Prejudice Reduction Through Diversity Coursework for Teacher Education

Investigated in this study was whether a university education course that covers the topics of diversity and cultural responsiveness would change teacher candidates\' existing prejudicial attitudes. The major variables reported in this study were exposure to diversity coursework which served as the independent variable and teacher candidates\' prejudicial attitudes, which served as the dependent variable. Using the Yoder-Hartman Survey of Beliefs Scale, three research questions were addressed: (a) Are there differences in prejudice level between preservice teachers who have taken a diversity course and those who have not taken a diversity course? (b) Are there differences in prejudice level in preservice teachers before and after taking a diversity course? and (c) Do preservice teachers who have taken a diversity course and those who have not taken a diversity course display different pre/post levels of assessed prejudice? No differences were found between students who had taken a diversity course and those who had not. The current study suggests that one diversity course is not sufficient to have a significant effect on prejudice reduction among preservice teachers. Analyses of the current study results suggest that the coursework designed to reduce prejudicial attitudes was ineffective. Continued investigation will be required to: (1) refine and develop a program that will reduce prejudicial attitudes among teacher candidates and (2) refine and develop measures of prejudice reduction.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

Department dc:contributor.department

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2012

Author dc:creator

• Hartman, Luke Aaron

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Craig, James Richard

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Tripp, Norman Wayne
• Salmon, Richard G.
• Hawk, Jean Roth

• Prejudice Reduction
• Preservice Education
• Diversity Coursework

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

vt_gsexam:59

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/49563