Title: Raising Multicultural Awareness in Higher Education
Abstract: Klein, Ana Maria (2006). Raising multicultural awareness in higher education. Lanham, MD: University Press of America. Ana Maria Klein's (2006) Raising Multicultural Awareness in Higher Education offers valuable insight on significance of providing multicultural education in today's postsecondary classrooms. The book provides practical tools for faculty to engage their students in multiculturalism that may be linked to positive outcomes of student satisfaction and ultimately to retention. This book is best described as a forum and a toolkit for its target audience: a forum where author shares teaching and learning experiences of herself, her college students in teacher preparation programs, and other educators with whom she came into contact; and a toolkit that current and future faculty can turn to for practical guidelines on how to multiculturalize their curriculum. The book contains 15 chapters and can be divided into three sections. The first section deals with teachers as social beings and role teachers play in education of their students. The second section explores theories and practices pertaining to teaching and learning in a multicultural environment. The last section offers opportunities for readers to reflect on what they have learned throughout book and conceptualize their growth as a multicultural educator. At end of each chapter, author presents both practical and reflective exercises for readers to apply materials to their teaching practice. Multicultural education defined In order to explain concept of multicultural education, it is necessary to address meaning of culture. The author of book precisely defines culture as the sum total of ways of living, including values, beliefs, aesthetic standards, linguistic expression, patterns of thinking, behavioral norms, and styles of communication which a group of people has developed to assure its survival in a particular physical and human environment (p. 69). Multiculturalism, in contrast to monoculturalism, describes a state where cultures of diverse groups in society are equally valued. Multiculturalism in context of educational environment, as explored in this book, encompasses an even broader meaning of diversity, and refers to an educational approach where instructors include experiences and perspectives of all cultural and social groups, including those of their students, into teaching and learning experience when appropriate. Central to concept of multicultural education is acknowledgement of diversity in every aspect possible: race (1), ethnicity, socioeconomic status, academic ability, learning styles, etc. Even when a group of students fits into these categories, it is important for instructors to realize that each student brings different life experiences that have shaped them and that it is detrimental to treat them as if they are identical. Such an appreciation and celebration of individual differences naturally leads to a student-centered instructional approach, which is essence of multicultural education. Teachers need to realize that teaching is all about students and not about teachers themselves. Therefore, on a practical level, when introducing a new topic in classroom instruction, Klein suggests that teachers need to probe students' prior knowledge, find out their interests, and analyze their learning styles in order to maximize effect of teaching and learning. Significance of multicultural education Multicultural education seems to be a buzz word in many urban educational settings in United States. However, carefully analyzing and truly understanding significance of such an educational approach is first step toward its successful implementation. In today's America, both K-12 school system and higher education system are much more diverse than ever in terms of student demographics. …
Publication Year: 2006
Publication Date: 2006-01-27
Language: en
Type: book
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Cited By Count: 9
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