university are conducive to preparing them to live and work in a diverse society. A 144-item survey is administered to 126 preservice teachers enrolled in COEDU courses. Major findings indicate that though the overall climate seemed positive, many students suggested the need for greater curricular emphasis on understanding the GLBT population and strengthening the sense of racial and ethnic identity among students of color and White students.
ArmourM. P.BainB.RubioR. (2004). An evaluation study of diversity training for field instructors: A collaborative approach to enhancing cultural competence. Journal of Social Work Education, 40, 27-38.
2.
ArmstrongW. B.CartyH. M. (2001). Analyzing the relationship between perceptions of the research university campus climate and student outcomes: An exploratory analysis. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the California Association of Institutional Research, California. Retrieved from ERIC education database.
3.
AstinA. W. (1993). Diversity & multiculturalism on campus: How are students affected?Change, 25(2), 44-49.
4.
BrescianiM. J. (2003). An understanding of students’ perspectives toward diversity at a Midwestern health professional school: A phenomenological study. NASPA Journal (Online), 41, 83-113.
ChickeringA. W.ReisserL. (1993). Education and identity (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
7.
EcholsC. V.HwangY. S.NoblesC. (2002). Campus diversity: Implementing the town hall approach for racial and cultural understanding at a predominantly White university. NASPA Journal, 49(1), 169-186.
8.
GurinP.DeyE. L.HurtadoS.GurinG. (2002). Diversity and higher education: Theory and impact on educational outcomes. Harvard Educational Review, 72(3), 330-366.
9.
Guy-WallsP. (2007). Exploring cultural competence practice in undergraduate social work education. Education, 127, 569-80.
10.
HenryW. J.NixonH. L. (1994, December). Changing a campus climate for minorities and women. Equity and Excellence in Education, 27(3), 48-54.
11.
HurtadoS.CarterD. F.KardiaD. (1998). The climate for diversity: Key issues for institutional self-study. New Directions for Institutional Research, 98, 53-63.
12.
HurtadoS.MilemJ.Clayton-PedersonA.AllenW. (1999). Enacting diverse learning environments: Improving the climate for racial/ethnic diversity in higher education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
13.
JohnsonR. B. (2004). Mixed methods research: A research paradigm whose time has come. Educational Researcher, 33(7), 14.
14.
LeeK. S.CarrasquilloA. (2006). Korean college student in United States: Perceptions of professors and students. College Student Journal, 40, 442-56.
15.
LenskiS. D.CrawfordK.CrumplerT.StallworthC. (2005). Preparing pre-service teachers in a diverse world. Action in Teacher Education, 27(3), 3-12.
16.
LincolnY. S.GubaE. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
17.
MaruyamaG.MorenoJ. F.GudemanR. W.MarinP. (2000). Does diversity make a difference? Three research studies on diversity in college classrooms. Washington, DC: American Council on Education.
18.
MayhewM. J.GrunwaldH. E.DeyE. L. (2005). Curriculum matters: Creating a positive climate for diversity from the student perspective. Research in Higher Education, 46(4), 389-412.
19.
MilemJ. (2003). The educational benefits of diversity: Evidence from multiple sectors. In ChangM. J.WittD.JonesJ.HakutaK. (Eds.), Compelling interest: Examining the evidence on racial dynamics in colleges and universities (pp. 126-169). Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
20.
MilemJ.HakutaK. (2000). The benefits of racial and ethnic diversity in higher education. In WildsD. J. (Ed.), Minorities in higher education, 1999-2000, seventeenth annual status report (pp. 39-67). Washington, DC: American Council on Education.
21.
MorrierM. J.IrvingM. A.DandyE.DmitriyevG.UkejeI. C. (2007, Spring). Teaching and learning within and across cultures: Educator requirements across the United States. Multicultural Education, 14(3), 32-40.
22.
OrfieldG. (Ed.). (2001). Diversity challenged: Evidence on the impact of affirmative action. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Publishing Group.
23.
PewewardyC.FreyB. (2004). American Indian students’ perceptions of racial climate, multicultural support services, and ethnic fraud at a predominantly White university. Journal of American Indian Education, 43(1), 32-60.
24.
SmithD. G. (1997). Diversity works: The emerging picture of how students benefit. Washington, DC: Association of American Colleges and Universities.
25.
SmolenL. A.Colville-HallS.LiangX.MacDonaldS. (2006). An empirical study of college of education faculty’s perceptions, beliefs, and commitment to the teaching of diversity in teacher education programs at four urban universities. The Urban Review, 38(1), 45-61.
