Measuring attitudes, comfort and action among social justice educators
Subsequent Statement of Responsibility
Mistry, Rashmita S
.PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION, ETC
Name of Publisher, Distributor, etc.
UCLA
Date of Publication, Distribution, etc.
2016
DISSERTATION (THESIS) NOTE
Body granting the degree
UCLA
Text preceding or following the note
2016
SUMMARY OR ABSTRACT
Text of Note
Current events in the United States have brought the detrimental effects of discrimination to the forefront of American mainstream politics and discourse. School climates often reflect societal tensions and can be fueled by the unconscious biases of teachers. This can result in differential treatment of youth by race, sexuality, gender, ability and class (Skiba, Michael, Nardo, & Peterson, 2002) and can affect students' sense of belonging, motivation, and academic performance (Tajfel, & Turner, 1986; Derks, van Laar, & Ellemers, 2006). Many teachers report feeling uncomfortable addressing social justice issues with their students (DiAngelo, 2012; White, Mistry, & Chow, 2013). Intergroup dialogue (IGD), which is grounded in Longitudinal Intergroup Contact Theory, proposes not only that the contact between social groups matter, but that the duration and nature of that contact is also key (Pettigrew, 1998). Often used to reduce discriminatory behavior on college campuses, IGD brings together individuals with different social identities, over a sustained period of time, in order to lead to social change. The current mixed methods study employed quantitative (e.g., surveys) and qualitative (e.g., journals, interviews) data to assess the effects of a sustained dialogue intervention on pre-service teachers' attitudes, comfort, experiences and actions related to their training as social justice educators. More specifically, 34 K-12 pre-service teachers--enrolled in a teacher education Master's program, located at a premier, public university in Southern California--participated in two separate identities courses as part of their training. Participants in the comparison group were enrolled in the standard practice identities course, whereas the intervention group participated in a pilot 10-week IGD course. Data were collected over eight months, through pre- and post-intervention surveys and interviews and from the journals of intervention participants. While survey results indicated that both cohorts of students entered the program and study with high social justice mindsets, qualitative findings suggested that while an identities course was beneficial for pre-service teachers' professional development, the IGD format enhanced this curriculum by promoting deeper levels of awareness and comfort in navigating interpersonal and intergroup relations for students. Logistical implications and other challenges are discussed.