Teaching Acceptance of Differences and Equality across General Education Curricula

155 Pages·2017·1.04 MB·English

Antioch University
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Dissertations & Theses
2014
Teaching Acceptance of Differences and Equality
across General Education Curricula: Changing
Perspectives on Multiculturalism and Social
Acceptance through Transformative Learning
Merrill Andrea Mayper
Antioch University - PhD Program in Leadership and Change
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Recommended Citation
Mayper, Merrill Andrea, "Teaching Acceptance of Differences and Equality across General Education Curricula: Changing
Perspectives on Multiculturalism and Social Acceptance through Transformative Learning" (2014).Dissertations & Theses. 162.
http://aura.antioch.edu/etds/162
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TEACHING ACCEPTANCE OF DIFFERENCES AND EQUALITY ACROSS GENERAL
EDUCATION CURRICULA: CHANGING PERSPECTIVES ON MULTICULTURALISM
AND SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE THROUGH TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING

MERRILL ANDREA MAYPER

A DISSERTATION
Submitted to the Ph.D. in Leadership and Change Program
of Antioch University
in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy

October, 2014
This is to certify that the Dissertation entitled:
TEACHING ACCEPTANCE OF DIFFERENCES AND EQUALITY ACROSS GENERAL
EDUCATION CURRICULA: CHANGING PERSPECTIVES ON MULTICULTURALISM
AND SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE THROUGH TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING

prepared by:

Merrill Andrea Mayper

is approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in
Leadership and Change.

Approved by:

Jon Wergin, Ph.D., Chair date

Laura Morgan Roberts, Ph.D., Committee Member date

Ron Hutkin, Ph.D., Committee Member date

Diane Gillespie, Ph.D., External Reader date
Copyright 2014 Merrill Andrea Mayper
All rights reserved
Acknowledgements
I would like to acknowledge the following people who contributed and supported me
throughout my journey to earning my Ph.D.:
First, the University of Phoenix who took a chance on a middle-aged woman with a 2.2
undergraduate G.P.A. and helped her discover her true potential as a student.
My fellow scholars and friends Dr. Keri Heitner, Dr. Timme Helzer, and Dr. Susanne
Beier, who were always there to answer my questions and who let me never forget that
completion of the program was not only possible, but also inevitable.
My study participants. You made my first experience collecting data easy by sticking
with the study to the end and for providing timely responses. As General Education faculty, we
are the ones who start our students on the right path. Thank you for validating our importance in
higher education.
Author Elizabeth Gilbert. Thank you for teaching me the importance of “showing up.”
My loyal comrade in scholarship and spirit, Dr. Norman Dale, who was always there
when I needed him. I could not have done this without your wisdom, humor, and friendship.
My family, my mother Jacqueline, sister Robin, brothers Larry and Charlie, and my
nieces and nephews, Candis, Chad, Becky, and Michael, who supported me with love and
admiration through the past 7-years, and my late father Mike who was by my side every moment.
Leadership was in his DNA and he lived it every day of his life.
My wonderful committee; I could not have chosen a better team. Dr. Ron Hutkin, the
consummate teacher and friend, Dr. Laura Roberts who helped me understand what I was
thinking and helped me put my thoughts into scholarly words, and Dr. Diane Gillespie, who
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inspired me to create curriculum to teach my cultural diversity class. I am inspired by Dr.
Gillespie’s accomplishments and scholarship in the field of diversity.
Finally, Dr. Jon Wergin. You were with me from the beginning and saw something in
me that few people ever have. You taught me the power of reflection and transformation so I
could recognize and embrace it when it happened to me. Your mandates for excellence, along
with your passion for student success kept me going through the most challenging times. There is
no one like you. Words cannot express my appreciation and admiration for you, so I borrow the
words of Walt Whitman: O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done, The ship has
weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won.

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Dedication
I dedicate my dissertation to my students from Collins College in Phoenix, AZ. We took
a journey together to learn about acceptance and equality. While you all learned, I learned with
you. You inspired me to transform into kind of teacher I always wanted to be and to continue to
learn and understand what makes us unique and different. I will always carry with me the
memories of our two years together.
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Abstract
As the United States becomes more diverse nation, institutions of higher learning continue to
promote diversity education on their campuses. The purpose of this study was to go beyond
courses designed to teach cultural diversity specifically, and to discover how higher education
faculty could include lessons on acceptance of difference and equality in the various disciplines
of general education taught in today’s colleges and universities. Faculty could thereby create an
opportunity for students to challenge their mental models and, through transformative learning,
change their perceptions on how they view the world. Using the Delphi method, this study
brought together a panel of 15 experienced general education faculty, who came to an agreement
on ten attributes and abilities a faculty must have to incorporate lessons of diversity in a variety
of general education classes. The panel also agreed upon ten challenges a faculty member might
have with this effort. The results of this study will provide a foundation for faculty development
on how to develop these attributes and abilities and overcome the challenges of incorporating
diversity lessons in general education. The electronic version of this dissertation is at OhioLink
ETD Center, www.ohiolink.edu/etd

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Table of Contents
Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................................... i
Dedication ...................................................................................................................................... iii
Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... iv
Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ v
List of Figures .............................................................................................................................. viii
List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. ix
Chapter I: Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1
The Dimensions of Multicultural Education and Concepts of Difference and Acceptance.........6
Content Integration ............................................................................................................. 7
Knowledge Construction .................................................................................................... 9
Prejudice Reduction .......................................................................................................... 10
Equity Pedagogy ............................................................................................................... 11
Empowering School Culture ............................................................................................. 11
Multicultural Education Today ................................................................................................. 11
The Role of General Learning in Teaching Multiculturalism .................................................. 14
Transformative Learning .......................................................................................................... 18
Research Questions ........................................................................................................... 21
Research Design ................................................................................................................ 23
Chapter II: Literature Review ....................................................................................................... 27
Transformative Learning and Adult Education ........................................................................ 27
Multicultural Education in General Higher Education ............................................................. 33
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The Transformative Approach .......................................................................................... 38
The Social Action Approach ............................................................................................. 43
Incorporating Lessons of Difference and Acceptance in General Education Classrooms ...... .44
Chapter III: Methodology ............................................................................................................. 47
Different Types of Delphi Studies ............................................................................................ 49
Characteristics of Delphi ........................................................................................................... 50
Comparison of Similar Designs ................................................................................................ 56
Delphi Research Design Limitations ........................................................................................ 58
Reliability of Findings .............................................................................................................. 58
Panel Size, Attrition, and Researcher Bias ............................................................................... 60
Research Questions and Study Criteria ..................................................................................... 61
The Chosen Population ............................................................................................................. 62
Selection of Panel of Experts .................................................................................................... 62
Study Procedure ........................................................................................................................ 64
Round I .............................................................................................................................. 64
Round II ............................................................................................................................ 69
Round III ........................................................................................................................... 70
Validity of the Delphi Research Design and Appropriateness for this Study ........................... 70
Panel of Experts ................................................................................................................ 67
Consensus ......................................................................................................................... 67
Anonymity ........................................................................................................................ 67
Iterations ........................................................................................................................... 68

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