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Education in a Multicultural Society
Education in a Multicultural Society
EPSY 341
Spring Semester 2000
Location: SE 319
Monday, Wednesday, Friday 1-1:50 p.m.
Professor: Heather M. Pleasants
Office: SE 1324
Office Hours: Mon./Wed., 10:00am-11:30am, and by appointment
Phone: 237-2875
E-mail: eppleasa@befac.indstate.edu
Required Texts: 1) Bennett, C. (1999), Comprehensive
Multicultural Education: Theory and Practice. Fourth Edition, Allyn
and Bacon.
2) Coursepack, Available at the Paper Chase
COURSE DESCRIPTION
All of us have multiple identities that are formed through a unique
and complex intersection of race, ethnicity, social class, gender,
language, religion, sexual orientation, ability and other cultural
influences. In this course, you will first understand your identity
as complex multidimensional person in a multicultural society before
moving on to examine how the different variables above are
represented in the students you will teach (or the people you will
work with in your profession.)
As future teachers and professionals, you will most likely come into
contact with the social contexts of schools, classrooms, communities
and families. All of these contexts have cultural characteristics^×and
no social context is "culture neutral." Through use of your prior
knowledge and understandings, in this course you will examine and
reflect on what you already know about the topics to be discussed,
while gaining new insights and new information through readings,
discussions, writing and lectures.
What does it mean to be multicultural in the context of education and
everyday living? This course aims to help you in learning and
thinking about this question. During this semester, you will examine
the socio-cultural characteristics and areas of functioning or
dysfunctioning that limit access to knowledge. Specifically, such
factors include communication, linguistic, gender, cultural, ethnic,
physical, sensory, behavioral, affective, and cognitive differences.
This view of diversity embraces both individual characteristics and
those that exist within and across socio-cultural groups.
The objectives of this course are to: 1) critically examine the
nature of diversity itself, 2) foster sensitivity and respect for
diverse learners, 3) analyze the role of cultural factors that
mediate perceptions and treatment of diversity, 4) enable you to
recognize similarities and differences in patterns of development,
communication, and learning in multi-cultural settings for students
who present diverse characteristics.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Students are expected to complete reading assignments prior to class
sessions and to engage in thoughtful participation in class
discussion in light of these assignments. Course grades will be based
upon the following percentages: 30% tests, 25% writing assignments,
25% action project assignment, and 20% attendance and participation.
Your final grade for the course will be given according to the
following scale:
A: 100-90 C: 74-70
B+: 89-85 D+: 69-65
B: 84-80 D: 64-60
C+: 79-75 F: 59 and below
Late Work and Make-Ups: Unless approved by the instructor beforehand,
there will be NO opportunities to hand in late work, or make up a
missed midterm or final exam.
Attendance Policy: Any student missing more than 4 classes will
have their final grade lowered by an additional five percentage
points. An example: A student missing 5 classes and having a final
grade of 75 would attain a final grade of 70.
SEMESTER SCHEDULE
Week One: Introduction
January 10: Introductions
January 12: Course Syllabus, Dialogue Journals and^ÅJust What
Exactly Do We Mean By Multicultural Education?
January 14: Why Do We Need Multicultural Education in a Diverse
Society?
Week Two: Culture
January 19 & 21: Understanding the Significance of Culture^Å
Part I
Reading from Coursepack: Cushner, McClelland & Safford, Chapter 3:
Culture and The Culture Learning Process
Reading from Bennett, Chapter 2: The Nature of Culture and the
Contexts for Multicultural Teaching
Week Three: Issues of Culture and Race
January 24-28: Understanding the Signficance of Culture^ÅPart II
Reading from Coursepack: Banks, Chapter 7: Pluralism, Ideology and
Educational Reform
Week Four: Race, Prejudice, and Learning the Facts
January 31: Prejudice and Prejudice Reduction
Reading from Coursepack: Banks, Chapter 13: Reducing Prejudice in
Students: Theory, Research, and Strategies
Reading from Bennett: Chapter 3: Race Relations and the Nature of
Prejudice
February 2: TEST 1 and Introduction to Learning the Facts
February 4: Learning the Facts
Reading from Book, Chapter : Conflicting Themes of Assimilation and
Pluralism Among European Americans, Jewish Americans and African
Americans
Week Five: Cultural Diversity: Learning the Facts AND Start of
Action Project
February 7: Learning the Facts
Reading from Book, Chapter :Conflicting Themes of Assimilation and
Pluralism Among American Indians, Hispanics, Asians, Muslims, and
Arabs in the United States
February 9 & 11: INTRODUCTION TO ACTION PROJECT AND PLANNING
YOUR PROJECTS
Week Six: ACTION PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION
February 14: Final Draft of Action Project Plan Due
February 16 & 18: Doing Your Action Projects!
Week Seven: Action Project Presentations
February 21-25: Presentations
Week Eight: Finish of Presentations and Introduction to
Cooperative Learning
February 28, Mar. 1: Finish of Presentations
March 3: Cooperative Learning
Week Nine: Individual Differences: Learning Styles
March 13: Cooperative Learning
March 15 & 17: Learning Styles
Reading from Book: Theories of Learning Style and
Multiple Intelligences
Week Ten: Individual Differences: Multiple Intelligences and
Motivation
March 20 & 22: Multiple Intelligences
March 24: Motivation
Week Eleven: Motivation and Gender
March 27: Motivation
March 29 & 31: Gender
Week Twelve: Inclusion
April 3 & 5: Inclusion
April 7: Test 2 on ^ÓThe Facts^Ô and Individual Differences
Week Thirteen: Putting Things into Practice^Å
April 10-14: Reading: From Coursepack: Banks, Chapter 9: Teaching
Decision-Making and Social Action Skills
Week Fourteen: Putting Things into Practice^Å
April 17-21 Reading: From Coursepack: Banks, Chapter 11: The
Multicultural Curriculum
Week Fifteen: Wrapping Things Up
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