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Higher Learning for Citizenship in a Diverse Democracy

Higher Learning for Citizenship in a Diverse Democracy. Sylvia Hurtado, Professor Higher Education Research Institute, UCLA Pullias Lecture. Key Points. Higher education’s role in preparing students for the just and equitable society we aspire to become.

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Higher Learning for Citizenship in a Diverse Democracy

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  1. Higher Learning for Citizenship in a Diverse Democracy Sylvia Hurtado, Professor Higher Education Research Institute, UCLA Pullias Lecture

  2. Key Points • Higher education’s role in preparing students for the just and equitable society we aspire to become. • Redefining citizenship to include diversity and commitment to civic equality. • We have an opportunity to create the conditions for enhancing students’ cognitive, social, and democratic skills.

  3. Preparing College Students for a Diverse Democracy Project • Ten public universities, building coherence in undergraduate education and making the most of diversity • Longitudinal Survey of Class of 2000 • Classroom studies of students’ using CTDT, DIT, RCI and survey • Site visits, interviews, student focus groups with diverse students

  4. The Project- Institutional Change • Introduce new outcomes assessment related to preparation for a diverse democracy • Work with campuses to implement assessment—campus research team and practice team • Engender discussions across campuses/within campuses about promising practices, collaboration • All data collected were returned to campuses for their use

  5. Project- Advancing Scholarship • Extend the research in the Michigan court cases, continual challenges • Link cognitive, social, and democratic skill development • Provide empirical base for merging civic engagement and diversity • Assess the link between survey measures and standardized tests

  6. Theory: Are Students Actively Learning? • Cognitive psychologists state we all have tendencies toward mindlessness, familiarity and routine. (Langer) • Disequilibrium occurs when one encounters new, unfamiliar situations that depart from current ways of thinking.(Piaget, Chickering) • All social and cognitive development occurs in interaction with others. • Frequent engagement with peers results in values, skills, and knowledge development (Kuh, Newcomb, Astin).

  7. Key Outcome Examples Complex thinking—capacity to think about behaviors as socially and historically linked Perspective-Taking—ability to see the world from someone else’s behavior Pluralistic Orientation—ability to function in multicultural groups, willingness to have own views challenged, ability to negotiate differences

  8. Relationships Among Key Outcomes Complex Thinking Perspective-taking .37*** Pluralistic-orientation .35 *** Social awareness .41 *** Conflict enhances democracy .31*** Perspective-taking Social awareness .28*** Pluralistic orientation .47*** Conflict enhances democracy .37*** Pluralistic orientation Cultural awareness .50***

  9. Undergraduate Experiences, Independent Effect on Outcomes Posit. Informal Diversity Intergroup Service Outcome Interaction Course Dialogue Learning Analytical Problem- Solving Skills ** * Complex Thinking *** *** * Perspective-taking *** ** *** Importance of Making a Civic Contribution ** *** *** Voting in Govt. Elections *** (*)

  10. Undergraduate Experiences, Independent Effect on Outcomes Positive Informal Diversity Intergroup Diversity Outcome Interaction Course Dialogue Co-curric. Interest in Poverty Issues *** *** ** *** Pluralistic Orientation *** * *** ** Cultural Awareness *** *** *** Concern for the Public Good *** *** ***

  11. Negative Interactions with Diverse Peers Lower scores on outcomes: • Leadership skills • Cultural awareness • Self-efficacy for social change • Perspective-taking • Pluralistic orientation

  12. Classroom Study: Percent Indicating Some or Substantial Interaction with Students of Color

  13. University Classroom StudyMoral Development

  14. Concluding Comments • It is irresponsible to assume learning or interaction occurs. • We can no longer believe that learning occurs only in the classroom or from experts—peers are key to integrating knowledge • Attention to diversity is one vehicle for enhancing educational outcomes, especially in preparation for a diverse democracy.

  15. Resources • Higher Education Research Institute www.gseis.ucla.edu/heri • Intergroup Dialogue: Deliberative Democracy in School, College, Workplace, and Community by David Schoem and Sylvia Hurtado, (2001) University of Michigan Press. • Diverse Democracy Project papers and presentations website: www.umich.edu/~divdemo

  16. Maximizing Learning in Diverse Classrooms Support Structures for Students • Intentionally build peer support groups geared for discussion of course-related problems and issues • Increase opportunities for student interaction and engagement across diverse groups • Pay attention to types of student diversity in the classroom in assigning groups, calling on students, and encouraging class discussion

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