04. Inclusive Education
Paper
Behind the Scenes of Difference: a Phenomenological Study of the Impact of Theater Plays with Actors with Disabilities
Diogo Pinho, Manuela Sanches-Ferreira, Sílvia Alves
inED - Center for Research and Innovation in Education, Portugal
Presenting Author: Pinho, Diogo;
Sanches-Ferreira, Manuela
William Shakespeare wrote, in one of his most popular monologues “All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages. "
Inclusion is imperative for the quality of life of people – nevertheless, they have or do have not a disability condition – and it is strongly related to their opportunities to participate in society (Nijkamp & Cardol, 2020). The UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD; United Nations, 2006) can be seen as a cornerstone for implementing the indisputable principle of inclusion in all areas of society. In particular, Article 30.º committed the States Parties to adopt appropriate measures to enable persons with disabilities to have the opportunity to develop and utilize their creative, artistic and intellectual potential, not only for their own benefit but also for the enrichment of society. However, it is known that this right is not universally guaranteed (Hall, 2010), although inclusive cultural policies try to counteract this reality through formal statements on the right to artistic creation as a way to correct the asymmetries in access to enjoyment and cultural participation (Hall, 2005; Vlachou, 2020).
Thus, as a result of inclusive cultural policies, implemented by cultural institutions, significant activities in the community promoted by social service institutions, others by pure self-determination of individuals with disabilities/incapacity, or even in various forms of partnership, this problem has become more evident (Vlachou, 2020). This places the artistic milieu and culture professionals in general in a position where they need to respond to a population with functional diversity, often not being prepared to do so (Baltà & Floch, 2021). Based on international research in 42 countries, the Time to Act report demonstrates that cultural professionals in the performing arts lack the knowledge and experience to support equal access to the cultural sector for disabled artists, practitioners and audiences (Baltà & Floch, 2021). Perhaps this explains, in part, why art that has people with disabilities as protagonists, still does not have the due recognition, with the expectation about the artistic potential of this population being far below reality (Gjaerum & Rasmussen, 2010).
Art is a powerful tool for social transformation, as the sharing provided by the presentation of any form of art has the potential to trigger a change in each individual who absorbs the content of the work and also to intervene in the collective mentality, essential to the creation of an inclusive society predisposed to listen to functional diversity through its representatives in the world of art (Allan, 2014).
This study is part of an inclusive theatre project, which organizes several public events, integrating the cultural program of the city. In particular, this study aimed at understanding the multiple dimensions of the impact of this specific artistic project by describing the experience of the audience, the main actors – people with intellectual disability and the professionals who are involved in this event.
Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources UsedWe will present the results of an exploratory study, based on the analysis of an event in which a group of 15 adult artists with moderate and severe intellectual disability and 4 actors without disabilities presented an interpretation of the Essay About Blindness and Essay on Lucidity by José Saramago, in a municipal auditorium, publicized in the local cultural agenda.
Data was collected after the event through interviews developed to understand – from the perspective of the audience, actors and professionals – their expectations about the event; motivation to attend/participate/organize the event; the value of the event; willingness to repeat the experience. Participants included 42 members of the audience; 10 actors with intellectual disability and 4 actors without disabilities. Interviews occurred a few days after the event, after the first contact during the event. Interviews took an average of 15 minutes, and the discourse was transcribed for subsequent thematic analysis. In the case of actors with intellectual disabilities, interviews were carried out using photos of the event to elicit the expression of their emotions.
Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or FindingsResults revealed that most people who attended the event were family members or friends of actors. This indicates that their closest community witnesses public evidence of their artistic value and human potential, which can promote an increase in the expectations placed on them by people close to their daily lives, who praise them, which contributes to their self-esteem and self-image. In turn, it indicates that knowledge of the artistic value of people with disabilities works could be better disseminated in society, the inclusive message cannot be limited to his closest community, it implies an integrated approach in all sectors of society. Through the responses given by the public, it can be seen that these moments promote reflection on human rights and that they bring to mind slogans such as “All different, all equal”
The artists unanimously expressed the same desire to continue the inclusive theatre project. When viewing the video of the audience standing up to applaud the work they had just presented, they all related the moment to feelings of happiness, personal fulfilment and public recognition. Some, even acknowledging its importance, confessed that they did not like certain parts of the process, certain exercises of a more formative nature did not trigger much interest, memorizing the texts was difficult, there was a constant latent nervousness, it was tiring, etc.
All the professionals consider this a propitious moment to disseminate an inclusive message, recognizing here as a privileged place to reach the community. They also consider the various therapeutic effects that the activity provides fruitful, the fact that they have to overcome a series of challenges, it works as a source of motivation to work on some aspects related to mobility, communication, socialization, execution of tasks, among other learning that can have an impact on your quality of life
ReferencesAllan, J. (2014). Inclusive education and the arts. Cambridge Journal of Education, 44(4), 511-523. DOI: 10.1080/0305764X.2014.921282
Gjaerum, R.G. & Rasmussen, B. (2010). The achievements of disability art: Study of inclusive theatre, inclusive research, and extraordinary actors. Youth Theatre Journal, 24(2), 99–110.
Hall E. (2005). The entangled geographies of social exclusion/inclusion for people with learning disabilities. Health & place, 11(2), 107–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2004.10.007
Hall, E. (2010). Spaces of social inclusion and belonging for people with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 54(1), 48–57.
Nijkamp, J. & Cardol, M., (2020). Diversity, opportunities, and challenges of inclusive theatre. Journal of Social Inclusion, 11(2).
On the Move (Baltà, J. & Floch, Y.) (2021). Time to Act: How Lack of Knowledge in the Cultural Sector Creates Barriers for Disabled Artists and Audiences. On the Move. Available at: https:// www.disabilityartsinternational.org/wp-content/ uploads/2022/01/TIMETO2.pdf (Accessed: 10 January 2022)
04. Inclusive Education
Paper
The Place of Cultural Responsivity in Teacher Education Programmes on the Island of Ireland
Martin Brown1, Patricia Eaton2, Manuella Heinz4, Joanna Hughes3, Joe O'Hara1, Anna Rowan2
1DCU Institute of Education, Ireland; 2stranmillis university college, Northern Ireland; 3Queens University, Belfast, Northern Ireland; 4University of Galway
Presenting Author: Brown, Martin
There is limited research relating to the extent to which student teachers are prepared to teach in culturally diverse learning environments. To fill the lacuna of research in this area, the Irish Government’s Shared Island Standing Conference on Teacher Education, North and South (SCoTENS) initiative funded the project being reported on here is to highlight the extent to which Cultural Responsivity (CR) is embedded in the curricula of primary and secondary Initial Teacher Education(ITE) programmes on the island of Ireland. The project saw
- the production of a review of the literature on Cultural Responsivity in Initial Teacher Education programmes;
- an overview of the policy instruments and regulations that are used to enhance Cultural Responsivity in educational settings on the island of Ireland;
- a synopsis of eligibility criteria and regulatory requirements to become a teacher in Ireland and Northern Ireland;
- an analysis of the place of Cultural Responsivity in Initial Teacher Education programmes concluded with a discussion of the findings and recommendations to align existing programmes with the professional development needs of newly qualified teachers in order to help them acquire the skills and dispositions to teach in culturally diverse learning environments.
It is proposed to provide briefly mention each of these sections in the presentation, focusing on the findings relating to the alignment and professional development of NQT’s on the island of Ireland.
European Dimension
The project is designed to examine different ITE policies in the two jurisdictions on the island of Ireland – Northern Ireland and Ireland. Despite close historic links in the 19th century education systems in general and ITE systems in particular have diverged since the division of the island in 1922. This creates a rich comparative policy space to explore how different European ITE systems address issues relating to culture and cultural responsivity.
The place of CR in ITE
Gay (2002) defines culturally responsive teaching ‘as using the cultural characteristics, experiences, and perspectives of ethnically diverse students as conduits for teaching them more effectively’ (p.106). Heineke and Ryan (2019) also present a teacher education model grounded in sociocultural theory to develop an enduring understanding for prospective teachers about the diverse population of students through building their knowledge base, skill set and dispositions.
The policy and practice imperative for CR education in IE and NI
Though migration is a relatively new phenomenon in IE, the diversity of cultures, languages and faiths is recognised in several regulations. The Education Act 1998 (Government of Ireland1998a) legally obliges the education system ‘to make provision in the interests of the common good for the education of every person in the state..’ At the ITE level, initiatives such The Development and Intercultural Education (DICE) programme also attempt to integrate elements of CR In programmes.
With growing diversity in NI schools, the government presented the Integrated Education Bill 2021 as an amendment to the Shared Education Act 2016. The 2016 Act describes diversity and integrated education in terms of mainly Protestant and Catholic learners, whereas the new bill provides a more comprehensive definition of integrated education as a form of education that embraces learners of all religions and no religion and respects cultural, ability and socioeconomic differences. The focus on increasing diversity in curriculum structures and practices is one of the routes that ITE students in NI engage with these issues. For example, the Education and Training Inspectorate (2022), as part of their Safeguarding Proforma requires schools to demonstrate an ethos and culture of inclusion for students. Finally, cultural awareness is also one of the key elements of the curriculum aiming to develop children and young people as contributors to society.
Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources UsedThis study used a qualitative research design and using Scott’s (2006) selection criteria for document analysis, data was collected via ITE courses and programmes available on the websites of the HEIs in IE and NI. Regulatory and statutory instruments together with various policy documents and initiatives relating to CR were also collected through for example, the websites of the respective Departments of Education. Official websites are regarded as some of the most reliable and accurate sources of information, of which up-to-date information can be accessed freely and quickly, thereby satisfying Scott’s (2006) selection criteria (currency, accuracy and reliability, relevance and authority) for document analysis.
As a first step, we reviewed the literature on CR, public policy documents concerning interculturalism in education, and the regulations, statutory instruments, policy documents and initiatives relating to CR in education in IE and NI. Following on from this, between August 2022 and January 2023, the websites of all ITE programmes for teachers (and school leaders) in IE (15) and NI (4) were analysed using deductive coding, of which, 85 programmes (69 in IE and 16 in NI) and 176 modules (151 in IE and 25 in NI) were reviewed in the first phase . The deductive codes comprised of: the structure of the programme; the title of the course or module; the manner of teaching and assessment (e.g. seminar, lecture, independent study); whether the module is compulsory or optional; the number of ECTS and UCAS points for the module, participation requirements; a description of the course.
In the second phase, each module were categorised according to Schrammel-Leber’s (2019) embedment criteria in order to provide an overall interpretation of the place of CR in ITE on the island of Ireland.
Level Description
6 The module has diversity or inclusion used in the title and has high weightage in the overall programme (e.g. 60 ECTS)
5 Diversity/inclusion is used explicitly in the title of the module
4 The overarching aim of the module relates to diversity or inclusion
3 The dominant theme in the description of the module relates to diversity or
inclusion
2 Diversity is mentioned in the general description of the module
1 Diversity appears together with other diversity topics (such as gender, disability, social class, race and ethnicity) in a general description of a course
Schrammel-Leber’s (2019) levels of embedment
Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or FindingsIt is reassuring to discover some obvious CR aspects of in NI and IE ITE programmes preparing teachers to teach diverse classrooms. Themes such as interculturalism, second language pedagogy, social justice and equality appear frequently in the titles, aims and descriptions of the modules. Additionally, student teachers are encouraged to gain classroom experience in multiple settings while supported by experienced teachers. However, the extent to which student teachers are exposed to a range of culturally diverse learning environments as described by Ladson-Billing (2006), Yuan (2018) is questionable.
The use of the Schrammel – Leber model indicated that features of CR are thinly spread over 69 programmes in IE, which raises a question about the adequacy of these elements to equip teachers to meet the learning needs of students from diverse backgrounds. The analysis also revealed that in NI there are few examples of such features in the ITE programmes investigated. Arguably, being a historically divided society (Magennis and Richardson 2020), ITE programmes in NI have more reason to allocate exclusive learning time to migration-related themes and the teaching of fundamental values to prepare teachers to be the agents of change and help schools be more tolerant and equitable.
In conclusion, the analytical framework for effective implementation of CR-ITE emphasises the availability of supporting policies that encourage the incorporation of migration-related themes. IE and NI both have CR supportive policies, but these are not fully implemented to any significant degree in ITE. This presentation, therefore, proposes a review of ITE curricula in IE and NI and the integration of migration-related diversity as a core theme of a compulsory module. Finally, there is also a need to ascertain the extent to which ITE students experience culturally diverse learning environments during their teaching practice.
ReferencesBrown, M., McNamara, G., O’Hara, J., Hood, S., Burns, D. and Kurum, G., 2019. “Evaluating the impact of distributed culturally responsive leadership in a disadvantaged rural primary school in Ireland. Educational Management” Administration & Leadership, 47(3), pp.457-474.
Brown, M., Altrichter, H., Shiyan, I., Rodríguez Conde, M. J., McNamara, G., Herzog-Punzenberger, B., Vorobyeva, I., et al. 2022. “Challenges and Opportunities for Culturally Responsive Leadership in Schools: Evidence from Four European Countries.” Policy Futures in Education 20 (5): 580–607.
Cadenas, G. A., Cisneros, J., Spanierman, L. B., Yi, J., and Todd, N. R. 2021. “Detrimental Effects of Color-Blind Racial Attitudes in Preparing a Culturally Responsive Teaching Workforce for Immigrants.” Journal of Career Development 48 (6): 926–41.
Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessments. 2019. “The Northern Ireland Curriculum Primary.” https://ccea.org.uk/learning-resources/northern-ireland-curriculum-primary.
Department of Education NI. 2012. “Languages for the Future.” https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/publications/languages-future-northern-ireland-languages-strategy-final-report.
———. 2022a. “Teacher Qualifications and Registration.” https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/topics/teaching-staff/teacher-qualifications-and-registration.
———. 2022b. “Policy - Every School a Good School - Supporting Newcomer Pupils.” https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/articles/policy-every-school-good-school-supporting-newcomer-pupils
Government of Ireland. 2018. Equal Status Act 2000 Revised: Updated to 3 October 2018. https://adsdatabase.ohchr.org/IssueLibrary/IRELAND_Equal%20Status%20Act.pdf.
Ladson‐Billings, G. 2006. “It’s Not the Culture of Poverty, It’s the Poverty of Culture: The Problem with Teacher Education.” Anthropology & Education Quarterly 37 (2): 104–109.
Magennis, J., and Richardson, N. 2020. “A ‘Peace’ of the Jigsaw: The Perspectives of Early Years Professionals on Inclusion and Diversity within the Context of Northern Ireland.” Education 3-13 48 (4): 365–78.
Schrammel-Leber, B., Boeckmann, K. B., Gilly, D., Gučanin-Nairz, V., Carré-Karlinger, C., Lanzmaier-Ugri, K., and Theurl, P. 2019. “Language Education in the Context of Migration and Multilingualism in Pedagogical Education.” ÖDaF-Mitteilungen 35 (1–2): 176–90. https://doi.org/10.14220/odaf.2019.35.1.176.
Scott, J., ed. 2006. Documentary Research. SAGE Publications.
Trasberg, K., and Kond, J. 2017. “Teaching New Immigrants in Estonian Schools – Challenges for a Support Network.” Acta Pedagogica Vilnensia 38: 90–100.
Yuan, H. 2018. “Preparing Teachers for Diversity: A Literature Review and Implications from Community-Based Teacher Education.” Higher Education Studies 8 (1): 9–17.
04. Inclusive Education
Paper
Doing Research WITH People with Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities
Joanna Grace
University of Southampton, United Kingdom
Presenting Author: Grace, Joanna
People with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities are a marginalised and excluded population, their exclusion from the research arena is one of many underlying causes to their vulnerability within society (Mietola et al., 2017). Within educational research, and indeed research at large, there has been a drive to hear directly from those effected by the research and a recognition of the value of inclusive research strategies. Heralding the cry of ‘Nothing about us without us’ (Charlton, 1998) the inclusive research community has moved from research done on people with learning disabilities to research done for, done with, and even done by people with learning disabilities (Bigby et al., 2014). However as the field of inclusive research advances people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities have been left behind (de Haas et al., 2022; Mietola et al., 2017), and as moves are made to better define what counts as inclusive research there is a risk that a door will be closed upon them as definitions are given which specify criteria people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities are unable to meet (Bigby et al., 2014).
This conference paper will provide an introduction to research into identity conducted with people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities. Within education, as with elsewhere in their lives, people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities battle against the presence of what Goffman (1970), termed a ‘spoiled master identity’. Depending on how one conceptualises identity the presence of a master identity can mean a person’s core essential identity is not seen, or that a person does not have the opportunity to present, construct or perform their true identity or their other possible identities.
People with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities have been considered too complex to include in research (Kellett & Nind, 2001; Maes et al., 2021), and have been ‘necessarily excluded’ from it (Hill et al., 2016, p. 28), contributing to their marginalised and vulnerable status. By considering identity as embodied, and through the use of creative research methodologies, this work seeks to locate people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities in the philosophical landscape of identity and state their belonging within research as a whole.
Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources UsedThe work considered in this paper takes a creative approach to participant observation informed by sensory ethnography (Pink, 2015), phenomenology (Merleau-Ponty, 1945), and facet methodology (Mason, 2011). Developed in conjunction with research partners with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities, in attendance at two special schools in Cornwall, the work aims at creating research encounters in which people with and without profound intellectual and multiple disabilities explore embodied identity as equals, facilitated through the sharing of novel objects. The equality aspired to is not one of sameness, but rather one of a shifting balance of power, visualised as scales tipping sometimes one way and sometimes the other, but overall with the power shared equally between the two. The work is similarly ambitious with regards to the ‘with’ it aspires to achieve. Taking on the challenge for there to be a ‘radically different approach’ (Klotz, 2004, p. 99), to including people with intellectual disabilities it aims for a ‘with’ that is more than the active participation of people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities in an aspect of the research process, (e.g. McCormack, 2017; Rushton & Kossyvaki, 2020), and more than a close up observation of another’s life experience (e.g. Leaning & Watson, 2006; Simmons, 2014), reaching instead for a ‘with’ of shared meaning apprehended together through a process of ‘being-with’ one another (Goodwin, 2019; Macpherson et al., 2016; Simmons, 2021).
In order to envisage working collaboratively with people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities it is necessary to conceptualise research as discovery of meaning, rather than acquisition of knowledge. This involves recognising research partners will hold meaning in different ways, e.g. embodied, in thoughts, and acknowledge that the approach will necessarily yield an incomplete form of knowing in light of our inability to perceive another’s mental landscape or live another’s life experiences. In its valuing of insight over totality this approach is aligned with contemporary work within the field of identity (Mendieta, 2003), and moves towards a post-modern understanding of what it means to do research inclusively with people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities.
(The work is currently in development, by the time of the conference it will be underway, consequently the reporting at the conference should be expected to exceed what is stated here as it will be updated in accordance with our understanding at that time.)
Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or FindingsThis work honours the need for researchers attempting to do research inclusively with people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities to start from ‘a deep understanding’ (de Haas et al., 2022, p. 159), of those people rather than from a fixed idea of research methodology. In creatively answering the challenge that people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities are too complex to be included in research, through its deployment of collaboratively developed research methods, this work is an attempt at a post-modern approach to inclusive research design which challenges the hegemony of intellectual ways of knowing. The methods used support the creation of ‘‘meeting points’ which enable a non-verbal conversation to take place’ (Macpherson et al., 2016, p. 371) allowing meaning to be apprehended and shared in non-traditional ways.
Through demonstrating the belonging of people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities within the philosophical landscape of identity, justified not through fairness or fruitfulness (though both of these claims would be warranted) but through the ontological fact of their existence, this work serves as an example of their rightful belonging within research as a whole.
ReferencesBigby, C., Frawley, P., & Ramcharan, P. (2014). Conceptualizing inclusive research with people with intellectual disability. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 27(1),3–12.
Charlton, J. (1998). Nothing About Us Without Us. University of California.
de Haas, C., Grace, J., Hope, J., & Nind, M. (2022). Doing Research Inclusively. Social Sciences, 11(4),159.
Goffman, E. (1970). Stigma. Penguin.
Goodwin, J. (2019). Sharing an Aesthetic Space of Refuge Within a School for Pupils with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities. PhD thesis. https://winchester.elsevierpure.com/en/studentTheses/sharing-an-aesthetic-space-of-refuge-within-a-school-for-pupils-w
Hill, V., Croydon, A., Greathead, S., Kenny, L., Yates, R., & Pellicano, E. (2016). Research methods for children with multiple needs. Educational and Child Psychology, 33(3),26–43.
Kellett, M., & Nind, M. (2001). Ethics in quasi-experimental research on people with severe learning disabilities. British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 29(2),51–55.
Klotz, J. (2004). Sociocultural study of intellectual disability. British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 32(2),93–104.
Leaning, B., & Watson, T. (2006). From the inside looking out. British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 34(2),103–109.
Macpherson, H., Fox, A., Street, S., Cull, J., Jenner, T., Lake, D., Lake, M., & Hart, S. (2016). Lessons from artists with and without learning disabilities. Environment and Planning D: Society and Space, 34(2),371–389.
Maes, B., Nijs, S., Vandesande, S., van keer, I., Arthur‐Kelly, M., Dind, J., Goldbart, J., Petitpierre, G., & van der Putten, A. (2021). Methodological challenges and future directions in research on persons with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 34(1),250–262.
Mason, J. (2011). Facet Methodology. Methodological Innovations Online, 6(3),75–92.
McCormack, N. (2017). Making Memory SitesPhD thesis. https://doi.org/10.15123/PUB.6363
Mendieta, E. (2003). Afterword. Identities. In L. Alcoff & E. Mendieta (Eds.), Identities. Race, class, Gender and Nationality. Blackwell.
Merleau-Ponty, M. (1945). Phenomenology of Perception. Routledge.
Mietola, R., Miettinen, S., & Vehmas, S. (2017). Voiceless Subjects? Research Ethics and Persons with Profound Intellectual Disabilities. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 20(3),
Pink, S. (2015). Doing Sensory Ethnography (2nd ed.). Sage.
Rushton, R., & Kossyvaki, L. (2020). Using Musical Play with children with profound and multiple learning disabilities at school. British Journal of Special Education, 47(4),489–509.
Simmons, B. (2014). The “PMLD ambiguity”: articulating the lifeworlds of children with profound and multiple learning difficulties. Karnac
Simmons, B. (2021). The Production of Social Spaces for Children with Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 42(5–6),828–844.
04. Inclusive Education
Paper
Social and Personal Determinants of Student Attitudes toward Multicultural Relations in Society and Education
Milosh Raykov1, Victor Martinelli1, Christine Fenech2
1University of Malta, Malta; 2Institute for Education
Presenting Author: Raykov, Milosh;
Fenech, Christine
Since global migrations are on the rise, this social phenomenon requires evidence-based solutions to respond to the changing situation in education and broader society. According to Eurostat (2022), of the 447 million people living in the European Union, 8.4% (37.5 million) people were born in another Member State, and the number of immigrants is continuously increasing. For example, in 2020, despite the decreased number of immigrants due to the global coronavirus pandemic, almost two million immigrants entered the EU from non-EU countries. A recent study by the International Monetary Fund (Engler et al., 2020) found that almost 300 million people worldwide are immigrants and that the number of immigrants has rapidly increased during the past decade. The same study also found that countries with advanced economies receive a disproportionally larger proportion of immigrants than developing countries and that immigrants, regardless of their education and skills, provide valuable contributions to the host countries. Most economically developed countries require immigrants' participation in their labour force for their economies to grow (OECD, 2014; Engler, et al., 2020; Hunt, 2010; Liebig & Mo, 2013). Notwithstanding, research often uncovers regular ethnic and cultural prejudice, intolerance and discrimination towards immigrants. For example, the Eurobarometer surveys consistently find that the most frequent forms of discrimination are based on ethnic origin and cultural and religious beliefs (Eurobarometer, 2015, 2019). A recent study confirmed sustained levels of discrimination overall, and in some work domains, it found even higher levels of discrimination (AGE Platform Europe, 2022). Similarly, a recent large-scale study conducted in Germany found that an overwhelming number of citizens believe that there is widespread individual and institutional discrimination towards members of ethnic minority groups (Center for Integration and Migration Research, 2021).
The large and continuously increasing number of immigrants in the European Union is likely to continue due to the global economic crisis (Pugliese & Ray, 2023). This phenomenon requires host countries to develop different levels of social intervention and adaptation of their educational systems to integrate immigrants into the host society and provide receptive environments in educational institutions and workplaces (Bucher, 2015; Gollnick & Chinn, 2013). There is also evidence of an existing knowledge gap about multicultural attitudes in society and education (Bista, 2022; Molgat & Larose-Hébert, 2010), and one of the objectives of this study is to contribute to this insufficiently explored domain of intergroup relations. Our ongoing study aims to explore university students' attitudes towards life in a multicultural society. The study is expected to provide evidence relevant to educational practice and evidence-based educational and cultural policies and interventions.
Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources UsedThe study uses a cross-sectional methodological approach with the application of an online survey - the revised Multicultural Ideology (MCI-r) scale (Lefringhausen et al., 2022; Stogianni et al., 2023) to collect data from university students. The theoretical framework of this survey is based on the conceptualization of multicultural ideology and life in multicultural societies (Berry, 1990, 1997, 2005). The revised MCI-r scale collects data about participants' opinions and attitudes toward cultural maintenance, equity-inclusion, social interaction, and consequences of diversity. The study also collects some basic demographics and individual characteristics of students.
Following the data collection, the researchers will apply a comprehensive exploratory and multivariate analysis of the collected data to determine the pattern of students' multicultural ideology and the relationships between student attitudes toward multicultural relations and their demographic and individual characteristics.
Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or FindingsThe study contributes to the existing empirical and theoretical studies of intergroup social relations and factors that influence students' attitudes towards a multicultural approach to social life in modern society (Miller Dyce & Owusu-Ansah, 2016). The study offers evidence applicable to teaching practice and evidence-based policymaking about the possibilities for influencing students' attitudes and beliefs about life in multicultural societies (Grant & Bolin, 2016; Jokikokko, 2005). In this way, the proposed study contributes to closing the existing knowledge gaps related to the viability and effects of multicultural education.
ReferencesBerry, J. W. (1990). Psychology of acculturation: Understanding individuals moving between cultures. In R. W. Brislin (Ed.), Applied cross-cultural psychology (pp. 232–253). Sage.
Berry, J. W. (1997). Immigration, acculturation, and adaptation. Applied psychology, 46(1), 5-34.
Berry, J. W. (2005). Acculturation: Living successfully in two cultures. International journal of intercultural relations, 29(6), 697-712.
Bista, K. (2022). Examining College Students' Multicultural Education Perspectives. Journal of Education, 00220574221076451.
Bucher, R. D. (2015). Diversity consciousness. Opening Our Minds to People, Cultures, and Opportunities. Pearson.
Center for Integration and Migration Research. (2021). Rassistische Realitäten. Center for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM).
Engler, P., Honjo, K., MacDonald, M., Piazza, R., & Sher, G. (2020). The Macroeconomic Effects of Global Migration. World Economic Outlook 2020: The Great Lockdown (77-101). International Monetary Fund.
Eurobarometer. (2015). Discrimination in the EU in 2015. Special Eurobarometer, 437. Directorate-General for Communication.
Eurobarometer. (2019). Discrimination in the EU in 2019. The Special Eurobarometer 493. Directorate-General for Communication.
Eurostat. (March 2022). Migration and migrant population statistics. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title= Migration_and_migrant_population_statistics
Gollnick, D. M., & Chinn, P. C. (2013). Multicultural education in a pluralistic society. Pearson.
Grant, N. S., & Bolin, B. L. (2016). Digital storytelling: A method for engaging students and increasing cultural competency. Journal of Effective Teaching, 16(3), 44-61.
Hunt, J. (2010). Skilled immigrants' contribution to innovation and entrepreneurship in the US. Open for business: Migrant entrepreneurship in OECD countries. OECD Publishing.
Jokikokko, K. (2005). Interculturally trained Finnish teachers' conceptions of diversity and intercultural competence. Intercultural Education, 16(1), 69-83.
Karataş, K., & Oral, B. (2015). Teachers' perceptions on culturally responsiveness in education. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies, 2(2), 47-57.
Lefringhausen, K., Berry, J. W., Grigoryev, D., & Stogianni, M. (2022). Validation of the Revised Multicultural Ideology Scale (MCI-r) in the UK. Psychological Reports, 00332941221142002.
Liebig, T. & J. Mo (2013). The fiscal impact of immigration in OECD countries. International Migration Outlook 2013. OECD Publishing.
Molgat, M., & Larose-Hébert, K. (2010). The values of youth in Canada. Policy Research Initiative.
OECD. (2014). Is migration good for the economy? Migration Policy Debates, May 2014.
Pugliese, A. & Ray, J. (January 24, 2023). Nearly 900 Million Worldwide Wanted to Migrate in 2021. https://news.gallup.com.
Stogianni, M., Berry, J. W., Grigoryev, D., Murdock, E., Schmidt, L. M., & Back, C. (2023). Development and validation of the revised multicultural ideology scale in Germany and Luxembourg. Psychological Reports, 126(1), 477-501.
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