Convergence of Technology and Diversity: Experiences of Two Beginning Teachers in Web-Based Distance Learning for Global/Multicultural Education

Teacher Education Quarterly, Winter 2006 by Gaudelli, William

Pedagogy

Alysha' s experience in DL-GE/MC clearly influenced the way that she thought about teaching and learning. "DL-GE/MC made me think about the way I taught this year. Instead of just using the textbook, which is what I was doing this past year, also using different articles from lots of perspectives." Alysha gained ideas about teaching from multiple perspectives and using poetry to support cultural learning, along with some strategies for using technology to teach about the world. "Rethinking Globalization had all kinds of ideas about getting the students involved in the community to see how they can actually effect or change the world... you can get them to think about things outside of just themselves" (Bigelow & Peterson, 2001). Though she struggled with classroom management throughout the year, she continued to rethink her teaching as a result DL-GE/MC.

Jorge was hired as a social studies teacher in August of 2002 just prior to the beginning of school. When asked how he was adjusting to the new school, he said that he was "finally getting into a little bit of rhythm" with regard to teaching. He found that teaching economics was somewhat easier than sociology or world geography, since he taught economics as a student teacher. "I've relied a lot more on the textbook, especially in world geography and sociology, using the chapter tests provided. I have been trying to supplement with stuff from the Internet sources in DL-GE/MC, like population graphs and maps. In sociology I gave them a college level reading about Native Americans." Jorge talked about the tension of teaching for diversity and social justice in a school whose mascot is a famous Native American Indian chief. He said, "Yeah, that hasn't come up yet, but I plan to deal with it. I plan to have them do a survey and collect some data, asking teachers' views about it."

Alysha' s movement away from focusing on global/multicultural curriculum was driven by a perceived lack of student interest. She said that her students were either apathetic or hostile to learning about others, leading her to believe that all of her efforts might be futile. "They just don't care about it (diversity)...they either don't care orthey make fun of it. They like to make fun of things." Alysha perceived this hostility to be part of the immaturity of working with 6th graders. She suggested that maybe the students were not prepared yet to deal with issues related to global diversity. Despite Alysha's self-report that she had not integrated DL-GE/MC ideas, there was evidence to the contrary in observations and interviews. She had a map on the wall that was used in the first week of class where students stuck pins to represent where they had lived, traveled, or had relations. "That was pretty interesting because when you looked at it, people from everywhere had been everywhere. I was really excited then." Students in later periods removed the pins, undermining the visual impact of the activity, something Alysha attributed to their immaturity. When queried as to whether she had used the activity prior to DL-GE/MC, she paused and said, "No, I didn't think of that, but no, that's the first time I used that."