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.

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.

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

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

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

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).

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

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***

Undergraduate Experiences, Independent Effect on Outcomes

Posit. Informal Diversity Intergroup ServiceOutcome Interaction Course Dialogue LearningAnalytical Problem- Solving Skills ** *

Complex Thinking *** *** *

Perspective-taking *** ** ***

Importance of Making a Civic Contribution ** *** ***

Voting in Govt. Elections *** (*)

Undergraduate Experiences, Independent Effect on Outcomes

Positive Informal Diversity IntergroupDiversity

Outcome Interaction Course Dialogue Co-curric.

Interest in Poverty Issues *** *** ** ***

Pluralistic Orientation *** * *** **

Cultural Awareness *** *** ***

Concern for the Public Good *** *** ***

Negative Interactions with Diverse Peers

Lower scores on outcomes: Leadership skills Cultural awareness Self-efficacy for social change Perspective-taking Pluralistic orientation

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

405051

66

0102030405060708090

100

ManagementCourse

Diversity Course

Time 1Time 2

University Classroom StudyMoral Development

34.01

27.99

31.25

26.882526272829303132333435

Pre-test DIT2 Post-test DIT2

Diversity Course

ManagementCourse

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.

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

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