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Capturing a Nuanced Picture of Classroom Cultural Diversity Climate: Multigroup and Multilevel Analyses among Secondary School Students in Germany
Abstract
As cultural diversity is increasing around the globe, a more nuanced understanding of the cultural diversity climate in classroom settings is needed, including how its different aspects relate to student outcomes. We developed the Classroom Cultural Diversity Climate Scale (CCDCS), integrating theory and research from social psychology and multicultural education and including novel facets like polyculturalism, which has not been studied in the school context before. We then studied associations with intergroup relations, socio-emotional adjustment, and school achievement among students of immigrant and non-immigrant background at the individual and classroom levels. The scale includes six subscales in the two broad dimensions of equality and inclusion: contact and cooperation, (un)equal treatment, and color-evasion, and cultural pluralism: heritage and intercultural learning, critical consciousness, and polyculturalism. Using data from 1,335 secondary school students in Germany (Mage = 14.7; 51% male; 51% immigrant background), the scale demonstrated measurement invariance by immigrant background, gender, and school track, and reliability at individual and classroom levels. A more positive diversity climate, with better intercultural relations (equality and inclusion) and more opportunities to learn about cultural diversity (cultural pluralism), was associated with more positive student outcomes. Interestingly, polyculturalism was not associated with negative effects observed for other facets of cultural pluralism. Relations for different climate aspects also varied by outcome and students’ immigrant background. This underscores the importance of a nuanced perspective when evaluating different approaches to cultural diversity in context.
... In addition to the widely studied role of parental socialization practices in shaping students' ethnic-racial identities (see, e.g., Huguley et al., 2019;Wang et al., 2020), schools also serve as critical developmental contexts (e.g., Wantchekon & Umaña-Taylor, 2024). An aspect that is particularly relevant to students' ethnic-racial identity development is how schools address issues related to race, ethnicity, and culture-a concept encapsulated by the term diversity climate (also referred to as cultural diversity climate or [inter]racial climate, among other terms; e.g., Byrd, 2017;Schachner et al., 2021). ...
... Thus, the goal of this systematic review is to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the two constructs by synthesizing and discussing the current state of school-based research on diversity climate and ethnic-racial identity dimensions. We begin by outlining the five dimensions of ethnic-racial identity (exploration, resolution, centrality, affect, public regard; e.g., Rivas-Drake et al., 2014) and the five dimensions of diversity climate (i.e., intergroup contact theory's optimal contact conditions, multiculturalism climate, colorblind climate, critical consciousness climate, polyculturalism climate; e.g., Juang et al., 2020;Schachner et al., 2021) that our review focuses on. Next, we present our identity-in-context framework, which delineates connections between diversity climate and ethnic-racial identity, while acknowledging the importance of other critical factors (e.g., developmental periods, characteristics of the school and class environment, broader sociopolitical climate). ...
... Diversity climate is best conceptualized as multidimensional. Building on the psychological literature (e.g., on the related concept of diversity ideologies, see Rosenthal & Levy, 2010) and prior research on diversity climate in schools (e.g., Byrd, 2017;Schachner et al., 2021), we considered the following five diversity climate dimensions in the current review: intergroup contact theory's optimal contact conditions, multiculturalism climate, colorblind climate, critical consciousness climate, and polyculturalism climate (see also . ...
Ethnic-racial identity formation is a key developmental task for children and adolescents, particularly for minoritized groups, but also for majority group students, as it can prompt them to challenge systemic racism and oppression. Whereas much research on ethnic-racial identity has focused on the family’s role, syntheses examining the school context are lacking. This systematic review focuses on diversity climate in schools (how schools approach ethnic, racial, and cultural diversity) and students’ ethnic-racial identity development. We present the identity-in-context framework, which predicts reciprocal links between diversity climate dimensions and ethnic-racial identity, integrates complex explanatory models (e.g., interactions between climate and identity), and acknowledges the roles of factors at different levels, including developmental stages, social position variables, school/class context, and the broader sociopolitical environment. We then review 22 studies (10,709 K-12 students) that examined 63 combinations of identity (exploration, resolution, centrality, affect, public regard) and school diversity climate dimensions (optimal contact conditions, multiculturalism climate, critical consciousness climate, colorblind climate, polyculturalism climate). Findings revealed active research areas (e.g., contact conditions and affect) and gaps (e.g., colorblind climate across identity dimensions). Consistent with the framework, we found mixed evidence for optimal contact conditions but mostly positive results for multiculturalism climate. A multiculturalism climate affirming students’ backgrounds was more strongly linked to ethnic-racial identity than one focusing on learning about diversity. There were indications that critical consciousness climate is especially relevant for exploration and for majority group students. Our work integrates isolated findings into the identity-in-context framework, identifies field challenges, and suggests future research directions.
... We define an inclusive ethnic diversity social climate within schools in terms of majority intergroup attitudes valuing ethnic minorities (we will refer to inclusive ethnic diversity social climate as inclusive social climate for brevity). A parallel line of research associates institutional inclusion of ethnic minority groups with either improved intergroup relations or more equal performance across majority and minority students (Celeste et al., 2019;Schachner et al., 2021). We define an inclusive ethnic diversity institutional climate in terms of school policies valuing cultural differences (we will refer to inclusive ethnic diversity institutional climate as inclusive institutional climate for conciseness). ...
... Meanwhile, multiethnic schools remain rife with majority intergroup bias and unequal institutional practices. The beneficial effects of either social or institutional inclusion have been documented on intergroup relations and the school achievement of majority and minority youth (Celeste et al., 2019;Phalet & Baysu, 2020;Ruck et al., 2021;Schachner et al., 2021). However, research examining social and institutional inclusion jointly is scarce and has not comprehensively looked at both majority and minority outcomes. ...
... Possibly, valuing cultural diversity creates an identity valuing environment when it comes to minority performance (hence the better minority Dutch grades in the current study). However, valuing cultural diversity without implementing equal treatment of minority students might not in itself buffer from the downsides of a hostile social climate (therefore no significant interaction between social and institutional climate on minority outcomes) (Schachner et al., 2021). Further research could tease apart the effects of these different facets of the institutional climate. ...
Inclusive school climates have been related to more friendly and equal intergroup relations among majority and ethnic minority youth. Yet, comprehensive research distinguishing majority
and ethnic minority group perspectives on both social and institutional inclusion, and looking beyond individual perceptions of inclusion is missing. Taking a multi-group and multi-level
approach, we assessed the actual social climate (aggregating majority intergroup attitudes within schools) and institutional climate (coding school diversity policies); and we tested associations with intergroup relations (i.e., individual intergroup bias and contact) and school performance (i.e., self-reported Dutch language grades) as individual outcomes for both majority and minority youth. To this end, we draw on a large-scale survey of 1814 native-origin majority and 1068 Turkish- and Moroccan-origin minority youth in the same 65 Flemish-Belgian middle schools. As expected for majority youth, a more inclusive ingroup social climate predicts less intergroup bias; and more social and institutional inclusion jointly predict more intergroup contact with minority peers. For minority youth, an inclusive outgroup social climate predicts higher Dutch grades; yet social and institutional inclusion were unrelated to their intergroup attitudes or contact.
... There is a long tradition of examining cultural diversity climate in schools (Green et al., 1988;Molina & Wittig, 2006;Schachner et al., 2021a;Tropp et al., 2022). Prior research has supported the importance of cultural diversity climate at school, as indicated by its relationships with a range of outcomes relevant to child and youth development. ...
... Prior research has supported the importance of cultural diversity climate at school, as indicated by its relationships with a range of outcomes relevant to child and youth development. These previously investigated outcomes include intergroup attitudes and relations (e.g., prejudice, cross-group friendships, discrimination, Baysu et al., 2016;Benner & Graham, 2013;Schachner et al., 2021a), ethnic-racial identity (Camacho et al., 2018;Del Toro & Wang, 2021), academic outcomes (e.g., achievement, motivation, Del Toro & Wang, 2021;Griffin et al., 2017), youth anti-racism actions , and socioemotional adjustment (e.g., sense of belonging, life satisfaction, Byrd, 2017;Celeste et al., 2019), among others. ...
... The cultural diversity climate "Big Five" described herein bring together five diversity climate dimensions, similar to the Big Five framework of personality traits with its five dimensions and their facets (e.g., John et al., 2008;Wrzus & Roberts, 2017). These five dimensions build on theory and prior research on cultural diversity climate at school (e.g., Byrd, 2017;Celeste et al., 2019;Schachner et al., 2021a;Schwarzenthal et al., 2023), and related psychological literature (e.g., Plaut et al., 2018;Rosenthal & Levy, 2010;Pettigrew & Tropp, 2006). Figure 1 provides an overview of the five dimensions (middle layer) and their facets (inner layer). ...
Children and adolescents are growing up in increasingly ethnically, racially, and culturally diverse and often unequal worlds. Therefore, how schools, as key developmental contexts, approach diversity has important implications at individual, group, and societal levels. Here, we present a review and integration of research on cultural diversity climate in schools, focusing on five dimensions of diversity climate (the cultural diversity climate “Big Five”) and their facets. We begin by distinguishing cultural diversity climate from other related terms (e.g., diversity ideologies, diversity policies). Then, we introduce the five core dimensions of cultural diversity climate (intergroup contact theory’s optimal contact conditions, multiculturalism climate, colorblind climate, critical consciousness climate, polyculturalism climate). We describe facets subsumed under the dimensions, propose new facets based on theory, and discuss differences and commonalities between the dimensions and facets. Next, we review measurement approaches. The review concludes with a 10-point plan for future research on cultural diversity climate.
... Classroom cultural diversity climate (CDC) refers to the way cultural diversity is considered and handled at school . Research showed that CDC is positively associated with the academic and psychological adjustment of adolescents attending secondary schools, mostly belonging to the second and later immigrant generations (Schachner et al., , 2021Schwarzenthal et al., 2018). However, evidence on first-generation immigrant and refugee students and on younger age groups is limited. ...
... CRT Self-Efficacy, CDC, and Students' Academic and Psychological Adjustment Schools can deal with cultural diversity through two approaches: One approach emphasizes equality and inclusion, while the other highlights cultural pluralism (Schachner et al., , 2021. The endorsement of equality and inclusion seeks to reduce ethnic discrimination by promoting interactions between students of different ethnic groups in a context where all students are treated fairly (Schachner, 2019). ...
... The endorsement of equality and inclusion seeks to reduce ethnic discrimination by promoting interactions between students of different ethnic groups in a context where all students are treated fairly (Schachner, 2019). One way to promote equality and inclusion is by fostering equal treatment by students, which refers to classmates' behavior toward or between children of different cultural backgrounds (Schachner et al., 2021). According to CRT theory, culturally responsive teachers may encourage students to work cooperatively together (Gay, 2002) and to build positive relationships with each other (Siwatu, 2011). ...
Objectives: This study investigated the associations between teachers’ culturally responsive teaching (CRT) self-efficacy, students’ perceptions of classroom cultural diversity climate (CDC), and the academic and psychological adjustment of elementary school students in culturally diverse German classrooms. Method: The sample included 41 teachers and 234 fourth grade students (Mage = 10.48, SDage = 0.56, 55% female; 38% first immigrant generation). We conducted multilevel analyses to assess the associations between teachers’ CRT self-efficacy, student-perceived CDC (i.e., equal treatment by students and heritage and intercultural learning), and students’ school achievement, school belongingness, and life satisfaction. We performed mediation analyses to investigate to what extent student-perceived CDC explains the association between CRT self-efficacy and student outcomes. Additionally, we explored the moderating role of students’ immigrant generation in the associations. Results: Teachers’ CRT self-efficacy and student-perceived equal treatment were positively related to mathematical competence and German vocabulary. Student-perceived heritage and intercultural learning was positively associated with school belongingness and life satisfaction but negatively with reading comprehension. Equal treatment and heritage and intercultural learning did not mediate the relation between CRT self-efficacy and children’s adjustment. Findings did not vary across students’ immigrant generation. Conclusions: Teachers’ CRT self-efficacy and CDC positively contribute to students’ academic and psychological adjustment, but independently. Both aspects can be beneficial for the adjustment of elementary school children, regardless of their immigrant generation.
... Most research has focused on social contexts separately. For instance, family (especially parental) (Huguley et al., 2019;Umaña-Taylor & Hill, 2020) and school ethnic-racial socialization (Byrd & Legette, 2022;Saleem & Byrd, 2021;Schachner et al., 2021) relate to adolescents' ethnic-racial or cultural identity development. Nevertheless, because adolescents negotiate the complex socialization messages from both family and school, it is important to examine the two contexts together. ...
... A second approach to diversity, equality and inclusion, aims to create cooperative relations among students of different cultural backgrounds and to foster a climate of equal status between cultural groups (Pettigrew & Tropp, 2006;Schachner et al., 2021). In this study, we focus on equal treatment (a sub-dimension of equality/inclusion) as a commonly used approach by culturally diverse schools in relation to identity development . ...
... In sum, through the promotion of equality (i.e., sameness) at school, adolescents might have felt less rejected and thus less inclined to strongly identify with their heritage culture group and more inclined to identify with the national group. Future studies could focus on different dimensions of equality/inclusion approaches used in schools (e.g., contact/cooperation; Schachner et al., 2021). ...
This study explored the separate and interacting relations of family (cultural pluralism, promotion of mistrust) and school (equal treatment, intercultural learning) ethnic-racial socialization with cultural (heritage culture and German) identity among adolescents of immigrant descent. Analyses were based on survey data from 311 early to mid-adolescents in Germany (Mage = 13.85, SD = 1.82). Higher family cultural pluralism and intercultural learning at school were related to higher heritage culture identity, while higher equal treatment at school was related to lower heritage culture identity. Higher intercultural learning and equal treatment at school were related to higher German identity. Family promotion of mistrust had no direct relation to heritage culture or German identity. The interaction of family promotion of mistrust and equal treatment at school had relations to heritage culture but not to German identity. These findings expand our understanding of the complementary roles of family and school for supporting cultural identity development.
... Most research has focused on social contexts separately. For instance, family (especially parental) (Huguley et al., 2019;Umaña-Taylor & Hill, 2020) and school ethnic-racial socialization (Byrd & Legette, 2022;Saleem & Byrd, 2021;Schachner et al., 2021) relate to adolescents' ethnic-racial or cultural identity development. Nevertheless, because adolescents negotiate the complex socialization messages from both family and school, it is important to examine the two contexts together. ...
... A second approach to diversity, equality and inclusion, aims to create cooperative relations among students of different cultural backgrounds and to foster a climate of equal status between cultural groups (Pettigrew & Tropp, 2006;Schachner et al., 2021). In this study, we focus on equal treatment (a sub-dimension of equality/inclusion) as a commonly used approach by culturally diverse schools in relation to identity development . ...
... In sum, through the promotion of equality (i.e., sameness) at school, adolescents might have felt less rejected and thus less inclined to strongly identify with their heritage culture group and more inclined to identify with the national group. Future studies could focus on different dimensions of equality/inclusion approaches used in schools (e.g., contact/cooperation; Schachner et al., 2021). ...
This study explored the separate and interacting relations of family (cultural pluralism, promotion of mistrust) and school (equal treatment, intercultural learning) ethnic-racial socialization with cultural (heritage culture and German) identity among adolescents of immigrant descent. Analyses were based on survey data from 311 early to mid-adolescents in Germany (Mage= 13.85, SD = 1.82). Higher family cultural pluralism and intercultural learning at school were related to higher heritage culture identity, while higher equal treatment at school was related to lower heritage culture identity. Higher intercultural learning and equal treatment at school were related to higher German identity. Family promotion of mistrust had no direct relation to heritage culture or German identity. The interaction of family promotion of mistrust and equal treatment at school had relations to heritage culture but not to German identity. These findings expand our understanding of the complementary roles of family and school for supporting cultural identity development.
... Schools can provide affordances-aspects of the environment providing psychological opportunities (Walton and Yeager 2020)-to support and foster positive identities. One specific aspect of the school environment gaining increasing attention is the classroom cultural diversity climate (Byrd 2017;Schachner et al. 2016Schachner et al. , 2021. Drawing from theories on intergroup contact (Allport 1958;Pettigrew 1998) and culturally responsive teaching and multicultural education (Banks 1993;Gay 1975), two broad approaches to diversity adopted by teachers and schools can manifest in K the classroom cultural diversity climate (Schachner et al. 2016(Schachner et al. , 2021. ...
... One specific aspect of the school environment gaining increasing attention is the classroom cultural diversity climate (Byrd 2017;Schachner et al. 2016Schachner et al. , 2021. Drawing from theories on intergroup contact (Allport 1958;Pettigrew 1998) and culturally responsive teaching and multicultural education (Banks 1993;Gay 1975), two broad approaches to diversity adopted by teachers and schools can manifest in K the classroom cultural diversity climate (Schachner et al. 2016(Schachner et al. , 2021. The cultural pluralism dimension emphasizes that cultural diversity in the classroom should be acknowledged, valued, seen as a resource, and opportunities should be provided to learn about this diversity. ...
... Heritage and intercultural learning and unequal treatment Two dimensions of classroom cultural diversity climate were assessed (Schachner et al. 2021). A sample item for heritage and intercultural learning is "We learn about the heritage cultures of students in my class." ...
Adolescents’ heritage culture and national identities are potential developmental assets for socioemotional adjustment. The school context can support the development of such identities. Therefore, the aims of our study are to (1) identify patterns of heritage and national identity trajectories across mid-adolescence, (2) test whether they are predicted by classroom cultural diversity climate, and (3) test whether they are linked to socioemotional adjustment. Adolescents of immigrant descent in Germany ( N = 431, 50.3% female, M age = 12.36 at T1) filled out surveys at the beginning (T1) and end of 7th grade (T2), and end of 8th grade (T3). Using latent growth mixture models, three trajectories were identified, which had stable, moderate national identities but varied in heritage identity: “high decreasing heritage identity”, “moderate stable identities”, and “low increasing heritage identity”. At the classroom level (but not individual level) diversity climate at T1 predicted a “moderate stable identities” trajectory, compared to a “low increasing heritage identity” trajectory. Further, adolescents in the “moderate stable identities” trajectory reported higher life satisfaction at T3 compared to those in the “low increasing heritage identity” trajectory. Overall, the findings suggest heterogeneity in identity trajectories with implications for socioemotional adjustment.
... The literature suggests that racial and ethnic xenophobia affects students' experiences of school climate across international settings (T. M. Jones et al., 2020;Schachner et al., 2021). T. M. Jones et al. (2020) investigated, at the school level, the relationship between school climate, racial/ethnic identity, and achievement for U.S. students. ...
... As schools are becoming culturally more diverse, it is crucial to understand how they can approach this diversity in ways that enable all students to feel included and to do well (Schachner et al., 2021). Schools can take different approaches to dealing with cultural/ethnic diversity by shaping the school climate, which have differential effects on student learning and behavior (Schachner et al., 2021). ...
... As schools are becoming culturally more diverse, it is crucial to understand how they can approach this diversity in ways that enable all students to feel included and to do well (Schachner et al., 2021). Schools can take different approaches to dealing with cultural/ethnic diversity by shaping the school climate, which have differential effects on student learning and behavior (Schachner et al., 2021). Schachner (2019) distinguishes two perspectives on cultural diversity: (a) the "equality and inclusion" perspective and (b) the "cultural pluralism" (or multicultural) perspective. ...
In recent decades, much international research has been carried out on school climate and its relationship with learning, socioemotional, and health outcomes (Berkowitz et al., 2017; La Salle, Rocha-Neves, et al., 2021; Pizmony-Levy et al., 2019). Limited research has been carried out to investigate the relationship between school climate and educational inequalities, with particular reference to the results obtained by minoritized students. This contribution focuses on this issue, and it is organized as follows. First, The International School Climate Collaborative, which led to the cross-cultural adaptation of the Georgia School Climate Survey, is presented with normative data for the use of the survey with secondary school students in four countries: Germany, Italy, Latvia, and the United States (La Salle, Rocha-Neves, et al., 2021). Second, the theme of the relationship between School Climate and Educational Equity is focused on the basis of the most recent scientific literature. Third, the theme of the relationship between School Climate and Educational Equity is focused on comparing four countries: the United States, Germany, Italy, and Latvia. Fourth, the practical implications are investigated, focusing on three possible interventions that could be useful for improving the school climate while promoting equity and valuing cultural differences.
... Studies that explore the role of the classroom climate in the development of social silence show that these nuanced hostile acts are also known as microaggressions [67,68]. Such acts can be subtle and commonplace remarks or behaviors that people interpret as prejudicial, negating, and demeaning [69]. ...
... Given that school life reflects how our world is becoming increasingly global and diverse, adolescents are increasingly likely to meet and interact with others whose gender, race, ethnicity, and family backgrounds differ from their own [69]. Recent research shows that this variety in classroom composition is beneficial for children's and adolescents' development as it prompts children's socio-cognitive understanding [83]. ...
... Students will be able to use these social and cognitive tools to help them navigate their relationships with others from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds and prevent cultural biases and prejudice from forming in the classroom [43,87]. A culturally and gender-diverse school climate will implement education programs that help youth to understand the notion of polyculturalism or the idea that culture is conceptualized as dynamic, flexible, and interactive, where each culture learns from each other via communication and the sharing of their beliefs, attitudes, and practices with one another [69,88]. ...
The social and emotional health of adolescents is increasingly a concern worldwide. To date, there remains a lack of research on how school climate influences adolescents’ learning experiences and their social and emotional health. To address this gap in the literature, this critical review addresses the role that the school climate plays in an adolescent’s school life and emotional well-being. This article takes a critical approach and outlines the key issues in research on the secondary school climate in the digital and real-life sense and the implications for adolescent’s well-being. We first outline the definitional and methodological issues regarding research on school climate in adolescence. We then outline why mental health is a key issue for adolescents across the globe and conclude with a list of implications for theory, research, and practice. Thus, this article builds on past, current, and ongoing research on adolescents’ emotional well-being and school climate across the globe. The article provides new directions and recommendations for future research on inclusive educational philosophies and positive psychology and suggestions for practice aimed to best support adolescents’ learning experience and mental well-being.
... Furthermore, teachers have an awareness of the impact traumatic experiences have on learning (Carlson et al., 2020) and know that refugee children from one country may have had access to more formal schooling than children from another. Resultantly, some refugee students have a stronger foundation in their first language than others, so teachers adjust instructional support accordingly (Idrus & Sohid, 2023;Okilwa et al., 2021;Schachner et al., 2021). ...
... Furthermore, because learning is an emotional and communal process for many students, multicultural curriculum and instruction use both the active engagement and cooperative learning opportunities that exemplify the often-preferred learning styles among marginalized student populations. Multicultural curriculum and instruction foster an understanding of other cultural and ethnic groups (Aronson & Laughter, 2016) thereby improving classroom behavior, self-esteem, motivation to learn (Gay, 2018;Idrus & Sohid, 2023), and academic success outcomes for all students, not only for students in the non-dominant culture (Byrd, 2016;Schachner et al., 2021). ...
A significant number of school-age children comprise the wave of refugees seeking and settling in new homelands. Schools are an integral part of the resettlement process. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to highlight how teachers supported the learning of refugee students at Northstar Elementary School (NES), which was designated by the school district as one of the elementary schools that served this student population. This qualitative study collected data through interviews, classroom observations, and school-related documents. The data were analyzed and the findings were organized around four central practices associated with culturally responsive pedagogy: critical cultural consciousness of teachers, culturally pluralistic classroom climates, diverse communities of learners, and multicultural curriculum and instruction. Refugee students and their families have hopes and dreams for themselves and teachers can play an integral part to help realize those dreams.
... Das Klassenklima umfasst Normen und Werte, die Unterrichtsqualität, die Beziehungen zwischen Lehrkräften und Schülerinnen und Schülern sowie die Organisation des Unterrichts (Wang et al., 2020). Im Kontext kultureller Diversität kann das "kulturelle Diversitätsklima" durch zwei Dimensionen konzeptualisiert werden: Kulturellen Pluralismus und Gleichberechtigung und Inklusion (Schachner, 2019;Schachner et al., 2016Schachner et al., , 2021. Ein solches Klassenklima hat zum Ziel, kulturelle Vielfalt wertzuschätzen und anzuerkennen (Schachner, 2019;Schachner et al., 2016), was ein zentraler Aspekt von KRU ist (Gay, 2010). ...
... Studien aus Deutschland und Österreich zeigten, dass ein kulturell pluralistisches Klassenklima positiv mit verschiedenen Aspekten der schulischen Entwicklung von Schülerinnen und Schülern verbunden war, wie zum Beispiel mit dem akademischen Selbstkonzept, dem Schulzugehörigkeitsgefühl, der schulischen Leistung und dem Wohlbefinden. Dies galt sowohl für ethnisch diverse Jugendliche (Oczlon et al., 2021;Schachner et al., 2016Schachner et al., , 2019Schachner et al., , 2021, als auch für Grundschulkinder mit und ohne Flucht-und Migrationserfahrung (Ialuna, Civitillo, Schachner, et al., 2024). ...
Dieses Kapitel zielt darauf ab, zentrale Aspekte angemessenen Handelns von Lehrkräften in Bezug auf kulturelle Diversität in der Schule zu beschreiben und Beispiele aufzuzeigen, wie dieses im Rahmen des Lehramtsstudiums umgesetzt werden kann. Im Mittelpunkt steht der pädagogische Ansatz des kulturresponsiven Unterrichtens (Culturally Responsive Teaching, Gay, 2018), der mehrere Aspekte umfasst. In diesem Kapitel werden wir uns hauptsächlich darauf fokussieren, wie (angehende) Lehrkräfte kulturresponsive Lehrpraktiken umsetzen können, indem sie ein kulturelles Diversitätsklima, die Beziehungsqualität zwischen Lehrkräften und Schülerinnen und Schülern mit unterschiedlichen Flucht- und Migrationserfahrungen sowie ein kritisches Bewusstsein über soziale Ungleichheiten und Mikroaggressionen im Bildungssystem fördern. Zu diesen Themen werden sowohl theoretische Grundlagen als auch empirische Befunde aus Deutschland und dem internationalen Kontext vorgestellt. Zudem werden praktische Vorschläge unterbreitet, wie diese Themen im Rahmen der Lehramtsausbildung adressiert werden können. Abschließend wird ein Ausblick gegeben, welche weiteren Themen, die mit dem kulturresponsiven Unterrichten verbunden sind, im Lehramtsstudium zukünftig stärker berücksichtigt werden sollten.
... Empirical qualitative and large-scale quantitative studies in both the US and Europe have shown mixed results of the impact of objectively coded or perceived colorblind practices at school. Specifically, while some studies found that colorblindness through stressing cultural similarities may positively relate to pupils' sense of belonging and achievement (e.g., Schachner et al., 2021), colorblindness that neglects crucial sociocultural and linguistic aspects in educational settings can hinder pupil's belonging and academic achievement (e.g., Birnbaum et al., 2021;Celeste et al., 2019;De Leersnyder et al., 2022;Konings et al., 2024), with some studies showing effects for both ethnic minorities and majorities and others finding larger effects for minoritized groups. Specifically, in the domain of language, and especially in settings with a high number of language learners, a disregard for linguistic diversity as being irrelevant -such as through a laissez-faire approach to language differences -can be detrimental. ...
... This involves integrating different cultural experiences and histories into the curriculum, thereby validating the identities of students from various backgrounds and enriching the learning experience for all students (Gay, 2018). Other key components, however, could be the actual use of multilingual students' home language, the acknowledgement and celebration of multiple religious symbols and festivities, and, as underpinned by previous empirical work, an anti-racist curriculum or one that instigates critical consciousness (e.g., Byrd, 2015;Schachner et al., 2021). ...
... Is it better to actively teach about racial, ethnic, and cultural differences, or should schools downplay difference and emphasize similarities? Evidence consistently shows that valuing diversity-that is, making it acceptable to talk about social group differences and recognizing the role these play in society-supports belonging, health, and academic engagement among racially minoritized and White students (Baysu et al., 2020;Birnbaum et al., 2020;Brown & Chu, 2012;Byrd, 2017;Celeste et al., 2019;Del Toro & Wang, 2021a;Levine et al., 2019;Murrar et al., 2020;Schachner et al., 2021;Wang, Henry & Del Toro, 2023). In contrast, ignoring social group differences has been negatively associated with school belonging and achievement among minoritized youth (Birnbaum et al., 2020;Byrd, 2015;Celeste et al., 2019). ...
... An experimental study found that communicating pro-diversity social norms, via posters or brief videos, positively impacted belonging among U.S. college students from minoritized religious and racial backgrounds (Murrar et al., 2020). Support for diversity (as evidenced by pro-diversity mission statements) was also associated with better cardiometabolic health among middle school Youth of Color in the United States (Levine et al., 2019), and a study of German secondary schools found that immigrant students who perceived their school environments as valuing diversity had improved socioemotional adjustment relative to those who viewed their school as less supportive of diversity (Schachner et al., 2021). ...
This study examined the relation between schools' color‐evasive versus multicultural diversity ideologies, school characteristics, and adolescent development. Across two datasets linking individual‐level survey data (N = 1692) and administrative records (N = 300,063; Mage = 12.4, 52% female, 48% male), schools' stated support for diversity (via a pro‐diversity mission statement) was related to adolescent mental health and academic achievement, but in nuanced ways depending on individual racial/ethnic backgrounds, the racial/ethnic diversity of the student body and teachers, and the extent of racial disparities in discipline and gifted education. Findings suggest that communicating support for diversity without redressing systemic inequities in school discipline and academic tracking will not reduce racism‐related achievement gaps and may instead exacerbate mental health disparities.
... Rooted in culturally responsive teaching and multicultural education (Banks, 1993;Gay, 1975), a pluralism approach means cultural diversity is acknowledged, valued, seen as a resource, and opportunities are provided to learn about this diversity and the diverse heritage cultures of students. Critical consciousness socialization on the other hand captures to what extent there are also discussions about social inequality and systemic racism in society and how to address this (Byrd, 2017;Schachner et al., 2021). Finally, equal treatment draws on intergroup contact research (Allport, 1954;Pettigrew, 1998) and taps into norms and practices of equality and the absence of discrimination in the classroom. ...
... Critical consciousness socialization has only recently been added to measures of the perceived cultural diversity climate in the United States (Byrd, 2017) and in Germany . It taps into creating awareness of discrimination and to what extent there is discussion acknowledging discrimination in school and society and has been associated with individual discrimination experiences (Byrd, 2017;Schachner et al., 2021). Thus, it may trigger rejection-identification processes (Branscombe et al., 1999), where experiencing rejection from an out-group strengthens one's identification with an in-group. ...
While both the classroom cultural diversity climate and curriculum-based interventions can promote cultural identity development, they have not been studied together. Drawing on theories of ethnic-racial identity development, the current study aimed to understand the dynamic interplay of a curriculum-based intervention (the Identity Project) with the classroom cultural diversity climate (heritage culture and intercultural learning, critical consciousness socialization and equal treatment) on cultural identity exploration and resolution. Our sample included 906 mid-adolescents in Italy (32.36% immigrant descent, Mage (SD) = 15.12 (0.68) years, 51.73% female), and 504 early adolescents in Germany (53.86% immigrant descent, Mage (SD) = 12.82 (0.89) years, 42.37% female). Bayesian multivariate linear models show that the Identity Project and a stronger critical consciousness climate in the classroom before the intervention promoted cultural identity exploration at post-test in both countries. However, effects of the intervention and facets of the diversity climate on subsequent resolution were only observed in Italy. There was some evidence that the intervention could alter the classroom cultural diversity climate in Germany, while the intervention could compensate for a less positive diversity climate in the slightly older sample in Italy. Thus, it seems promising to systematically build in opportunities to engage with students’ diverse heritage cultures and identities when developing new curricula, as well as to train teachers to implement such curricula.
... With increasing ethnic diversity in classrooms globally and in Sweden specifically, schools are considered crucial spaces for self-discovery and intercultural understanding among adolescents (Barrett, 2018;Schachner, Juang, Moffitt & van de Vijver, 2018). Addressing ethnicity and cultural diversity in classrooms is important, not only because it promotes inclusivity, equity, and a supportive learning environment (Schwarzenthal, Schachner, van de Vijver & Juang, 2018) but also because it lets students from different ethnicities feel valued, validated, and empowered in their educational journeys (Schachner, Schwarzenthal, Moffitt, Civitillo & Juang, 2021). Simultaneously, dialogues surrounding ethnicity in classrooms can prove challenging for both students and teachers. ...
... The adolescents in the groups also noted that addressing ethnicity can lead to increased peer understanding and tolerant attitudes in society. These experiences align with previous research showing that addressing ethnicity in classrooms can contribute to greater awareness of social justice issues and promote discussions surrounding equity (Schachner et al., 2021). As there was also a clear sense in the focus groups that it is hard to address ethnicity in the Swedish context, doing it in a more person-centered, positive way, similar to how adolescents described that it is (sometimes) addressed on social media, could possibly empower students of all backgrounds to become more willing to engage in the topic. ...
Ethnicity plays a significant role in adolescents' everyday lives, but there is a limited understanding of adolescents' own experiences with how ethnicity is addressed in different contexts. Three contexts of importance during adolescence are investigated in the present study: schools, social media, and sports. A closer contextual examination has the potential to provide insights into how multiple contexts shape experiences with ethnicity. The aim of the study was to understand more about adolescents' experiences of how ethnicity is addressed in schools, on social media, and in sports. Six focus groups with a total of 21 adolescents (Mage = 14.5, SDage = 0.5, female = 76%) discussed their experiences. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a close‐to‐data, inductive thematic analysis. The analysis resulted in three main themes and seven subthemes, indicating that ethnicity was addressed differently in the three studied contexts. For the main theme of how ethnicity was addressed in schools, the subthemes were: Addressing ethnicity is important; Ethnicity is addressed through stereotypes and Everyday racism. The main theme of ethnicity on social media consisted of two subthemes: Sharing ethnic and cultural narratives and Hateful remarks. The main theme of ethnicity in sports also consisted of two subthemes: On equal terms and Clear consequences for racist behaviors. To better understand the multiple contexts, the results are discussed guided by the ecological systems theory. The adolescents highlighted that there are many benefits of addressing ethnicity and that it is important to do so in multiple contexts of adolescent life, just not in the same way. When ethnicity was addressed carelessly, such as through stereotypes or via racism masked as jokes, it had the potential to cause harm. When ethnicity was addressed with reflection, it instead had the potential to build understanding, lead to positive experiences, and provide learning opportunities.
... Indeed, within the context of existing research, this interplay between multiculturalism policy and diversity climate reveals a rather paradoxical effect. Under the assumption that multiculturalism policies are generally conducive to, for example, a positive diversity climate (see e.g., Guimond et al., 2014;Leslie & Flynn, 2022;Ward et al., 2018) and sense of belonging among minority and non-dominant groups (see e.g., Baysu et al., 2023;Bloemraad & Wright, 2014;Celeste et al., 2019;Schachner et al., 2021;Ward et al., 2018), it may seem surprising that their efficacy in favouring student collective voice could depend instead on a weak collectively perceived climate of respect. ...
... The present results may also speak to the unique character of student-perceived collective voice as an important collective outcome among students. While existing research on the effects of (perceived) school (or institutional) contexts has often focused on positive outcomes like belongingness, 'engagement' (i.e., doing one's tasks well), and achievement (e.g., Baysu et al., 2016Baysu et al., , 2023Celeste et al., 2019;Plaut et al., 2009;Schachner et al., 2021), empowerment, and collective voice as a form of empowerment, has largely been neglected as an outcome (see Kirk et al., 2016Kirk et al., , 2017, for recent work examining empowerment as an intrapersonal rather than collective construct). Collective voice is distinct from these outcomes, as, for example, feeling one belongs in a (school) community may not necessarily mean they feel their group (i.e., students in this case) is listened to (e.g., when facing teachers or administrators). ...
Existing research has largely acknowledged the importance of context in facilitating voice in culturally diverse institutions. However, most research has been situated empirically at the individual‐ rather than collective or context‐level. In the present research, multilevel modelling was used to examine the effect of school diversity context on students' perceived collective voice. Based on data from 4,690 students within 69 schools in Flanders, Belgium, we examined how multiculturalism policies as well as collectively perceived school climates of respect for diverse cultural groups may facilitate or hinder native and immigrant‐origin students' perceived collective voice. Results showed that diversity climates of respect were related to a greater perceived collective voice among all students, while multiculturalism policies had no effect. Nevertheless, an interplay between policy and climate showed that multiculturalism policy narrowed the gap in perceived collective voice between schools with stronger or weaker diversity climates. These results were robust to alternate indicators of climate and across minority/majority status groups. They raise the question of whether critical consciousness of unequal respect may be a first step in establishing socially just schools where multiculturalism policies value cultural identities and where all students can feel they have a collective voice. Future research directions are discussed. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement.
... Yet, despite adolescents spending a majority of their time in school, how high school racial diversity is implicated in their identity development remains an ongoing debate, especially in comparison to adolescents' other everyday contexts (i.e., family, neighborhood peers). Such findings on the relative impact of school composition can have significant implications on educational policy, particularly surrounding continued efforts toward furthering high school racial integration (Diehl & Tunzi, 2021;Roda & Wells, 2013;Schachner et al., 2021). Evidence for the strong, positive role of school racial diversity in fostering adolescents' sense of self-identity can incentivize policymakers to ensure that high schools represent a racially diverse student body. ...
... Together, the aims of this study have implications for the efficacy of education policy surrounding high school racial diversity and potential areas of needed intervention (i.e., integration) to promote greater psychosocial well-being among adolescents of color. Given the United States' complex history of racial segregation and ongoing racial climate in schools, race will remain a salient social category for years to come (Diehl & Tunzi, 2021;Schachner et al., 2021). This research will offer a holistic understanding of how the ethnic/racial composition of high school adolescents' friendships changes over time, whether this is associated with ethnic/racial identity formation, and the role of school racial diversity as an essential context. ...
Using two independent datasets with 640 diverse adolescents in 9 schools, this study explored the concurrent and longitudinal relationship between adolescent friendship racial composition and ethnic/racial identity (ERI), considering the role of school racial diversity as a moderator. For concurrent associations, adolescents who reported more same-race friendships and attended a more racially diverse school reported higher levels of ERI exploration across all years. Adolescents who reported more friendship racial diversity and attended less racially diverse schools reported higher levels of ERI exploration in the 10th grade only. For longitudinal associations, greater friendship racial diversity in the 9th grade was associated with a faster increase in ERI exploration in the following years, and racial homophily (the tendency toward same-race peers) was less present among adolescents attending racially diverse schools. Overall, proximal (friendships), distal (school), and temporal (grade) contexts were drivers of adolescent ERI development.
... Schools are an important context to discuss experiences with discrimination and social inequity. In classrooms with a strong CC climate, teachers address social inequity and social justice, promote awareness of social issues, and encourage adolescents to talk about the roots and implications of social inequity and systemic racism (Byrd, 2017;Schachner et al., 2021). In such a classroom climate, racially and ethnically diverse adolescents in the US reported more involvement in anti-racism action (but not higher critical reflection; Bañales et al., 2019), and both non-Muslim as well as Muslim adolescents in Germany reported more perceived societal Islamophobia and higher intentions for critical action . ...
... "In school we talk about how the German school system does not offer the same opportunities to all adolescents"), α = .78. Factor structure and validity were assessed by Schachner et al. (2021). ...
This preregistered study aimed to identify antecedents and consequences of adolescents' critical consciousness (CC) profiles with person-centered approaches based on data from 663 ethnically diverse German adolescents collected from 2017 to 2019 (Mage = 12.91, 50% male, 50% female). Latent profile analyses of adolescents' critical reflection and interpersonal and structural critical action intentions yielded three profiles: "uncritical," "armchair activists," and "actionists." Discrimination experiences, but not CC classroom climate, predicted a higher likelihood of being in the armchair activist or actionist profiles. The actionist profile showed better, but the armchair activist profile worse socioemotional and academic adaptation cross-sectionally and over time (vs. the other profiles). The results highlight the potential of person-centered approaches and of fostering developmentally appropriate forms of critical action among adolescents in novel contexts.
... Likewise among ethnic minority students in the US, Byrd (2017) found that students' perceptions of equal status and promotion of cultural competence were positively correlated with their school grades, academic aspirations, interest, academic self-concept and school belongingness. These results were partly replicated by Schachner et al. (2021) in Germany, who showed that equal treatment and heritage and intercultural learning were positively correlated with the school achievement and life satisfaction of immigrant and non-immigrant students. ...
... Further studies could also examine associations between heritage and intercultural learning and German proficiency longitudinally, as it might be that positive effects on second language acquisition are delayed and unfold later. Furthermore, previous studies on the association between cultural diversity climate assessed school achievement through self-reported grades (Byrd, 2017;Schachner et al., 2021), while we measured school achievement with mathematical and reading comprehension tests, which are less biased by teachers' judgment and own reports. ...
This study investigated the association between teachers’ culturally responsive teaching (CRT) self-efficacy, students’ perceptions of
classroom cultural diversity climate (i.e., equal treatment by students and heritage and intercultural learning) and the academic and psychological adjustment of elementary school children in culturally diverse German classrooms. Participants were 41 teachers and 234 fourth grade students (38% first immigrant generation,
43.4% second immigrant generation, 18.6% non-immigrant). Analyses showed that teachers’ CRT self-efficacy and student-perceived equal treatment were positively related to mathematical competence and German proficiency. Heritage and intercultural learning was positively associated with school belongingness and life satisfaction, but negatively with reading comprehension.
Equal treatment and heritage and intercultural learning
did not mediate the relation between CRT self-efficacy and
students’ adjustment. Findings suggested that teachers’ CRT self-efficacy and classroom cultural diversity climate can be beneficial for different aspects of the academic and psychological adjustment
of elementary school students, regardless of their immigrant
generation.
... In addition to student variables, considering the school context is also important (Hanselmann et al., 2014). The classroom cultural diversity climate reflects how teachers and schools approach and manage diversity (Schachner et al., 2021). It is part of the learning environment and may also moderate the effectiveness of the affirmation intervention. ...
... We used two subscales of the Classroom Cultural Diversity Climate Scale (Schachner et al., 2021): the 5-item unequal treatment subscale to measure the opposite of equality and inclusion, and the 7-item heritage culture and intercultural learning subscale to measure cultural pluralism. A sample item for unequal treatment is "Students from certain heritage cultures are teased more often than students from other heritage cultures". ...
We tested whether a brief self-affirmation writing intervention protected against identity-threats (i.e., stereotyping and discrimination) for adolescents’ school-related adjustment. The longitudinal study followed 639 adolescents in Germany (65% of immigrant descent, 50% female, Mage = 12.35 years, SDage = .69) from 7th grade (pre-intervention at T1, five to six months post-intervention at T2) to the end of 8th grade (one-year follow-up at T3). We tested for direct and moderated (by heritage group, discrimination, classroom cultural diversity climate) effects using regression and latent change models. The self-affirmation intervention did not promote grades or math competence. However, in the short-term and for adolescents of immigrant descent, the intervention prevented a downward trajectory in mastery reactions to academic challenges for those experiencing greater discrimination. Further, it protected against a decline in behavioral school engagement for those in positive classroom cultural diversity climates. In the long-term and for all adolescents, the intervention lessened an upward trajectory in disruptive behavior. Overall, the self-affirmation intervention benefited some aspects of school-related adjustment for adolescents of immigrant and non-immigrant descent. The intervention context is important, with classroom cultural diversity climate acting as a psychological affordance enhancing affirmation effects. Our study supports the ongoing call for theorizing and empirically testing student and context heterogeneity to better understand for whom and under which conditions this intervention may work.
... The positive relationship between high ethnic diversity in the classroom and informational and normative strategies may also be related to other aspects of a multicultural environment. It is possible that students are socialized in school to be more aware of inequalities in society and to be critical conscious (Freire 1970;Schachner et al. 2021), which is reflected in their use of such strategies. These results have important implications for both practical interventions and theoretical frameworks within educational settings. ...
Introduction
According to the Intergroup Contact Theory, social interaction can foster positive attitudes toward outgroups. However, less is known about the role of social‐cognitive strategies in navigating experiences that prompt identity reflection, such as interactions in ethnically diverse classroom environments. In this study, we examine the role of identity processing strategies (i.e., informational, normative, diffuse/avoidant) in the relationship between classroom ethnic diversity and attitudes toward ethnic outgroups.
Methods
Using nationally representative data from the first wave of the Czech Education Panel Survey (2023), which included 23,466 high school freshmen (49.3% males, 49.9% females, and 0.8% others; 37.5% have at least one university educated parent; mean age of 15.6 years, Czech majority 84.4% and ethnic minority 15.6%) from 249 schools, multilevel models were employed to examine the attitudes of the Czech majority toward minority groups, as well as the attitudes of ethnic minority members toward the Czech majority.
Results
The findings show that there is a relationship between identity formation strategies and attitudes toward ethnic outgroups. Adolescents using informational and normative identity strategies are more positive toward outgroups. Diffuse/avoidant strategy is not associated with attitudes toward outgroups. Further, higher ethnic diversity in the classroom is associated with more positive attitudes toward outgroups among adolescents who use informational and normative identity strategies.
Conclusions
This study indicates that higher ethnic diversity in the classroom may facilitate the formation of positive attitudes toward other ethnic groups among adolescents. Thus, ethnicity should not be neglected when considering the composition of students in the classrooms.
... cultural ideologies are significant factor that have distinct associations with intercultural variables in many different contexts (Bernardo et al., 2019;menadue et al., 2021;osborn et al., 2020). these cultural ideologies have been used as measures of diversity climates in classrooms for students (Schachner et al., 2021), making them ideal indicators for young people's intercultural attitudes. ...
At least 1.5 M Filipino children are left behind by parents who are Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). We explore whether left-behind children develop more positive intercultural beliefs and behavioral intentions compared to their peers, as they are made aware of foreign cultures through parents’ intercultural experiences. We surveyed 949 high school students, 103 of whom are left-behind children; the questionnaire included cultural ideologies and outgroup action tendencies scales. Controlling national identification measures as covariates, the results show that the left-behind children have more negative outgroup action tendencies and weaker approach tendencies towards people from other cultures. The intercultural experiences of OFW parents are not associated with more positive intercultural beliefs, suggesting the left-behind children might be constructing their intercultural knowledge considering some negative information about OFW’s experiences.
... This approach, which presents cultures as dynamic and layered processes rather than fixed entities (Dervin, 2020), leverages the recognized benefits of polyculturalism (Rissanen et al., 2023). Schachner et al. (2021) found that polyculturalism was associated with lower school disengagement among students of immigrant backgrounds, suggesting that emphasizing the dynamic and interactive aspects of culture reduces some of the risks associated with a more multicultural approach (Schwarzenthal et al., 2018). ...
High levels of global migration have increased the complexity of the relationship between individuals and cultures. Multiculturalism has emerged as a prominent ideology to support inclusion by calling for the recognition and celebration of cultural differences and inviting cultural groups to maintain their distinctive cultural identities. Assuming cultural influences to be constant, general, categorical, and steady, the multicultural ideology may inadvertently exclude individuals positioned in-between cultures, not quite identifying with either culture but settling in hybridity. Polyculturalism has recently emerged as an alternative ideology arguing that cultural influences are dynamic, situated, partial, and plural. This paper critically reviews existing interdisciplinary literature to better understand individual outcomes of early immersive cultural mixing as a revelatory case of cultural hybridity and discuss the impact of the multiculturalism ideology on cultural inclusion and belonging of this population. We propose a polycultural mindset—cultural self-awareness embracing hybridity, plurality, and partiality; openness to other cultures and cultural compositions; and openness to the dynamic change of cultures and cultural associations in self and others—as an alternative to fostering an enhanced sense of belonging. We contribute a more nuanced understanding of the influence of multiple cultures on individuals and discuss the implications of adopting a polycultural ideology and mindset on social inclusion.
... In addition, in math classrooms with a high prevalence of teacher ethnic-racial discrimination, adolescents with diverse ethnic-racial identities have lower math course grades and test scores, and show reduced classroom engagement (Del Toro et al., 2024). In the German context, perceptions of an unequal treatment in the classroom were stronger among ethnically minoritized groups than among the ethnic majority and were related to more behavioral school disengagement and worse grades among both groups of adolescents (Schachner et al., 2021). ...
Discriminatory teacher beliefs and behaviors, as reflected in a discriminatory climate, are negatively related to student adjustment, but little is known about the classroom processes contributing to this relationship. This study investigated the role of teaching quality as a mechanism behind the associations between a discriminatory climate at school and students’ school adjustment. The study used PISA data collected in Germany in 2018 (N = 2947; Mage = 15.47 years, SD = 0.65; 48.4% girls) and included ninth graders (1) from ethnically minoritized groups that are highly stigmatized (i.e., with heritage from Turkey, the SWANA region, sub-Saharan Africa, and Kurdish areas; n = 198), (2) from other ethnically minoritized groups (n = 445), and (3) from the ethnic majority (n = 2304). The students in Group 1 reported a more discriminatory climate at school than the other student groups did. Multilevel analyses revealed that a discriminatory climate was negatively related to all three indicators of school adjustment (i.e., reading comprehension, reading motivation, and school belonging). Adolescents who perceived a stronger discriminatory climate experienced lessons as less structured and more disruptive, highlighting the mediating role of classroom management in the relationship between discriminatory climate and adolescents’ school adjustment. Thus, a discriminatory climate at school hampers adolescents’ educational outcomes not only directly, but also via teachers’ instructional behavior in class.
... Moreover, current research suggests accounting for additional facets of school's cultural diversity climate to help understand its effects more thoroughly (such as critical consciousness or polyculturalism; Schachner et al., 2021). More research with diverse samples across various regional and national contexts is therefore needed to arrive at more generalizing conclusions. ...
... Classroom Cultural Diversity Climate Scale (CCDCS) developed by Schachner et al. (2021), this scale has six domains with 31 items: contact and cooperation (three items), equal treatment (five items), color inclusivity (five items), heritage, culture, and intercultural learning (seven items), critical consciousness (five items), and polyculturalism (six items). The Cronbach's alpha for CCDCS was 0.886. ...
Youth participation matters in nurturing culture and heritage. However, there has been a dearth of research conducted to comprehensively examine youth participation and frame it in the context of cultural heritage and education. This study examined the mediating role of attitude to multiculturality in school and cultural competence on the relationship between classroom cultural diversity climate and intention to engage in cultural events as a basis to devise an institutional culture-based activity. Using 705 student samples of Holy Cross of Davao College selected via quota sampling, it was revealed that attitude to multiculturality in school and cultural competence significantly and fully mediated the relationship between classroom cultural diversity climate and intention to engage in cultural events affirming the social cognitive theory. These findings lead to a relevant groundwork for culture and the arts confluence program that emphasizes enhancing students' cultural competence and their attitude towards multiculturality while also focusing on strengthening teachers' strategies to establish a more inclusive and culturally responsive educational environment. Further work in this area can enhance one's understanding of cultural competence and multicultural attitudes and inform future cultural education programs. Keywords: Classroom cultural diversity climate, attitude towards multiculturality at school, cultural competence, intention to engage in cultural events, culture and the arts.
... A revised version of the Classroom Cultural Diversity Climate scale was used to assess the perceived positive inter-ethnic contact norms and cooperation within the class Schachner et al., 2021). Adolescents were provided with a set of five statements (e.g., "Students in my class interact harmoniously despite our diverse ethnic/cultural backgrounds" and "Students with different ethnic backgrounds in my class are friends with each other") and asked to evaluate the extent to which these statements are true within their classroom setting. ...
Developing a comprehensive understanding of adolescents’ defending behaviors in peer victimization incidents is crucial, as these behaviors are instrumental in preventing victimization in schools. Despite recent efforts to examine various defender subgroups and their characteristics, the heterogeneity in defending behaviors within the context of ethnic victimization remains unclear. To address this gap in knowledge, the current study examined naturally occurring subgroups of defenders in ethnic victimization incidents and investigated whether these subgroups differ in their socio-cognitive skills, class norms, and social status within peer relationships. The sample included adolescents in Sweden (N = 1065; Mage = 13.12, SD = 0.41; 44.5% females). Cluster analysis yielded four distinct subgroups: victim-oriented defenders (41.3%), hybrid defenders (23.5%), bully-oriented defenders (9.8%), and non-defenders (25.4%). Hybrid and victim-oriented defenders had higher levels of perspective taking skills and positive attitudes toward immigrants than non-defenders. All three defender subgroups perceived their classroom climate as more socially cohesive than non-defenders. All four subgroups did not significantly differ in their peer status. These findings emphasize the importance of fostering inclusive class norms and implementing classroom practices that facilitate the development of perspective taking skills among students. Such effort can enhance adolescents’ active defending behaviors in instances of ethnic victimization.
... These attitudes encompass how individuals perceive, appreciate, respect, accept, and engage with different cultures, and thus also their openness to engage with diversity (Pettigrew, 1998). Positive diversity attitudes play an important role in shaping intercultural interactions (Schachner et al., 2021), and likely does so by promoting inclusivity and fostering positive relationships among individuals from various different cultural backgrounds (Thijs & Verkuyten, 2013). ...
Outgroup and diversity attitudes are important components of intercultural understanding and well-being. Despite the potential of ethnic-racial identity development as a means to foster positive outgroup and diversity attitudes, little is known about its effectiveness in rapidly diversifying contexts such as Sweden. This pre-registered study filled this gap by examining if adolescents taking part in an intervention focused on ethnic-racial identity exploration, the Identity Project, also reported change in outgroup and diversity attitudes, and whether migration background, education type, and ethnic-racial identity development predicted such change. Twenty-three tenth-grade classes in Sweden (N = 509; Mage = 16.28; SDage = 0.80; 66% female; 51% migration background) participated in the intervention and were assessed in four waves over a period of 26 weeks. Whereas ethnic-racial identity exploration and resolution increased for the intervention group, the adolescents reported no change in outgroup and diversity attitudes when compared to a control group. Increases in ethnic-racial identity exploration and resolution co-varied with increases in attitudes, but only at Time 3. The results do not provide support for the link between ethnic-racial identity development and positive outgroup and diversity attitudes, and challenge the notion of attitude change as a cascading effect of the Identity Project intervention in non-US sociocultural contexts. All aspects of the study were pre-registered on the Open Science Framework platform (https://osf.io/f5896).
... Sustainability education involves the integration of environmental, social, and economic principles in all aspects of the institution's operations and curriculum (Filho et al., 2019;Menon and Suresh, 2020). Cultural diversity is an asset that enhances sustainability efforts (Alfaro, 2019;Gay, 2013;Owusu-Agyeman, 2021;Schachner et al., 2021). ...
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the significance of incorporating diverse lived experiences and identities through culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) in promoting sustainability, cultural diversity and the integration of various perspectives and worldviews rooted in identity and lived experience in sustainability education at Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC).
Design/methodology/approach
A case study approach using Geneva Gay’s (2002) CRP framework was used to investigate the role of CRP in sustainability education at CCAC. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data collected from eight interviews and 67 survey respondents, who participated in a larger exploratory study focusing on education-related sustainable development goals objectives in technical and vocational education and trainings.
Findings
The findings indicate that implementing CRP in sustainability education fosters a culturally diverse learning environment, leading to enhanced cultural competence, critical thinking, global citizenship and academic achievement. Best practices and potential benefits of integrating diverse lived experiences and identities using CRP are also identified.
Research limitations/implications
The small sample size may limit the generalizability of the findings. To address this limitation, future studies could use larger and more diverse samples to confirm the findings of this study. Additionally, the study was conducted at a single institution, which may limit the transferability of the findings to other institutions. Future studies could replicate this study at different institutions to determine the generalizability of the findings. Another limitation is the reliance on self-reported data, which may be subject to social desirability bias. To address this limitation, future studies could use a mixed-methods approach that includes both qualitative and quantitative data sources.
Practical implications
This study highlights the need for community colleges to prioritize diverse faculty and staff recruitment, provide CRP and diversity training and establish partnerships with community organizations. By implementing these recommendations, institutions can enhance sustainability education, promote cultural competence and foster critical thinking among students, ultimately contributing to a more inclusive and equitable learning environment.
Social implications
The integration of diverse lived experiences and identities using CRP in sustainability education can lead to a more culturally diverse and socially inclusive society. By fostering cultural competence, global citizenship and critical thinking in students, community colleges can empower them to address global challenges and contribute to achieving a sustainable and equitable future for all.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the understanding of the role of CRP in promoting sustainability and cultural diversity in CCAC and education. It highlights the significance of including diverse perspectives and worldviews rooted in identity and lived experience in sustainability education, offering practical recommendations for integrating CRP in educational institutions.
... Along this line, how teachers approach cultural diversity might shape the quality of intergroup contact and intergroup attitudes (Bayram Özdemir et al., 2021;Karataşet al., 2023). For instance, a positive school climate supporting equality and inclusion among students of diverse backgrounds and creating more opportunities to learn about cultural diversity was associated with the ethnic majority and minority adolescents' socioemotional adjustment and academic achievement (e.g., Schachner et al., 2021;Schwarzenthal et al., 2018). Additionally, the frequency adolescents discuss political issues at school is associated with their attitudes toward immigrants. ...
The increasing ethnic and cultural diversity of contemporary societies has raised the importance of integration policies for people with a migrant background. Tools like the Migrant Integration Policy Index have been developed to evaluate different countries’ integration approaches. If, on the one hand, focusing on what governments are doing to promote integration is necessary, on the other hand, it is of utmost importance to consider individuals’ attitudes toward these policies. Study 1: A pilot study with 356 adolescents (41.1% female, 58.9% male; Mage = 15.38) and 200 adults (69% female, 31% male; Mage = 47.43) was conducted to test the psychometric proprieties of the Attitudes Toward Migrant Integration Policies scale. Study 2: A total of 1,156 adolescents (51.6% female, 48.4% male; Mage = 15.69), 1,288 parents (56.9% mothers, 43.1% fathers; Mage = 49.39), and 284 teachers (68.3% female, 31.7% male; Mage = 45.55) were involved in a study to evaluate how attitudes toward integration policies differ within generations (e.g., ethnic majority and minority groups), within families (e.g., adolescents vs. their fathers), and across generational groups (i.e., adolescents, parents, and teachers). Latent mean comparisons indicated that attitudes toward integration policies varied significantly across sex (for adolescents and parents), ethnic background (parents only), and school track (adolescents) groups. Regarding differences within family dyads, adolescents reported more positive attitudes toward integration policies than their fathers and mothers. Finally, teachers showed more positive attitudes compared to adolescents and their parents. Overall, this study highlights nuanced intergenerational differences, with adolescents standing in between the different positions of their parents and teachers.
... First, the pursue of the distinctiveness motive might not be adaptive for adolescents with a migrant background, since it could expose them to an increased risk of being isolated, marginalised, or discriminated. Second, it has been highlighted that a colour evasive school environment, which tends to minimise ethnic differences to avoid prejudice and discrimination, while being associated with positive intergroup attitudes and behaviours, is also associated with a lower satisfaction of the need for distinctiveness (Schachner et al., 2021). Regarding well-being, we found a significant difference only in levels of subjective well-being, with adolescents of Italian descent reporting higher levels of subjective well-being. ...
Identity formation is the core developmental task of adolescence. Identity research highlights the importance of considering both individual and social factors in understanding how identities are formed and revised over time, and the importance of identity processes for the well-being of adolescents. This longitudinal study explores the associations between the six identity motives identified by Motivated Identity Construction Theory (i.e., self-esteem, continuity, distinctiveness, subjective meaning, efficacy, and belonging) and well-being in adolescents. Three dimensions of well-being have been considered: subjective well-being (i.e., people’s evaluation of their life based on their own criteria), psychological well-being (i.e., the extent to which individuals accept themselves and feel in control of their own lives), and social well-being (i.e., how well individuals are able to navigate and thrive in their social environment). Participants were 501 adolescents (53.10% female, Mage = 15.75), of either Italian or migrant descent, involved in a two-wave longitudinal study. The results highlighted significant associations between each identity motive and different facets of well-being as well as some differences among the two groups of youth. Overall, all identity motives, except for distinctiveness, were linked to positive adjustment outcomes. Conversely, distinctiveness was associated with lower subjective and social well-being. The findings from this study could inform inclusion policies, school policies, and clinical interventions, all of which are crucial in promoting the overall well-being of adolescents.
This paper explores the integration of personalized learning in high school social studies classrooms, focusing on its potential to address diverse student needs. By tailoring content delivery and learning strategies to individual learning styles, interests, and abilities, personalized learning can significantly improve student engagement and retention of material. The paper examines various strategies, including differentiated instruction, the use of technology, and interest-based learning, that educators can implement to create more inclusive learning environments. Furthermore, the paper highlights the benefits of personalized learning, such as enhanced critical thinking and analytical skills, while also addressing challenges like resource availability, teacher training, and classroom management. The conclusion presents recommendations for effectively implementing personalized learning in social studies, emphasizing the need for adequate resources, professional development, and improved classroom management strategies. By addressing these challenges, educators can ensure that personalized learning contributes to more effective and meaningful education in social studies.
This paper explores the integration of personalized learning in high school social studies classrooms, focusing on its potential to address diverse student needs. By tailoring content delivery and learning strategies to individual learning styles, interests, and abilities, personalized learning can significantly improve student engagement and retention of material. The paper examines various strategies, including differentiated instruction, the use of technology, and interest-based learning, that educators can implement to create more inclusive learning environments. Furthermore, the paper highlights the benefits of personalized learning, such as enhanced critical thinking and analytical skills, while also addressing challenges like resource availability, teacher training, and classroom management. The conclusion presents recommendations for effectively implementing personalized learning in social studies, emphasizing the need for adequate resources, professional development, and improved classroom management strategies. By addressing these challenges, educators can ensure that personalized learning contributes to more effective and meaningful education in social studies.
Socioeconomic and ethnicity‐based achievement gaps plague education. Both sociological theories and recent social‐psychological work consider cultural mismatches between schools’ and students’ ways of being and relating (i.e., self‐construal) as a potential mechanism. However, stringent empirical evidence remains lacking. Drawing on a sample of 5076 Belgian adolescents, this study aims to provide rigorous and robust novel evidence by (i) establishing high SES and ethnic majority group average patterns of self in relation to their teacher; (ii) calculating students’ ‘fit’ with these dominant group's patterns; and (iii) linking fit indices to objective and subjective achievement scores. As expected, fit with both high‐SES and ethnic majority self‐patterns were significantly positively related to achievement. Our findings suggest hitherto less visible systemic barriers to equal attainment due to engrained school practices that selectively value and reward majority middle‐class self‐ways. One way to promote equity in education is recognising and reforming such practices in schools.
This first-of-its-kind meta-analysis (N = 79 studies; 56,552 students; k = 640 effects) provides a comprehensive assessment of five cultural diversity climate approaches that capture different ways of addressing cultural diversity in K-12 schools. We examined how intergroup contact theory’s optimal contact conditions, multiculturalism climate, colorblind climate, critical consciousness climate, and polyculturalism climate were associated with children’s and adolescents’ intergroup outcomes (intergroup attitudes, cross-group friendships, experienced discrimination), academic outcomes (academic achievement, motivation, engagement), and socioemotional outcomes (belonging, well-being). Results from meta-analytic random-effects models revealed the largest and most consistent effects for optimal contact conditions, with small-to-medium-sized effects and significant relationships with all outcomes. Multiculturalism climate was significantly and positively related to intergroup attitudes, achievement, motivation, and belonging (mostly, these were small effect sizes). Critical consciousness climate (small effect sizes) and polyculturalism climate (small-to-medium effect sizes) were correlated with both academic and socioemotional outcomes. Colorblind climate was not significantly associated with any outcomes. Moderator analyses revealed that contact conditions exhibited larger effects in secondary education compared with primary education and in the United States compared with Europe. The percentage of majority group members moderated some relationships (e.g., contact conditions had smaller effects when there were more majority group members in the sample). Significantly larger effects emerged for student-reported colorblind climate measures than for teacher-reported measures. Overall, this meta-analysis provides a highly nuanced view of the most robust evidence for the associations between cultural diversity climate and outcomes that are critical for positive child and youth development to date.
Why are some students more successful than others? We combined motivational and personality predictors and jointly examined the relevance of subject-specific academic self-concepts and Big Five personality traits for academic performance. Based on data from two independent studies of German 9th graders (Study 1: N = 1,508, Mage = 14.98 years, 51% female, 38% immigrant background; Study 2: N = 19,783, Mage = 15.10 years, 50% female, 36% immigrant background), we, first, estimated latent bivariate correlations to investigate the nomological net between these socioemotional characteristics. Second, using latent moderated regression models, we examined the role of the main and interaction effects of both characteristics for academic performance levels and changes assessed by grades and test scores. Finally, we tested whether the relevance of socioemotional characteristics for academic performance differed across sociodemographic characteristics. Five findings stand out: First, we established widely consistent nomological nets between the academic self-concepts and Big Five traits, especially regarding the German self-concept. Second, the domain-specific self-concepts were consistent predictors of different academic performance measures in the respective subject. Third, beyond the established main effects of openness and conscientiousness, all Big Five traits contributed to performance in some way. Fourth, despite some inconsistencies, socioemotional characteristics formed only synergistic interaction effects. Fifth, students’ sociodemographic background was likewise important illustrating main effects on performance and foremost synergistic interaction effects with socioemotional predictors. Our results highlight the complex interplay between motivation, personality, and sociodemographic variables in predicting academic achievement and underline the need to be mindful of this interactive nature.
This first-of-its-kind meta-analysis (N = 79 studies; 56,552 students; k = 640 effects) provides acomprehensive assessment of five cultural diversity climate approaches that capture differentways of addressing cultural diversity in K-12 schools. We examined how intergroup contacttheory’s optimal contact conditions, multiculturalism climate, colorblind climate, criticalconsciousness climate, and polyculturalism climate were associated with children’s andadolescents’ intergroup outcomes (intergroup attitudes, cross-group friendships, experienceddiscrimination), academic outcomes (academic achievement, motivation, engagement), andsocioemotional outcomes (belonging, well-being). Results from meta-analytic random-effectsmodels revealed the largest and most consistent effects for optimal contact conditions, withsmall-to-medium-sized effects and significant relationships with all outcomes. Multiculturalismclimate was significantly and positively related to intergroup attitudes, achievement, motivation,and belonging (mostly, these were small effect sizes). Critical consciousness climate (small effectsizes) and polyculturalism climate (small-to-medium effect sizes) were correlated with bothacademic and socioemotional outcomes. Colorblind climate was not significantly associated withany outcomes. Moderator analyses revealed that contact conditions exhibited larger effects insecondary education compared with primary education and in the US compared with Europe. Thepercentage of majority group members moderated some relationships (e.g., contact conditionshad smaller effects when there were more majority group members in the sample). Significantlylarger effects emerged for student-reported colorblind climate measures than for teacher-reportedmeasures. Overall, this meta-analysis provides a highly nuanced view of the most robust evidencefor the associations between cultural diversity climate and outcomes that are critical for positivechild and youth development to date.
The framework of culturally responsive teaching (CRT) provides a promising pathway for preparing teachers for culturally diverse schools. Important elements of culturally responsive teaching are critical reflection, valuing cultural diversity, and efficacy in teaching in a diverse classroom. The present study explores whether the Identity Project (Umaña-Taylor & Douglass, 2017), an eight-week classroom-based intervention, changes pre-service teachers’ (1) critical reflection, (2) diversity beliefs, and CRT efficacy. Using a qualitative, quasi-experimental design, we conducted semi-structured interviews (Mt = 75 min.) with eight pre-service teachers (three identified as female, five identified as male), in Eastern Germany at two time points: before and after an eight-week teaching experience at school. During the teaching experience, four participants in the intervention group (Mage = 22.3) facilitated the Identity Project, while the remaining four participants (control group, Mage = 25.5) taught regular lessons as part of the compulsory intern- ship in their teacher-training degree at university. One out of eight participants is of immigrant descent. Using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006), findings suggest that implementing the Identity Project intervention promotes pre-service teachers’ quality of critical reflection, contributes to valuing cultural diversity beliefs, and promotes CRT efficacy. The findings help to identify approaches for reflexive critical education in a migration-diverse society.
The framework of culturally responsive teaching (CRT) provides a promising pathway for preparing teachers for culturally diverse schools. Important elements of culturally responsive teaching are critical reflection, valuing cultural diversity, and confidence in teaching in a diverse classroom. The present study explores whether the Identity Project (Umaña-Taylor & Douglass, 2017), an eight-week classroom-based intervention, changes pre-service teachers’ (1) critical reflection, (2) diversity beliefs, and CRT efficacy. Using a qualitative, quasi-experimental design, we conducted semi-structured interviews with eight pre-service teachers at two time points: before and after an eight-week teaching experience at school. During the teaching experience, four participants in the intervention group facilitated the Identity Project, while the remaining four participants (control group) taught regular lessons as part of the compulsory internship in their teacher-training degree at university. Using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006), findings suggest that implementing the Identity Project intervention promotes pre-service teachers' quality of critical reflection, contributes to valuing cultural diversity beliefs, and promotes CRT efficacy. The findings help identify approaches for reflexive critical education in a migration-diverse society.
Being globally competent is significant for students to effectively navigate the complexities of the interconnected world and live a high quality of life. Yet little is known about how intercultural learning activities impact adolescents’ global competence. In this vein, this study aims to examine the impact of intercultural learning on adolescents’ global competence as well as the potential moderating effect of school discriminatory climate. Using a sample of 211,554 students representing 7,012 schools across 26 economies, this study reveals a noteworthy inverted U-shaped effect of intercultural learning. Specifically, as students’ participation in intercultural learning activities increases, their global competence initially grows and subsequently declines after reaching a critical turning point. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that the curvilinear effect of intercultural learning is significantly moderated by the prevailing climate of discrimination within schools. The curvilinear pattern is more pronounced when discrimination levels are low (-1SD) and becomes comparatively flatter under conditions of high school discrimination climate(+ 1SD). Further policy and practical implications are discussed.
Carmona, C.; Aneas, A. y Shuali-Trachtenber, T (2023) Stories that move en educación superior: una herramienta para afrontar la discriminación.en Eloy López y César Bernal Educación, tecnología, innovación y transferencia del conocimiento. Resumen En la actualidad, las sociedades son más diversas y se enfrentan con mayor intensidad a retos y oportunidades resultantes de los procesos que envuelven a la diversidad en diferentes ámbitos. En concreto, en educación, el profesorado tanto de escuelas como de universidades necesitan herramientas para gestionar y reflexionar sobre los cambios que se están produciendo en las sociedades, y así poder dar una respuesta educativa que ponga en valor el respeto y el derecho a la diversidad. Desde esa perspectiva, la presente investigación tiene como objetivo analizar en estudiantes universitarios el impacto de una herramienta en línea, así como sus reflexiones para desafiar el racismo y la discriminación en el aula y en los contextos del futuro ejercicio profesional. La muestra estaba compuesta por 62 estudiantes del grado en Educación Social en la que se implementó la herramienta en línea "Stories that Move" desarrollada por la Casa de Ana Frank y cuyo objetivo se centra en afrontar todas las formas de discriminación. Los resultados indican que la herramienta es innovadora, potencia diferentes metodologías de aprendizaje, y que promueve la reflexión y análisis crítico sobre situaciones de discriminación, pero también sobre los propios prejuicios que no son de forma directa visibles. Palabras clave: Discriminación, herramienta en línea, educación superior, aprendizaje colaborativo, diversidad.
Kulttuureja koskevat asenteet ja uskomukset ovat kulttuurienvälisien valmiuksien keskeinen osa-alue. Artikkelissa peruskoulun opettajien (N = 273) kulttuurienvälisiä valmiuksia lähestytään sosiaalipsykologian kentällä laajemmin tutkittujen kulttuuria koskevien arkiteorioiden eli multikulturalismin, polykulturalismin ja värisokeuden näkökulmasta. Tutkimusaineistona ovat opettajien vastaukset vuosina 2019 ja 2020 kerätyn kyselyaineiston avoimeen kysymykseen. Aineisto analysoitiin abduktiivisen sisällönanalyysin keinoin. Tulosten perusteella opettajien näkemyksistä oli löydettävissä viitteitä kaikista arkiteorioista, mutta multikulturalismi oli niistä yleisin: 71 prosenttia vastaajista kuvasi vastauksessaan kulttuurisen moninaisuuden ja kulttuuristen identiteettien huomioimista ja arvostamista. Vastaajista 39 prosenttia ilmensi polykulturalismia eli käsityksiä kulttuurien risteävyydestä ja muovautuvuudesta, joka on kulttuurienvälisten valmiuksien keskeinen tekijä. Värisokeuden arkiteoriaa – käsityksiä kulttuurisen moninaisuuden vähäisyydestä sekä pyrkimykset keskittyä yhteisyyteen tai samanlaisuuteen – ilmensi viidennes vastaajista. Kulttuurista moninaisuutta ongelmallisena pitävistä näkemyksistä muodostettiin analyysissa oma kategoriansa, jota ilmensi 11 prosenttia vastaajista. Tulosten merkityksiä pohditaan opettajankoulutuksen kehittämisen näkökulmasta.
Despite the growing cultural diversity worldwide, there is scarce research on how socialization processes prepare youth to respond to increasing multicultural demands and the degree to which these socialization opportunities inform youth academic functioning. This study used a person-centered approach to identify profiles or niches based on the degree and consistency of multicultural socialization experiences across school, peer, and family settings and to examine the associations between identified niches and markers of academic functioning (i.e., emotional and behavioral academic engagement, academic aspirations and expectations) in a sample of adolescents (N = 717; Mage = 13.73 years). Participants (49.9% girls) were from the U.S. Southwest and represented multiple ethno-racial backgrounds (31.8% Hispanic/Latinx, 31.5% Multiethnic, 25.7% White, 7.3% Black or African American, 1.4% Asian American or Pacific Islander, 1.4% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 1% Arab, Middle Eastern, or North African). Six distinct multicultural socialization niches were identified. Three niches had similar patterns across school-peer-family but ranged in the degree of socialization. The cross-setting similar higher socialization niche (Niche 6) demonstrated greater socialization than the cross-setting similar moderate (Niche 5) and lower socialization (Niche 4) niches, which had moderate and lower socialization, respectively. Three niches demonstrated cross-setting dissimilarity which ranged in the type of cross-setting contrast and the degree of socialization. The cross-setting dissimilar school contrast socialization niche (Niche 3) had greater dissimilarities between socialization opportunities in the school setting compared to the peer and family settings and demonstrated the lowest levels of socialization of all niches. The other two niches, the cross-setting dissimilar peer contrast (Niche 1) and greater peer contrast socialization (Niche 2) niches had larger dissimilarities between socialization opportunities in the peer setting than the school and family settings. In the former, however, the contrast was lower, and socialization ranged between very low to low. In the latter, the contrast was higher and socialization ranged from very low to moderate. Most adolescents were in the cross-setting similar lower socialization niche or in the cross-setting dissimilar niches. Adolescents in the cross-setting similar higher multicultural socialization demonstrated greater emotional and behavioral academic engagement than adolescents in most of the other niches. Adolescents in the cross-setting dissimilar school contrast niches demonstrated lower emotional and behavioral academic engagement and lower academic expectations than adolescents in some of the other niches. The results emphasize the collective role of school, peer, and family multicultural socialization on emotional and behavioral academic engagement.
Manifestations of educational inequity in diversifying societies have led to a wide acknowledgement of the need to develop all teachers’ competencies to work in the context of diversity. The domain of beliefs and attitudes is generally included as one key component of teachers’ intercultural competence, but there is little consensus over what the core beliefs shaping teachers’ intercultural competencies are. This mixed methods study draws from social psychological research on inter-group relations and explores the role of polyculturalist beliefs and group malleability beliefs in shaping teachers’ orientation to teaching for diversity and social justice. A hypothesized model was tested on survey data from Finnish comprehensive school teachers (N = 231) with structural equation modeling. Findings indicate that polyculturalism, in particular, strongly explains teachers’ teaching for social justice beliefs and enthusiasm for teaching in the context of diversity. Furthermore, we present a case analysis, based on classroom observations and stimulated recall interviews, of how polyculturalism actualizes in one Finnish elementary school teacher’s pedagogical thinking and practice, and discuss the implications of our findings for teacher education and further research.
This article asserts that despite the salience of race in U.S. society, as a topic of scholarly inquiry, it remains untheorized. The article argues for a critical race theoretical perspective in education analogous to that of critical race theory in legal scholarship by developing three propositions: (1) race continues to be significant in the United States; (2) U.S. society is based on property rights rather than human rights; and (3) the intersection of race and property creates an analytical tool for understanding inequity. The article concludes with a look at the limitations of the current multicultural paradigm.
The color-evasive ideology (commonly termed "colorblindness") proposes that ethnic and cultural group memberships should be deemphasized. Yet there is a conceptual confusion around the meaning and measurement of color-evasiveness, and this construct is not used consistently in the international as well as German literature. Our purpose is to investigate whether two underlying forms of the color-evasive ideology (i.e., stressing similarities and ignoring differences) are two distinct, albeit related, constructs. We tested this hypothesis by applying these two forms of the color-evasive ideology to teachers' cultural diversity beliefs. In two cross-sectional field studies conducted with pre-service teachers (Study 1, n = 210), and in-service teachers (Study 2, n = 99), questionnaire items on the stressing similarities ideology and items on the ignoring differences ideology loaded on two separate factors, providing a better fit to the data than the one-factor model. Mean scores on these two types of color-evasive ideology also differed substantially, indicating that participants across the two studies mainly endorsed the stressing similarities perspective. The stressing similarities and ignoring differences ideologies related differently to other intergroup ideologies (i.e., multiculturalism and polycultural-ism), and showed different patterns to psychosocial functioning in culturally diverse classrooms (i.e., cultural diversity-related stress).
We examined whether German adolescents who participated in an adapted 8-week school-based intervention, the Identity Project, reported greater changes in heritage and global identities and perceptions of classroom cultural climate. We used a longitudinal, wait-list control design pooling eight classrooms across the school years of 2018-2019 and 2019-2020. The sample included 195 seventh graders (M age = 12.35 years, SD = .79, 39% female, 83% of migration background). Findings showed moderate support for more heritage identity exploration and greater perceptions of unequal treatment and critical consciousness climate in the intervention group. There were also important differences across conditions regarding how identity and climate related to adolescent outcomes. We conclude that the Identity Project can be adapted and applied in other cultural contexts such as Germany. It provides a necessary space for adolescents to engage in discussions about diversity, cultural heritage, social inequities, and their relevance to one's identities.
Scholars have proposed 2 separable dimensions of racial colorblind ideology: the first is centered on "not seeing color" (i.e., color evasion), and the second is centered on denying racism (i.e., power evasion). Yet, to date, there is no psychometric evidence for this distinction. In this article, we aim to fill this gap by establishing the presence of and characterizing differences between these 2 dimensions using both variable-centered and person-centered approaches. Study 1A (n = 707) provides exploratory factor analytic evidence supporting the separability of power and color evasion. Study 1B (n = 710) provides confirmatory evidence of this factor structure and evidence of discriminant validity. In Study 1B, 3 latent profiles based on power and color evasion were identified: acknowledgers (low color evasion, low power evasion), evaders (high color evasion, average power evasion), and deniers (average color evasion, average power evasion), which differed on relevant variables (e.g., modern racism, support for affirmative-action). In Study 2 (n = 546), these profiles were replicated and extended by examining differences in attitudes and desire to engage in campus diversity activities. Implications for racial colorblind ideology theory and practical applications are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Culturally diverse schools may constitute natural arenas for training crucial intercultural skills. We hypothesized that a classroom cultural diversity climate fostering contact and cooperation and multiculturalism, but not a climate fostering color‐evasion, would be positively related to adolescents' intercultural competence. Adolescents in North Rhine‐Westphalia (N = 631, Mage= 13.69 years, 49% of immigrant background) and Berlin (N = 1335, Mage= 14.69 years, 52% of immigrant background) in Germany reported their perceptions of the classroom cultural diversity climate and completed quantitative and qualitative measures assessing their intercultural competence. Multilevel structural equation models indicate that contact and cooperation, multiculturalism, and, surprisingly, also color‐evasion (as in emphasizing a common humanity), were positively related to the intercultural competence of immigrant and non‐immigrant background students. We conclude that all three aspects of the classroom climate are uniquely related to aspects of adolescents' intercultural competence and that none of them may be sufficient on their own. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
European societies and schools face the challenge of accommodating immigrant minorities from increasingly diverse cultural backgrounds. In view of significant belonging and achievement gaps between minority and majority groups in school, we examine which diversity approaches are communicated by actual school policies and which approaches predict smaller ethnic gaps in student outcomes over time. To derive diversity approaches, we content-analyzed diversity policies from (n = 66) randomly sampled Belgian middle schools. Cluster analysis yielded different approaches valuing, ignoring, or rejecting cultural diversity in line with multiculturalism, colorblindness, and assimilationism, respectively. We estimated multilevel path models that longitudinally related diversity approaches to (N = 1,747) minority and (N = 1,384) majority students’ school belonging and achievement (self-reported grades) 1 year later. Multiculturalism predicted smaller belonging and achievement gaps over time; colorblindness and assimilationism were related to wider achievement and belonging gaps, respectively. Longitudinal effects of colorblindness on achievement were mediated by (less) prior school belonging.
As schools are becoming more culturally diverse, it is crucial to understand how they can approach this diversity in ways that allow all students to feel included and do well. We focus on the manifestation of two related but distinct approaches to cultural diversity, namely equality and inclusion (i.e., promoting positive intergroup contact) and cultural pluralism (i.e., embracing students’ diverse cultural backgrounds as a resource), in the perceived classroom climate. Specifically, we test a model in which the link of cultural diversity climate at school and student outcomes (achievement, academic self-concept and general life satisfaction) is mediated by sense of school belonging, both at the individual and classroom level. Analyses are based on 1,971 students (61% of immigrant background; Mage = 11.53, SDage = 0.73, 52% male) in 88 culturally diverse classrooms in southwest Germany after their first year at secondary school. Individual- and classroom-level results suggest that both perceived equality and inclusion as well as cultural pluralism are positively associated with outcomes and this link is mediated by school belonging. There were no differences in the effects of (perceived) cultural diversity climate and school belonging between students of immigrant and nonimmigrant background, suggesting that dealing with cultural diversity in a constructive way is beneficial for all students attending multiethnic schools.
Turkish heritage students are underrepresented at university-track secondary schools in Germany, yet the institutional discrimination contributing to this ongoing disparity often remains unquestioned, situated within inequitable norms of belonging. Drawing on critical race theory and a risk and resilience framework, the current study investigated the interplay between institutional and interpersonal discrimination in relation to exclusionary norms enacted in university-track schools. Using thematic analysis, interviews with eight Turkish German young adults from multiple regions of Germany were analyzed, highlighting the need for culturally responsive teaching, more teacher reflex-ivity regarding bias, a greater focus on equity, and more direct discussions of racism and its impact.
Background:
The conceptualization of the role of race and culture in students' experience of school has been limited. This study presents a more comprehensive and multidimensional framework than previously conceptualized and includes the two domains of (1) intergroup interactions (frequency of interaction, quality of interaction, equal status, and support for positive interaction) and (2) school racial socialization (cultural socialization, mainstream socialization, promotion of cultural competence, colourblind socialization, critical consciousness socialization, and stereotyping) (Byrd, 2015, Journal of Educational Research, 108, 10).
Aims:
The scale presents a measure of school racial climate for middle and high school students and tests for evidence of reliability and validity in two independent, nationwide samples.
Sample and method:
Participants were 819 children aged 12-18 (M = 15.27, SD = 1.58) who completed the School Climate for Diversity - Secondary Scale and a number of validating measures: general school climate, perceived discrimination, culturally responsive teaching, grades, and academic motivation.
Results and conclusions:
Confirmatory factor analyses and reliability analyses showed support for the 10-factor structure of the scale, and the subscales were associated with the validating measures in expected ways.
Objectives: Integrating research on intergroup contact and intercultural relations, we investigated effects of 2 types of cultural diversity norms (equality/inclusion and cultural pluralism) on outgroup orientation and perceived discrimination among students of immigrant and nonimmigrant background. Method: Our sample comprised 1,975 6th graders (Mage = 11.53, SDage = 0.69, 47% female) in Germany, of whom 1,213 (61%) were of immigrant background, defined as having at least 1 parent born in a different country. A total of 83 countries of origin were represented. We applied a multilevel framework to assess the impact of individual-level and class-level predictors on intergroup outcomes, controlling for the classroom ethnic composition, school track, and individual-level covariates. Immigrant background was treated as a moderator. Results: The 2 types of cultural diversity norms were generally associated with more positive intergroup outcomes. Some of the associations differed in strength between students of immigrant and nonimmigrant background. There were stronger associations of equality/inclusion with higher outgroup orientation among students of nonimmigrant background and with lower perceived discrimination among students of immigrant background. Ethnic composition, as well as the classroom-aggregated diversity norms (diversity climate) showed weaker relations with the outcome variables. Conclusions:Equality/inclusion norms and cultural pluralism norms can make complementary contributions to positive relations between students of immigrant and nonimmigrant background. Equality/inclusion norms foster positive contact and equal treatment, while cultural pluralism norms emphasize that it is also important to value diversity.
Schools are a major context for academic and socio-emotional development, but also an important acculturative context. This is notably the case in adolescence, which is a critical period for the development of a social and ethnic identity, as well as moral reasoning and intergroup attitudes. How schools approach cultural diversity issues is therefore likely to affect these developmental and acculturative processes and adaptation outcomes. In the present article, the manifestation and effects of the most prominent approaches to cultural diversity, namely those guided by a perspective of equality and inclusion, and those guided by a perspective of cultural pluralism, are reviewed and compared in the context of multi-ethnic schools. The aim is to explore when and how the potential of cultural diversity can best flourish, enhancing the academic and socio-emotional development of culturally diverse students.
School adjustment determines long-term adjustment in society. Yet, immigrant youth do better in some countries than in others. Drawing on acculturation research (Berry, 1997; Ward, 2001) and self-determination theory (Ryan and Deci, 2000), we investigated indirect effects of adolescent immigrants' acculturation orientations on school adjustment (school-related attitudes, truancy, and mathematics achievement) through school belonging. Analyses were based on data from the Programme for International Student Assessment from six European countries, which were combined into three clusters based on their migrant integration and multicultural policies: Those with the most supportive policies (Belgium and Finland), those with moderately supportive policies (Italy and Portugal), and those with the most unsupportive policies (Denmark and Slovenia). In a multigroup path model, we confirmed most associations. As expected, mainstream orientation predicted higher belonging and better outcomes in all clusters, whereas the added value of students' ethnic orientation was only observed in some clusters. Results are discussed in terms of differences in acculturative climate and policies between countries of settlement.
Educational Impact and Implications Statement
This study suggests that the ethnic makeup of classrooms is related to student outcomes. That is, students in classes with a higher proportion of ethnic minority students showed slightly lower achievement and feeling of belonging with one’s peers even if the socioeconomic status, the immigrant background of the family, cognitive ability, and gender of the student is equal. In addition to the proportion of ethnic minority students, average socioeconomic status, and average cognitive abilities, we looked at the ethnic heterogeneity in each classroom and found that this was mostly independent from student outcomes. Only for math we found a positive association indicating that students in a more ethnically diverse classroom showed slightly higher test scores—however, this slight association cannot be interpreted as a causal relationship because of our cross-sectional design. The findings suggest that measures of heterogeneity may uncover relationships that the mere proportion of minority students which disregards various ethnic groups in the classroom is unable to show and open a discussion on how to investigate effects of ethnic diversity in educational research.
U.S. universities are increasingly racially/ethnically diverse, offering students opportunities for positive, proactive intergroup interactions. However, not all students take advantage of these opportunities, making it important to understand what factors contribute to intergroup contact and friendship. In the current longitudinal investigation with 329 undergraduates at a diverse, mid-sized, public university in the Northeastern U.S., we examined the role of polyculturalism, which is the belief that diverse racial/ethnic groups have throughout history interacted and exchanged with each other, thereby influencing each other's cultures over time. We found that greater endorsement of polyculturalism before the start of college prospectively predicted increases in intergroup contact and friendship from spring of first year to fall of second year, controlling for endorsement of multiculturalism, colorblindness, and egalitarianism before the start of college. Findings suggest polyculturalism deserves further attention in research and might be useful for interventions, programs, and policies aimed at fostering positive intergroup interactions.
The present study is concerned with cultural diversity climate at school and how it relates to acculturation orientations and psychological school adjustment of early adolescent immigrants. Specifically, the distinct role of two types of diversity policy is investigated, namely (a) fostering equality and inclusion and (b) acknowledging cultural pluralism. Longitudinal multilevel analyses based on 386 early adolescent immigrant students (Mage = 10.49 years) in 44 ethnically heterogeneous classrooms in Germany revealed that the manifestations of both types of policies promote psychological school adjustment (i.e., better well-being and fewer psychological and behavioral problems) at the individual level. However, they differ in their effects on acculturation orientations. At the classroom level, equality and inclusion promote assimilation. Implications for research and educational practice are discussed.
Goodness-of-fit (GOF) indexes provide "rules of thumb"—recommended cutoff values for assessing fit in structural equation modeling. Hu and Bentler (1999) proposed a more rigorous approach to evaluating decision rules based on GOF indexes and, on this basis, proposed new and more stringent cutoff values for many indexes. This article discusses potential problems underlying the hypothesis-testing rationale of their research, which is more appropriate to testing statistical significance than evaluating GOF. Many of their misspecified models resulted in a fit that should have been deemed acceptable according to even their new, more demanding criteria. Hence, rejection of these acceptable-misspecified models should have constituted a Type 1 error (incorrect rejection of an "acceptable" model), leading to the seemingly paradoxical results whereby the probability of correctly rejecting misspecified models decreased substantially with increasing N. In contrast to the application of cutoff values to evaluate each solution in isolation, all the GOF indexes were more effective at identifying differences in misspecification based on nested models. Whereas Hu and Bentler (1999) offered cautions about the use of GOF indexes, current practice seems to have incorporated their new guidelines without sufficient attention to the limitations noted by Hu and Bentler (1999).
Polyculturalism is the belief that different racial and ethnic groups, both historically and contemporarily, have interacted, exchanged ideas, and influenced each other's cultures. Endorsement of polyculturalism involves viewing cultures as dynamic and constantly changing, as well as deeply connected to each other through different racial and ethnic groups' interactions and shared histories. Our past work in diverse samples in the U.S. has found that endorsement of polyculturalism is associated with less support for social inequality, more positive attitudes toward diversity, and lower racial/ethnic-, gender-, and sexual identity-based prejudice. Given heightened levels of prejudice faced by Muslim Americans in the U.S. currently, we aimed to explore in the current investigation whether polyculturalism can help us understand attitudes toward Muslim Americans. We found with both community adults across the U.S. (via craigslist; Study 1) and undergraduates at a university in the Northeastern U.S. (Study 2) that endorsement of polyculturalism was associated with less negative and more positive intergroup and policy attitudes as well as behavioral intentions toward Muslim Americans. These associations persisted when controlling for potentially confounding sociodemographic variables, such as age, gender, nativity, and race/ethnicity (both studies), as well as other established predictors of intergroup attitudes, including social dominance orientation and right-wing authoritarianism (Study 2). Consistent with past studies, these results suggest endorsement of polyculturalism is associated with more positive attitudes toward Muslim Americans in addition to other intergroup attitudes. Studying polyculturalism may be important for us to understand and improve intergroup attitudes and dynamics in an increasingly globalized, diverse world.
Research has sought to understand how parents socialize their children around race and ethnicity, but few studies have considered how contexts outside the home are also important sources of socialization. In this paper we review and integrate literature on practices in school settings that have implications for ethnic– racial socialization using a framework based on Hughes et al. (Dev Psychol 42(5):747–770, 2006) review of parental socialization. The practices reviewed include cultural socialization, preparation for bias, promotion of mistrust, egali-tarianism, colorblindness, and silence. Our review shows a wide range of practices in education that may influence the development of ethnic–racial identity and ethnic–racial consciousness, but more research is needed to understand the role that schools play in developing African American youth's understanding of race and identity.
In England, students with immigrant background exhibit lower educational attainment than those without immigrant background. Family socioeconomic status (SES) helps explain differences in educational attainment, but a gap remains that differs in size for students with different immigrant backgrounds. While the explanatory repertoire for the remaining gap is broad, it has been neglected to comprehensively investigate whether family SES constructs are equivalent across students with different immigrant backgrounds. Using data from the first wave of the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Survey in Four European Countries (CILS4EU) for England (n = 4,315), the paper applies exploratory structural equation modelling (ESEM) to evaluate measurement invariance of family background constructs across students without and with immigrant background, specifically Pakistani/Bangladeshi immigrant background. Results suggest differences in the structure of family SES indicators across groups and in their association with educational attainment. Complementary variables are suggested to enhance family SES indicators. Findings are relevant to researchers investigating educational inequalities related to immigrant background.
School racial climate is an important aspect of the school environment that can have significant implications for youths' development. However, existing research is limited by conceptual and methodological concerns that restrict the ability of researchers and educators to identify what about and how the racial climate is important. The author addresses existing limitations by articulating school racial climate as a multidimensional construct composed of interpersonal interactions and school racial socialization. The sample consists of 99 Black middle and high school students who completed surveys on their perceptions of the school racial climate and their belonging, competence, and intrinsic motivation. The results showed, for example, that perceptions of more positive cross-race interactions were associated with greater belonging, and perceptions of colorblind messages were associated with lower competence. Overall, the study demonstrated the utility of a multidimensional approach to school racial climate and supported existing research on the importance of climate for adolescents' motivation.
This article addresses the question of how and in what terms states constitute ethnicity and citizenship around statistical categories when these categories lack explicitly ethnic principles of classification. It does so based on a qualitative content analysis of the way that the German statistical category of ‘persons with a migration background’ is deployed in parliamentary debates on education. We argue that state actors in organized politics, who are embedded in Germany's national cultural repertoire and integration policy repertoire, transform this nuanced statistical category into a homogenized social category that is defined in terms of language, class and exclusion from the imagined national community. Our findings demonstrate that, in order to understand how the state uses statistics to draw boundaries within a society, it is necessary to go beyond the content of statistical categories themselves.
We review limitations of the traditional paradigm for cultural research and propose an alternative framework, polyculturalism. Polyculturalism assumes that individuals' relationships to cultures are not categorical but rather are partial and plural; it also assumes that cultural traditions are not independent, sui generis lineages but rather are interacting systems. Individuals take influences from multiple cultures and thereby become conduits through which cultures can affect each other. Past literatures on the influence of multiple cultural identities and cultural knowledge legacies can be better understood within a polyculturalist rubric. Likewise, the concept elucidates how cultures are changed by contact with other cultures, enabling richer psychological theories of intercultural influence. Different scientific paradigms about culture imply different ideologies and policies; polyculturalism's implied policy of interculturalism provides a valuable complement to the traditional policy frames of multiculturalism and colorblindness. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Psychology Volume 66 is November 30, 2014. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/catalog/pubdates.aspx for revised estimates.
The current study examined measurement invariance of the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS; Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985) across three immigrant groups, namely, immigrants from the Former Soviet Union (FSU) in Israel, Turkish-Bulgarians, and Turkish-Germans. The results demonstrate measurement invariance of the SWLS across groups. The findings that Turkish-Bulgarian and FSU immigrants in Israel scored significantly lower on the SWLS compared to Turkish-Germans can be explained by assimilative policies in Israel and Bulgaria. In conclusion, our results suggest the SWLS is feasible for cross-cultural comparisons of immigrants of various age groups. Future investigation of measurement invariance over time is needed to use the SWLS in a developmental perspective.
Categorization plays a fundamental role in organizing daily interactions with the social world. However, there is increasing recognition that social categorization is often complex, both because category membership can be ambiguous (e.g., multiracial or transgender identities) and because different categorical identities (e.g., race and gender) may interact to determine the meaning of category membership. These complex identities simultaneously impact social perceivers' impressions and social targets' own experiences of identity, thereby shaping perceptions, experiences, and interactions in fundamental ways. This review examines recent research on the perception and experience of the complex, multifaceted identities that both complicate and enrich our lives. Although research has historically tended to focus more on difficulties and challenges associated with multiple identities, increasing attention is being paid to opportunities that emerge from the possession of identities that include multiple distinct or overlapping groups. We consider how these opportunities might benefit both perceivers and targets. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Psychology Volume 66 is November 30, 2014. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/catalog/pubdates.aspx for revised estimates.
Academic achievement in immigrant children and adolescents is an indicator of current and future adaptive success. Since the future of immigrant youths is inextricably linked to that of the receiving society, the success of their trajectory through school becomes a high stakes issue both for the individual and society. The present article focuses on school success in immigrant children and adolescents, and the role of school engagement in accounting for individual and group differences in academic achievement from the perspective of a multilevel integrative model of immigrant youths’ adaptation (Motti-Stefanidi, Berry, Chryssochoou, Sam, & Phinney, 2012). Drawing on this conceptual framework, school success is examined in developmental and acculturative context, taking into account multiple levels of analysis. Findings suggest that for both immigrant and nonimmigrant youths the relationship between school engagement and school success is bidirectional, each influencing over time the other. Evidence regarding potential moderating and mediating roles of school engagement for the academic success of immigrant youths also is evaluated.
Despite the recent retreat of multiculturalism in various European countries, forms of multicultural education are favored and practiced in many of these countries. These educational practices are considered desirable and necessary for the development of positive inter-ethnic relations. After considering conceptions of multicultural education, we discuss multilevel quantitative research on perceived multicultural education and its effects on inter-ethnic attitudes among early adolescents in the Netherlands. The positive effects of multicultural education are interpreted in terms of children’s improved cultural knowledge and understanding, and the establishment of anti-racism norms within the classroom. These two theoretical mechanisms can explain the positive impact of multicultural education on children’s inter-ethnic attitudes. The review of the research is concluded by providing directions and suggestions for future research.
Polyculturalism is an ideology focusing on the many ways that racial and ethnic groups have interacted, exchanged ideas, and influenced each other's cultures throughout history and into the present. In this paper, we first briefly review the introduction of and research on polyculturalism by historians. Then we summarize numerous studies with racially and ethnic diverse college students and adult community members in the United States, which have found that greater endorsement of polyculturalism is significantly associated with more positive racial/ethnic intergroup attitudes (less support for social inequality, greater interest in, appreciation for, and comfort with diversity and differences, greater interest in intergroup contact, and greater support for liberal immigration and affirmative action policies) and lower sexual prejudice (lower affective prejudice toward gay men and lesbians, traditional heterosexism, and denial of discrimination against homosexuals, and more positive attitudes toward gay men and lesbians). We conclude by discussing several future directions of this work.
This article examines the effect of the ethnic composition in the school class on school performance in primary education, using COOL 2008 data for The Netherlands. We make an important distinction between the proportion of migrant children and the diversity with regard to the different ethnic groups in a school class. Due to the strong correlation between these 2 variables, we employ a residualized score of diversity on the proportion of migrants. The diversity indicator, which indicates the level of diversity given a particular share of migrant children, is negatively related to reading comprehension in Grade 8. For other grade years, we find little support for negative effects of diversity net of the share of migrants in a class.
In much of the Western world, and particularly in Europe, there is a widespread perception of a wholesale ‘retreat’ from multiculturalism. Governments that once embraced a multicultural approach to diversity are said to be replacing it with a strong emphasis on civic integration. This assumption that new civic integration policies displace older multiculturalism policies (MCPs) has not properly been tested. Existing indices of immigrant integration policies (such as Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) or Civic Integration Policy Index (CIVIX)) have captured the rise of civic integration policies, but are not designed to measure the presence of MCPs. Drawing on an updated version of the Multiculturalism Policy Index introduced earlier, the article presents an index of the strength of multicultural policies for European countries and several traditional countries of immigration at three points in time (1980, 2000 and 2010). The results paint a different picture of contemporary experience in Europe. While a small number of countries, including most notably the Netherlands, have weakened established multicultural policies during the 2000s, such a shift is the exception. Most countries that adopted multicultural approaches in the later part of the twentieth century have maintained their programmes in the first decade of the new century, and a significant number of countries have added new ones. In much of Europe, multicultural policies are not in general retreat. As a result, the turn to civic integration is often being layered on top of existing multicultural programmes, leading to a blended approach to diversity. The article reflects on the compatibility of MCPs and civic integration, arguing that more liberal forms of civic integration can be combined with multiculturalism but that more illiberal or coercive forms are incompatible with a multicultural approach.
Lower ethnic minority achievement (relative to national average achievement levels) remains a concern in many countries, and affirmation interventions offer a promising approach to help reduce the relative achievement gap. We compared the effects of a conventional self-affirmation intervention with a dual-identity affirmation on test performance in a super-diverse school that primarily served students from ethnic and cultural minority backgrounds (56% Black), in London, UK (N = 179, M age = 12.29). A randomized design consisted of a new dual-identity condition, a traditional self-affirmation condition , and two control conditions-a "one-group" condition and a non-affirmation control condition. Teachers implemented the interventions in class, and test performance was the outcome measure. As expected, Black pupils outperformed non-Black pupils when they undertook a dual-identity affirmation exercise, while non-Black pupils outperformed Black pupils in the traditional self-affirmation condition. Stereotype threat partially mediated this effect: dual-identity was less threatening for Black pupils than for non-Black pupils, increasing the test performance of Black pupils. We propose dual-identity affirmation as a promising affirmation intervention to reduce threat and improve the academic performance of lower achieving ethnic minorities in ethnically diverse settings. Implications for teachers as key players in affirmation
interventions are discussed.
Drawing on a teacher concerns framework, alongside notions of critical consciousness, this article examines the extent to which teacher candidates' (TCs') concerns are related in any way to the critical scholarship they have engaged with throughout their teacher education coursework. Utilizing teacher candidates' written dilemmas of practice during student teaching as the primary data source, the authors utilize consensual qualitative research for data analysis and share results within and across concern categories as related to notions of critical consciousness and dysconsciousness (King, 1991). Results indicate that TCs' posted self concerns lacked a critical inward journey; that TCs were more likely to be critically conscious regarding their own positionality in schools, yet overwhelmingly dysconscious when talking about students and families; and that large percentages of dysconscious task concerns seem related to TCs' lack of critically conscious posts about self. The authors suggest the importance of more focused mentorship and assignments aimed at asking questions designed to promote critically conscious ways of being in classrooms, and similarly suggest the importance of considering notions of critical consciousness in concerns-based studies moving forward. The authors end with a note of caution on the movement toward “core practices” in teacher preparation and instead suggest the importance of programming that focuses on uncovering and eradicating dysconsciousness among TCs working with historically marginalized youth.
In this article, I describe a program of research on the psychosocial benefits of racial/ethnic diversity in urban middle schools. It is hypothesized that greater diversity can benefit students' mental health, intergroup attitudes, and school adaptation via three mediating mechanisms: (a) the formation and maintenance of cross-ethnic friendships, (b) the development of complex social identities, and (c) decreases in perceived vulnerability. These hypotheses are examined in a 3-year longitudinal study of approximately 6,000 ethnically diverse 6th-grade students as they enter one of 26 urban middle schools in California. The overarching goal of this article is to present a strong argument that greater school ethnic diversity can buffer many of the normative challenges of early adolescence.
Recent real-world events in which diversity policies and practices have been met with severe backlash can prompt a zero-sum perception of inclusion efforts. This article offers theory-based insights for instituting diversity initiatives that can afford inclusion for all—allowing institutions to reap the benefits of diversity efforts while reducing the costs of backlash. Using an inclusion for all framework we highlight three salient, interrelated, sources of backlash tied to dominant group members’ goals and motivations: (1) perceived or actual restriction of independence or autonomy, (2) preference for the status quo and colorblindness, and (3) beliefs that racial and other social equalities have been reached. Throughout, we emphasize an intergroup focus that recognizes the interdependent yet often divergent goals and motivations of marginalized and dominant groups. Mainstream institutions’ (colleges, workplaces) role as a critical site for inclusion interventions is discussed.
The present study examined whether an immigrant integration policy effort that is geared toward the educational inclusion of all adolescents may actually work toward the reduction of the gap between immigrant-background and non-immigrant students in their sense of social belonging at school. This study posited that a relatively lower sense of belonging at school among immigrant-background adolescents may be a manifestation of systemic social exclusion that permeates the educational system of a given country, thus hypothesizing that a public policy approach may be effective as a systemic intervention. A series of hierarchical generalized linear modeling analyses of data from 52,446 children across 2,248 schools in 25 countries was conducted. The results suggested that government efforts to formulate and enforce educational policies for immigrant integration may have some positive effect on the social inclusion of immigrant-background adolescents in school settings. This study has substantial significance as it provides an evidentiary base on the tangible impact of multicultural policies.
The effects of school-based ethnic diversity on student well-being and race-related views were examined during the first year in middle school. To capture the dynamic nature of ethnic exposure, diversity was assessed both at the school-level (n = 26) and based on academic course enrollments of African American, Asian, Latino, and White students (n = 4,302; M = 11.33 years). Across all four pan-ethnic groups, school-level ethnic diversity was associated with lower sense of vulnerability (i.e., feeling safer, less victimized, and less lonely) as well as perceptions of teachers' fair and equal treatment of ethnic groups and lower out-group distance. Underscoring the role of individual experiences, exposure to diversity in academic classes moderated the association between school-level diversity and the two aforementioned race-related views.
Adolescents’ ethnic–racial identity (ERI) formation represents an important developmental process that is associated with adjustment. The Identity Project intervention, grounded in developmental theory, was designed to engage adolescents in the ERI processes of exploration and resolution. The current small-scale efficacy trial involved an ethnic–racially diverse sample of adolescents (N = 215; Mage = 15.02, SD = .68) from eight classrooms that were randomly assigned by classroom to the intervention or attention control group. Differences between conditions in ERI exploration at Time 2 were consistent with desired intervention effects; furthermore, higher levels of ERI exploration at Time 2 predicted increases in ERI resolution at Time 3 only for youth in the treatment condition. Findings provide preliminary evidence of program efficacy.
The specificity principle in acculturation science asserts that specific setting conditions of specific people at specific times moderate specific domains in acculturation by specific processes. Our understanding of acculturation depends critically on what is studied where, in whom, how, and when. This article defines, explains, and illustrates the specificity principle in acculturation science. Research hypotheses about acculturation can be more adequately tested, inconsistencies and discrepancies in the acculturation literature can be satisfactorily resolved, acculturation interventions can be tailored to be more successful, and acculturation policies can be brought to new levels of effectiveness if the specificity principle that governs acculturation science is more widely recognized.
Can perceptions of equal treatment buffer the negative effects of threat on the school success of minority students? Focusing on minority adolescents from Turkish and Moroccan heritage in Belgium (Mage = 14.5; N = 735 in 47 ethnically diverse schools), multilevel mediated moderation analyses showed: (a) perceived discrimination at school predicted lower test performance; (b) experimentally manipulated stereotype threat decreased performance (mediated by increased disengagement); (c) perceived equal treatment at school predicted higher performance (mediated by decreased disengagement); and (d) personal and peer perceptions of equal treatment buffered negative effects of discrimination and stereotype threat. Thus, (situational) stereotype threat and perceived discrimination at school both undermine minority student success, whereas perceived equal treatment can provide a buffer against such threats.
The current study investigates two types of cultural diversity approaches at school, namely (1) fostering equality and (2) promoting cultural pluralism. Adopting a mixed-methods design, this study assesses teachers' (n = 207) and students' (n = 1,644) self-reported perceptions of descriptive norms and evaluates school practices and artefacts in the physical and virtual environment of 22 secondary schools in south-west Germany. Results showed that in all schools under investigation teachers and students perceived descriptive norms fostering mostly equality. A wide variety of practices and artefacts was found, revealing a third distinct cultural approach leaning towards endorsing the majority culture. Different practices and artefacts were linked to an emphasis on equality, cultural pluralism, and endorsing the majority culture. Implications for educational policy, as well as applied diversity research, are discussed.
A Monte Carlo simulation examined the performance of a recently available full information maximum likelihood (FIML) estimator in a multiple regression model with missing data. The effects of four independent variables were examined (missing data technique, missing data rate, sample size, and correlation magnitude) on three outcome measures regression coefficient bias, R-2 bias, and regression coefficient sampling variability. Three missing data patterns were examined based on Rubin's missing data theory: missing completely at random, missing at random, and a nonrandom. pattern. Results indicated that FIML estimation was superior to the three ad hoc techniques (listwise deletion, pairwise deletion, and mean imputatiom) across the conditions studied, FM parameter estimates generally had less bias and less sampling variability than the three ad hoc methods.
The uses and methodology of factor analysis are widely debated and discussed, especially the issues of rotational use, methods of confirmatory factor analysis, and adequate sample size. The variety of perspectives and often conflicting opinions can lead to confusion among researchers about best practices for using factor analysis. The focus of the present review is to clarify terminology, identify key issues, and clarify areas of debate regarding best practices and functions of factor analytic procedures. The conclusions and implications drawn should be useful to researchers in education, psychology, and cognate social fields who employ factor analytic procedures or evaluate research using factor analytic methods.
In the present study, we investigated two literature bases by way of a community survey across Australia. We investigated four acculturation orientations (assimilation, multiculturalism, color-blind, and polyculturalism ideologies) and the motivations to respond without prejudice. We examined what predicted support for Harmony Day as well as explicit discrimination. Multiculturalism, polyculturalism, and internal motivation to respond without prejudice correlated with positive attitudes in both scenarios. External motivation to respond without prejudice was positively correlated with discrimination. Conversely, color-blind ideology had no effect, and assimilation ideology related positively to explicit discrimination and negatively with Harmony Day. Using a multiple regression analysis, there was a difference in emphasis in different contexts. Our findings provide antiprejudice practitioners with material for discussions which can promote positive intergroup relations.
In a relatively short time span, issues of ethnic, cultural, and religious diversity have
become central topics of discussion in various nations. As a result, the role of broad
ideologies that frame and structure relations between groups has received increasing
attention by social psychologists. Of particular concern has been the role of these
intergroup ideologies in promoting intergroup harmony and reducing prejudice. In
this article, we appraise the evidence related to three main intergroup ideologies,
assimilation, colourblindness, and multiculturalism. We argue that research in this
area has paid insufficient attention to the social and political context. Intergroup
ideologies have been studied and conceptualised as being located solely within
individual minds. We suggest that the potentially vital aspect of these ideologies is
that they are sometimes widely shared by members of a social group. Integrating
sociological and political analyses, we discuss the fact that intergroup ideologies are
institutionalised as policies and that, as such, they often vary across countries and
across time. We present a series of studies to illustrate the theoretical implications
of studying the shared nature of these intergroup ideologies, providing insights into
the question of when and why national policies can shape individuals’ intergroup
attitudes and beliefs and improve intergroup relations.
Keywords: Colourblindness; Multiculturalism; Assimilation;
Multiculturalism and color-blindness represent distinct, and in many ways conflicting, approaches to intergroup relations. We provide a review of the research and theory guiding use of these ideologies as prejudice reduction strategies: Is it best for individuals to ignore category memberships and focus on fundamental human qualities that everyone shares, as color-blindness would suggest? Or should people adhere to multicultural ideals, recognizing and indeed celebrating differences between groups? After describing these ideologies and their respective theoretical underpinnings, we examine their effects on attitudes, perceptions, and intergroup interaction behavior. We emphasize in particular the link from color-blindness to self-focus and prevention orientation and from multiculturalism to an other-focused learning orientation. Although color-blindness can have positive effects in the short term, the efforts that it prompts to inhibit and suppress negative responses can be taxing and difficult to sustain. Multiculturalism triggers more positive intergroup attitudes and behavior in nonconflictual circumstances, but has the opposite effect in threatening situations. Nonetheless, because it leads to a focus on learning about others in intergroup situations multiculturalism has the virtue of generally fostering greater attention and responsiveness to outgroup members.