RESEARCH NOTE: Preservice Physical Educators' Attitudes Toward Cultural Pluralism: A Preliminary Analysis

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1 JOURNAL OF TEACHING IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION, 1997,16, O 1997 HUMAN KINETICS PUBLISHERS, INC. RESEARCH NOTE: Preservice Physical Educators' Attitudes Toward Cultural Pluralism: A Preliminary Analysis Linda S. Stanley University of British Columbia As demographic changes become more evident in our schools, researchers continue to report that culturally diverse and lower socioeconomic status groups have lower educational achievement levels than White middle- and upper-class groups (Bennett, 1990; Gollnick & Chinn, 1990). It is predicted that by the year 2000, between 30 and 40% of the total school enrollment will be students of color (Hodgkinson, 1985), and in the 20 largest school districts, the percentage of students of color already reaches over 70% (Center for Educational Statistics [CES], 1987). At the same time, the population of teachers is becoming increasingly White. The current trend of enrollment in teacher preparation programs indicates that the teaching force will be 95% White by the year 2000 (Villegas, 1992). Although there are likely many factors in the school setting that account for differential achievement levels of culturally diverse students, teachers and their practices, in particular, are integral to student success. Learning about students' cultural backgrounds and learning how to translate this knowledge into effective instruction appear to be key components in creating a successful learning environment. Multicultural education (MCE) course work and field experiences in teacher preparation programs are thought to be important avenues for developing positive attitudes toward cultural diversity and for developing practices that promote cultural pluralism. The literature is replete with recommendations for including MCE in teacher preparation (Banks & Banks, 1993; Bennett, 1990; Garcia, 1991; Gollnick, 1992; Gollnick & Chinn, 1990; HemBndez, 1989; Sleeter & Grant, 1988, 1989). In addition, the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) standards require multicultural education course work and experiences for preservice teachers (NCATE, 1977, 1990). However, specifics for what the course work and experiences should consist of varies greatly from institution to institution (Requirements for CertiJication, 1989). Despite the recommendations and requirements, Grant and Secada (1990), in a comprehensive review of the literature on MCE in preservice and in-service teacher education programs Linda S. Stanley is with the Department of Curriculum Studies at the University of British Columbia, 2125 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC Canada V6T 124.

2 242 STANLEY found few studies that addressed the use or effectiveness of MCE. In a more recent review, Grant (1994) points to the continued lack of research in this area. MCE in teacher preparation programs is purported to better prepare teachers for a diverse classroom; to provide teachers with a better understanding of the individual needs of each student; to teach prospective teachers how to select and use more appropriate instructional strategies and materials; to aid teachers in making informed curricular choices; and to help teachers develop positive attitudes toward diversity. Before appropriate multicultural education course work and experiences can be developed, it seems that a necessary step should be to better understand what attitudes currently exist among teacher candidates. Currently, research does not provide much information regarding what attitudes teachers have toward cultural diversity or how training affects attitudes and behavior (Grant & Secada, 1990). Until recently, an adequate comprehensive instrument to assess attitudes toward cultural diversity and cultural pluralism did not exist. The Pluralism and Diversity Attitude Assessment (PADAA) instrument was developed specifically to assess attitudes toward cultural diversity and pluralism among preservice physical educators. Data that were collected to establish validity and reliability of the PADAA begin to paint a portrait of the preservice physical educator. Because the data used in this investigation were also used in the validation of the instrument itself, it would not be prudent to consider the current study anything more than an exploratory analysis. Because the instrument proved reliable and valid (Stanley, 1992, 1996), an analysis of the scores obtained during the validation process may be of some service to those interested in the attitudes and dispositions of preservice teachers. The following is a summary of the development of the instrument and a preliminary look at the attitudes toward cultural diversity and cultural pluralism among preservice physical educators. Instrument Development Procedures The instrument was developed using procedures for instrument development in the affective domain as defined by Gable (1986). Based on a review of the literature in multicultural education, conceptual definitions for cultural diversity and cultural pluralism were developed. The components for cultural diversity cited most frequently in the literature were ethnicity, race, gender, socioeconomic level, religious affiliation, and language (Banks & Banks, 1993; Bennett, 1990; Gollnick & Chinn, 1990; HernBndez, 1989; Sleeter & Grant, 1987) and were thus selected for the conceptual definition of cultural diversity. Cultural pluralism was defined as an ideology that gives value to cultural diversity and promotes equality for all people (from work by Pratte, 1979). Based on the literature review and the conceptual definitions, 66 statements were developed, representing attitudes toward cultural diversity and pluralism. A panel of experts in multicultural education first determined if the conceptual definitions demonstrated "comprehensiveness of theory and adequacy of sampling from the content universe" (Gable, 1986, p. 73). The conceptual definitions were judged to be appropriate and comprehensive. The statements were then reviewed by the same panel of experts (with 3 additional members) to establish content validity. The panel of experts examined each statement for correspondence to a priori cat-

3 ATTITUDES TOWARDS PLURALISM 243 egories developed by the researcher. To establish content validity, the majority of the panel of experts had to agree with the a priori designations. All statements but one met this criterion. The statement that did not meet the criterion was dropped from the pool of items. To insure that the directions and items were interpreted as intended, a readability assessment was conducted by a panel of judges representative of the target population (undergraduate students in a physical education teacher preparation program). Six statements were judged to be vague or difficult to interpret (including the one statement targeted for elimination in the content validation process). These statements were eliminated. The instrument was also reviewed by a measurement specialist to assure that conventions in test construction were followed. The resulting instrument thus contained a total of 60 items. The instrument was constructed using the Likert technique. A 6-point scale was developed ranging from strongly agree (0) to strongly disagree (5). Data Collection Fifteen universities in the United States were selected as test sites for instrument validation. Four universities dropped out prior to test administration due to difficulty in obtaining permission from their own institution to administer the instrument. The remaining 11 institutions represented a variety of teacher preparation institutions and diverse student populations. At least one institution from the Southeast, Northeast, West, and Midwest was selected for participation. Five to 42 students completed the instrument at each institution. The number of students varied depending on the number of students enrolled in the final 2 years in the physical education teacher preparation program at each institution. The instruments and detailed instructions for administration were mailed to teacher educators who agreed to give the instrument to students during a regular class. Respondents were told that participation was voluntary; any student so choosing was given the option to complete the instrument or to stop at any time during the administration of the instrument. The total number of instruments returned was 215. A subset (n = 35) of the original respondents were readministered the questionnaire to test for stability reliability. Data Analysis Using the data from the 215 returned instruments, the alpha reliability was found to be.91 when all items were included. The test-retest reliability coefficient was 34. Principal components analysis using a varimax rotation produced a conceptually meaningful four-factor solution with internal consistency reliabilities in the range of.72 to.85 for the four factors. As a result of the factor analytic procedures, a revised instrument consisting of 19 statements was developed. The 19 items represent four factors (or scales): (a) Appreciate Cultural Pluralism, (b) Value Cultural Pluralism, (c) Implement Cultural Pluralism, and (d) Discomfort With Cultural Diversity. The resulting instrument, the Pluralism and Diversity Attitude Assessment (PADAA) measures the degree to which a respondent possesses positive attitudes toward cultural pluralism and whether an individual is comfortable or uncomfortable with diversity. The focus of the analysis reported here will be on the 19 items (see Appendix) from the revised instrument. Mean scores were calculated for each factor by

4 244 STANLEY gender, primary professional interest (teaching, coaching), and ethnicity (culturally diverse, White). Although the general teaching population is about 90% White (Grant & Secada, 1990), there was an attempt to include a larger percentage of culturally diverse preservice physical educators in this study to ascertain if there were differences between groups. White respondents represented 86.5% of the total. Despite the attempt to include more culturally diverse respondents, the actual number of diverse students in physical education teacher preparation programs is very small. Still, a comparison between groups may be interesting to the reader. After mean scores were calculated for each factor and for selected groups, a t test was performed (SPSS-PC+ V4.0.1; SPSS, 1990) to determine if significant differences existed between groups. Mean scores for each factor with p values are reported in Table 1. For each of the first three factors, the highest score possible is 30. A high score for these factors is associated with strong agreement with the named factor. The highest score for the fourth factor, Discomfort With Cultural Diversity is 24; a score close to 24 for this factor would indicate discomfort with diversity. A score closer to 4 (lowest score possible) would indicate less discomfort with diversity. Results and Discussion The first three scales gradually increase in intensity from a recognition and appreciation of cultural diversity in the classroom toward an acknowledged desire to change and adapt teaching behaviors to better meet the needs of culturally diverse students. The total score possible for each of the first three scales is 30. As can be seen in Table 1, the total mean score decreases as the intensity associated with the scale increases. The results indicate that preservice physical education teachers both appreciate and value differences between individuals (27.5 and 25.6, respectively). However, the total score drops significantly for Implement Cultural Pluralism (22.5). The results further indicate that preservice physical educators express some sense of discomfort around people different from themselves (9.0, with a score of 4 indicating less discomfort with diversity) but, in general, are not uncomfortable with cultural diversity. The implications for these findings are simple: Preservice teachers may personally respect and value cultural diversity but may not take actions or implement pedagogical practices that are culturally sensitive. Because a statistically significant difference was found between groups, it appears that females may be more inclined to adapt teaching methods to meet the needs of each individual than males. Similarly, those who are more interested in teaching over coaching may also be more apt to be more responsive to the needs of culturally diverse students. It is also interesting to note that the standard deviations for females and for those more interested in teaching are consistently smaller than the standard deviations for males and those interested in coaching. On the Discomfort With Diversity scale, scores were relatively low (extreme discomfort would be reflected by a high score of 24). A score from 4 to 8 would indicate that the respondent is comfortable with diversity, and a score from 9 to 13 indicates some discomfort with diversity. Again there is a statistically significant difference between those more interested in teaching over coaching (8.4 and 10.1, respectively). The lowest scores were found among the culturally diverse group where the mean score of 7.0 indicated higher comfort levels when compared to their White counterparts (with a reported mean of 9.3).

5 Table 1 A Comparison of Selected Groups for Each Factor All Female Male Teach Coach Diverse White (n=215) (n=99) (n=114) p (n=99) (n=114) p (n=99) (n=114) p Factor 1 : Appreciate pluralism (2.71) Factor 2: Value pluralism (3.38) Factor 3: Implement pluralism (3.88) Factor 4: Discomfort with 9.02 pluralism (3.59) Note. Standard deviations are in parentheses. The highest score possible for each of the first three factors is 30. A high score for these fators is associated with strong agreement with the named factor. The highest score for the fourth factor is 24; the higher the score, the more uncomfortable the individual is with diversity. A score closer to 4 (lowest score possible) would be associated with less discomfort with diversity.

6 246 STANLEY Table 2 Levels of Intensity of Cultural Pluralism: Awareness to Implementation Attitude How the attitude might be exhibited Awareness Appreciation Value Implementation Recognizes the existince and influence of culture Respects diversity (individual difference in students). Indicates an understanding that there may be more than one appropriate way to behave. Does not necessarily verbally express this attitude in the classroom environment. Teaching methods do not necessarily reflect appreciation for diversity. Gives value to cultural pluralism and individual expression of cultural influences. Expresses this value verbally, but may not change teaching methods significantly. Adapts and uses appropriate teaching methods to meet the needs of each individual. May use non-traditional teaching methods and include non-traditional course content to better meet the needs of all students. Expresses a pluralistic ideology in both action and in verbal communication. Developing a Framework In addition to gaining a better understanding of the attitudes of preservice physical educators, the study was also important in further developing a framework for understanding degrees of intensity toward cultural pluralism (see Table 2). The first three factors (or scales) represent progressively stronger beliefs about pluralism in general (appreciation, value) and the likelihood of preservice physical educators to plan activities to meet the needs of culturally diverse students (implementation). The factor analysis provided quantitative data to support previous assumptions about the hierarchy of developing positive attitudes toward cultural diversity. Both Grant (1977) and Cross and Deslonde (1978) developed similar hierarchies to describe the developmental stages that an educator would pass through as a result of multicultural education efforts. The stages described in the work of Cross and Deslonde (1978) were (a) awareness, (b) valuing, and (c) implementation. Implementation was specifically described to be the observation of behaviors consistent with positive attitudes toward cultural diversity (pluralistic behaviors). Grant's model addressed attitudes toward others in relation to understanding the value of one's own diversity. The three categories described by Grant were (a) awareness of self and the diversity of others, (b) acceptance of others' diversity, and (c) affirmation of one's respect for diversity. Additionally, by reviewing the statements associated with each factor (see Appendix), it was possible to develop a description of characteristics that might be expected to be exhibited by preservice physical educators if their actions were consistent with their stated behaviors. This framework (Table 2) could be of importance to supervisors of student teachers in physical education who wish to assess the degree to which student teachers express culturally pluralistic teaching

7 ATTITUDES TOWARDS PLURALISM 247 practices in field settings. Understanding the attitudes of preservice physical educators is important for developing appropriate course work and experiences, but it is perhaps as important to have a field method for assessing the effectiveness of multicultural efforts. Referring to MCE in teacher education, Sleeter (1985) made the point that "the effectiveness [of MCE]... needs to be judged on the basis of what teachers actually do in the classroom rather than on their expressed attitude" (p ). An understanding of the relationship between the attitudes of preservice physical educators and their subsequent practices in school settings seems critical in understanding whether teaching practices can be influenced by multicultural education efforts. It is recommended that future research efforts in physical education teacher preparation look at both the expressed attitudes of preservice students and their subsequent behavior in field settings. The PADAA provides the means for obtaining data about students' attitudes. One of the main purposes for developing the PADAA was to better understand the attitudes toward diversity and pluralism that currently exist among teacher candidates. The current research provides a preliminary look at these attitudes. The results indicate that preservice physical educators may respect and value cultural diversity, but because scores decreased as the level of intensity of the scales increased, preservice students may be less likely to implement culturally sensitive teaching practices to meet the individual needs of all students. This finding suggests that teacher educators should work toward not only sensitizing prospective teachers to culturally diverse students, but need to guide and encourage these future educators in adopting and implementing educational programs that are responsive to cultural diversity. To accomplish this goal, it is recommended that teacher educators specifically provide opportunities for preservice students to implement pluralistic teaching practices. References Banks, J.A., & Banks, C.A.M. (Eds.) (1993). Multicultural education: Issues andperspectives (2nd ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Bennett, C.I. (1990). Comprehensive multicultural education: Theory and practice (2nd ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Center for Educational Statistics. (1987). The condition of education. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Cross, D.E., & Deslonde, J. (1978). The impact of teacher inservice programs on attitudes toward multicultural education. Education Research Quarterly, 2(4), Gable, R.K. (1986). Instrument development in the affective domain. Boston, MA: Kluwer- Nijoff. Garcia, R.L. (1991). Teaching in a pluralistic society: Concepts, models, strategies (2nd ed.). New York: HarperICollins. Gollnick, D.M. (1992). Multicultural education: Policies and practices in teacher education. In C.A. Grant (Ed.), Research and multicultural education: From the margins to the mainstream (pp ). London: Falmer Press. Gollnick, D.M., & Chinn, P.C. (1990). Multicultural education in a pluralistic society (3rd ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill. Grant, C.A. (1977). The teacher and multicultural education: Some personal reflections. In M. Gold, C. Grant, & H. Rivlin (Eds.), In praise of diversity: A resource book for multicultural education (pp ). Washington, DC: Association of Teacher Educators.

8 248 STANLEY Grant, C.A. (1994). Best practices in teacher preparation for urban schools: Lessons from the multicultural teacher education literature. Action in Teacher Education, 10(3), Grant, C.A., & Secada, W.G. (1990). Preparing teachers for diversity. In W.R. Houston, M. Haberman, & J. Sikula (Eds.), Handbook on research on teacher education (pp ). New York: Macmiilan. Hern&ndez, H. (1989). Muldcultural education: A teacher's guide to content and practice. Columbus, OH: Memll. Hodgkinson, H.L. (1985). All one system: Demographics of education-kindergarten through graduate school. Washington, DC: Institute for Educational Leadership. National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. (1977). Standards for the accreditation of teacher education. Washington, DC: Author. National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. (1990). NCATE standards, procedures, andpolicies for the accreditation ofprofessional units. Washington, DC: Author. Pratte, R. (1979). Pluralism in education. Springfield, IL: Thomas. Requirements for cert~jkation of teachers, counselors, librariarzs, administrators for elementary and secondary schools (5th ed.). (1989). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Sleeter, C.E. (1985). A need for research on preservice teacher education for mainstreaming and multicultural education. Journal of Educational Equity and Leadership, 5, Sleeter, C.E., & Grant, C.A. (1987). An analysis of multicultural education in the United States. Harvard Educational Review, 57, Sleeter, C.E., & Grant, C.A. (1988). Making choices for multicultural education: Five approaches to race, class and gender. Columbus, OH: Merrill. Sleeter, C.E., & Grant, C.A. (1989). Turning on learning: Five approaches for multicultural teaching plans for race, class, gender; and disability. Columbus, OH: Merrill. Stanley, L.S. (1992). The development of an instrument to assess the attitudes toward cultural diversity and cultural pluralism among preservice physical education majors. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Georgia, Athens. Stanley, L.S. (1996). The development and validation of an instrument to assess attitudes toward cultural diveristy and pluralism among preservice physical educators. Educational and Psychology Measurements, 56, SPSS. (1990). SPSS reference guide. Chicago: Author. Villegas, A.M. (1992). Culturally responsive pedagogy for the 1990 's and beyond. Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service. Appendix Statements Associated With Each Scale From The Pluralism and Diversity Attitude Assessment Appreciate Cultural Pluralism Each student should have an equal opportunity to learn and succeed in physical education. Students should be taught to respect those who are different from themselves. Physical educators should help students develop respect for themselves and others. In physical education, it does not matter if a student is rich or poor; everyone should have the same chance to succeed.

9 ATTITUDES TOWARDS PLURALISM 249 Students should give up their cultural beliefs and practices to fit in with other students.* Value Cultural Pluralism Each minority culture has something positive to contribute to American society. Students should feel pride in their heritage. All students should learn about cultural differences. I enjoy being around people who are different from me. Cultural diversity is a valuable resource and should be preserved. Implement Cultural Pluralism Physical education activities should be representative of a wide variety of cultures. Physical educators should plan activities that meet the diverse needs and develop the unique abilities of students from different ethnic backgrounds. Minority individuals should adopt the values and lifestyles of the dominant culture." The perspectives of a wide range of ethnic groups should be included in the curriculum. Physical educators are responsible for teaching students about the ways in which various cultures have influenced sports, games, and physical activities in this country. Uncomfortable With Cultural Pluralism I am uncomfortable around students whose ethnic heritage is different from my own. Cultural diversity is a negative force in the development of the American society. There is really nothing that educational systems can do for students who come from lower socioeconomic groups. Minority students are hard to work with in physical education activities. Note. Items marked with an asterisk are negatively worded. Author Note Acopy of the instrument and scoring instructions are available from the author at the address listed at the beginning of this article, or by at