The+impact+of+multicultural+education+on+students’+perceptions+of+power+and+inequality

**The impact of multicultural education on students’ perceptions of power and inequality** Rujuta Umarji, g raduate student in the School of Social Work, University of Michigan [rujuta.umarji@gmail.com] Lorraine Gutierrez, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor in the School of Social Work and Department of  Psychology, University of Michigan [lorraing@umich.edu]



**Keywords:** Quantitative, multicultural, civic learning

**Track:** Civic learning outcomes for students in K-12 and higher education

**Format:** Poster presentation


 * Date & time: **Thursday 3:20-4:30
 * Location: **Salon 4 / Salon 9

**Summary:** The impact of multicultural education courses on students’ understanding of power among income groups as a demonstration of multicultural competence is examined. Participants were recruited from three multicultural education courses and a control group course. All participants were surveyed at pre-test and post-test. Findings indicate differences in power balance ratings between pre-test and post-test for the experimental group. In addition, demographic factors emerged as important predictors for ratings of power. The implications of these findings are very important for curriculum development of multicultural education courses in higher education as well as shaping of policies mandating multicultural education in universities.

Findings also demonstrated that significant predictors were consistent for lower income and upper income power ratings, but middle income ratings had different predictors. For all groups, pre-test score on the same scale significantly predicted the post-test score.

As demographics emerged as important predictors, professors may want to facilitate discussions around students’ backgrounds impacting their views of the world, so that students may hear diverse perspectives on power and inequality. In addition, the change in ratings from pre-test to post-test for the experimental group indicates the effectiveness of the course in teaching students about power inequalities. This finding has policy implications in the field of higher education as evidence for mandating multicultural education courses as University requirements.

**References:** Borden, A. W. (2007). The impact of service-learning on ethnocentrism in an intercultural communication course. //Journal of Experiential Education, 30//(2), 171-183. Retrieved from http://www.aee.org/skin1/pages/US/journal.htm

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">Gurin, P., Miller, A.H., & Gurin, G. (1980). Stratum identification and consciousness. //Social Psychology Quarterly,// //43//(1), 30-47.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">Lopez, G. E., Gurin, P., & Nagda, B. A. (1998). Education and understanding structural causes for group inequalities. //Political Psychology//, 305-329.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">Simons, L., Williams, E., Hirshinger-Blank, N., Willis, K., Dry, C., Floyd, C., & Russell, B. (2008). Cultural-based service-learning as a transformative learning experience for undergraduate students and community recipients. //Information for Action: A Journal// //for Service-Learning Research With Children and Youth//, //1//(2), 19-45.

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