“We the Multicultural Learning Community”

Using the Power of Perspectives to Build a Cross-Cultural Community

of LearnersRebecca K. Fox, Ph.D.

Jorge P. Osterling, Ph.D.George Mason University

Fairfax, VA

12th Annual International NAME Conference October 31, 2002

Action Research Projectin a

Multicultural Teacher Education Program

Report on Emergent Results & Lessons Learned from a Qualitative Study

George Mason University

Session Objectives Report on Ongoing Research Study Share information about strategies used in

retooled graduate course to help teacher candidates develop cross-cultural competence

Promote a 21st Century philosophy that teachers must become “cultural brokers”

Promote collaboration, discussion among attendees about best teacher education practices that foster equity for all learners

Today’s Agenda

Background of the Study– Overview– Research question

Strategies used to create a cross cultural community of learners.

Examples Results Dialogue: questions and discussion.

Background

Impetus for the study– Co-teaching opportunity

– Major demographic changes: USA & Greater Washington Metro Area Graduate Student Population

– Challenge and opportunity to re-tool: Required first-semester graduate course

– Opportunity for professional growth

Research Site

Graduate School of Education

George Mason University

Fairfax, VA

Longitudinal Project Stages

1. Action research project conducted during 2001 Fall Semester in EDCI 516 [Bilingualism and Language Acquisition Research]

2. Follow-up research on study participants & learners in their PK-12 classrooms.

3. Emergent and ongoing recommendations for programmatic growth and change.

EDCI 516Bilingualism and Language Acquisition Research

Course Description– Provides students with a knowledge of

L1 & L2 acquisition, including the interaction of a bilingual’s two languages with implications for the classroom.

– Required course for Virginia State PK-12 ESL/FL licensure and for foreign language immersion teachers.

Vygotsky’s Contribution Zone of Proximal Development

Lev Semenovich Vygotsky (1896 – 1934).

Social interaction plays a fundamental role in the development of cognition.

Freire’s ContributionThe Teacher as a Learner

Paulo Freire

(1921 – 1997 ) The importance of the

interaction of teaching with learning on a dynamic and ongoing dialogic process.

One does not happen without the other.

Dialogue demands respect for

the learner and his/her reading

of the World.

Our Point of Departure - part 1

Our Point of Departure - part 2

Developing a New Lens

Becoming part of a larger

Community of Learners

EDUC 516: Learning Community

Building and developing a dialogical learning community composed of graduate students and professors.

Challenges Opportunities

The EDCI Learning Community

CHARACTERISTICS

EDCI 516: Our point of departure

Two professors of second language acquisition and multi-cultural education;

Teaching Bilingualism and language acquisition research to polyglots –

28 polyglot students: from romance to Asian languages, from Arabic to Russian, including ASL teachers working with students who come from countries where English is not the native language

25 - 30% of the class composed of non-native English speakers

Co-Teaching a Graduate Course

Potential zone of conflict?

An opportunity for collaborative teaching?

Our Learning Community

Solo Teaching: Professor A

Osterling

Solo Teaching: Professor B

Fox

Covering Part of the Whole Globe:

Professors’ Contributions

OsterlingFox

Fox Osterling

Students become teachersTeachers become learners

Strategies Used

Instructors jointly planned and presented.

Technology:– Blackboard-5 Instructional

Platform

– PowerPoint guides for major topics

– E-Mail Multiple intelligences/ learning

styles theory Guest speakers Literature and narratives

Funds of Knowledge theory

Group projects

Small group hands-on

collaboration

Performance-based course

products [language analysis

project]

Written feedback/ evaluations

Student socialization [ e.g., snacks

at break , potluck dinner].

Results of the Research:

1. A community where

everybody teaches and

everybody learns.

Results:

2. The power of modeling negotiation and experiential learning in the preparation of teachers for the 21st Century

Skill building through experiences

All participants have a voice

A respect is built out of and for all

Results

3. The importance of on-going formative and summative assessment along the continuum of the semester– help to draw conclusions– provide opportunities for synthesis– essential for constructivist learning

approach and for scaffolding

Results4. Technology supplied an essential

community building element– discussion strands (Santiago and other topics

drawn from weekly readings)

– power point guides to course themes

– postings from Krashen, Unz, and NCBE Newsletter provide current context

– emails and announcements facilitate course work and communication

Results

Open atmosphere lowers affective filter

Time for formal and informal social interaction support collegiality and the philosophy of a learning community

We thank you for this rich opportunity to

explore another dimension in our teaching

and learning.

It has been MOST enlightening!

We look forward to hearing about your

teaching and continuing learning

pathways, so please stay in touch.