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Values and beliefs related to diversity amongst students being prepared as teachers
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Values and beliefs related to diversity amongst students being prepared as teachers
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Content
Running Head: VALUES AND BELIEFS 1
VALUES AND BELIEFS RELATED TO DIVERSITY AMONGST STUDENTS
BEING PREPARED AS TEACHERS
by
Julia Nyberg
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
August 2013
Copyright 2013 Julia Nyberg
VALUES AND BELIEFS 2
Table of Contents
List of Tables 4
List of Figures 9
Abstract 10
Chapter 1: Introduction 11
Background of the Problem 12
Statement of the Problem 17
Purpose of the Study 18
Research Questions 19
Importance of the Study 20
Definitions of Terms 21
Organization of the Study 22
Chapter 2: Literature Review 24
Overview 24
Beliefs Defined 24
Personal and Professional Beliefs 25
Disciplinary Differences 28
Beliefs and the Current Classroom Environment 29
Educator Preparation Programs and Preservice Development 32
Multicultural Coursework 34
Multicultural Coursework and Higher Education 37
Components of Diversity in Course Syllabi 37
Areas of Controversy 38
Unanswered Questions 39
Conclusion 40
VALUES AND BELIEFS 3
Chapter 3: Methodology 41
Research Method and Design 42
Site Selection 43
Study Participants 44
Type of Sampling 44
Criteria for Selection 45
Process for Selection 45
Sample Selected 46
Sampling Issues 46
Population 47
Assurance of Participant Rights 47
Instrumentation 47
Variables 49
Reliability 53
Validity 55
Field Testing 55
Data Collection 57
Coding 60
Data Analysis 60
Statistical Techniques 61
Summary 63
Chapter 4: Results 64
Description of the Sample 69
Findings for Research Question 1a 75
Findings for Research Question 1b 77
Findings for Research Question 1c 88
Findings for Research Question 2a 102
Findings for Research Question 3a 109
Findings for Research Question 3b 117
Findings for Research Question 3c 124
Summary 145
Chapter 5: Overview 146
Key Findings and Implications for Practice 148
Limitations 156
Future Research 156
Conclusions 160
References 162
Appendix 173
VALUES AND BELIEFS 4
List of Tables
Table 1: Candidate Proficiencies for Diversity 13
Table 2: Assessment Measures 14
Table 3: Cohort Sample 46
Table 4: Instrument, Variable, and Item Alignment 50
Table 5: Cronbach’s Alpha Reliability Summary for the Personal Beliefs about Diversity
Scale and Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scale 54
Table 6: Phase 1 and Phase 2 of Field Testing: Cronbach’s Alpha Results for the Personal
Beliefs about Diversity Scale and Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scale 56
Table 7: Data Collection Calendar 58
Table 8: Research Question, Measurement Instrument, and Measurement
Tests Alignment 62
Table 9: Cohort Sample 66
Table 10: Pretest and Post Test Response Participants 66
Table 11: Cronbach’s Alpha for Measurement Instruments 67
Table 12: Cronbach’s Alpha for Diversity Variables in Embedded within the
Measurement Instruments 68
Table 13: Quarter 1-4 Gender 70
Table 14: Age Profile in Quarters 1-4 71
Table 15: Ethnic Identification in Quarters 1-4 72
Table 16: Quarter 1-4 Grade Point Average 75
Table 17: Entering Cohort Beliefs on Diversity 76
Table 18: Grade Level Student Aims to Teach 77
VALUES AND BELIEFS 5
Table 19: Type of Credential Student Pursue 78
Table 20: The Effect of Grade Level on Personal and Professional Beliefs 78
Table 21: The Effect of Grade Level and Ethnicity on Personal and Professional Beliefs 79
Table 22: Grade Level and Personal and Professional Beliefs 79
Table 23: Previous Coursework in Quarter 1 80
Table 24: Currently Enrolled Courses in Quarter 1 81
Table 25: Previous Coursework in Quarter 2 81
Table 26: Currently Enrolled Courses in Quarter 2 82
Table 27: Previous Coursework in Quarter 3 83
Table 28: Currently Enrolled Courses in Quarter 3 84
Table 29: Previous Coursework in Quarter 4 85
Table 30: Currently Enrolled Courses in Quarter 4 86
Table 31: The Effect Ethnicity and other Variables had on Personal and
Professional Beliefs on Diversity 87
Table 32: Total Surveyed, Gender 88
Table 33: Gender and Test Type as related to Personal and Professional Beliefs 88
Table 34: Pretest Response Participants 89
Table 35: Rossier Diversity Candidate Proficiencies Pretest Responses 91
Table 36: Pretest Significance with Rossier Candidate Proficiencies 92
Table 37: Professional Beliefs related to Diversity Pretest Data (1b-10b) 93
Table 38: Professional Beliefs related to Diversity Pretest Data (11b-25b) 94
Table 39: Pretest Professional Beliefs Significant Increase or Decrease in Acceptance 95
Table 40: Personal Beliefs related to Diversity Pretest Data (1c-15c) 97
VALUES AND BELIEFS 6
Table 41: Pretest Personal Beliefs Significant Increase or Decrease in Acceptance 98
Table 42: Significant Pretest Findings Measuring Personal or Professional Beliefs
related to Diversity 99
Table 43: Significant Pretest Findings with Multiple Variables measuring Personal or
Professional Beliefs related to Diversity 99
Table 44: Significant Pretest Differences with Grade Level measuring Personal or
Professional Beliefs related to Diversity 101
Table 45: Significant Pretest Differences with Credential Type measuring Personal or
Professional Beliefs related to Diversity 102
Table 46: The Concentration of Diversity Content in Course Syllabi for Quarter 1 104
Table 47: The Concentration of Diversity Content in Course Syllabi for Quarter 2 105
Table 48: The Concentration of Diversity Content in Course Syllabi for Quarter 3 106
Table 49: The Concentration of Diversity Content in Course Syllabi for Quarter 4 108
Table 50: Posttest Response Participants 109
Table 51: Rossier Diversity Candidate Proficiencies Posttest Responses 111
Table 52: Posttest Significance with Rossier Candidate Proficiencies 112
Table 53: Professional Beliefs related to Diversity Posttest Data (1b-10b) 113
Table 54: Professional Beliefs related to Diversity Posttest Data (11b-25b) 114
Table 55: Posttest Professional Beliefs Significant Increase or Decrease in Acceptance 115
Table 56: Personal Beliefs related to Diversity Posttest Data (1c-15c) 116
Table 57: Posttest Personal Beliefs Significant Increase or Decrease in Acceptance 117
Table 58: Pretest and Posttest Response Participants 118
Table 59: Rossier Diversity Candidate Proficiencies Pretest and Posttest Responses 119
VALUES AND BELIEFS 7
Table 60: Professional Beliefs related to Diversity Pretest and Posttest Data (1b-25b) 120
Table 61: Quarter 1 Pretest and Quarter 4 Posttest Professional Beliefs Significant Increase
or Decrease in Acceptance 121
Table 62: Personal Beliefs related to Diversity Pretest and Posttest Data (1c-15c) 122
Table 63: Quarter 1 Pretest and Quarter 4 Posttest Professional Beliefs Significant Increase
or Decrease in Acceptance 123
Table 64: Personal and Professional Beliefs Item Results 125
Table 65: Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Questions on Race/Ethnicity 126
Table 66: Significant Questions on Race/Ethnicity 127
Table 67: Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Correlations on Race/Ethnicity 128
Table 68: Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Questions on Gender 129
Table 69: Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Correlations on Gender 130
Table 70: Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Questions on Social Class 131
Table 71: Significant Questions on Social Class 131
Table 72: Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Correlations on Social Class 132
Table 73: Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Questions on Sexual Orientation 133
Table 74: Significant Questions on Sexual Orientation 133
Table 75: Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Correlations on Sexual Orientation 134
Table 76: Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Questions on Disabilities 135
Table 77: Significant Questions on Disability 136
Table 78: Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Correlations on Disabilities 137
Table 79: Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Questions on Language 137
Table 80: Significant Questions on Language 138
VALUES AND BELIEFS 8
Table 81: Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Correlations on Language 139
Table 82: Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Questions on Immigration 140
Table 83: Significant Questions on Immigration 141
Table 84: Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Correlations on Immigration 142
Table 85: Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Questions on Religion 143
Table 86: Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Correlations on Religion 144
Table 87: Diversity Concepts and Significant Change in Personal or Professional Beliefs144
VALUES AND BELIEFS 9
List of Figures
Figure 1: Student Demographics: Ethnicity 15
Figure 2: Teacher Demographics: Ethnicity 16
Figure 3: Teacher Demographics: Gender 16
Figure 4: Pretest and Posttest Cross Sectional Analysis 59
Figure 5: The Measure of Change 60
Figure 6: Quarter 1 Location by Zip Code 73
Figure 7: Quarter 2 Location by Zip Code 73
Figure 8: Quarter 3 Location by Zip Code 74
Figure 9: Quarter 4 Location by Zip Code 74
Figure 10: Pretest Measurement Focus 90
Figure 11: Posttest Measurement Focus 110
Figure 12: Pretest Measurement Focus 118
Figure 13: Kirpatrick’s Evaluation Model: Reactions and Learnin 157
Figure 14: Kirpatrick’s Evaluation Model: Reactions, Transfer, and Results 157
Figure 15: Measuring Values and Beliefs in a Teacher Education Program 159
VALUES AND BELIEFS 10
Abstract
The belief that all children can succeed is an important attribute of successful
teachers of diverse student populations (Ladson-Billings, 1994). NCATE specifies that
teacher education programs must prepare preservice teacher education students with
dispositions associated with diversity, including this belief that all students can learn
(NCATE, 2012). The purpose of the study was to examine how values and beliefs related to
diversity vary and evolve amongst students at the Rossier School of Education. Elementary
and secondary teachers were examined using The Personal and Professional Beliefs about
Diversity Scale (Pohan& Aguilar, 2001) and course syllabi were analyzed using a scale
informed by the Rossier School of Education’s Diversity Proficiencies. This study revealed
that entering students had less accepting personal beliefs related to immigration, sexual
orientation, and disability. Over the course of study, significance shifted to professional
beliefs related to diversity. Further research is necessary to examine assessments and
clinical practicum within the preservice program for beliefs related to diversity.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 11
Chapter 1: Introduction
Educators, policymakers, and economists attribute much of effective student
learning to teacher quality (Angrist & Guryan, 2007). Teacher quality has been defined as
the combination of personal traits, skills, knowledge, and behavior a teacher integrates into
classroom instruction (Darling-Hammond, 2011). Of the many variables that contribute to
teacher quality, research found that effective teachers have an understanding of the
students they teach and a desire to reflect on and improve on their own practice (Darling-
Hammond & Bransford, 2005; Wilson, Floden & Ferrini-Mundy, 2001). A teacher’s practice
is informed by: 1) his/her knowledge, 2) emotions, and 3) actions, which, combined, define
their disposition, or behavior, in the classroom (Brown & Cooney, 1982; Parker & Brindley,
2008; Rokeach, 1968). A teacher’s beliefs and values determine his/her disposition in
practice, which influences his/her expectations for students and academic achievement
(Wilkerson & Lang, 2010). Over the past decade, preservice education programs have
responded to the national and political discourse on teacher quality by constructing
certification programs that include measures of dispositions and how teachers incorporate
knowledge into practice (Hammerness, Darling-Hammond, Bransford, Berliner, Cochran-
Smith, McDonald & Zeichner, 2005; NCATE, 2012). Included in this examination is analysis
on the disposition of diversity, and what teacher’s believe regarding sociocultural
education discrepancies related to social class, religion, language, gender, race, and sexual
orientation. This study aims to explore the relationship between the teacher education
program and the development of the disposition of diversity.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 12
Background of the Problem
The professional standards designated by the California Commission on Teacher
Credentialing (CTC) and the National Council for Accreditation in Teacher Education
(NCATE) build upon the research foundation to guide programs in identifying what
beginning teachers need to know and be able to do in order to effectively teach in a variety
of contexts. In response to the design elements of a teacher education program, the CTC
and NCATE require the identification and measurement of candidate proficiencies
categorized by knowledge, skills, and dispositions. NCATE specifies that teacher education
programs must prepare preservice teacher education students with dispositions associated
with diversity, including the belief that all students can learn (NCATE, 2012).
The Rossier School of Education developed Candidate Proficiencies that describe the
necessary knowledge, skills, and dispositions for candidates who are being prepared to
enter P-12 settings. The Candidate Proficiencies were developed based on four Guiding
Principles: Leadership, Learning, Accountability, and Diversity (Rossier School of Education
Conceptual Framework, 2012). Leadership, Learning, Accountability, and Diversity frame
the significant competencies that are responsive to an urban education environment that
will enable the student to transfer from preservice to inservice practice. The rationale for
selecting these Guiding Principles is supported by theory and research in the field of
education, preservice preparation, faculty development, and the mission of the school. The
Guiding Principles serve as the anchoring concepts that guide curriculum and
programmatic development across all programs that prepare graduates to enter P-12
settings. For the purposes of this study, the emphasis is on the Guiding Principle of
VALUES AND BELIEFS 13
Diversity and the associated Candidate Proficiencies. The Candidate Proficiencies for
Diversity are presented in Table 1.
Table 1
Candidate Proficiencies for Diversity
Guiding
Principle
Candidate Proficiencies
Diversity
Develop an unshakeable commitment to a diversity of thought and
experience in their practice (e.g. diversity of socioeconomic status,
gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, language proficiency and
disability). (Disposition)
Identify practices, structures and policies that create barriers to
learning (e.g., lack of culturally responsive pedagogy, “digital divide”).
(Knowledge/Skill)
Develop the skill and political savvy to negotiate, if not eliminate,
those barriers for themselves and on behalf of others.
(Knowledge/Skill)
Demonstrate a valuing of using individual and cultural differences to
inform practice related to accountability, leadership, and instruction
that result in equal opportunity and access for all learners.
(Disposition)
(Rossier School of Education Conceptual Framework, 2012)
To ensure that educator preparation programs are preparing candidates with the
appropriate knowledge, skills, and dispositions, the following types of assessment
measures presented in Table 2 are used during the course of study:
VALUES AND BELIEFS 14
Table 2
Assessment Measures
Assessment
Type
Description
Candidate
Self-
Assessments
Candidates self-assess their beliefs and values at various transition
points in their program. Candidate self-assessment may occur while
participating in coursework, during field experience, or prior to
graduation (Rossier School of Education Conceptual Framework, 2011).
Key
Assessments
Each program has identified 4-6 Key Assessments that are used to
measure candidate competence prior to making a recommendation for
a credential and/or a degree (Rossier School of Education Annual
Program Report, 2012).
Clinical
Practicum
Programs that have a clinical practicum component have fieldwork
supervisors assess candidate knowledge, skills, and dispositions to
identify needs for assistance and intervention (Conceptual Framework,
2011).
Each of these assessment measures is aligned to the knowledge, skills, and
dispositions for the Candidate Proficiencies that are aligned to Diversity. Over the last
decade, teacher education programs have placed increased attention on the measurement
of dispositions associated with diversity due to the national and political emphasis on
teacher quality and to our diverse student population. Assessment data are collected and
analyzed to provide information about candidate competence and program effectiveness to
inform programmatic decision-making. Redesigned teacher evaluations advocate extending
the measure of teacher effectiveness beyond standardized test scores to include teacher
expectations and beliefs about their students (Darling-Hammond, 2011). Research has
suggested that a teacher’s preservice experiences are predictors of teacher effectiveness in
schools (Boyd, Lankford et al., 2008).
Role of the Diversity Disposition. The National Center for Education Statistics
(2010) predicted that current demographic trends in California will be increasingly
reflected across the nation. In California, White students comprise 27.9%, Black or African
VALUES AND BELIEFS 15
American students represent 7.3%, Hispanic or Latino students total 49.0%, Asian or
Pacific Islanders equal 11.7%, and American Indian and Alaskan Native amount to 0.7% of
the student population (National Center for Education Statistics, 2008).
Figure 1. Student Demographics: Ethnicity
In contrast, 69.2% of the teachers are White, 4.2% are Black or African American,
17.4% are Hispanic or Latino, 0.5% are American Indian, 5.2% are Asian, 0.3% are Native
Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and 1.5% are Filipino (Education Data Partnership, 2011).
Additionally, 76% of teachers are female (National Center for Education Statistics, 2011).
VALUES AND BELIEFS 16
Figure 2. Teacher Demographics: Ethnicity
Figure 3. Teacher Demographics: Gender
Comparing the ethnic and gender demographics of teachers with the current
population trends in California leads to the conclusion that an educator needs to be able to
communicate and identify with a diverse student population (Bennett, 2001). For this
reason, the Candidate Proficiencies aligned to Diversity are the focus of this study.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 17
Statement of the Problem
Bandura (1982) and other researchers have suggested that beliefs have an impact
on action (Bandura, 1982; Campbell, 1963; Kaiser, Byrka, & Hartig, 2011; Pajares, 1992).
The development of values and beliefs that inform action, or dispositions, is a necessary
component to a preservice teacher education program (Hammerness, Darling-Hammond,
Bransford, Berliner, Cochran-Smith, McDonald & Zeichner, 2005). If beliefs shape an ethical
construct, informing what is right and wrong, then the interrelationship between beliefs
and action needs to be examined within the context of practice for emerging education
professionals (Pajares, 1992).
Increasingly, educators interact with students who are ethnically, racially, and
culturally different from themselves (Gay, 1995). Disparity between educator
demographics and student population trends in the United States suggests a need to
examine educators’ attitudes, beliefs, and expectations related to diversity in comparison to
their credential type, ethnic identification, location, grade point average, or gender. Those
educators who have limited experiences with diverse populations perceive diversity in a
negative way (Nieto, 1999; Zeichner & Hoeft, 1996). The belief that all children can succeed
is an important attribute of successful teachers of diverse student populations (Ladson-
Billings, 1994). If beliefs have an impact on action (Bandura, 1982), then an educator’s
beliefs and assumptions related to ethnicity, social class, and gender influence his/her
instructional decisions and expectations for students, in turn informing his/her practice
and having an impact on student achievement (Nespor, 1987; Pajares, 1992; Pohan &
Aguilar, 2001; Rist, 1970, 2000; Sadker, Sadker, & Long, 1993;,; Wilkerson & Lang, 2010).
VALUES AND BELIEFS 18
In an educator preparation program, the candidate engages in an exploration to
define a personal philosophy or “belief system” that transfers from pre-service
development to in-service practice (Simmons, Emroy, Carter, Coker, et al., 1999; Von
Glaserfeld, 1987). The first step is to identify what beliefs a teacher has at the beginning of
a preservice teacher education program. This identification will reveal what racial and
cultural prejudices exist to determine the degree of multicultural competence (Bennett,
2001). An educator’s personal philosophy of education is uniquely developed based on the
interaction between coursework and the candidate’s beliefs and experiences (National
Center for Education Information, 2011). Next, the analysis of diversity content in course
syllabi should occur to determine the degree of influence on beliefs and multicultural
competence. Dispositions are informed by the values and beliefs that teachers have about
their students and the context in which they teach, the knowledge they have, and their
interaction in the environment (Brown & Cooney, 1982; Parker & Brindley, 2008; Rokeach,
1968). If beliefs and values influence decision making in practice (Bloom, 1956; Wilkerson
& Lang, 2010), then an analysis of educator beliefs will lead to program improvement and,
most importantly, the educators’ ethical and moral duty to ensure that practice is equitably
responsive to the academic achievement of all students in the classroom. Failure to
examine educator beliefs and multicultural competence related to diversity denies a
variable that has the potential to contribute to an equitable, and, therefore, quality
education system that promotes student performance (Bennett, 2001).
Purpose of the Study
The University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education is dedicated to
improving learning in urban education locally, nationally, and globally (The Mission of the
VALUES AND BELIEFS 19
USC Rossier School of Education, 2011). Among its many degree programs, the school
offers a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree and California teaching credential. The
MAT degree is offered at the University Park Campus in Los Angeles, California and online
using a learning management system. Teachers from the MAT program are prepared with
the competencies to address educational and social issues facing urban communities (The
Vision of the USC Rossier School of Education, 2011).
The purpose of this study is to examine students’ values and beliefs related to
diversity are and how they transform over a course of study.
Research Questions
One overarching research question guides this study:
Over the course of study, how do values and beliefs related to diversity vary and evolve
amongst students at the Rossier School of Education?
Related questions include the following:
1. Entering the program:
a. What are the beliefs of the entering cohort overall?
b. Do their entering beliefs about diversity vary by program specialization (e.g.,
grade level, multiple or single subject credential, or content area emphasis),
or by demographics such as age, race, incoming GPA, gender, or region of the
country from which they come?
c. Is there a difference in a candidate’s entering personal versus professional
beliefs related to diversity?
VALUES AND BELIEFS 20
2. Changes during a single term:
a. Is there a relationship between any changes in a candidate’s beliefs about
diversity during an academic term, and the concentration of diversity content
in a course syllabus?
3. Changes across the length of the program:
a. Are there any significant differences in candidates’ beliefs about diversity at
the end of a term (post-test)?
b. Are there any significant differences in candidates’ beliefs about diversity
from the start of Term 1 (pre-test) to the end of Term 4 (post-test)?
c. If there are significant differences, are there also differences between their
personal and professional beliefs about diversity?
Importance of the Study
The knowledge gained from this study could contribute to the preparation of
teacher education. This study will provide data for faculty and administrators of programs
in the Rossier School of Education to make informed decisions regarding curriculum
development, course sequence, and candidate development. Examining how values and
beliefs related to diversity vary and evolve over a course of study will further inform the
field on the topic of teacher quality by revealing how teachers incorporate knowledge and
decision making into practice (Darling-Hammond & Bransford, 2005; Wilson, Floden &
Ferrini-Mundy, 2001).
VALUES AND BELIEFS 21
Definitions of Terms
The following terms are used throughout this research study:
Candidate(s). A candidate is a student who is actively enrolled in a program at the
university level.
Candidate Proficiencies. Candidate Proficiencies describe the knowledge, skills, and
dispositions a candidate is expected to obtain throughout the course of study. The
Candidate Proficiencies are aligned to the Guiding Principles: Leadership, Learning,
Accountability, and Diversity.
Guiding Principles. Guiding Principles are theoretically and research grounded
concepts that provide the framework for curriculum and program development within the
Rossier School of Education. The Guiding Principles are identified as: Leadership, Learning,
Accountability and Diversity and described in the Rossier School of Education’s Conceptual
Framework.
Conceptual Framework. The Conceptual Framework document describes the 1)
vision and mission of the unit, 2) research knowledge base that informs the Guiding
Principles, 3) the Candidate Proficiencies (knowledge, skills, and dispositions), 4) the
assessment system, 5) documentation of state program approval and institutional
accreditation. The Conceptual Framework serves as the anchor document to satisfy the
preconditions for NCATE accreditation.
Dispositions. Dispositions are defined as professional attitudes, values, and beliefs
demonstrated through both verbal and non-verbal behaviors as educators interact with
students, families, colleagues, and communities. These positive behaviors support student
learning and development (NCATE, 2012).
VALUES AND BELIEFS 22
Values. The importance, usefulness, or worth of something.
Beliefs. The acceptance that a statement or concept is true or exists.
Key Assessment. A critical measure of candidate competence in a program used to
determine program effectiveness and programmatic change.
Clinical Practicum. Student teaching or internships that provide candidates with an
intensive and extensive culminating activity. Candidates are immersed in the learning
community and are provided opportunities to develop and demonstrate competence in the
professional roles for which they are preparing.
Organization of the Study
This study will examine how values and beliefs related to diversity differ and
transform amongst students at the Rossier School of Education who are being prepared as
teachers. This study is organized into five chapters. The first chapter provides an
introduction and background of the problem: an educator’s beliefs related to ethnicity,
social class, and gender influence their instructional decisions and expectations for
students. With an increasingly diverse student population, the development of these values
and beliefs must be investigated because they inform practice and have an impact on
student achievement.
Chapter Two provides a review of the literature and relevant research. This chapter
defines values and beliefs and describes the relationship they have to behavior in the
classroom, or a teachers’ disposition. Research on diversity coursework in the higher
education setting, particularly in teacher education programs, is reviewed to justify the
purpose for the study.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 23
Chapter Three describes the research method and design for the study. Items from
the instruments for this study are aligned to the research questions, identified variables,
and various types of measurement tests. The purpose of this chapter is to extract the
variables associated with the research questions and outline a method for which to
examine them.
The results from the research study are described in Chapter Four. Organized by
research questions, this chapter reports the findings associated with the study. The
researcher provides an interpretation of the findings using the measurement tests
identified in Chapter Three for justification and support.
Finally, Chapter Five concludes with a discussion of the findings. The findings are
deconstructed to determine the contribution they make to the field of education and
implications for preservice teacher education programs. Limitations of the study are
described in addition to areas for future research.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 24
Chapter 2: Literature Review
In 1952, Ralph Ellison published the novel Invisible Man, which described the
intellectual, societal, and identity issues facing people of color in the United States. Ellison
(1952) described invisibility as, “a peculiar disposition of the eyes of those with whom I
come in contact. A matter of the construction of their inner eyes, those eyes with which
they look through their physical eyes upon reality” (pg. 7).
Overview
This literature review begins by examining the meaning of the term “belief” or the
“inner eye” and the delineation between the personal and professional context of teacher
educators and how they emit their disposition upon the reality of the classroom. As
teachers specialize in a content area, the connection between beliefs and disciplinary
knowledge is explored. The relationship of beliefs have on action in the current classroom
climate is described to provide rationale for analyzing beliefs related to diversity in
educator preparation programs. Finally, research investigating multicultural coursework in
preservice teacher education programs is analyzed in association to the development of
beliefs on diversity. Combined, this synthesis of the literature provides the foundation for
this study with the purpose of answering research questions to extend on knowledge on
preservice teachers’ values, beliefs, and dispositions related to diversity over the course of
study.
Beliefs Defined
The definition of teacher beliefs varies throughout the literature, revealing a concept
that is difficult to identify and describe. The research literature is layered with the terms
“attitudes,” “dispositions,” and “perspectives” that contribute to the description of teacher
VALUES AND BELIEFS 25
beliefs (Pajares, 1992; Parker & Brindley, 2008). Rokeach (1968) defined three
components that inform a belief: 1) the cognitive, or knowledge base, 2) the affective and
emotional, and 3) the action and behavioral element. Beliefs have been described as
affectively stored, evaluative, and responsive to experience (Nespor, 1987). Brown and
Cooney (1982) portrayed beliefs as that which determine behavior, or dispositions, in a
specific environmental context. The array of definitions that describe teacher beliefs
contributes to the complexity of the concept (Parker & Brindley, 2008). Despite a concrete
definition adopted by the profession, the examination of beliefs and values in teacher
education is warranted. Research revealed that a teacher’s disposition in the classroom,
expectations for students, and knowledge are constructed and mediated by beliefs and
values (Bandura, 1986; Dewey, 1933; Rokeach, 1968).
Personal and Professional Beliefs
The distinction between professional knowledge and beliefs has been contested
over time (Clandinin & Connelly, 1987). Cognitive processing associated with knowledge
occurs independently of the evaluative and affective components associated with beliefs
(Nespor, 1987). Beliefs are supported by evaluation and judgment. Conversely, knowledge
is conceptually structured by schema (Nisbett & Ross, 1980). Beliefs are informed by
experience, forming an episodic structure, whereas knowledge is a pattern of concepts and
skills schematically organized (Nespor, 1987). Beliefs influence how an individual
perceives and responds to a situation (Pajares, 1992). Pajares (1992) stated, “[a] belief is
based on evaluation and judgment; knowledge is based on objective fact.” A teacher’s craft
is influenced by the intersection of knowledge and beliefs.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 26
The overlap between knowledge and beliefs is articulated through action. Bandura
(1982) suggested that values and beliefs mediate behavior and action. The combination of
what an individual believes and the evaluative measures used to associate value with that
belief influences the individual’s self-concept, or self-efficacy (Bandura, 1986). Self-efficacy
beliefs can determine the energy and perception an individual has of his/her ability to
perform a skill or task (Bandura, 1986). Bandura (1986) argues that self-efficacy must be
anchored to beliefs about a specific construct, such as the beliefs a teacher has about
diversity.
The values and beliefs a teacher has about diversity can be anchored to how s/he
contextualizes his/her beliefs within a larger sociological frame (Nespor, 1987). In this
frame, the distinction can be made between the development of personal and professional
beliefs. If beliefs reference cultural and sociological experience, then the experience a
teacher has as a student contributes to his/her professional beliefs associated with
education (Lortie, 1975; Pajares, 1992). For example, a personal belief will be revealed
with the question, “People should develop meaningful friendship with others from different
racial/ethnic backgrounds” A professional belief survey item addressing the same topic
states, “Students and teachers would benefit from having a basic understanding of different
(diverse) religions” which requests a Likert scale response. Teachers make thousands of
professional decisions daily, which are informed by their beliefs regarding what is
professionally right or wrong (Eraut, 1985; Jackson, 1968; Lortie, 1975; Pajares, 1992).
These research findings suggest a distinction between professional and personal beliefs.
Personal and professional beliefs have been the subject of empirical research in
education. Pohan (1996) investigated the personal and professional beliefs of 492
VALUES AND BELIEFS 27
prospective teachers to examine variables that determined multicultural awareness.
Pohan (1996) found a significant relationship between personal and professional beliefs.
Following this study, Pohan and Aguilar (2001) developed two instruments to measure
personal and professional beliefs related to diversity. Pilot testing of Pohan’s and Aguilar’s
(2001) instrument was conducted in California and Nevada with undergraduate students
(n=92), graduate students (n=25), and educators from rural (n=29) and urban school
districts (n=41), equaling a total of 187 participants (Pohan & Aguilar, 2001). Mirroring the
first study, results were analyzed using correlational analyses and revealed a strong
relationship between personal and professional beliefs (r=.72).
Following the instrument pilot, field-testing was conducted with 756 preservice and
inservice teachers across five states (California, Florida, Nebraska, Colorado, and Utah)
(Pohan & Aguilar, 2001). The alpha coefficient for the personal beliefs about diversity scale
was .80. The alpha coefficient for the Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scale was .82 for
preservice and .77 for inservice teachers (Pohan & Aguilar, 2001). Pohan’s and Aguilar’s
(2001) personal and professional belief scales demonstrate validity and reliability through
extensive pilot and field-testing. However, survey distribution occurred only once, and, as a
result, these data revealed no measure of change through the use of a pretest and posttest.
Use of these instruments to assess the impact of interventions, such as a series of courses in
a teacher education program, was suggested at the conclusion of the study (Pohan &
Aguilar, 2001).
In 2010, Unruh and McCord extended the work of Pohan and Aguilar (2001) by
analyzing the Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scale in relationship to the Five Factor
Model of personality (John, 1990; McCrae & Costa, 1996). The Five Factor Model of
VALUES AND BELIEFS 28
personality identifies character traits using the M5-336 Personality Questionnaire (Costa &
McCrae, 1995; McCord, 2002). Data were collected from 53 undergraduate applicants to an
education program at a university in the rural Southeastern United States. Results
suggested that professional beliefs about diversity correlated positively with the character
trait domain of “openness to experience” (r=.39, p=.004), “aesthetics/artistic interest”
(r=.29, p=.034), “feelings/emotionality” (r=.34, p=.011), “values/liberalism” (r=.47,
p=.000), and “tender-mindedness/sympathy” (r=.39, p=.004) (Unruh & McCord, 2010).
Limitations to this study include a small sample size and a limited study scope. Future
research suggestions include the analysis of the malleability of beliefs related to diversity
over the course of study (Unruh & McCord, 2010).
Disciplinary Differences
In a preservice teacher education program, the individual, “previously the holder of
meaning, becomes the maker of meaning” (Perry, 1970, pg. 87). Two teachers may have
similar content area knowledge but have a different approach to teaching (Ernest, 1989).
How individuals come to know, and the theories and beliefs they have about the generation
of knowledge, vary by discipline (Rokeach, 1968; Hofer, 2000; 2001). Teachers specialize in
a specific discipline in 7-12th grades, or generalize across all disciplines in grades P-6.
Individuals who focus on Social Studies, History, and Humanities view knowledge as
uncertain and constructed based on independent reasoning (Hofer, 2000; Jehng, Johnson &
Anderson, 1993). Conversely, Lambert (1990) suggests Mathematicians, Scientists, and
Engineers view the teacher as the primary source of knowledge, decreasing the emphasis
on independent reasoning. The differences between the disciplines may have implications
for how preservice educators interpret and evaluate information that informs their
VALUES AND BELIEFS 29
personal epistemology over the course of study (Hofer, 2001). Hofer’s (2001) study was
limited in scope because it applied only to individuals who specialize in a specific discipline
and did not include those who cover multiple disciplines, such as P-6th grade teachers.
Additionally, this study did not examine correlations between elements of diversity and
disciplinary beliefs.
Researchers have suggested that an individual’s knowledge in a specific domain
differs from the feelings an individual has about that discipline (Nespor, 1987).
Hollingsworth (1989) examined prior beliefs and cognitive change amongst elementary
and secondary teachers engaged in reading and literacy instruction. This study revealed
that, although prior beliefs play a critical role in learning to teach, the teacher education
program has the ability to introduce new ideas that have an impact on beliefs
(Hollingsworth, 1989). Researchers in this study interviewed and observed fourteen
teachers from a fifth-year teacher education program to inservice practice. Erikson’s
(1986) constant comparative process and Doyle’s (1983), Rumelhart’s, and Norman’s
(1976) taxonomies of cognitive process and change were used in this qualitative study.
Although Hollingsworth’s (1989) study had a longitudinal scope, it focused exclusively on
disciplinary development and beliefs related to reading and literacy instruction.
Hollingsworth’s (1989) study analyzed disciplinary beliefs, but was limited to reading and
literacy, decreasing the ability to generalize findings across content areas, and had no
direct measure on teacher’s values and beliefs related to diversity.
Beliefs and the Current Classroom Environment
Dewey (1963) contends that education is a social process, where the individuals in
the classroom form a community. The teacher is responsible for the interactions and
VALUES AND BELIEFS 30
communication within this community (Dewey, 1963; Greene, 1978). Othanel Smith (1966)
extended on Dewey’s notion of community and suggested that it contains three
components: 1) an agent, such as the teacher, 2) a situation, such as the lesson plan and
context which it is delivered and 3) an end-in-view, such as the lesson objective. According
to Othanel Smith (1966), these three components form the structure of education that
exists across cultures. Two sets of circumstances inform the situation: 1) a set in which the
teacher, or agent, has no control (e.g., the diverse characteristics of the student population),
and 2) a set in which the agent can modify to achieve the end-in-view (e.g., modifying the
curriculum so it is responsive to the community in order to meet a learning objective)
(Othanel Smith, 1966; Greene, 1978). In this situation, the teacher becomes aware of the
structure of schooling and begins making judgments based on his/her beliefs to define a
course of action, or disposition, as an educator (Dewey, 1960).
Beliefs hold power in the current classroom environment, as evidence has revealed
that beliefs persist even when they do not represent reality (Nisbett & Ross, 1980; Pajares,
1992). Beliefs may inform what the teacher has no control over, such as the community in
which s/he teaches (Othanel Smith, 1966; Greene, 1978). For example, a study revealed
that among a sample of White teachers who rated their diverse school highly, 40% did not
want their own children attending that school (Bingham, Haubrich, White & Zipp, 1990).
This research suggests a disconnect between the reality of the classroom and an
individual’s beliefs about his/her ability to have an impact on a diverse student population
(Nisbett & Ross, 1980; Pajares, 1992; Bingham, Haubrich, White & Zipp, 1990).
Rist (1970) conducted an observational study of one class of children from
kindergarten through grade two. The teacher’s beliefs about the “ideal type” of student
VALUES AND BELIEFS 31
were reinforced by values associated with race and social class, which influenced the
teacher’s behavior and expectations (Rist, 1970). Over time, the teacher’s differing
behavior towards different groups of students had an impact on their academic
achievement (Rist, 1970). Thirty years after his 1970 study, Rist (2000) stated, “the issues
of color and class inequality in American society are at the heart of the future of U.S.
education” (Rist, 2000, pg. 263).
Guttman and Bar-Tal (1982) further explored the impact teachers’ stereotypes have
on student achievement. The student’s ethnic origin and gender were provided initially to
capture the teacher’s impression of academic performance. Following this, academic
performance information was provided in addition to gender and ethnic identification.
Participants in the study were asked to rate their expectations on a 5-point Likert scale to
gauge their ability, diligence, interest in studying, learning conditions at home, discipline,
effort in studying, and social integration (Guttman & Barr-Tal, 1982). The results of
Guttman’s and Bar-Tal’s (1982) study revealed that teachers have beliefs and stereotypes
that affect their perception of student performance and expectations.
Walker-Dalhouse and Dalhouse (2006) echoed Guttman’s and Bar-Tal’s (1982)
findings by examining preservice teachers’ beliefs on ethnic, racial, and cultural diversity.
Walker-Dalhouse and Dalhouse (2006) investigated European American preservice
teachers and their perception of African American students. The researchers suggest that
preservice European American teachers believe that underachievement and discipline
problems amongst African American students are a result of the home environment,
parental failure, and a low value on learning. Participants in the study expressed
apprehension, unease, and low self-efficacy when teaching African American students (Gay,
VALUES AND BELIEFS 32
2009; Walker-Dalhouse & Dalhouse, 2006;). It is suggested that further research examine
the beliefs that preservice teachers have on other elements of diversity such as social class,
religion, gender, languages, and sexual orientation.
An analysis of the structure of schooling and the role teacher beliefs have on
instruction reveals that students have experienced inferiority, deprivation, and isolation
for cultural difference as evidenced by the studies conducted by Rist (1970), Guttman, Bar-
Tal (1982), Walker-Dalhouse and Dalhouse (2006), and Carter and Goodwin (1994).
Sleeter (2008) confirms this by identifying four interrelated issues in education: 1) lack of
recognition of racial inequity, 2) a deficit viewpoint and lower expectations for students of
color, 3) a colorblind approach is adopted and the significance of diversity is denied in
practice, and 4) teacher identity is held as the dominant lens and the assumed norm for
students. The role of the educator is to critically examine his/her beliefs about cultural
diversity and the relationship these have to content knowledge and pedagogy to inform
how society and the education system respond to the inequities that exists in the structure
of schooling (Gay, 2009).
Educator Preparation Programs and Preservice Development
In 1969, the National Institute for Advanced Study in Teaching Disadvantaged Youth
released a report entitled Teachers for the “Real World” which declared teacher education
programs as failing at preparing new teachers to teach “disadvantaged youth” effectively
(Smith, 1969). Research has shown that teacher education candidates are often White,
female, monolingual, and have limited interracial and intercultural background (American
Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, 1987, 1989; Zeichner, 1992). These data
imply that teachers are instructing an increasingly diverse student population.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 33
In 2000, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
adopted new standards for preservice programs that prepare educators to enter P-12
settings. In response to an increasingly diverse classroom, NCATE included expectations
that require institutions to measure candidate beliefs and dispositions related to the
concept that all children can learn (NCATE Standard 4: Diversity). Arthur Wise, President of
NCATE in 2000, stated the organization “believed that the time had come for teacher
educators to pay attention not merely to knowledge and skill development and teaching
and learning but also the moral and ethical development of teachers” (Wise, 2006). The
emphasis on measuring beliefs and dispositions associated with diversity resulted in an
increase in research and analysis on the topic (Borko, Liston & Whitcomb, 2007; Freeman,
2007).
The examination of preservice teacher beliefs related to diversity has been
measured in a variety of ways. Focused on teacher demographic trends, Garmon (2004)
studied one 22 year-old, White, female teacher. Through ten hours of interviews, Garmon
(2004) analyzed the data using constant comparative method to inductively categorize the
interview content. Based on this analysis, Garmon (2004) determined six factors that play a
“critical role in positive multicultural development.” Limitations to this study are
illuminated by the investigation of one individual and the focus on a White, 22 year-old
female to postulate what is critical in the development of preservice teachers’ beliefs about
diversity. Future research must include a sample of diverse participants, rather than
making diverse individuals the object (Montecinos, 2004).
Eberly, Rand, and O’Connor (2007) employed Kegan’s (1980; 1998) adult
developmental theory to study 60 undergraduate and graduate student’s beliefs related to
VALUES AND BELIEFS 34
diversity. The participants were enrolled in graduate level coursework within a preservice
teacher education program. These participants constructed narrative responses to two
case studies entitled “White Faces Don’t Want to be my Friend” and “Them and Us” (Rand &
Shelton-Colangelo, 2003). Using Kegan’s (1980; 1998) developmental theory to guide the
qualitative analysis for this study, the researchers revealed that attitudes, values, and
beliefs related to diversity are developmental and shift over time.
Gay and Kirkland (2003) advocate for teacher education programs that include
components of racial, cultural, and ethnic diversity to develop teachers who contribute to
educational equity. Analysis of teacher beliefs and behaviors is a measure of accountability
that includes a self-conscious, critical, and analytical stance (Gay & Kirkland, 2003). The
process of developing critical consciousness involves a process of self-reflection and
dialogue to critique and challenge thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors related to diversity (Gay
& Kirkland, 2003). The analysis and description of techniques to facilitate this development
in a teacher education program contributes to the importance of examining elements of
diversity over the course of study.
Multicultural Coursework
The term diversity is often limited to ethnicity and race. However, diversity has a
biological, cultural, or structural origin that is inclusive of social class, religion, gender,
languages, and sexual orientation. Educators encounter these layers of diversity through a
socially and culturally constructed lens in their classrooms. The classroom is framed by a
concept of sociocultural diversity, which aims to establish an inclusive society that
provides equitable access regardless of difference. The classroom is a setting in which
discrimination and inequality must be dealt with by those who hold authority – the teacher,
VALUES AND BELIEFS 35
over a group of individuals – the students (Arnesen, Birzea, Dumont, Essomba, Furch,
Vallianatos, & Ferrer, 2008).
Since the 1969 report stating that teacher education programs were failing
“disadvantaged youth,” the teacher education community has identified a common set of
knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to teach diverse learners (Smith, 1969).
Teaching in the current educational context requires teachers to be prepared with the
knowledge to understand the complexity of diversity to construct a social space where
culture is the foundation for learning and exchange. Teachers equipped with the concepts
and skills of building trust, respect, and validation for difference in the classroom diminish
socially created differences (Arnesen, Birzea, Dumont, Essomba, Furch, et al., 2008). To
prepare teachers for this task, the preservice curriculum often includes multicultural
education and culturally responsive pedagogy, which informs practice that is responsive to
a sociocultural and diverse school environment (Gay, 2010).
The impact of multicultural coursework on changing preservice teachers’ beliefs has
been investigated. Weisman and Garza (2002) evaluated whether beliefs and values
connected to diversity change after preservice teachers participated in one course. A
pretest and posttest were distributed to 158 participants who were enrolled in a
multicultural education course. After participants completed one multicultural education
course, survey results revealed that attitudes towards diversity improved appertaining to
classroom practice (Weisman & Garza, 2002). Findings did not reveal beliefs that
acknowledge oppressive factors at the institutional or societal level that have the ability to
affect academic achievement (Weisman & Garza, 2002). Instead, the majority of preservice
VALUES AND BELIEFS 36
teachers in this study maintained the belief that achievement barriers were attributed to
the individual (Weisman & Garza, 2002; Castro, 2010).
Similarly, Torok and Aguilar (2000) used a pretest and posttest to measure the
change after 33 undergraduate students participated in a multicultural education course.
Using the Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scale and the Personal Beliefs about
Diversity Scale, Torok and Aguilar (2002) suggested that participation in a multicultural
course has the ability to improve beliefs and values associated with diversity. Giambo and
Szecsi (2007) echoed this study by measuring whether beliefs related to diversity changed
after participating in one multicultural education course. The Professional Beliefs about
Diversity Scale and the Personal Beliefs about Diversity Scale (Pohan & Aguilar, 2001), used
as a pretest and posttest, were dispersed to 104 participants who were enrolled in a course
entitled “Diversity of Human Experience” or “Second Language Acquisition, Communication
and Culture” (Giambo & Szecsi, 2007). This study revealed a significantly positive change in
candidates’ ratings on diversity issues related to language use (Giambo & Szecsi, 2007). For
example, the perception of first language use in a school was a language issue that was
measured. A positive shift was found in questions pertaining to cultural diversity (Giambo
& Szecsi, 2007). Torok’s, Aguilar’s (2002), Giambo’s, Szecsi’s (2007), Weisman’s, and
Garza’s (2002) research prompts further exploration to determine whether beliefs and
values change over the course of study in a teacher education program.
Pohan and Aguilar (2010) found that multicultural coursework and professional
beliefs regarding diversity are significant (Brown, 2010; Pohan & Aguilar, 2010). Other
studies also reflect a positive correlation between multicultural coursework and beliefs
related to diversity (Neuharth-pritchett, Reiff & Pearson, 2001; Tran, Young & Di Lella,
VALUES AND BELIEFS 37
1994). Combined, this body of research suggests a relationship between beliefs and
multicultural content in a preservice curriculum, and, therefore, further investigation and
analysis of the content in preservice teacher education courses is warranted.
Multicultural Coursework and Higher Education
The higher education setting has the ability to influence personal and social identity
(Erikson, 1946; 1956). Erikson (1946; 1956) suggested that identity was shaped in this
setting by participating in social activities where experimentation is allowed to occur.
Gurin, Dey, Hurtado, and Gurin (2002) advocate for participation in activities that
encourage a confrontation with concepts that address diversity. The structural diversity
within the higher education environment often challenges the social life and demographic
constructs from the candidate’s home community. Similarly, the clinical practice
environment may differ from what the preservice candidate experienced as a student.
When a person encounters something distinctly different from their established schema,
Piaget (1971, 1985) described this type of encounter as disequilibrium. During a state of
disequilibrium, individuals seek new information in order to construct meaning (Ruble,
1994).
Components of Diversity in Course Syllabi
As a source of new information, course syllabi serve as an artifact subject to
examination that a college student may refer to as a source of information. Beginning in
2009, Cole and Sundt analyzed course syllabi in undergraduate courses at the University of
Southern California. A typology was developed based on five diversity criteria set by the
university Diversity Committee. Course syllabi were measured using a rubric with a 4-point
Likert scale (Cole & Sundt, 2009; 2010). Course syllabi were placed on a scale ranging from
VALUES AND BELIEFS 38
1) introductory, which meant the course met diversity requirements, 2) basic, signifying
the course marginally exceeded diversity requirements, 3) intermediate, which implies the
course exceeds diversity requirements and 4) advanced, which represents those courses
that far exceed the university’s diversity requirements (Cole & Sundt, 2009; 2010). Only
9% (n=7) of syllabi qualified for far exceeding the university’s diversity expectations. The
majority (51%, n=38) of course syllabi exceeded expectations, or marginally exceeded
diversity requirements (25%, n=19). Just 16% (n=12) of course syllabi meet diversity
requirements at the introductory level (Cole & Sundt, 2009; 2011). This research study
focused on undergraduate coursework and did not include graduate level coursework, such
as the Master of Arts in Teaching program. Future research should examine the curricular
components in preservice education programs in parallel to the changes in beliefs and
attitudes of teacher candidates (Castro, 2010).
Areas of Controversy
Research on teacher beliefs, values, and dispositions remains controversial (Borko,
Liston & Whitcomb, 2007). For example, Hess (2006) contends there is no empirical
research to connect specific beliefs or dispositions to teacher effectiveness. Johnson,
Johnson, Farenga, and Ness (2005) support this claim by arguing there is no
psychometrically valid or reliable measure to assess beliefs and dispositions. Some are
concerned that measuring beliefs and values can serve as a means to screen prospective
educators on the basis of their political or social ideologies (Borko, Liston & Whitcomb,
2007). At one university, a student who failed four professional disposition evaluations was
offered a choice to be expelled from the university or sign a contract with the school of
education that mandated assignments and diversity training. After contesting the case with
VALUES AND BELIEFS 39
the Foundation for Individual Rights, the candidate was told it was possible to legally
dismiss both options and remain enrolled at the university (Borko, Liston & Whitcomb,
2007; Leo, 2005). Hess (2006) cautioned that embedding beliefs and dispositions explicitly
into a curriculum can promote targeted social or political indoctrination.
Unanswered Questions
Based on this review of the literature, questions arise that provoke further
exploration and analysis. The following question will guide the research for this study:
Over the course of study, how do values and beliefs related to diversity vary and evolve
amongst students at the Rossier School of Education?
Related questions include the following:
1. Entering the program:
a. What are the beliefs of the entering cohort overall?
b. Do their entering beliefs about diversity vary by program specialization (e.g.,
grade level, multiple or single subject credential, or content area emphasis),
or by demographics such as age, race, incoming GPA, gender, or region of the
country from which they come?
c. Is there a difference in a candidate’s entering personal versus professional
beliefs related to diversity?
2. Changes during a single term:
a. Is there a relationship between any changes in a candidate’s beliefs about
diversity during an academic term, and the concentration of diversity content
in a course syllabus?
VALUES AND BELIEFS 40
3. Changes across the length of the program:
a. Are there any significant differences in candidates’ beliefs about diversity at
the end of a term (post-test)?
b. Are there any significant differences in candidates’ beliefs about diversity
from the start of Term 1 (pre-test) to the end of Term 4 (post-test)?
c. If there are significant differences, are there also differences between their
personal and professional beliefs about diversity?
Conclusion
The analysis of the literature revealed a distinction between personal and
professional beliefs. Beliefs influence the perception a teacher has on the construction of
knowledge, expectations for students, and decision-making in the classroom. Although the
relationship between beliefs and multicultural coursework has been explored, researchers
have never investigated how beliefs differ over the course of study in a teacher education
program. The research literature suggests this analysis be conducted using an instrument
that contains validity and reliability measures, such as the Personal and Professional
Beliefs about Diversity Scale created by Pohan and Aguilar (2001). Additional exploration
of syllabi measured in parallel to the development of beliefs over the course of study
provides grounds for further research.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 41
Chapter 3: Methodology
The purpose of the study is to investigate how values and beliefs related to diversity
evolve amongst students at the Rossier School of Education who are being prepared to
enter P-12 classrooms. The knowledge gained from this study will inform programs within
the Rossier School of Education on curriculum modification, course sequence, and
candidate development.
The overall question that guides this study is the following:
Over the course of study, how do values and beliefs related to diversity vary and evolve
amongst students at the Rossier School of Education?
Related questions include the following:
1. Entering the program:
a. What are the beliefs of the entering cohort overall?
b. Do their entering beliefs about diversity vary by program specialization (e.g.,
grade level, multiple or single subject credential, or content area emphasis),
or by demographics such as age, race, incoming GPA, gender, or region of the
country from which they come?
c. Is there a difference in a candidate’s entering personal versus professional
beliefs related to diversity?
2. Changes during a single term:
a. Is there a relationship between any changes in a candidate’s beliefs about
diversity during an academic term, and the concentration of diversity content
in a course syllabus?
VALUES AND BELIEFS 42
3. Changes across the length of the program:
a. Are there any significant differences in candidates’ beliefs about diversity at
the end of a term (post-test)?
b. Are there any significant differences in candidates’ beliefs about diversity
from the start of Term 1 (pre-test) to the end of Term 4 (post-test)?
c. If there are significant differences, are there also differences between their
personal and professional beliefs about diversity?
Generally, the concept of diversity is addressed in graduate level coursework.
However, whether preservice teacher’s values and beliefs change remains unknown. These
questions allowed the researcher to move deductively from a general concept about a
group to more specific analysis through quantifiable data. The use of quantitative data
allowed the researcher to make inferences about preservice teacher’s values and beliefs
and determine the degree to which the observed difference is due to chance. This research
used primarily quantitative data.
Research Method and Design
A quasi-experimental design was used to collect data for this study. Three types of
data collection occurred in the Master of Arts in Teaching program over four quarters: 1) a
pretest followed by 2) a posttest, and 3) a content analysis of syllabi for the courses in that
quarter.
Kirkpatrick’s (2006) evaluation model provides the design framework for this
study. Kirkpatrick (2006) designated four levels to evaluate preparation programs: 1)
reactions, 2) learning, 3) transfer, and 4) results. Immediately after students participate in
a learning experience, they describe their reactions using a course evaluation form. This
VALUES AND BELIEFS 43
study will measure what students have learned in combination with their reaction from the
preparation program. Next, the transfer of the content to a new situation may be examined
by observing changes in behavior when the teacher enters classroom practice. Finally,
future research may analyze the application of the preparation program and whether it is
achieving the desired results. This study examined students’ learning and their values and
beliefs associated with the concept of diversity.
In order to measure students’ self-reported learning and their reactions over time,
the researcher collected quantitative data using a Likert scale survey (Professional Beliefs
about Diversity and Personal Beliefs about Diversity, Pohan & Aguilar, 2001). The survey
was administered as a pretest at the beginning of the quarter. Concurrently, content
analysis of syllabi was conducted for courses the candidate is enrolled in during the data
collection period. At the conclusion of the quarter, posttest data was collected. Pretest and
posttest data was analyzed using cross sectional analysis.
Site Selection
The research site for this study is the Rossier School of Education at the University
of Southern California. The Rossier School of Education was selected for this study because
it met the following criteria: first, the Rossier School of Education has a Master of Arts in
Teaching (MAT) program that offers both Single Subject (30 units) and Multiple Subject (32
units) credentials. Second, regardless of credential type, all students experience the same
coursework in their first, second, third and fourth quarter: EDUC 516 Framing the Social
Context of Schooling, EDUC 518 Learning Theory, EDUC 501 English Language Learners,
and EDUC 519 Human Differences (this does not include discipline specific pedagogy
coursework). Next, the MAT program candidate population size was 2,925 in the 2010-
VALUES AND BELIEFS 44
2011 academic year, and is 3,358 students in the 2011-2012 academic year (Enrollment
Management and Student Services, 2012). The scope of the program results in diverse field
setting placements in over 700 school districts and 1,400 school sites in the United States
(University of Southern California, 2010; University of Southern California, 2012). Lastly,
the Rossier School of Education’s mission is to prepare educators to “face a unique set of
challenges… including cultural and linguistic diversity” in urban education settings (Rossier
School of Education, 2012). Combined, this set of criteria forms the justification for the site
selection for this research study.
Study Participants
Students from the Rossier School of Education who are actively enrolled in the
Master of Arts in Teaching program form the group of participants for this research study.
Within that group, both Multiple and Single Subject credential students were examined.
Single Subject credentials are offered in the following content areas: 1) Social Studies, 2)
English, 3) Mathematics, 4) Science, and 5) Music. The total candidate population is 3,358
individuals in the 2011-2012 academic year (Enrollment Management and Student
Services, 2012). Combined, samples from the Single Subject and Multiple Subject candidate
population provided data for this research study.
Type of Sampling
Non-representative or non-probability sampling will occur in this study due to the
availability and access to the candidate population in the Rossier School of Education. The
researcher did not designate a control group, as all study participants must complete the
required coursework to obtain their degree and complete their preparation program.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 45
Students who are enrolled in the Master of Arts in Teaching program who are seeking a
teaching credential will form a criterion-based convenience sample for this study.
Criteria for Selection
The following criteria have been identified for sample selection: 1) the candidate
must be actively enrolled full time in the MAT program, 2) the candidate must voluntarily
choose to participate in the research study, 3) the candidate must complete the pretest and
posttest surveys in order to be included in the data set, and 4) the candidate must complete
the coursework that occurs between the release of the pretest and posttest survey. If these
criteria are met, the data will be included in this research study.
Process for Selection
Students voluntarily participated at program orientation, in an online survey, or
during course evaluations at the conclusion of each quarter. Likert scale surveys and a
study information sheet was distributed at both data collection points in person or
electronically. At orientation, the survey will be distributed to participants with orientation
materials. It will be collected at the conclusion of orientation. For online programs, the
survey will be distributed via Email. The student received a unique URL to complete the
survey using Qualtrics, an online survey tool. At the end of each quarter, surveys were
distributed alongside university evaluation forms or via Email using an electronic Qualtrics
survey. Surveys were collected in an envelope and returned with university course
evaluations. Alternatively, online students submitted their survey electronically using
Qualtrics. Students may request to opt out of the survey at any time.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 46
Sample Selected
Students were identified in quarters one, two, three, and four to represent the entire
course of study in the MAT program. A total of six cohorts of preservice teachers
represented the sample for this study, participating in both the pretest and the posttest.
The following table depicts the cohort that participated for each quarter in the sample:
Table 3
Cohort Sample
Quarter Cohort
Quarter 1 January 2013
Quarter 2 September 2012
Quarter 3
April 2012
June 2012
Quarter 4
January 2012
November 2011
The sample selected were students who were currently enrolled in coursework. Students
who were enrolled part-time and full time were included in the sample. This sample
enabled the researcher to examine the MAT program in quarters one, two, three, and four.
Sampling Issues
Non-representative or non-probability samples allow for generalization. Since the
scope of the population is limited to one site, this does not allow the researcher to
generalize the study findings to other educator preparation programs operating outside of
the Rossier School of Education.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 47
Population
The population for this study is composed of enrolled students in the Master of Arts
in Teaching program at the Rossier School of Education. The population for this study is not
representative of all programs, or the total number of enrolled students.
Assurance of Participant Rights
The researcher obtained permission to conduct this study through the University of
Southern California’s Institutional Review Board. All participants were provided with an
information sheet upon initial contact. The information sheet described the purpose of the
research study, potential risks, and benefits. All participants were told that participation is
voluntary and they may opt out at any time for any reason. Participants were not
compensated for participation. There were no financial obligations associated with this
study. Participants were told that participation is voluntary and their choice not to
participate will by no means negatively affect their relationship with the University of
Southern California or the Rossier School of Education.
Instrumentation
Three types of instruments were used for this research study: 1) a pretest 2) a
posttest, and 3) content analysis.
The content of the pretest and posttest came from The Personal Beliefs About
Diversity Scale (Pohan & Aguilar, 2001) and The Professional Beliefs About Diversity Scale
(Pohan & Aguilar, 2001). The pretest and posttest survey data were measured using a
Likert scale. The Likert scale has a 5-point range with the following indicators associated
with each value: 1- strongly disagree, 2- disagree, 3-undecided, 4-agree, and 5-strongly
agree. The Personal Beliefs About Diversity Scale is composed of 15 items that measure the
VALUES AND BELIEFS 48
following diversity concepts: a) race/ethnicity, b) gender, c) social class, d) sexual
orientation, e) disabilities, f) language, and g) immigration (Pohan & Aguilar, 2001). The
Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scale includes 25 items measuring diversity topics
related to a) race/ethnicity, b) gender, c) social class, d) sexual orientation, e) disabilities, f)
language, and g) religion (Pohan & Aguilar, 2001). This study will compare the difference
between a candidate’s personal beliefs related to diversity and his/her professional beliefs
using the survey item categories. This enabled the researcher to examine correlational
variables to determine whether the candidate’s personal epistemological beliefs about
diversity resemble his/her professional beliefs (Perry, 1970; Hofer, 2001).
Content analysis of course syllabi was informed by the Typology of Diversity
Courses from the 2009 report entitled Assessing the Impact of Diversity Courses (Cole &
Sundt, 2009). The University of Southern California has designated five criteria to approve
coursework addressing diversity topics. Using these criteria, a 4-point Likert scale will
classify syllabi according to a diversity continuum, as designated by the Typology of
Diversity Courses (Cole & Sundt, 2009), in the Master of Arts in Teaching program. The use
of the Typology of Diversity Courses (Cole & Sundt, 2009) determined the degree of
differential course content related to diversity in each quarter and the significance a ten
week quarter has on the students’ values and beliefs related to diversity as measured by a
pretest and posttest.
Students’ enrolled full time in the Master of Arts in Teaching will be the focus of this
study. Multiple Subject and Single Subject students were examined to determine whether
beliefs and values related to diversity vary by program concentration. Entering cohorts in
each program will be compared to see whether beliefs related to diversity are similar or
VALUES AND BELIEFS 49
different as measured by a pretest. At the conclusion of the quarter, cohorts will be
compared to measure the relationship between coursework and beliefs associated with
diversity.
Variables
Demographic variables in the sample population were analyzed to determine
whether a candidate’s beliefs differ according to a specific demographic identifier.
Academic demographics, such as the quantity of multi-cultural coursework and grade point
average (GPA) will be investigated in comparison to response trends. The candidate’s age,
ethnic identification, and gender were isolated to examine the correlation to specific values
and beliefs related to diversity.
The following table (Table 4) presents the association between the described
instruments above, the selected questions in each instrument, and the variables in this
research study.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 50
Table 4
Instrument, Variable, and Item Alignment
Category Variables Instrument Item(s)
Diversity Values
and Beliefs
Race/ethnicity
Personal Beliefs About
Diversity Scale (Pohan &
Aguilar, 2001)
Questions: 1, 4,
7, 9
Cronbach alpha
Report the
absolute value
(if any are less
than .6, we will
go back to look
at the scale)
Professional Beliefs
About Diversity Scale
(Pohan & Aguilar, 2001)
Questions: 1, 7,
9, 10, 14, 15, 18,
20, 21, 25
Gender
Personal Beliefs About
Diversity Scale (Pohan &
Aguilar, 2001)
Questions:
4, 11, 15
Professional Beliefs
About Diversity Scale
(Pohan & Aguilar, 2001)
Questions:
1, 8, 9, 12, 19
Social class
Personal Beliefs About
Diversity Scale (Pohan &
Aguilar, 2001)
Questions:
4, 6, 10
Professional Beliefs
About Diversity Scale
(Pohan & Aguilar, 2001)
Questions:
1, 2, 17, 22
Sexual
orientation
Personal Beliefs About
Diversity Scale (Pohan &
Aguilar, 2001)
Questions:
4, 5, 12, 13
Professional Beliefs
About Diversity Scale
(Pohan & Aguilar, 2001)
Questions:
1, 3
VALUES AND BELIEFS 51
Table 4, continued
Category Variables Instrument Item(s)
Diversity Values
and Beliefs
Disabilities
Personal Beliefs About
Diversity Scale (Pohan &
Aguilar, 2001)
Questions:
3, 4, 8
Professional Beliefs
About Diversity Scale
(Pohan & Aguilar, 2001)
Questions:
1, 5, 9, 11, 13,
20
Language
Personal Beliefs About
Diversity Scale (Pohan &
Aguilar, 2001)
Questions:
4
Professional Beliefs
About Diversity Scale
(Pohan & Aguilar, 2001)
Questions:
1, 6, 9, 16, 23
Immigration
Personal Beliefs About
Diversity Scale (Pohan &
Aguilar, 2001)
Questions:
2, 4, 14
Professional Beliefs
About Diversity Scale
(Pohan & Aguilar, 2001)
Questions:
1, 9, 15
Religion
Personal Beliefs About
Diversity Scale (Pohan &
Aguilar, 2001)
Questions:
4
Types of Values
and Beliefs
Professional Beliefs
About Diversity Scale
(Pohan & Aguilar, 2001)
Questions:
1, 4, 9, 24
Personal
Personal Beliefs About
Diversity Scale (Pohan &
Aguilar, 2001)
Questions:
1-15
Professional
Professional Beliefs
About Diversity Scale
(Pohan & Aguilar, 2001)
Questions:
1-25
VALUES AND BELIEFS 52
Table 4, continued
Category Variable Instrument Item(s)
Multiple
Subject, Single
Subject, Single
Subject-Math,
Single Subject-
History, Single
Subject-Science,
Single Subject-
English, Single
Subject-Music,
K-6, 7-8, 9-12
Multi-cultural
coursework
Candidate Information
Sheet
Questions:
1, 2, 2a, 2b, 2c,
2d, 3a, 3b, 3c
Program
Specialization
Candidate
Demographics
Multi-cultural
coursework
Candidate Information
Sheet
Question:
4
Age Question:
5
Ethnic
identification
Question:
6
GPA Question:
7
Gender Question:
8
VALUES AND BELIEFS 53
Table 4, continued
Category Variables Instrument Item(s)
Intensity of
Diversity
Content
Commitment to
diversity,
barriers to
learning,
negotiation to
eliminate
barriers, value
of individual
and cultural
difference
Course Syllabi
Quarter 1
Diversity Score
Commitment to
diversity,
barriers to
learning,
negotiation to
eliminate
barriers, value
of individual
and cultural
difference
Quarter 2
Diversity Score
Commitment to
diversity,
barriers to
learning,
negotiation to
eliminate
barriers, value
of individual
and cultural
difference
Quarter 3
Diversity Score
Commitment to
diversity,
barriers to
learning,
negotiation to
eliminate
barriers, value
of individual
and cultural
difference
Quarter 4
Diversity Score
Reliability
Pohan & Aguilar (2001) administered the Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scale
and the Personal Beliefs About Diversity Scale to undergraduate and graduate students
enrolled in California and Nebraska universities to measure reliability. A pretest was
administered to students enrolled in multicultural education coursework (n=179),
VALUES AND BELIEFS 54
followed by a posttest at the conclusion of the coursework (n=119) (Pohan & Aguilar,
2001). Alpha coefficients (Cronbach, 1951) for the pretest and posttest of the Professional
Beliefs about Diversity Scale and the Personal Beliefs About Diversity Scale are represented
in Table 5 (Pohan & Aguilar, 2001). These data collected by Pohan and Aguilar (2001)
suggest that the Personal Beliefs about Diversity Scale and Professional Beliefs about
Diversity Scale are internally consistent and reliable.
Table 5
Cronbach’s Alpha Reliability Summary for the Personal Beliefs about Diversity Scale and
Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scale
Personal Beliefs About
Diversity Scale
Professional Beliefs about
Diversity Scale
Pretest (n=179) .78 .81
Posttest (n=119) .78 .85
In 2009, the Typology of Diversity Courses (Cole & Sundt, 2009) was used to analyze
every syllabus that met the University of Southern California’s diversity requirements from
2003-2009 (N=76). The syllabi were assessed using a 4-point Likert scale (1=meets
requirement; 2=marginally exceeds requirement; 3=exceeds requirement; 4=well exceeds
requirement) to determine a score that indicated if the syllabus met university
requirements (Cole & Sundt, 2009). To determine the score for each syllabus, inter-rater
reliability measures were implemented to ensure the degree of agreement among raters.
Each syllabus was placed into a category according to the score it received. The diversity
categories were identified on a continuum as introductory, basic, intermediate, or
advanced (Cole & Sundt, 2009). Of the total number assessed (N=76), the majority of syllabi
exceeded requirements (51%), followed by marginally exceeded requirements (25%) (Cole
VALUES AND BELIEFS 55
& Sundt, 2009). A small number of courses minimally satisfied requirements (16%) or well
exceeded requirements (9%) (Cole & Sundt, 2009). The process through which the data
was collected by Cole and Sundt (2009) give this instrument inter-rater reliability.
Validity
This research study contains internal content validity in relation to the
development of the Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scale and the Personal Beliefs
About Diversity Scale (Pohan & Aguilar, 2001). During the initial development of both
scales, Pohan & Aguilar (2001) had three professors with a minimum of four years of
teaching experience in the field of multicultural education review the content of the
surveys. Additionally, Pohan and Aguilar (2001) had five graduate students who completed
at least one multicultural education course give feedback on the surveys. The questions on
the survey were altered as a result of feedback from faculty and graduate students prior to
being field tested (Pohan & Aguilar, 2001).
External validity for this research study is low because the subjects have not been
randomly selected (Campbell & Stanley, 1966). The subjects are aware they are being
studied due to the implementation of a pretest-posttest design and may respond to the
survey differently as a result (Landsberger, 1968).
Field Testing
The Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scale and the Personal Beliefs About
Diversity Scale has been field tested twice with preservice and inservice teachers. Pohan
and Aguilar (2001) administered a field test to preservice teachers from California, Florida,
Nebraska, and Utah and inservice teachers from California, Florida, and Nebraska (n=756).
After the initial field test, a second phase was administered to preservice and inservice
VALUES AND BELIEFS 56
teachers in Colorado, California, and Nebraska (n=539) (Pohan & Aguilar, 2001). The alpha
coefficients (Cronbach, 1951) for both phases of field testing are presented in Table 6.
Table 6
Phase 1 and Phase 2 of Field Testing: Cronbach’s Alpha Results for the Personal Beliefs
about Diversity Scale and Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scale
Personal Beliefs About
Diversity Scale
Professional Beliefs about
Diversity Scale
Phase 1 Field test (n=756)
.80 (preservice and
inservice)
.82 (preservice)
.77 (inservice)
Phase 2 Field test (n=539)
.64-.84 (range among
various subsamples)
.74-.83 (range among
various subsamples)
In addition to the reliability testing that Pohan and Aguilar (2001) conducted, these field
testing data results provide further evidence for internal consistency.
Response bias, measured by social desirability and occupation level, was also
assessed during field testing. To determine whether the beliefs between practicing and
preservice teachers were different, t tests for independent samples were conducted. The
results suggest that occupation level did not significantly influence the results (Pohan &
Aguilar, 2001). The Crowne-Marlowe Social Desirability Scale (Strahan & Gerbasi, 1972)
was used to determine whether participants were encouraged to respond in a socially
desirable fashion. Results from this analysis showed no significance between socially
desirable responses from preservice and inservice educators and their personal or
professional beliefs related to diversity (Pohan & Aguilar, 2001).
VALUES AND BELIEFS 57
Data Collection
Procedure. Data collection for this research study occurred in three parts beginning
in Spring, 2013. The first part of the data collection occurred as a pretest using the Personal
Beliefs about Diversity Scale and the Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scale (Pohan &
Aguilar, 2001). Following this, content analysis examined the coursework students
participate in during the course of study. At the conclusion of the quarter, a posttest was
administered using the Personal Beliefs about Diversity Scale and the Professional Beliefs
about Diversity Scale (Pohan & Aguilar, 2001). The posttest was administered with a
course evaluation or online survey. The pretest and posttest was administered in quarters
1, 2, 3, and 4, enabling the researcher to collect data across the course of study. A sample of
two cohorts was captured for quarters 1, 2, and 3. One cohort was captured for quarter 4.
To capture this quantity of data, the research began data collection in January 2013 and
concluded data collection in March 2013. The following calendar depicts the data collection
schedule for this research study:
VALUES AND BELIEFS 58
Table 7
Data Collection Calendar
Data Collection Calendar
Cohort January February March April
January
2013
Pretest
Quarter 1
(1/7/13)
(student in session)
Quarter 1
Posttest
Quarter 1
(3/31/13)
Analysis
September
2012
Pretest
Quarter 2
(1/7/13)
(student in session)
Quarter 2
Posttest
Quarter 2
(3/17/13)
Analysis
June 2012
April 2012
Pretest
Quarter 3
(1/7/13)
(student in session)
Quarter 3
Posttest
Quarter 3
(3/17/13)
Analysis
January 2012
November 2011
Pretest
Quarter 4
(1/7/13)
(student in session)
Quarter 4
Posttest
Quarter 4
(3/17/13)
Analysis
The purpose for collecting pretest and posttest data for each quarter is twofold.
First, this allowed the researcher to collect a sample across the course of study in a
compacted period of time. Secondly, this type of cross sectional analysis allowed the
researcher to analyze pretests and posttests within the same quarter and across multiple
quarters. For example, the quarter 1 pretest can be compared to the quarter 1 posttest.
Additionally, the quarter 1 posttest can be compared to the quarter 2 pretest to measure
the degree of change over the course of study. Figure 4 depicts the collection of pretest and
posttest data across quarters 1, 2, 3, and 4 and the analysis between quarters.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 59
Figure 4. Pretest and Posttest Cross Sectional Analysis
The analysis between quarters was measured against the total score for the syllabi from
the respective quarter. As depicted in Figure 5, the difference between a quarter’s pretest
and posttest data was compared against the total intensity score for the course syllabi the
student received in that quarter. The researcher was able to measure the how the
candidate’s learning mediates change in his/her personal and professional beliefs related
to diversity (Kirkpatrick, 2006).
VALUES AND BELIEFS 60
Figure 5: The Measure of Change
Coding
All data collection for this study was anonymous, as no personal identifying
information was collected. To manage data, all data was coded. Each subject had a numeric
identifier enabled the researcher to connect pretest and posttest data to an individual
study participant and the course section s/he was enrolled in. Data was coded at the
aggregate level when it was released to the Office of Program Accreditation and Evaluation
and to accreditation agencies associated with the Rossier School of Education.
Data Analysis
The overall question that guided this study is the following:
Over the course of study, how do values and beliefs related to diversity vary and evolve
amongst students at the Rossier School of Education?
Related questions include the following:
VALUES AND BELIEFS 61
1. Entering the program:
a. What are the beliefs of the entering cohort overall?
b. Do their entering beliefs about diversity vary by program specialization (e.g.,
grade level, multiple or single subject credential, or content area emphasis),
or by demographics such as age, race, incoming GPA, gender, or region of the
country from which they come?
c. Is there a difference in a candidate’s entering personal versus professional
beliefs related to diversity?
2. Changes during a single term:
a. Is there a relationship between any changes in a candidate’s beliefs about
diversity during an academic term, and the concentration of diversity content
in a course syllabus?
3. Changes across the length of the program:
a. Are there any significant differences in candidates’ beliefs about diversity at
the end of a term (post-test)?
b. Are there any significant differences in candidates’ beliefs about diversity
from the start of Term 1 (pre-test) to the end of Term 4 (post-test)?
c. If there are significant differences, are there also differences between their
personal and professional beliefs about diversity?
Statistical Techniques
This study captured quantitative data. Quantitative analysis of data was conducted
using a statistical data application called SPSS. The following table depicts the relationship
the research questions have to the measurement instrument and measurement test.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 62
Table 8
Research Question, Measurement Instrument, and Measurement Tests Alignment
Research Question
Measurement
Instrument
Variables Measurement Tests
Is there a difference in
a candidate’s personal
versus professional
beliefs related to
diversity?
Professional
Beliefs About
Diversity Scale
and the
Personal Beliefs
About Diversity
Scale (Pohan &
Aguilar, 2001)
Personal
beliefs
Professional
beliefs
ANOVA, MANOVA
Post-Hoc Analysis
Is there a relationship
between pretest and
posttest scores and
the concentration of
diversity content in a
course syllabus?
Typology of
Diversity
Courses (Cole &
Sundt, 2009)
Course Syllabi
Rossier
Candidate
Proficiencies
Regression
How are entering
cohorts beliefs related
to diversity similar or
different as measured
by a pretest?
Professional
Beliefs About
Diversity Scale
and the
Personal Beliefs
About Diversity
Scale (Pohan &
Aguilar, 2001)
Disabilities
Language
Immigration
Religion
Race/Ethnicity
Gender
Social Class
Sexual
Orientation
ANOVA, MANOVA
Post-Hoc Analysis
How are exiting
cohorts beliefs related
to diversity similar or
different as measured
by a posttest?
Professional
Beliefs About
Diversity Scale
and the
Personal Beliefs
About Diversity
Scale (Pohan &
Aguilar, 2001)
Disabilities
Language
Immigration
Religion
Race/Ethnicity
Gender
Social Class
Sexual
Orientation
ANOVA, MANOVA
Post-Hoc Analysis
VALUES AND BELIEFS 63
Table 8, continued
Research Question Measurement
Instrument
Variables Measurement Tests
Do beliefs and values
related to diversity
vary by program
specialization as
measured by a
pretest/posttest (e.g.,
grade level, multiple
or single subject
credential, or content
area emphasis)?
Professional
Beliefs About
Diversity Scale
and the
Personal Beliefs
About Diversity
Scale (Pohan &
Aguilar, 2001)
Grade Level
Credential
Type
Content Area
Emphasis
Personal
Beliefs
Professional
Beliefs
Point-biserial
Correlation
Coefficient
Repeated measures
ANOVA
Post-Hoc Analysis
Do multi-cultural
coursework, the
candidate’s age,
ethnic identification,
location, grade point
average, or gender
correlate to specific
values and beliefs
related to diversity?
Professional
Beliefs About
Diversity Scale
and the
Personal Beliefs
About Diversity
Scale (Pohan &
Aguilar, 2001)
Age
Ethnic
Identification
GPA
Gender
Personal
Beliefs
Professional
Beliefs
Point-biserial
Correlation
Coefficient
Repeated measures
ANOVA
Post-Hoc Analysis
Summary
This chapter described the research method and design for the study. The rationale
and criteria for the site selection, study participants, and type of sampling was described.
The process for selecting the sample, issues that may occur, and the assurance of
participant’s rights during the study were explained. Instruments from this study were
aligned to the research questions, identified variables, and measurement tests. Following
this, the reliability and validity of the instruments were discussed to validate their use in
this study. The chapter concluded with a procedure for collecting these data and a process
for coding and analyzing it. The purpose of this chapter was to extract the variables
associated with the research questions and outline a method for which to examine them.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 64
Chapter 4: Results
This chapter reports findings that reveal how values and beliefs related to diversity
vary and evolve over a course of study. A review of the literature in Chapter Two revealed a
distinction between personal and professional beliefs. Recent studies suggest that beliefs
have an impact on the expectations a teacher has for students and influence the
instructional decisions a teacher makes in the classroom. Previous research explored the
relationship between beliefs and multicultural coursework; however, no study has
examined the variance and evolution of beliefs over the course of a teacher education
program. This chapter reports data on how beliefs transform over time and summarizes an
analysis of the syllabi from a course of study in a teacher education program, as this has not
been examined in previous research.
Six research questions guided this study on preservice teacher values and beliefs
related to diversity. One overarching research question guided this study: Over the course
of study, how do values and beliefs related to diversity vary and evolve amongst students at
the Rossier School of Education? This chapter is organized to answer this overarching
question and related questions:
1. Entering the program:
a. What are the beliefs of the entering cohort overall?
b. Do their entering beliefs about diversity vary by program specialization (e.g.,
grade level, multiple or single subject credential, or content area emphasis),
or by demographics such as age, race, incoming GPA, gender, or region of the
country from which they come?
VALUES AND BELIEFS 65
c. Is there a difference in a candidate’s entering personal versus professional
beliefs related to diversity?
2. Changes during a single term:
a. Is there a relationship between any changes in a candidate’s beliefs about
diversity during an academic term, and the concentration of diversity content
in a course syllabus?
3. Changes across the length of the program:
a. Are there any significant differences in candidates’ beliefs about diversity at
the end of a term (post-test)?
b. Are there any significant differences in candidates’ beliefs about diversity
from the start of Term 1 (pre-test) to the end of Term 4 (post-test)?
c. If there are significant differences, are there also differences between their
personal and professional beliefs about diversity?
A quasi-experimental design was implemented to study preservice teachers’
personal and professional beliefs related to diversity. Three types of data collection
occurred in the Master of Arts in Teaching program over four quarters: 1) a pretest
followed by 2) a posttest, and 3) a content analysis of syllabi for the courses in that quarter.
This combination of data collection techniques were used to generate findings related to
the research questions for this study.
Preservice teachers in this study attend the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)
program at the University of Southern California. The MAT course of study is designed to
occur over four quarters. Preservice teachers from each quarter of the program were
surveyed using a pretest and posttest. The cohort name assigned to each group represents
VALUES AND BELIEFS 66
the date on which they began the program. The table below depicts the cohort that was
administered a pretest and posttest for the corresponding quarter in the program.
Table 9
Cohort Sample
Quarter Cohort N of Enrolled
Quarter 1 January 2013 cohort 141
Quarter 2 September 2012 cohort 149
Quarter 3
April 2012 cohort
June 2012 cohort
221
Quarter 4
January 2012 cohort
November 2011 cohort
199
Representing four quarters of coursework, six cohorts of preservice teachers
participated in the pretest and posttest for this study. The pretest and posttest for this
study were administered between January 2013 and March 2013. The response
participants for the pretest and posttest are reported in the table below.
Table 10
Pretest and Post Test Response Participants
Quarter Cohort
N of
Participants:
Pretest
Response
Rate:
Pretest
N of
Participants:
Post Test
Response
Rate:
Posttest
Quarter 1 January 2013 55 39% 11 8%
Quarter 2
September
2012
35 23% 20 13%
Quarter 3
April 2012
June 2012
25 11% 15 7%
Quarter 4
January 2012
November
2011
44 22% 14 7%
VALUES AND BELIEFS 67
The content of the pretest and posttest was developed using The Personal Beliefs
About Diversity Scale, The Professional Beliefs About Diversity Scale (Pohan & Aguilar,
2001), and the Rossier School of Education Candidate Proficiencies on Diversity.
To determine the internal consistency of the instruments, a Cronbach’s Alpha was
calculated. The questions pertaining to personal beliefs, professional beliefs, and candidate
proficiencies were isolated to arrive at the reliability score using Cronbach’s Alpha.
Table 11
Cronbach’s Alpha for Measurement Instruments
Portion of Instrument Cronbach’s Alpha N of Items
The Personal Beliefs
About Diversity Scale
.734 15
The Professional
Beliefs About Diversity
Scale
.837 25
Rossier School of
Education Candidate
Proficiencies on
Diversity
.904 6
The results from the Cronbach’s Alpha tests reveal that the instrument is reliable. A
score of .904 is excellent, a score of .837 is good, and a score of .734 is acceptable, as
determined by the ranges for internal consistency (Pallant, 2010). Reliability is present for
each pretest and posttest administered each quarter. The questions pertaining to personal
beliefs, professional beliefs, and proficiencies related to diversity demonstrate internal
consistency using Cronbach’s Alpha.
Each diversity concept within The Personal Beliefs About Diversity Scale and The
Professional Beliefs About Diversity Scale (Pohan & Aguilar, 2001) was measured to
VALUES AND BELIEFS 68
determine the reliability using Cronbach’s Alpha. The following table presents the score for
each type of variable, signifying internal consistency throughout the instrument.
Table 12
Cronbach’s Alpha for Diversity Variables in Embedded within the Measurement
Instruments
Diversity Variables
Cronbach’s Alpha
for The Personal Beliefs
Scale
Cronbach’s Alpha
for The Professional Beliefs
Scale
Race/Ethnicity .527 .716
Gender .574 .627
Social Class .379 .485
Sexual Orientation .706 .347
Disabilities .518 .450
Language N/A
1
.570
Immigration .524 .446
1
This item was not scaled because there was only one question measuring this concept in The Personal
Beliefs Scale
Diversity concepts within The Personal Beliefs About Diversity Scale and The
Professional Beliefs About Diversity Scale (Pohan & Aguilar, 2001) demonstrate reliability
using Cronbach’s Alpha. The most reliable diversity concepts are questions related to
sexual orientation in the Personal Beliefs Scale and questions pertaining to race and
ethnicity in the Professional Beliefs Scale. Questions related to social class are the least
reliable in the Personal Beliefs about Diversity Scale. Items pertaining to sexual orientation
are not as reliable in the Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scale. All scores are greater
than .05, which signifies internal consistency throughout the instrument using Cronbach’s
Alpha.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 69
Description of the Sample
Gender. In quarters one through four, the majority of students who participated in
this study were female. In quarter one, 75% of students were female and the remaining
25% were male.
In quarter two, 86% of students were female and the remaining 14% were male. Of
quarters one through four, quarter two had the highest percentage of females who
participated in the study.
Quarter three had 64% of female students who participated in the study. The
remaining 36% of the survey participants identified as male. Quarter three had the lowest
percentage of females and the highest percentage of males in comparison to quarters one,
two, and four.
Quarter four had 77% of females participating in the study and 23% males. This
distribution closely aligns to the percentage of males and females in quarter one.
The majority of the participants in this study were female. Overall, a
disproportionate number of males participated. These data are expected, as referenced in
Chapter One, as the majority of the teaching population is female.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 70
Table 13
Quarter 1-4 Gender
Quarter 1
# Answer Response %
1 Male 14 25%
2 Female 41 75%
Total 55 100%
Quarter 2
# Answer Response %
1 Male 5 14%
2 Female 30 86%
Total 35 100%
Quarter 3
# Answer Response %
1 Male 9 36%
2 Female 16 64%
Total 25 100%
Quarter 4
# Answer Response %
1 Male 10 23%
2 Female 34 77%
Total 44 100%
Age. In quarters one through four, most students were born between 1980 and
1989, ranging between 44%-59%. In quarters one through four, the fewest students were
born between1950 and 1959, ranging between 0% and 6%. In quarter four, 29% of
students were born in between 1960 and 1969. The percentage of students born between
1960 and 1969 decreases to 18% in quarter three and quarter two, and to 10% in quarter
one. The mean age was 37.83 and the standard deviation was 63.085 (n=221). The
distribution of student ages can be found in Table 14.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 71
Table 14
Age Profile in Quarters 1-4
Year
Born
Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4
1950-
1959
(63-54) 2 4% 2 6% 0 0% 1 2%
1960-
1969
(53-44) 5 10% 6 18% 4 18% 12 29%
1970-
1979
(43-34) 13 25% 7 21% 2 9% 8 20%
1980-
1989
(33-24) 26 51% 15 44% 13 59% 20 49%
1990-
1999
(23-14) 5 10% 4 12% 3 14% 0 0%
Ethnicity. Across quarters one through four, the greatest percentage of participants
in this study was White. In quarter one, 74% were white, followed by 54% in quarter two,
39% in quarter three, and 40% in quarter four. Following this, the second largest
percentage of participants was in the category of Hispanic or Latino. In quarter one, 13% of
Hispanic or Latino students participated. In quarter two, 14% completed the survey,
followed by 21% in quarter three and 17% in quarter four. The third largest population in
this study consisted of Asian students with 11% in quarter one, 14% in quarter two, 11%
in quarter three, and 8% in quarter four. Black or African American students represent the
fourth largest population. Multiracial students follow with 9% in quarter one, 11% in
quarter two, none in quarter three, and 10% in quarter four. Native Hawaiian or Pacific
Islanders comprised the sixth largest group. Students identifying themselves as “other”
were the next largest group. No students who identified as “other” were surveyed in
quarter one or quarter two. American Indian or Alaska Native students made up 6% of
VALUES AND BELIEFS 72
students surveyed in quarter four and none in quarters one through three. Arab or Middle
Eastern students followed with 4% participating in the survey in quarter three. Table 15
illustrates the range of ethnicities of those who participated in this study.
Table 15
Ethnic Identification in Quarters 1-4
Ethnicity Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4
American Indian or Alaska
Native
0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 3 6%
Asian 6 11% 5 14% 3 11% 4 8%
Black or African American 2 4% 3 9% 3 11% 5 10%
Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander
2 4% 2 6% 2 7% 3 6%
White 40 74% 19 54% 11 39% 21 40%
Hispanic or Latino 7 13% 5 14% 6 21% 9 17%
Arab or Middle Eastern 0 0% 0 0% 1 4% 0 0%
Multiracial 5 9% 4 11% 0 0% 5 10%
Other 0 0% 0 0% 2 7% 2 4%
Location. The majority of participants live in the United States. The location maps in
Figures 8 through 11 display this trend. The greatest distribution of candidates across the
United States is represented in the fourth quarter, whereas the quarter two map illustrates
the majority of students were on the West or East coast of the United States. The first,
second, and fourth quarter include survey participants from Europe and Asia.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 73
Figure 6. Quarter 1 Location by Zip Code
Figure 7. Quarter 2 Location by Zip Code
VALUES AND BELIEFS 74
Figure 8. Quarter 3 Location by Zip Code
Figure 9. Quarter 4 Location by Zip Code
Grade Point Average. Students were asked to self-select their undergraduate grade
point average (GPA) for this study. In quarter one, 66%, or the majority of students, had an
undergraduate GPA of 3.0-3.49. Following this, 22% of students had a GPA of 3.5-3.99. Only
13% of students had an undergraduate GPA of 2.5-2.99.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 75
During quarter two, 49% of students had an undergraduate GPA of 3.5-3.99.
Following this, 26% of the sample had an undergraduate GPA of 2.5-2.99. Finally, 17% of
students had a GPA that ranged from 3.0-3.49. Table 16 illustrates the distribution of
undergraduate GPA for students enrolled in quarter two.
In the quarter three sample, 40% of students had an undergraduate GPA of 3.5-4.0.
Next, 28% of students had a GPA of 2.5-2.99. 24% of students had a GPA of 3.0-3.49 for
their undergraduate coursework.
Quarter four participants had 77% of students with a GPA of 3.5-3.99. Next, 15% of
students had a GAP of 3.0-3.49. The remaining 8% of students had a GPA of 4.0 or above in
their undergraduate coursework. Table 16 demonstrates the range of performance in
undergraduate coursework.
Table 16
Quarter 1-4 Grade Point Average
# Answer Quarter 1
Percentage
Quarter 2
Percentage
Quarter 3
Percentage
Quarter 4
Percentage
1 2.0 or below 2% 0% 0% 0%
2 2.0-2.49 2% 3% 4% 0%
3 2.5-2.99 13% 26% 28% 0%
4 3.0-3.49 61% 17% 24% 15%
5 3.5-3.99 22% 49% 40% 77%
6 4.0 or above 0% 6% 4% 8%
Total 100% 100% 100% 100%
Findings for Research Question 1a
What are the beliefs of the entering cohort overall?
Items from The Personal Beliefs About Diversity Scale and The Professional Beliefs
About Diversity Scale (Pohan & Aguilar, 2001) organized by the following concepts to
VALUES AND BELIEFS 76
determine the student’s entering beliefs: 1) race/ethnicity, 2) gender, 3) social class, 4)
sexual orientation, 5) disabilities, 6) language, 7) religion, and 8) immigration. Over the
course of study, students are expected to develop the dispositions described in the Rossier
Candidate Proficiencies on Diversity. The Rossier Candidate Proficiencies on Diversity were
compared to findings from these items to determine the level of alignment. Findings
revealed that students were approaching agreement on concepts of race/ethnicity, gender,
social class, language, and religion when compared to the Rossier Candidate Proficiencies.
However, student beliefs on the topics of sexual orientation, disability, and immigration did
not agree with the dispositions articulated in the Rossier Candidate Proficiencies on
Diversity.
Table 17
Entering Cohort Beliefs on Diversity
Diversity Concept
Approaching Agreement
with the Rossier
Proficiencies on Diversity
Not in Agreement with the
Rossier Proficiencies on
Diversity
Race/Ethnicity *
Gender *
Social class *
Sexual Orientation *
Disabilities *
Language *
Religion *
Immigration *
VALUES AND BELIEFS 77
Findings for Research Question 1b
Do their entering beliefs about diversity vary by program specialization (e.g., grade level,
multiple or single subject credential, or content area emphasis), or by demographics such
as age, race, incoming GPA, gender, or region of the country from which they come?
To measure the question related to the variance of beliefs and values by program
specialization, the data was disaggregated by categorical variables such as grade level,
multiple subject or single subject credential, or content area emphasis. Students enrolled in
the MAT program at USC are being prepared to teach either grades K-8 or grades 9-12.
Within grades K-8, teachers identify as a primary teacher in grades K-3, an upper grades
teacher in grades 4-5, or a middle school teacher in grades 6-8. The following chart shows
the grade level the preservice teachers aim to teach once they enter the profession.
Table 18
Grade Level Student Aims to Teach
Grade Level Pursuing to Teach N of participants
K-3 36
4-5 22
6-8 39
9-12 61
Teachers in the state of California are authorized a multiple subject credential or a
single subject credential. A multiple subject credential enables them to teach any subject in
grades Kindergarten through 8
th
. A single subject credential grants the teacher the ability
to teach a specific content area in grades 9
th
through 12
th
. Single subject credentials are
offered in a specific discipline. The MAT program at USC authorizes single subject
VALUES AND BELIEFS 78
credentials in Math, History, Science, Music, and English. The following table shows the
type of credential each student was pursuing at the time of this study.
Table 19
Type of Credential Student Pursue
Type of Credential Pursued N of participants
Multiple Subject 53
Single Subject: Math 15
Single Subject: History 29
Single Subject: Science 25
Single Subject: English 36
A one-way multivariate analysis of variance was performed to investigate the
difference of the independent variable versus the two dependent variables. There was a
statistically significant effect for grade level and professional beliefs, F (3, 116) = 2.946, p =
.044.
Table 20
The Effect of Grade Level on Personal and Professional Beliefs
Variable Personal Beliefs Significant
Professional Beliefs
Significant
Grade Level *
* p<0.05
To further explore the effect grade level had, a two-way between-groups analysis of
variance was conducted to examine the impact of credential and ethnicity on personal and
professional beliefs related to diversity. There was a statistically significant relationship
between credential and ethnicity on personal beliefs, F (2, 116) = 5.601, p = .007.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 79
Table 21
The Effect of Grade Level and Ethnicity on Personal and Professional Beliefs
Variable Personal Beliefs Significant
Professional Beliefs
Significant
Grade Level & Ethnicity *
* p<0.05
A post-hoc comparison was conducted to explore the differences between groups
and conditions in the study. A Scheffe post-hoc analysis was performed on personal beliefs
and grade level. A significant difference was found between the personal beliefs of K-3rd
teachers and those of 4-5
th
grade teachers, p=.009, with a mean difference of -.25.
Table 22
Grade Level and Personal and Professional Beliefs
Variable Personal Beliefs Significant
Professional Beliefs
Significant
K-3rd *
4-5th *
There were no other differences found by grade levels for either personal or professional
beliefs related to diversity. These data imply that preservice teachers in K-3
rd
have
significantly different personal beliefs related to diversity as compared to 4
th
-5
th
grade
teachers.
To measure the question related to the correlation of beliefs and values by age,
ethnic identification, location, grade point average, or gender, the researcher isolated these
as categorical variables. The following section presents profiles for each of these variables
with descriptive data and the relevant statistical techniques.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 80
Quarter 1 Coursework Profile. Students in quarter one have not experienced any
previous coursework. The table below reflects that 100% of students have not had any
coursework in the MAT program.
Table 23
Previous Coursework in Quarter 1
# Answer
Response %
1
I have not
completed any
courses. I just
began the
program.
52 100%
Multiple and single subject students in quarter one enroll in EDUC 516: Framing the
Social Context of High Needs Schools and EDUC 518: Application of Theories of learning to
Classroom Practice. In addition to these courses, multiple subject students are enrolled in
EDUC 504: Foundations of Literacy Development and Instruction. Single subject students
are enrolled in EDUC 506: New media Literacies in High Needs Schools. The specific
number of students enrolled in these courses is reflected in the table below:
VALUES AND BELIEFS 81
Table 24
Currently Enrolled Courses in Quarter 1
# Answer
Response %
1
EDUC 516
Framing the
Social Context of
Schooling
54 98%
2
EDUC 518
Learning Theory
50 91%
3
EDUC 504
Literacy
Foundations for
Elementary
17 31%
4
EDUC 506 New
Media Literacies
29 53%
Quarter 2 Coursework Profile. Students enrolled in quarter two show they were
previously enrolled in the coursework from quarter one. This is reflected in Table 25.
Table 25
Previous Coursework in Quarter 2
# Answer
Response %
1
EDUC 516
Framing the
Social Context of
Schooling
31 91%
2
EDUC 518
Learning Theory
34 100%
3
EDUC 504
Literacy
Foundations for
Elementary
7 21%
4
EDUC 506 New
Media Literacies
18 53%
All students enroll in EDUC 501: Instruction for Teaching English as a New Language
in quarter two. Multiple subject students enroll in EDUC 556: Integrating English language
Arts and Social Sciences. All single subjects enroll in EDUC 506: New Media Literacies.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 82
Additionally, single subject students choose one course that matches their content area
specialization: a) EDUC 502a: Teaching Science in Secondary Classrooms, b) EDUC 509a:
Teaching Mathematics in Secondary Classrooms, c) EDUC 513a: Teaching English language
Arts in Secondary Classrooms, or d) EDUC 541a: Teaching Social Studies in Secondary
Classrooms. Data for students who enrolled in quarter two reveal that some students
enrolled in coursework from quarter one, such as EDUC 516: Framing the Social Context of
High Needs Schools and EDUC 504: Foundations of Literacy Development and Instruction.
These data suggest that some students may enroll in the MAT program part-time. The
distribution of this enrollment data can be found in Table 26.
Table 26
Currently Enrolled Courses in Quarter 2
# Answer
Response %
1
EDUC 516 Framing the
Social Context of Schooling
2 6%
2
EDUC 504 Literacy
Foundations for
Elementary
2 6%
3
EDUC 506 New Media
Literacies
6 19%
4 EDUC 501 ELL
29 91%
5
EDUC 556 Elementary
Literacy with Social
Studies and Practicum
7 22%
6
EDUC 509A Secondary
Math
3 9%
7
EDUC 502A Secondary
Science
2 6%
8
EDUC 513A Secondary
English
8 25%
9
EDUC 541A Secondary
Social Studies
3 9%
VALUES AND BELIEFS 83
Quarter 3 coursework profile. All students enrolled in quarter three completed
EDUC 518 Learning Theory. The remaining previous courses show less than 100%
enrollment. These data suggest that a percentage of students enrolled in quarter three
continue to work on coursework from previous quarters, implying part-time enrollment.
Table 27 shows the completed coursework from previous quarters:
Table 27
Previous Coursework in Quarter 3
# Answer
Response %
1
EDUC 516 Framing the
Social Context of
Schooling
24 96%
2
EDUC 518 Learning
Theory
25 100%
3
EDUC 504 Literacy
Foundations for
Elementary
8 32%
4
EDUC 506 New Media
Literacies
17 68%
5 EDUC 501 ELL
17 68%
6
EDUC 556 Elementary
Literacy with Social
Studies and Practicum
6 24%
7
EDUC 509A Secondary
Math
2 8%
8
EDUC 502A Secondary
Science
3 12%
9
EDUC 513A Secondary
English
2 8%
10
EDUC 541A Secondary
Social Studies
4 16%
Both single and multiple subject students enrolled in EDUC 519: Human Differences
(64%) and EDUC 568a: Guided Practice (55%) in quarter three. However, these data do not
reflect 100% enrollment from the survey population. Single subject students select the
follow-up course that complements quarter two and their content area specialization: a)
VALUES AND BELIEFS 84
EDUC 502b: Teaching Science in Secondary Classrooms, b) EDUC 509b: Teaching
Mathematics in Secondary Classrooms, c) EDUC 513b: Teaching English language Arts in
Secondary Classrooms, or d) EDUC 541b: Teaching Social Studies in Secondary Classrooms.
Multiple subject students are enrolled in EDUC 566: Teaching Mathematics and Social
Science. Data reveal that participants enrolled in quarter three are still enrolled in quarter
two coursework, further supporting part time enrollment status from some subjects. These
data are reflected in Table 28.
Table 28
Currently Enrolled Courses in Quarter 3
# Answer
Response %
1 EDUC 501 ELL
3 14%
2
EDUC 556 Elementary
Literacy with Social Studies
and Practicum
1 5%
3
EDUC 541A Secondary
Social Studies
3 14%
4
EDUC 519 Human
Differences
14 64%
5 EDUC 568A Guided Practice
12 55%
6
EDUC 566 Elementary
Math/Science
7 32%
7 EDUC 509B Secondary Math
2 9%
8
EDUC 502B Secondary
Science
2 9%
Quarter 4 coursework profile. Previous coursework data for students enrolled in
quarter four is illustrated in Table 29. These data acknowledge part-time enrollment in the
MAT program. Students also completed coursework out of sequence. For example, one
student had previously completed EDUC 551 Teaching Physical Education, which is
required in quarter four and not earlier in the course of study.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 85
Table 29
Previous Coursework in Quarter 4
# Answer
Response %
1
EDUC 516 Framing the Social
Context of Schooling
41 93%
2 EDUC 518 Learning Theory
40 91%
3
EDUC 504 Literacy Foundations
for Elementary
10 23%
4 EDUC 506 New Media Literacies
31 70%
5 EDUC 501 ELL
23 52%
6
EDUC 556 Elementary Literacy
with Social Studies and Practicum
8 18%
7 EDUC 509A Secondary Math
2 5%
8 EDUC 502A Secondary Science
7 16%
9 EDUC 513A Secondary English
9 20%
10
EDUC 541A Secondary Social
Studies
7 16%
11 EDUC 519 Human Differences
15 34%
12 EDUC 568A Guided Practice
13 30%
13
EDUC 566 Elementary
Math/Science
6 14%
14 EDUC 509B Secondary Math
1 2%
15 EDUC 502B Secondary Science
5 11%
16 EDUC 551 PE
1 2%
Multiple and single subject students in quarter 4 enrolled in EDUC 568b: Guided
Practice (29%). If a student were not enrolled in this course in quarter four, they may not
have been working toward a teaching credential or they might have been completing the
program on part-time status. Multiple subject students enrolled in EDUC 551: Teaching
Physical Education and EDUC 554: Visual and Performing Arts in Elementary Subjects in
quarter four. The remaining coursework data (Table 45) reflect coursework that being
completed from quarters one through three, implying part time enrollment.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 86
Table 30
Currently Enrolled Courses in Quarter 4
# Answer
Response %
1 EDUC 518 Learning Theory
1 3%
2 EDUC 506 New Media Literacies
2 5%
3 EDUC 501 ELL
3 8%
4 EDUC 513A Secondary English
1 3%
5
EDUC 541A Secondary Social
Studies
8 21%
6 EDUC 519 Human Differences
10 26%
7 EDUC 568A Guided Practice
11 29%
8 EDUC 569A Capstone
2 5%
9 EDUC 566 Elementary Math/Science
2 5%
10 EDUC 509B Secondary Math
1 3%
11 EDUC 502B Secondary Science
2 5%
12 EDUC 568B Guided Practice
11 29%
13
EDUC 554 Visual and Performing
Arts (VAPA)
8 21%
14 EDUC 551 PE
5 13%
No significant results were found when questions were grouped by diversity
concept (e.g., race, disability, language, immigration, sexual orientation, social class, or
religion) were compared against completed coursework or currently enrolled coursework.
Quarters 1-4: Age Profile. Students born between 1950 and 1999 participated in
this study (n=221). No significant results were found when questions grouped by diversity
concept (e.g., race, disability, language, immigration, sexual orientation, social class, or
religion) were compared to age.
Quarters 1-4: Ethnic Identification. A multivariate analysis of variance was used
to compare the ethnicity of the candidate and his/her grade level with his/her beliefs
related to diversity. Significance was found for ethnicity and grade level as measured by
VALUES AND BELIEFS 87
personal and professional beliefs related to diversity, Pillai’s Trace equals F (2, 40) = 3.305,
p = .047. Similarly, significance was revealed when ethnicity and credential were compared
to personal and professional beliefs related to diversity, Pillai’s Trace equals F (4, 82) =
2.516, p = .048.
Table 31
The Effect Ethnicity and other Variables had on Personal and Professional Beliefs on
Diversity
Variable(s) Personal Beliefs Significant
Professional Beliefs
Significant
Ethnicity & Grade Level * *
Ethnicity & Credential * *
* p<0.05
Quarters 1-4: Location Profile. Zip code was used to identify the location of the
survey participants in this study. No significant results were found when questions
grouped by diversity concept (e.g., race, disability, language, immigration, sexual
orientation, social class, or religion) were compared to the student’s location.
Quarters 1-4: Grade Point Average. No significant results were found when
questions grouped by diversity concept (e.g., race, disability, language, immigration, sexual
orientation, social class, or religion) were compared to the student’s undergraduate GPA.
Gender. The instrument for this study requested that students identify their gender.
The total number of females surveyed was 76%. The total number of males surveyed was
24%. The sample contained a disproportionate number of females. These numbers reflect
the gender demographic trends of the teaching population referenced in Chapter One.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 88
Table 32
Total Surveyed, Gender
# Answer
Response %
1 Male
38 24%
2 Female
121 76%
Total 159 100%
A two-way between-groups analysis of variance was conducted to examine the
impact of gender on personal and professional beliefs related to diversity, as measured by
the Personal and Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scales. There was a statistically
significant effect for gender and personal beliefs, F (1, 116) = 4.103, p = .049. Additionally,
the effect of gender on professional beliefs was statistically significant, F (1, 116) = 6.409, p
= 015. This analysis of gender in relationship to personal and professional beliefs
associated diversity suggests significant findings as represented in Table 33.
Table 33
Gender and Test Type as related to Personal and Professional Beliefs
Variable(s) Personal Beliefs Significant
Professional Beliefs
Significant
Gender * *
* p<0.05
Findings for Research Question 1c
Is there a difference in a candidate’s entering personal versus professional beliefs related
to diversity?
To determine whether entering cohorts’ beliefs related to diversity are similar or
different as measured by a pretest, a pretest was administered at the beginning of each
quarter. Pretest data were collected from January 2013 to March 2013. The pretest was
VALUES AND BELIEFS 89
administered electronically using Qualtrics or in person during student orientation. During
quarter three, the lowest number of students participated: 25 individuals. Response rate
data for the pretest are represented in Table 34 below.
Table 34
Pretest Response Participants
Quarter Cohort
Response
Participants: Pretest
Quarter 1 January 2013 55
Quarter 2 September 2012 35
Quarter 3
April 2012
June 2012
25
Quarter 4
January 2012
November 2011
44
In the context of the data collection, the pretest comparison is illustrated in Figure 6
below.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 90
Figure 10. Pretest Measurement Focus
The pretest instrument measured the extent to which students agreed with
statements related to the Rossier Candidate Proficiencies on Diversity. The survey
participant used a 5-point Likert scale to rate their preference with a range of 1: strongly
disagree, 2: disagree, 3: undecided, 4: agree, and 5: strongly agree.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 91
Table 35
Rossier Diversity Candidate Proficiencies Pretest Responses
Statistic Quarter
1a. I believe
that
accountability
and
communication
leads to
equitable and
transparent
outcomes for
all.
2a. I believe
in an
unshakable
commitment
to honoring
the diversity
of the
populations
with which I
work.
3a. I value
the
importance
of
individual
and cultural
differences
that result
in equal
opportunity
and access
for all.
4a. I believe
that
effective
instruction
is learner-
centered,
theoretically
grounded,
and
contextually
responsive.
5a. It is
important
for me to
promote and
contribute
instructional
and
technological
innovations
that address
educational
barriers.
6a. I
recognize the
value of
creating and
promoting
equitable and
achievement-
oriented
educational
settings.
Mean
1 4.16 4.49 4.63 4.45 4.45 4.65
2 4.25 4.59 4.78 4.50 4.66 4.69
3 4.36 4.68 4.77 4.68 4.77 4.68
4 4.18 4.63 4.73 4.63 4.54 4.63
Standard
Deviation
1 0.81 0.76 0.72 0.81 0.73 0.69
2 0.80 0.67 0.42 0.62 0.55 0.47
3 0.66 0.48 0.43 0.48 0.43 0.57
4 0.64 0.49 0.45 0.54 0.50 0.49
Total
Responses
1 51 51 51 51 51 51
2 32 32 32 32 32 32
3 22 22 22 22 22 22
4 39 41 41 41 41 41
Three Diversity Candidate Proficiencies revealed that change was significant for the
quarter one pretest to the quarter four pretest. Diversity Candidate Proficiencies 2a, 3a,
and 4a showed a significant increase in acceptance in pretest data when measured from
quarter one to quarter four. These data confirm that students are developing the expected
proficiencies related to diversity over the course of study.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 92
Table 36
Pretest Significance with Rossier Candidate Proficiencies
Rossier Candidate Proficiencies
Significant
findings in
Pretest Data
1a. I believe that
accountability
and
communication
leads to equitable
and transparent
outcomes for all.
2a. I believe
in an
unshakable
commitmen
t to
honoring
the
diversity of
the
populations
with which
I work.*
3a. I value
the
importance
of individual
and cultural
differences
that result in
equal
opportunity
and access
for all.*
4a. I believe
that effective
instruction
is learner-
centered,
theoretically
grounded,
and
contextually
responsive.*
5a. It is
important for
me to promote
and contribute
instructional
and
technological
innovations
that address
educational
barriers.
6a. I
recognize
the value of
creating and
promoting
equitable
and
achievement
-oriented
educational
settings.
* p<0.05
The pretest instrument contained items (1b-25b) that measured the student’s
professional beliefs related to diversity. This portion of the instrument prompted the
student with questions or statements that pertained to the professional context of the
education system. For example, statements such as, “teachers should not be expected to
adjust their preferred mode of instruction to accommodate the needs of all students” was
rated on a 5-point Likert scale with a range of 1: strongly disagree, 2: disagree, 3:
undecided, 4: agree, and 5: strongly agree. Descriptive data are presented in the tables
below.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 93
Table 37
Professional Beliefs related to Diversity Pretest Data (1b-10b)
(1b-
10b)Statistic
Quarter
1b
2b
3b
4b
5b
6b
7b
8b
9b
10b
Mean
1 1.52 3.23 1.25 4.46 1.67 4.23 1.23 2.71 3.50 2.38
2 1.90 3.67 1.28 4.17 1.60 4.53 1.27 2.80 3.83 2.40
3 1.95 3.76 1.71 4.33 1.95 4.38 1.35 2.43 4.05 2.15
4 1.45 3.21 1.34 4.16 1.89 4.21 1.39 2.55 3.89 2.24
Standard
Deviation
1 1.01 0.86 0.70 0.62 0.78 0.81 0.59 0.80 0.83 0.89
2 1.06 0.84 0.53 0.99 0.72 0.57 0.45 0.85 0.91 1.13
3 1.28 1.14 1.23 0.91 1.07 0.74 0.49 0.87 0.92 0.93
4 0.50 1.19 0.75 0.92 0.92 0.93 0.75 0.76 0.97 0.82
Total
Responses
1 48 48 48 48 48 48 48 48 48 48
2 30 30 29 30 30 30 30 30 30 30
3 21 21 21 21 21 21 20 21 21 20
4 38 38 38 38 38 38 38 38 37 38
VALUES AND BELIEFS 94
Table 38
Professional Beliefs related to Diversity Pretest Data (11b-25b)
Statistic
Quarter
11b
12b
13b
14b
15b
16b
17b
18b
Mean 1 4.13 3.06 2.35 4.25 4.00 2.98 3.46 2.13
2 4.03 3.07 2.23 4.13 4.27 3.87 3.93 2.03
3 4.05 3.48 2.29 4.43 4.42 4.26 4.00 1.74
4 3.84 3.03 2.61 4.00 4.03 4.00 3.71 1.97
Standard
Deviation
1 0.67 1.00 0.89 0.70 0.92 0.96 1.01 1.06
2 0.67 0.91 0.63 0.63 0.87 0.86 0.87 0.96
3 0.86 0.93 0.96 0.75 0.51 0.87 1.00 0.56
4 0.95 1.00 0.97 0.90 1.03 0.87 0.87 0.88
Total
Responses
1 48 48 48 48 48 48 48 48
2 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30
3 21 21 21 21 19 19 19 19
4 38 38 38 38 38 38 38 38
Statistic
Quarter
19b
20b
21b
22b
23b
24b
25b
Mean 1 3.48 3.60 4.42 4.21 2.13 3.96 2.29
2 3.43 3.97 4.43 4.23 1.83 3.97 2.17
3 3.74 4.26 4.47 4.35 1.60 3.95 1.85
4 3.37 4.00 4.26 3.95 1.66 3.68 1.89
Standard
Deviation
1 0.99 0.87 0.74 0.90 1.06 0.94 0.85
2 0.90 0.72 0.68 0.43 0.79 0.85 0.87
3 0.73 0.81 0.61 0.81 0.99 0.94 0.88
4 1.00 0.81 0.72 0.93 0.78 0.99 0.76
Total
Responses
1 48 48 48 48 48 48 48
2 30 30 30 30 30 30 30
3 19 19 19 20 20 20 20
4 38 38 38 38 38 38 38
Pretest changes in quarters one through four surfaced significantly in seven items.
Questions that revealed significance either showed an increase in acceptance (5: Strongly
Agree) or a decrease in acceptance (1: Strongly Disagree) as measured by the instrument.
All items, with the exception of the statement, “Students with physical limitations should be
placed in the regular classroom whenever possible” (item 11b) are supported by the
Rossier Candidate Proficiencies. The results for item 11b contradict the Rossier Candidate
VALUES AND BELIEFS 95
Proficiency that states students will be able to, “to promote and contribute instructional
and technological innovations that address educational barriers.” The increase or decrease
in favor is depicted in Table 39.
Table 39
Pretest Professional Beliefs Significant Increase or Decrease in Acceptance
Item
Number
Professional Beliefs Question
Significant
Increase in
Acceptance
Significant
Decrease in
Acceptance
11b
Students with physical
limitations should be placed
in the regular classroom
whenever possible
*
16b
Whenever possible, second
language learners should
receive instruction in their
first language until they are
proficient enough to learn via
English instruction
*
18b
Multicultural education is
most beneficial for students
of color
*
20b
Large numbers of students of
color are improperly placed
in Special Education classes
by school personnel
*
22b
Students from lower socio-
economic backgrounds
typically have fewer
educational opportunities
than their middle class peers
*
23b
Students should not be
allowed to speak a language
other than English while in
school
*
25b
Multicultural education is
less important than reading,
writing, arithmetic, and
computer literacy
*
* p<0.05
VALUES AND BELIEFS 96
The pretest instrument contained items (1c-15c) that measured the student’s
personal beliefs related to diversity. These statements requested the student’s opinion on
diversity issues outside of the classroom context. For example, statements such as, “there is
nothing wrong with people from different racial backgrounds having/raising children” was
rated on a 5-point Likert scale with a range of 1: strongly disagree, 2: disagree, 3:
undecided, 4: agree, and 5: strongly agree. Table 40 depicts the descriptive statistics for
questions that measure personal beliefs related to diversity.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 97
Table 40
Personal Beliefs related to Diversity Pretest Data (1c-15c)
Statistic
Quarter
1c
2c
3c
4c
5c
6c
7c
8c
Mean 1 4.69 1.89 1.73 4.44 1.62 1.78 4.33 1.42
2 4.45 2.10 1.59 4.45 1.72 1.89 4.34 1.62
3 4.89 2.05 1.74 4.37 2.16 1.84 4.63 1.32
4 4.70 2.28 1.70 4.22 1.73 1.86 4.41 1.43
Standard
Deviation
1 0.56 0.88 0.75 0.55 1.03 0.64 0.64 0.62
2 0.87 0.98 0.73 0.69 1.10 1.10 0.55 0.82
3 0.32 1.27 0.87 0.68 1.46 0.96 0.50 0.48
4 0.46 1.16 0.70 0.89 1.15 0.79 0.55 0.80
Total
Responses
1 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45
2 29 29 29 29 29 28 29 29
3 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19
4 37 36 37 37 37 37 37 37
Statistic
Quarter
9c
10c
11c
12c
13c
14c
15c
Mean 1 2.04 3.02 1.56 4.04 1.80 2.71 1.49
2 1.97 3.21 1.59 3.97 1.76 2.62 1.55
3 1.58 3.32 1.32 4.11 2.05 2.37 1.68
4 1.86 2.95 1.35 4.11 2.05 2.08 1.38
Standard
Deviation
1 0.93 1.14 0.87 0.71 1.18 1.12 0.66
2 0.87 0.92 0.63 0.87 1.12 1.15 0.69
3 0.77 1.20 0.58 0.81 1.13 1.16 0.89
4 0.89 0.88 0.59 0.74 1.39 0.92 0.64
Total
Responses
1 45 45 45 45 45 45 45
2 29 28 29 29 29 29 29
3 19 19 19 19 19 19 19
4 37 37 37 37 37 37 37
Four items related to the student’s personal beliefs on diversity changed from
quarters one through four as measured by the pretest. Items 9c and 14c are supported by
the Rossier Candidate Proficiency that states students will be able to, “value the importance
of individual and cultural differences that result in equal opportunity and access for all
learners” through their course of study. The Rossier Candidate Proficiency that states
VALUES AND BELIEFS 98
students will gain a, “commitment to honoring the diversity of the population” does not
support items 2c and 13c. Table 41 illustrates those statements that significantly increased
or decreased in acceptance (1: Strongly Disagree and 2: Strongly Agree).
Table 41
Pretest Personal Beliefs Significant Increase or Decrease in Acceptance
Item
Number
Personal Beliefs Question
Significant
Increase in
Acceptance
Significant
Decrease in
Acceptance
2c
America’s immigrant and
refugee policy has led to the
deterioration of America
*
9c
In general, white people
place a higher value on
education than people of
color
*
13c
Society should not become
more accepting of
gay/lesbian lifestyles
*
14c
It is more important for
immigrants to learn English
than to maintain their first
language
*
* p<0.05
A one-way multivariate analysis of variance was performed to investigate the
difference between gender and personal and professional beliefs related to diversity
measured during the pretest phase of data collection. There was a statistically significant
effect for gender on personal beliefs, F (1, 25) = 9.783, p = .006. There was a statistically
significant effect for grade level on personal beliefs, F (2, 25) = 4.786, p = .023. The effect of
grade level on professional beliefs was also statistically significant, F (2, 25) = 4.955, p =
.021. Ethnicity was significant when compared to personal beliefs, F (4, 25) = 3.908, p =
.021. Table 42 shows the significance of these variables in relationship to either personal or
professional beliefs related to diversity.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 99
Table 42
Significant Pretest Findings Measuring Personal or Professional Beliefs related to Diversity
Variable
Significant
Findings related to Personal
Beliefs
Significant
Findings related to
Professional Beliefs
Gender *
Grade Level * *
Ethnicity *
* p<0.05
Grade level and ethnicity showed significance related to personal and professional
beliefs. To further examine the degree of significance, a two-way between-groups analysis
of variance was conducted to examine the impact of grade level and ethnicity on personal
and professional beliefs related to diversity. There was a statistically significant effect for
grade level and ethnicity on personal beliefs, F (1, 25) = 6.300, p = .023. Since grade level
corresponds to credential type, further analysis was conducted between ethnicity and
credential. Reflecting the significance associated with personal beliefs and diversity in
previous tests, credential and ethnicity also had a significant effect on personal beliefs, F
(2,25) = 5.620, p = .014.
Table 43
Significant Pretest Findings with Multiple Variables measuring Personal or Professional
Beliefs related to Diversity
Variable(s)
Significant
Findings related to Personal
Beliefs
Significant
Findings related to
Professional Beliefs
Grade Level
and Ethnicity
*
Ethnicity and
Credential
*
* p<0.05
VALUES AND BELIEFS 100
A post-hoc comparison was conducted to explore the differences between groups
associated with grade level and credential type. The post-hoc analysis was included in this
study to guard against the possibility of Type 1 errors as a result of the number of
comparisons being made. A Scheffe post-hoc analysis was performed on personal beliefs,
professional beliefs, credential type, and grade level.
Scheffe’s post-hoc compared the personal beliefs of preservice teachers and their
grade level. A significant difference was found between the personal beliefs of K-3
rd
grade
teachers and those of 6-8
th
grade teachers, p=.040, with a mean difference of .41. A
significant difference was also found between the personal beliefs of K-3rd teachers and
those of 9-12
th
grade teachers, p=.016, with a mean difference of .42. A significant
difference was found between the personal beliefs of 4-5
th
grade teachers and those of 6-8
th
grade teachers, p=.016, with a mean difference of .47. A significant difference was also
found between the personal beliefs of 4-5
th
grade teachers and those of 9-12
th
grade
teachers, p=.006, with a mean difference of .49. There were no other differences found
between grade levels on their personal beliefs related to diversity. These data imply that
preservice teachers in lower grades have significantly different personal beliefs related to
diversity as compared to preservice teachers in the upper grades as measured by the
Personal Beliefs on Diversity pretest.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 101
Table 44
Significant Pretest Differences with Grade Level measuring Personal or Professional Beliefs
related to Diversity
Variable(s)
Significant
Difference related to Personal
Beliefs
Significant
Difference related to
Professional Beliefs
K-3
rd
and
6-8th
*
K-3
rd
and
9-12th
*
4-5
th
and
6-8th
*
4-5
th
and
9-12th
* *
* p<0.05
Next, Scheffe’s post-hoc compared the professional beliefs of preservice teachers
and their grade level. A significant difference was also found between the personal beliefs
of 4-5
th
grade teachers and those of 9-12
th
grade teachers, p=.018, with a mean difference
of .37. There were no other differences found grade levels and their professional beliefs
related to diversity using the Professional Beliefs about Diversity scale. These results
suggest a greater degree of difference between personal beliefs than between professional
beliefs related to diversity as determined by grade level on the pretest.
Credential type was measured against personal beliefs pretest using Scheffe’s post-
hoc comparisons. Results suggest a significant difference between multiple subject
students and those studying single subject: History, p=.006, with a mean difference of .48.
Multiple subject students also showed a significant difference as compared to those in
single subject: Science, p=.020, with a mean difference of .53. This was also found between
multiple subject students and single subject: English students, p=.038, with a mean
VALUES AND BELIEFS 102
difference of .38. In contrast, multiple subject students and single subject: math students
showed no significant differences, p=.403, with a mean difference of .40. These data reveal
a significant difference between students pursuing an elementary multiple subject
credential and those pursuing a high school single subject credential in History, Science, or
English. When credential type was measured against professional beliefs during the pretest
using Scheffe’s post-hoc comparisons, no significance was found.
Table 45
Significant Pretest Differences with Credential Type measuring Personal or Professional
Beliefs related to Diversity
Variable(s)
Significant
Difference related to
Personal Beliefs
Significant
Difference related to
Professional Beliefs
Multiple Subject
and History
*
Multiple Subject
and Science
*
Multiple Subject
and English
*
Multiple Subject
and Math
* p<0.05
Findings for Research Question 2a
Is there a relationship between any changes in a candidate’s beliefs about diversity during
an academic term, and the concentration of diversity content in a course syllabus?
To determine the degree to which candidates are exposed to the knowledge, skills,
and professional dispositions present in the Rossier School of Education’s Candidate
Proficiencies for Diversity, a syllabi review was conducted. The analysis of course syllabi
was informed by the Typology of Diversity Courses from the 2009 report entitled Assessing
VALUES AND BELIEFS 103
the Impact of Diversity Courses which measured the degree to which diversity content
appeared in undergraduate coursework in the institution (Cole & Sundt, 2009). To expand
on the Cole and Sundt study, the Rossier School of Education analyzed the degree to which
diversity proficiencies were present in graduate course syllabi in the MAT Program.
A Likert scale was designed based on the Candidate Proficiencies to determine the
degree to which coursework addressed diversity topics. Using these as criteria, a 5-point
Likert scale classified syllabi according to a diversity continuum, as designated by the
Typology of Diversity Courses (Cole & Sundt, 2009). The Likert-scale range was 1:
unacceptable; 2: below average; 3: average; 4: above average; 5: outstanding. Four
reviewers were trained on the use of the scale and performed a sample review to
determine inter-rater reliability before beginning the formal review process.
The use of the Typology of Diversity Courses (Cole & Sundt, 2009) and the Diversity
Candidate Proficiencies determined the degree of diversity content in syllabi throughout
the course of study. A combined mean score was calculated for each quarter. Two mean
scores were calculated, representing the single subject (high school) or multiple subject
(elementary school) course tracks. The total course mean for all of the Diversity
proficiencies in that course was also calculated. These findings reveal the degree to which
course syllabi begin to address the Diversity Candidate Proficiencies. Table 46 illustrates
the concentration of diversity content in quarter one.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 104
Table 46
The Concentration of Diversity Content in Course Syllabi for Quarter 1
Quarter 1 EDUC 516
1
EDUC 518
1
EDUC 504
2
EDUC 506
3
Total
Proficienc
y Mean
Develop an unshakeable commitment to
a diversity of thought and experience in
their practice (e.g. diversity of
socioeconomic status, gender, ethnicity,
sexual orientation, language proficiency
and disability).
M 4.0
SD 0.0
M 2.0
SD 0.0
M 1.33
SD 0.58
M 3.0
SD 0.0
Multiple:
3.66
Single:
3.0
Identify practices, structures and
policies that create barriers to learning
(e.g., lack of culturally responsive
pedagogy, “digital divide”).
M 4.0
SD 0.0
M 3.0
SD 0.0
M 2.0
SD 0.0
M 4.0
SD 0.0
Multiple:
3.0
Single:
3.66
Develop the skill and political savvy to
negotiate, if not eliminate, those
barriers for themselves and on behalf of
others.
M 4.0
SD 0.0
M 3.0
SD 0.0
M 1.33
SD 0.58
M 4.0
SD 0.0
Multiple:
2.77
Single:
3.66
Demonstrate a valuing of using
individual and cultural differences to
inform practice related to
accountability, leadership, and
instruction that result in equal
opportunity and access for all learners.
M 4.0
SD 0.0
M 2.0
SD 0.0
M 2.67
SD 0.58
M 4.0
SD 0.0
Multiple:
2.89
Single:
3.33
Total Course Mean 4.0 2.5 2.5 1.83
1
Single and multiple subject students are enrolled in this course.
2
Multiple subject students are enrolled in this course.
3
Single subject students are enrolled in this course.
Overall, findings for quarter one suggest a greater degree of diversity content in the
course syllabi for single subject students. Of the four Diversity Candidate Proficiencies, one
instance shows a greater degree of diversity content for multiple subject students. Syllabi
for multiple subject students rate M=3.66 in comparison to a combined M=3.0 for single
subject students for the proficiency that states students will be able to “Develop an
unshakeable commitment to a diversity of thought and experience in their practice (e.g.
diversity of socioeconomic status, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, language
proficiency and disability).” All other Diversity Candidate Proficiencies result in a higher
VALUES AND BELIEFS 105
combined mean for single subject course syllabi for quarter one. Following quarter one, the
next table shows the concentration of diversity content in course syllabi for quarter two.
Table 47
The Concentration of Diversity Content in Course Syllabi for Quarter 2
Quarter 2 EDUC
501
1
EDUC
556
2
EDUC
505
3
EDUC
502a
3
EDUC
509a
3
EDUC
513a
3
EDUC
541a
3
Total
Proficiency
Mean
Develop an
unshakeable
commitment to a
diversity of thought and
experience in their
practice (e.g. diversity
of socioeconomic
status, gender,
ethnicity, sexual
orientation, language
proficiency and
disability).
M 4.0
SD 0.0
M 2.0
SD 0.0
M 2.5
SD
2.12
M 2.33
SD
0.58
M 3.0
SD 0.0
M 3.0
SD 0.0
M 3.0
SD 0.0
Multiple:
3.0
Single:
2.97
Identify practices,
structures and policies
that create barriers to
learning (e.g., lack of
culturally responsive
pedagogy, “digital
divide”).
M 5.0
SD 0.0
M 3.0
SD 0.0
M 2.0
SD
1.41
M 2.0
SD 0.0
M 3.0
SD 0.0
M 2.20
SD
0.45
M 2.0
SD 0.0
Multiple:
4.0
Single:
2.7
Develop the skill and
political savvy to
negotiate, if not
eliminate, those
barriers for themselves
and on behalf of others.
M 4.0
SD 0.0
M 3.0
SD 0.0
M 2.5
SD
2.12
M 1.0
SD 0.0
M 3.0
SD 0.0
M 1.40
SD
0.89
M 2.0
SD
0.45
Multiple:
3.5
Single:
2.31
Demonstrate a valuing
of using individual and
cultural differences to
inform practice related
to accountability,
leadership, and
instruction that result
in equal opportunity
and access for all
learners.
M 5.0
SD 0.0
M 3.0
SD 0.0
M 2.5
SD
2.12
M 2.33
SD
0.58
M 3.0
SD 0.0
M 2.20
0.45
M 3.0
SD 0.0
Multiple:
4.0
Single:
3.0
Total Course Mean 4.5 2.75 2.37 1.91 3.0 2.2 2.5
1
Single and multiple subject students are enrolled in this course.
2
Multiple subject students are enrolled in this course.
3
Single subject students are enrolled in this course.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 106
Findings for quarter two suggest a greater degree of diversity content for multiple
subject students. The greatest difference in diversity content is found with the proficiency
that states students will be able to “Identify practices, structures and policies that create
barriers to learning (e.g., lack of culturally responsive pedagogy, “digital divide”).” The
degree of difference between multiple and single subject course syllabi for this proficiency
is 1.3 points. Table 48 shows the concentration of diversity content in course syllabi for
quarter three.
Table 48
The Concentration of Diversity Content in Course Syllabi for Quarter 3
Quarter 3 EDUC
519
1
EDUC
566
2
EDUC
568a
1
EDUC
502b
3
EDUC
509b
3
EDUC
513b
3
EDUC
541b
3
Total
Proficiency
Mean
Develop an
unshakeable
commitment to a
diversity of thought
and experience in
their practice (e.g.
diversity of
socioeconomic
status, gender,
ethnicity, sexual
orientation,
language proficiency
and disability).
M 4.0
SD 0.0
M 3.0
SD 0.0
M 3.0
SD 0.0
M 3.0
SD 0.0
M 3.0
SD 0.0
M 3.0
SD 0.0
M 2.0
SD 0.0
Multiple:
3.33
Single:
3.0
Identify practices,
structures and
policies that create
barriers to learning
(e.g., lack of
culturally
responsive
pedagogy, “digital
divide”).
M 4.0
SD 0.0
M 4.0
SD 0.0
M 4.0
SD 0.0
M 2.0
SD 1.15
M 3.0
SD 0.0
M 2.0
SD 0.0
M 4.0
SD 0.0
Multiple:
4.0
Single:
3.16
VALUES AND BELIEFS 107
Table 48, continued
Quarter 3 EDUC
519
1
EDUC
566
2
EDUC
568a
1
EDUC
502b
3
EDUC
509b
3
EDUC
513b
3
EDUC
541b
3
Total
Proficiency
Mean
Develop the skill and
political savvy to
negotiate, if not
eliminate, those
barriers for
themselves and on
behalf of others.
M 4.0
SD 0.0
M 3.0
SD 0.0
M 4.0
SD 0.0
M 1.0
SD 0.0
M 3.0
SD 0.0
M 2.0
SD 3.0
M 3.0
SD 0.0
Multiple:
3.66
Single:
2.83
Demonstrate a
valuing of using
individual and
cultural differences
to inform practice
related to
accountability,
leadership, and
instruction that
result in equal
opportunity and
access for all
learners.
M 4.0
SD 0.0
M 3.0
SD 0.0
M 3.0
SD 0.0
M 2.50
SD 0.58
M 2.0
SD 0.0
M 3.0
SD 0.0
M 2.0
SD 0.0
Multiple:
3.33
Single:
2.75
Total Course Mean 4.0 3.25 3.5 2.12 2.75 2.5 2.75
1
Single and multiple subject students are enrolled in this course.
2
Multiple subject students are enrolled in this course.
3
Single subject students are enrolled in this course.
Similarly to quarter two, quarter three also suggests a greater degree of diversity
content in course syllabi for multiple subject candidates. Of these data, the greatest degree
of difference is found with the ability for students to be able to “Develop the skill and
political savvy to negotiate, if not eliminate, those barriers for themselves and on behalf of
others” by 0.83 points. Table 49 shows the concentration of diversity content in course
syllabi for quarter four.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 108
Table 49
The Concentration of Diversity Content in Course Syllabi for Quarter 4
Quarter 4
EDUC
551
2
EDUC
554
2
EDUC 568b
1
Total
Proficiency
Mean
Develop an unshakeable commitment to
a diversity of thought and experience in
their practice (e.g. diversity of
socioeconomic status, gender, ethnicity,
sexual orientation, language proficiency
and disability).
M 2.0
SD 0.0
M 4.0
SD 0.0
M 3.0
SD 0.0
Multiple:
3.0
Single:
3.0
Identify practices, structures and
policies that create barriers to learning
(e.g., lack of culturally responsive
pedagogy, “digital divide”).
M 2.0
SD 0.0
M 4.0
SD 0.0
M 4.0
SD 0.0
Multiple:
3.33
Single:
4.0
Develop the skill and political savvy to
negotiate, if not eliminate, those
barriers for themselves and on behalf of
others.
M 2.0
SD 0.0
M 3.0
SD 0.0
M 4.0
SD 0.0
Multiple:
3.0
Single:
4.0
Demonstrate a valuing of using
individual and cultural differences to
inform practice related to
accountability, leadership, and
instruction that result in equal
opportunity and access for all learners.
M 2.0
SD 0.0
M 4.0
SD 0.0
M 3.0
SD 0.0
Multiple:
2.66
Single:
3.0
Total Course Mean 2.0 3.75 3.5
1
Single and multiple subject students are enrolled in this course.
2
Multiple subject students are enrolled in this course.
3
Single subject students are enrolled in this course.
Quarter four shows a decrease in diversity content in course syllabi for multiple
subject students. In parallel to quarter one, quarter four data suggests there is a greater
concentration of diversity content for single subject candidates. The greatest degree of
diversity content corresponds to the Diversity Candidate Proficiency that states students
will be able to “Develop the skill and political savvy to negotiate, if not eliminate, those
barriers for themselves and on behalf of others.”
Regression was utilized to determine the correlation between diversity content in
course syllabi and personal and professional beliefs related to diversity. No significance
was found between currently enrolled coursework or previously enrolled coursework and
VALUES AND BELIEFS 109
personal beliefs. Similarly, no significance was found between currently enrolled
coursework or previously enrolled coursework and professional beliefs.
The data suggests, for this research question, that there is a degree of difference in
diversity content in course syllabi for quarters one through four. These data do not suggest
there is a predictor between the degree of diversity content and a student’s personal or
professional beliefs related to diversity.
Findings for Research Question 3a
Are there any significant differences in candidates’ beliefs about diversity at the end of a
term (post-test)?
To measure how entering cohorts’ beliefs related to diversity are similar or
different, a posttest was distributed at the conclusion of each quarter. Posttest data was
collected from January 2013 to March 2013. The posttest was administered electronically
using Qualtrics. Participation declined for the posttest as compared to the initial pretest
response. During quarter three, the lowest number of students participated: 15 individuals.
Response data for the posttest are represented in Table 50.
Table 50
Posttest Response Participants
Quarter Cohort
Response Participants:
Post Test
Quarter 1 January 2013 11
Quarter 2 September 2012 20
Quarter 3
April 2012
June 2012
15
Quarter 4
January 2012
November 2011
14
VALUES AND BELIEFS 110
Posttest data was measured across quarters one through four using the measurement
illustration in Figure 7.
Figure 11. Posttest Measurement Focus
The posttest instrument mirrored the pretest of the Rossier Candidate Proficiencies
on Diversity. As reflected in the pretest, the posttest survey used a 5-point Likert scale to
rate respondents’ preference with a range of: 1: strongly disagree, 2: disagree, 3:
undecided, 4: agree, and 5: strongly agree. Descriptive data are presented in Table 51.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 111
Table 51
Rossier Diversity Candidate Proficiencies Posttest Responses
Statistic Quarter
1a. I believe
that
accountability
and
communication
leads to
equitable and
transparent
outcomes for
all.
2a. I believe
in an
unshakable
commitment
to honoring
the diversity
of the
populations
with which I
work.
3a. I value
the
importance
of
individual
and cultural
differences
that result
in equal
opportunity
and access
for all.
4a. I believe
that
effective
instruction
is learner-
centered,
theoretically
grounded,
and
contextually
responsive.
5a. It is
important
for me to
promote and
contribute
instructional
and
technological
innovations
that address
educational
barriers.
6a. I
recognize the
value of
creating and
promoting
equitable and
achievement-
oriented
educational
settings.
Mean
1 4.00 4.67 4.56 4.56 4.56 4.56
2 3.69 4.25 4.25 4.31 4.31 4.13
3 4.21 4.79 4.71 4.71 4.86 5.00
4 4.46 4.83 4.83 4.85 4.85 4.85
Standard
Deviation
1 1.00 0.50 0.53 0.53 0.53 0.53
2 1.40 1.34 1.34 1.35 1.35 1.31
3 0.89 0.43 0.61 0.47 0.36 0.00
4 0.52 0.39 0.39 0.38 0.38 0.55
Total
Responses
1 9 9 9 9 9 9
2 16 16 16 16 16 16
3 14 14 14 14 14 14
4 13 12 12 13 13 13
Two of the Diversity Candidate Proficiencies revealed significant findings as
measured through post test data from quarter one through four. These data are displayed
below.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 112
Table 52
Posttest Significance with Rossier Candidate Proficiencies
Rossier Candidate Proficiencies
Significant
findings in
Posttest
Data
1a. I believe
that
accountabilit
y and
communicati
on leads to
equitable and
transparent
outcomes for
all.*
2a. I believe in
an unshakable
commitment
to honoring
the diversity
of the
populations
with which I
work.
3a. I value
the
importance
of individual
and cultural
differences
that result in
equal
opportunity
and access
for all.
4a. I believe
that effective
instruction is
learner-
centered,
theoretically
grounded, and
contextually
responsive.
5a. It is
important for
me to promote
and contribute
instructional
and
technological
innovations
that address
educational
barriers.
6a. I recognize the
value of creating
and promoting
equitable and
achievement-
oriented
educational
settings.*
* p<0.05
Mirroring the structure of the pretest, the posttest instrument contained items (1b-
25b) that measured the student’s professional beliefs related to diversity. Similarly, this
portion of the survey prompted students to respond to statements that related to their
professional beliefs as educators in the classroom. For example, statements such as, “all
students should be encouraged to become fluent in a second language” was rated on a 5-
point Likert scale with a range of 1: strongly disagree, 2: disagree, 3: undecided, 4: agree,
and 5: strongly agree. The tables below depict the descriptive data for the posttest.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 113
Table 53
Professional Beliefs related to Diversity Posttest Data (1b-10b)
Statistic
Quarter
1b
2b
3b
4b
5b
6b
7b
8b
9b
10b
Mean
1 1.75 3.75 1.25 3.63 2.25 4.25 1.50 2.50 3.88 1.63
2 1.60 3.47 1.13 4.60 1.67 4.47 1.47 2.80 3.93 2.33
3 1.42 4.00 1.25 4.08 2.08 4.58 1.17 2.08 4.58 1.92
4 1.42 3.33 1.67 4.00 1.67 4.25 1.25 2.25 4.00 2.25
Standard Deviation
1 1.04 1.16 0.46 1.30 1.39 0.71 1.07 1.07 0.99 0.74
2 0.83 1.06 0.35 0.51 0.49 0.92 1.06 0.68 0.80 1.11
3 0.90 0.95 0.62 1.24 1.24 0.51 0.39 0.90 0.67 1.00
4 0.51 1.15 1.15 0.74 0.65 0.87 0.45 0.45 0.74 0.87
Total Responses
1 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
2 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15
3 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
4 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
VALUES AND BELIEFS 114
Table 54
Professional Beliefs related to Diversity Posttest Data (11b-25b)
Statistic
Quarter
11b
12b
13b
14b
15b
16b
17b
18b
Mean
1 3.88 3.63 1.88 4.13 4.50 3.63 4.00 2.71
2 3.87 3.27 2.40 4.20 4.07 4.13 3.80 1.87
3 4.27 3.17 1.83 4.33 4.50 3.83 4.25 1.58
4 4.08 3.33 2.33 3.92 4.58 4.17 3.92 1.75
Standard
Deviation
1 0.64 1.06 0.83 0.35 0.53 0.92 1.00 1.25
2 0.83 0.96 0.99 0.56 1.03 1.06 0.94 0.64
3 1.19 1.70 0.94 0.89 0.52 1.03 0.62 0.90
4 0.51 0.78 0.65 1.00 0.51 0.58 0.79 0.62
Total
Responses
1 8 8 8 8 8 8 7 7
2 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15
3 11 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
4 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
Posttest changes in quarters one through four revealed significant changes in five
items. All items for the posttest measure of professional beliefs are supported by the
Rossier Candidate Proficiencies associated with Diversity. The increase in acceptance (5:
Strongly Agree) or the decrease in acceptance (1: Strongly Disagree) is illustrated in the
table below with the prompt for each item.
Statistic
Quarter
19b
20b
21b
22b
23b
24b
25b
Mean
1 3.38 4.25 4.25 4.25 1.88 3.88 2.00
2 3.27 4.07 4.33 4.40 1.47 4.07 2.07
3 3.83 4.50 4.58 4.33 1.92 3.83 1.92
4 3.50 3.92 4.42 4.25 1.42 4.08 1.67
Standard Deviation
1 0.92 0.46 0.46 0.89 1.13 0.99 0.53
2 0.80 0.80 0.72 0.63 0.64 0.59 0.80
3 0.94 0.67 0.67 0.89 1.24 1.03 1.16
4 1.00 0.90 0.51 0.45 0.67 0.51 0.65
Total Responses
1 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
2 15 15 15 15 15 15 15
3
12 12 12 12 12 12 12
4 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
VALUES AND BELIEFS 115
Table 55
Posttest Professional Beliefs Significant Increase or Decrease in Acceptance
Item
Number
Professional Beliefs Question
Significant
Increase in Acceptance
Significant
Decrease in Acceptance
4b
Teachers would benefit from having
a basic understanding of different
(diverse) religions
*
5b
Money spent to educate the severely
disabled would be better spent on
programs for gifted students
*
10b
People of color are adequately
represented in most textbooks today
*
16b
Whenever possible, second language
learners should receive instruction
in their first language until they are
proficient enough to learn via
English instruction
*
18b
Multicultural education is most
beneficial for students of color
*
* p<0.05
Similarly to the pretest, the posttest instrument contained items (1c-15c) that
measured the student’s personal beliefs related to diversity. Statements in this portion of
the instrument required the student to agree or disagree with items that related to their
personal context. For example, statements such as, “The reason people live in poverty is
that they lack motivation to get themselves out of poverty” was rated on a 5-point Likert
scale with a range of 1: strongly disagree, 2: disagree, 3: undecided, 4: agree, and 5:
strongly agree. Posttest data that measured personal beliefs is reflected in the table below.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 116
Table 56
Personal Beliefs related to Diversity Posttest Data (1c-15c)
Statistic Quarter 1c 2c 3c 4c 5c 6c 7c
Mean 1 4.71 2.29 1.57 4.14 1.29 1.86 4.29
2 4.67 1.27 1.73 4.73 1.80 1.60 4.53
3 4.67 1.92 1.50 4.33 2.17 2.08 4.58
4 4.83 2.08 1.50 4.42 1.75 1.67 4.50
Standard
Deviation
1 0.49 1.11 0.79 0.69 0.49 0.69 0.49
2 0.49 0.46 0.70 0.46 1.15 0.63 0.52
3 0.49 1.38 0.52 0.98 1.75 1.08 0.51
4 0.39 1.38 0.67 0.79 0.87 0.49 0.52
Total
Responses
1 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
2 15 15 15 15 15 15 15
3 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
4 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
Statistic Quarter 8c 9c 10c 11c 12c 13c 14c 15c
Mean 1 1.57 2.00 3.57 1.43 4.29 1.29 2.43 2.00
2 1.53 1.80 2.93 1.13 4.20 1.67 1.93 1.33
3 1.42 1.75 3.08 1.25 4.58 2.33 2.17 1.33
4 1.25 1.67 2.83 1.33 3.92 2.00 1.83 1.58
Standard
Deviation
1 0.53 0.82 1.13 0.53 0.76 0.49 1.27 1.41
2 0.64 0.77 1.03 0.35 0.68 0.72 0.88 0.49
3 0.67 1.06 1.16 0.45 0.51 1.72 1.03 0.89
4 0.45 0.89 0.83 0.49 0.51 1.21 0.83 0.67
Total
Responses
1 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
2 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15
3 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
4 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
Four items related to the student’s personal beliefs on diversity changed notably
from quarters one through four as measured by the posttest. The Rossier Candidate
Proficiency that states students will be able to have a, “commitment to honoring the
diversity of the population” supports items 10c, 14c, and 15c. The findings for item 13c are
not supported by the Diversity Candidate Proficiencies. The table below reflects these data
and reveals the differences in acceptance among students who participated in the posttest
and their personal beliefs related to diversity.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 117
Table 57
Posttest Personal Beliefs Significant Increase or Decrease in Acceptance
Item
Number
Personal Beliefs Question
Significant
Increase in
Acceptance
Significant
Decrease in
Acceptance
10c
Many women in our society
continue to live in poverty
because males still dominate
most major social systems in
America
*
13c
Society should not become
more accepting of
gay/lesbian lifestyles
*
14c
It is more important for
immigrants to learn English
than to maintain their first
language
*
15c
In general, men make better
leaders than women.
*
* p<0.05
A one-way multivariate analysis of variance was performed to investigate the
difference by gender in personal and professional beliefs related to diversity measured
during the posttest phase of data collection. These data from the multivariate analysis of
variance did not reveal any significance for the posttest. Tests of between-subject effects
were also performed with no significant results.
Findings for Research Question 3b
Are there any significant differences in candidates’ beliefs about diversity from the start of
Term 1 (pre-test) to the end of Term 4 (post-test)?
A pretest was administered in quarter one and a posttest was administered in
quarter four to determine if the beliefs related to diversity were similar or different. Pretest
and posttest data were collected from January 2013 to March 2013. The pretest was
administered electronically using Qualtrics. The number of response participants for
VALUES AND BELIEFS 118
quarter four is less than the response participants for quarter one. Response rate data for
the pretest and posttest are represented in Table 58 below.
Table 58
Pretest and Posttest Response Participants
Quarter Cohort
Response
Participants: Pretest
Response
Participants:
Posttest
Quarter 1 January 2013 55
Quarter 4
January 2012
November 2011
14
The pretest and posttest data collection is modeled in Figure ##, using yellow to
emphasize the comparison between the two tests.
Figure 12. Pretest Measurement Focus
The pretest and posttest instrument were identical in quarter one and quarter four.
Both the pretest and posttest measured the extent to which students agreed with
VALUES AND BELIEFS 119
statements related to the Rossier Candidate Proficiencies on Diversity. The survey
participant used a 5-point Likert scale to rate their preference.
Table 59
Rossier Diversity Candidate Proficiencies Pretest and Posttest Responses
No significant change was found comparing the Rossier Candidate Proficiencies
from the quarter one pretest to the quarter four posttest.
The pretest administered for quarter one and the posttest instrument for quarter
four contained identical items (1b-25b) that examined the student’s professional beliefs
related to diversity. A 5-point Likert scale with a range of 1: strongly disagree, 2: disagree,
3: undecided, 4: agree, and 5: strongly agree was used to rate questions that relate to the
education system. For example, statements such as, “Students living in racially isolated
neighborhoods can benefit socially from participated in racially integrated classrooms”
prompted the students to state if they agree or disagree. Descriptive data are presented in
the tables below.
Statistic Quarter
1a. I believe
that
accountability
and
communication
leads to
equitable and
transparent
outcomes for
all.
2a. I believe
in an
unshakable
commitment
to honoring
the diversity
of the
populations
with which I
work.
3a. I value
the
importance
of
individual
and cultural
differences
that result
in equal
opportunity
and access
for all.
4a. I believe
that
effective
instruction
is learner-
centered,
theoretically
grounded,
and
contextually
responsive.
5a. It is
important
for me to
promote and
contribute
instructional
and
technological
innovations
that address
educational
barriers.
6a. I
recognize the
value of
creating and
promoting
equitable and
achievement-
oriented
educational
settings.
Mean
1 Pre 4.16 4.49 4.63 4.45 4.45 4.65
4 Post 4.46 4.83 4.83 4.85 4.85 4.85
Standard
Deviation
1 Pre 0.81 0.76 0.72 0.81 0.73 0.69
4 Post 0.52 0.39 0.39 0.38 0.38 0.55
Total
Responses
1 Pre 51 51 51 51 51 51
4 Post 13 12 12 13 13 13
VALUES AND BELIEFS 120
Table 60
Professional Beliefs related to Diversity Pretest and Posttest Data (1b-25b)
Statistic
Quarter
11b
12b
13b
14b
15b
16b
17b
18b
Mean
1 Pre 4.13 3.06 2.35 4.25 4.00 2.98 3.46 2.13
4 Post 4.08 3.33 2.33 3.92 4.58 4.17 3.92 1.75
Standard
Deviation
1 Pre 0.67 1.00 0.89 0.70 0.92 0.96 1.01 1.06
4 Post 0.51 0.78 0.65 1.00 0.51 0.58 0.79 0.62
Total
Responses
1 Pre 48 48 48 48 48 48 48 48
4 Post 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
Statistic
Quarter
19b
20b
21b
22b
23b
24b
25b
Mean 1 Pre 3.48 3.60 4.42 4.21 2.13 3.96 2.29
4 Post 3.50 3.92 4.42 4.25 1.42 4.08 1.67
Standard
Deviation
1 Pre 0.99 0.87 0.74 0.90 1.06 0.94 0.85
4 Post 1.00 0.90 0.51 0.45 0.67 0.51 0.65
Total
Responses
1 Pre 48 48 48 48 48 48 48
4 Post 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
Quarter one pretest data in comparison to quarter four posttest data revealed one
item that was significant. This item, related to language, showed an increase in acceptance.
This finding aligns with the Rossier Candidate Proficiency that states that students will be
able to, “value the importance of individual and cultural differences that result in equal
opportunity and access for all learners.” The increase in favor is depicted in Table 61.
(1b-
Statistic
Quarter
1b
2b
3b
4b
5b
6b
7b
8b
9b
10b
Mean
1 Pre 1.52 3.23 1.25 4.46 1.67 4.23 1.23 2.71 3.50 2.38
4 Post 1.42 3.33 1.67 4.00 1.67 4.25 1.25 2.25 4.00 2.25
Standard
Deviation
1 Pre 1.01 0.86 0.70 0.62 0.78 0.81 0.59 0.80 0.83 0.89
4 Post 0.51 1.15 1.15 0.74 0.65 0.87 0.45 0.45 0.74 0.87
Total
Responses
1 Pre 48 48 48 48 48 48 48 48 48 48
4 Post 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
VALUES AND BELIEFS 121
Table 61
Quarter 1 Pretest and Quarter 4 Posttest Professional Beliefs Significant Increase or
Decrease in Acceptance
Item
Number
Professional Beliefs Question
Significant
Increase in
Acceptance
Significant
Decrease in
Acceptance
16b
Whenever possible, second
language learners should
receive instruction in their
first language until they are
proficient enough to learn via
English instruction
*
* p<0.05
The quarter one pretest and the quarter four posttest contained identical items (1c-
15c) that measured the student’s personal beliefs related to diversity. These statements
requested the student’s opinion using a 5 point- Likert scale on personal diversity issues
not associated with the education system. For example, statements such as, “accepting
many different ways of life in America will strengthen us as a nation” were measured. Table
62 depicts the descriptive statistics for the quarter one pretest and the quarter four
posttest on personal beliefs related to diversity.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 122
Table 62
Personal Beliefs related to Diversity Pretest and Posttest Data (1c-15c)
Statistic
Quarter
1c
2c
3c
4c
5c
6c
7c
8c
Mean 1 Pre 4.69 1.89 1.73 4.44 1.62 1.78 4.33 1.42
4 Post 4.83 2.08 1.50 4.42 1.75 1.67 4.50 4.83
Standard
Deviation
1 Pre 0.56 0.88 0.75 0.55 1.03 0.64 0.64 0.62
4 Post 0.39 1.38 0.67 0.79 0.87 0.49 0.52 0.39
Total
Responses
1 Pre 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45
4 Post 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
Statistic
Quarter
9c
10c
11c
12c
13c
14c
15c
Mean 1 Pre 2.04 3.02 1.56 4.04 1.80 2.71 1.49
4 Post 1.25 1.67 2.83 1.33 3.92 2.00 1.83
Standard
Deviation
1 Pre 0.93 1.14 0.87 0.71 1.18 1.12 0.66
4 Post 0.45 0.89 0.83 0.49 0.51 1.21 0.83
Total
Responses
1 Pre 45 45 45 45 45 45 45
4 Post 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
Five items related to the student’s personal beliefs on diversity changed from the
pretest in quarter one to the posttest in quarter four. Of these four items, one aligns with
the Rossier Candidate Proficiencies that students are expected to develop through the
course of study. The statement, “many women in our society continue to live in poverty
because males still dominate most major social systems in America” is supported by the
Rossier Candidate Proficiency that all students should, “value the importance of individual
and cultural differences that result in equal opportunity and access.” The remaining four
items measuring student’s personal beliefs do not align with what is expected of Rossier
graduates to have developed by the conclusion of their coursework. Table 63 illustrates
those statements that significantly increased or decreased in acceptance (1: Strongly
Disagree and 2: Strongly Agree).
VALUES AND BELIEFS 123
Table 63
Quarter 1 Pretest and Quarter 4 Posttest Professional Beliefs Significant Increase or
Decrease in Acceptance
Item
Number
Personal Beliefs Question
Significant
Increase in
Acceptance
Significant
Decrease in
Acceptance
8c
People with physical
limitations are less effective
as leaders than people
without physical limitations.
*
10c
Many women in our society
continue to live in poverty
because males still dominate
most major social systems in
America.
*
11c
Since men are frequently the
heads of households, they
deserve higher wages than
females.
*
12c
It is a good idea for people to
develop meaningful
friendships with others
having a different sexual
orientation.
*
13c
Society should not become
more accepting of
gay/lesbian lifestyles.
*
* p<0.05
A Scheffe post-hoc comparison was conducted to explore the differences between
the quarter one pretest and the quarter four posttest. The post-hoc analysis was included
in this study to guard against the possibility of Type 1 errors as a result of the number of
comparisons being made. There was no significant difference when comparing all items on
the quarter one pretest and the quarter four posttest.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 124
Findings for Research Question 3c
If there are significant differences, are there also differences between their personal and
professional beliefs about diversity?
The Personal Beliefs about Diversity Scale, The Professional Beliefs about Diversity
Scale (Pohan & Aguilar, 2001) pretest and posttest survey data were measured using a
Likert scale. The Likert scale has a 5-point range with the following indicators associated
with each value: 1- strongly disagree, 2- disagree, 3-undecided, 4-agree, and 5-strongly
agree. Selected items from the Personal Beliefs about Diversity Scale and The Professional
Beliefs about Diversity Scale were reverse coded because they were presented in the
negative. For example, the statement “Gays and lesbians should not be allowed to teach in
public schools” was matched with 1-strongly disagree, whereas the statement “There is
nothing wrong with people from different racial backgrounds having/raising children” was
coded to align with 5-strongly agree.
The Personal Beliefs about Diversity Scale (n=183) resulted in a score of 3.99 and a
standard deviation of .395 and The Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scale (n=178)
resulted in a mean of 4.03 with a standard deviation of .339. The degree of variance for The
Personal Beliefs about Diversity Scale (n=183) was .156 and the Professional Beliefs about
Diversity Scale (n=178) was .115. The mean score reveals that results from The
Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scale resulted in a greater degree of participants who
agreed with the statements.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 125
Table 64
Personal and Professional Beliefs Item Results
Test N Range Minimum Maximum Mean
Std.
Deviation
Variance
Personal
Beliefs about
Diversity
Scale
183 2 3 5 3.99 .395 .156
Professional
Beliefs about
Diversity
Scale
178 2 3 5 4.03 .339 .115
Correlation analysis was used to describe the strength and direction of the linear
relationship between personal and professional beliefs. A Pearson Correlation Coefficient
was used to indicate a positive or a negative correlation between personal versus
professional beliefs, while controlling for scores on the Personal Beliefs about Diversity
Scale and the Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scale. There was a large positive
correlation between personal and professional beliefs, r = .577, n = 172, p<.01.
The Personal Beliefs about Diversity Scale is composed of 15 items that measure the
following diversity concepts: a) race/ethnicity, b) gender, c) social class, d) sexual
orientation, e) disabilities, f) language, and g) immigration (Pohan & Aguilar, 2001). The
Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scale includes 25 items measuring diversity topics
related to a) race/ethnicity, b) gender, c) social class, d) sexual orientation, e) disabilities, f)
language, and g) religion (Pohan & Aguilar, 2001). The difference between the candidate’s
personal versus professional beliefs related to these constructs is reported throughout the
remaining portion of this section in response to the research question.
Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Questions on Race/Ethnicity. Statements from
The Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scale address race and ethnicity. For example,
VALUES AND BELIEFS 126
statements such as “Only schools serving students of color need a racially, ethnically and
culturally diverse staff and faculty” and statements such as “Multicultural education is most
beneficial for students of color” prompt candidates to rate their beliefs using a 5 point
Likert scale. Descriptive data for these questions is represented in Table 65.
Table 65
Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Questions on Race/Ethnicity
Statistic
Quarter
Professional
1b
Professional
7b
Professional9
b
Professional1
0b
Professional1
4b
Professional1
5b
Professional1
8b
Professional2
0b
Professional2
1b
Professional2
5b
Personal
1c
Personal
4c
Personal 7c
Personal 9c
Mean 1 1.52 1.23 3.50 2.38 4.25 4.00 2.13 3.60 4.42 2.29 4.69 4.44 4.33 2.04
2 1.90 1.27 3.83 2.40 4.13 4.27 2.03 3.97 4.43 2.17 4.45 4.45 4.34 1.97
3 1.95 1.35 4.05 2.15 4.43 4.42 1.74 4.26 4.47 1.85 4.89 4.37 4.63 1.58
4 1.45 1.39 3.89 2.24 4.00 4.03 1.97 4.00 4.26 1.89 4.70 4.22 4.41 1.86
Standard
Deviation
1 1.01 0.59 0.83 0.89 0.70 0.92 1.06 0.87 0.74 0.85 0.56 0.55 0.64 0.93
2 1.06 0.45 0.91 1.13 0.63 0.87 0.96 0.72 0.68 0.87 0.87 0.69 0.55 0.87
3 1.28 0.49 0.92 0.93 0.75 0.51 0.56 0.81 0.61 0.88 0.32 0.68 0.50 0.77
4 0.50 0.75 0.97 0.82 0.90 1.03 0.88 0.81 0.72 0.76 0.46 0.89 0.55 0.89
Total
Responses
1 48 48 48 48 48 48 48 48 48 48 45 45 45 45
2 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 29 29 29 29
3 21 20 21 20 21 19 19 19 19 20 19 19 19 19
4 38 38 37 38 38 38 38 38 38 38 37 37 37 37
Of the questions on race and ethnicity, three questions suggested a change in beliefs
over the course of four quarters. Table 66 identifies these specific questions and whether
there was an increase or decrease in the acceptance over the course of study.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 127
Table 66
Significant Questions on Race/Ethnicity
Item
Number
Race/Ethnicity Question
Significant Personal
Belief
Significant
Professional Belief
Increase Decrease Increase Decrease
18b
Multicultural education is
most beneficial for students
of color.
*
20b
Large numbers of students of
color are improperly placed
in Special Education classes
by school personnel.
*
25b
Multicultural education is
less important than reading,
writing, arithmetic, and
computer literacy.
*
* p<0.05
These findings suggest a greater change in professional beliefs rather than personal
beliefs related to race and ethnicity over the course of four quarters. The significant
response pattern described in Table 66 above is supported by the Diversity Candidate
Proficiency that states students will be able to, “identify practices, structures and policies
that create barriers to learning” by the completion of their course of study. These data
demonstrate that students aligned with the dispositions the Rossier School of Education
adopted for preservice teachers.
Correlation analysis was used to describe the strength and direction of the linear
relationship between personal and professional beliefs in relationship to questions that
specifically address race and ethnicity. A Pearson Correlation Coefficient was used to
indicate a positive or a negative correlation between personal and professional beliefs on
race and ethnicity. There was a large positive correlation between personal beliefs and
professional beliefs on race and ethnicity, as demonstrated in Table 67.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 128
Table 67
Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Correlations on Race/Ethnicity
Personal Beliefs on Race
and Ethnicity
Professional Beliefs on
Race and Ethnicity
Personal Beliefs Pearson Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed)
N
.586**
.000
176
.876**
.000
183
Professional Beliefs Pearson Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed)
N
.757**
.000
166
.507**
.000
174
Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Questions on Gender. Eight statements from
The Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scale and The Personal Beliefs about Diversity
Scale address gender. Statements such as “The attention girls receive in school is
comparable to the attention boys receive” and statements such as “Males are given more
opportunities in math and science than females” prompted candidates to rate their beliefs
using a 5 point Likert scale. Descriptive statistical data are shown in Table 68.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 129
Table 68
Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Questions on Gender
Statistic
Quarter
Profession
al 1b
Profession
al 8b
Profession
al9b
Profession
al12b
Profession
al19b
Personal
4c
Personal
11c
Persona1
15c
Mean
1 1.52 2.71 3.50 3.06 3.48 4.44 1.56 1.49
2 1.90 2.80 3.83 3.07 3.43 4.45 1.59 1.55
3 1.95 2.43 4.05 3.48 3.74 4.37 1.32 1.68
4 1.45 2.55 3.89 3.03 3.37 4.22 1.35 1.38
Standard
Deviation
1 1.01 0.80 0.83 1.00 0.99 0.55 0.87 0.66
2 1.06 0.85 0.91 0.91 0.90 0.69 0.63 0.69
3 1.28 0.87 0.92 0.93 0.73 0.68 0.58 0.89
4 0.50 0.76 0.97 1.00 1.00 0.89 0.59 0.64
Total
Responses
1 48 48 48 48 48 45 45 45
2 30 30 30 30 30 29 29 29
3 21 21 21 21 19 19 19 19
4 38 38 37 38 38 37 37 37
Of the questions related to gender, no change over the course of study was significant.
A Pearson Correlation Coefficient was used to indicate a positive or negative
relational direction between personal and professional beliefs on gender. There were three
positive correlations and one negative correlation when gender was examined in relation
to personal and professional beliefs. These data are reflected in Table 69.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 130
Table 69
Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Correlations on Gender
Personal Beliefs on
Gender
Professional Beliefs on
Gender
Personal Beliefs Pearson Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed)
N
.809**
.000
183
-369**
.000
183
Professional Beliefs Pearson Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed)
N
.740**
.000
178
.383**
.000
176
Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Questions on Social Class. The Professional
Beliefs about Diversity Scale and The Personal Beliefs about Diversity Scale address seven
statements on social class. The student was prompted with statements such as, “The
traditional classroom has been set up to support the middle-class lifestyle” and, “Teachers
often expect less from students from the lower socio economic class.” Findings for
questions on social class are shown in the table below.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 131
Table 70
Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Questions on Social Class
Statistic
Quarter
Professio
nal 1b
Professio
nal 2b
Professio
nal17b
Professio
nal22b
Personal
4c
Personal
6c
Persona1
10c
Mean
1 1.52 3.23 3.46 4.21 4.44 1.78 3.02
2 1.90 3.67 3.93 4.23 4.45 1.89 3.21
3 1.95 3.76 4.00 4.35 4.37 1.84 3.32
4 1.45 3.21 3.71 3.95 4.22 1.86 2.95
Standard
Deviation
1 1.01 0.86 1.01 0.90 0.55 0.64 1.14
2 1.06 0.84 0.87 0.43 0.69 1.10 0.92
3 1.28 1.14 1.00 0.81 0.68 0.96 1.20
4 0.50 1.19 0.87 0.93 0.89 0.79 0.88
Total
Responses
1 48 48 48 48 45 45 45
2 30 30 30 30 29 28 28
3 21 21 19 20 19 19 19
4 38 38 38 38 37 37 37
Regarding social class, it was found that students gradually disagreed with the
statement “Students from lower socio-economic backgrounds typically have fewer
educational opportunities than their middle class peers” as shown in Table 71.
Table 71
Significant Questions on Social Class
Item
Number
Social Class Question
Significant Personal
Belief
Significant
Professional Belief
Increase Decrease Increase Decrease
22b
Students from lower socio-
economic backgrounds
typically have fewer
educational opportunities
than their middle class peers
*
* p<0.05
VALUES AND BELIEFS 132
This finding suggests that a candidate’s professional beliefs regarding equitable
access changes over the course of study. These data may be a result of a teacher education
program that has a mission to support educational opportunities for urban school sites and
a belief that all students in the Rossier School of Education should develop the disposition
to, “demonstrate a valuing of using individual and cultural differences to inform practice
related to accountability, leadership, and instruction that result in equal opportunity and
access for all learners.”
Positive or negative relational direction between personal and professional beliefs
on social class was conducted using a Pearson Correlation Coefficient. A positive
correlation was found between all types of personal beliefs and professional beliefs on
social class, as illustrated in Table 72.
Table 72
Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Correlations on Social Class
Personal Beliefs on
Social Class
Professional Beliefs on
Social Class
Personal Beliefs Pearson Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed)
N
-.369**
.000
173
.719**
.000
183
Professional Beliefs Pearson Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed)
N
-.019**
.000
178
.378**
.000
177
Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Questions on Sexual Orientation
Six questions from The Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scale and The Personal
Beliefs about Diversity Scale addressed sexual orientation. For example, the student was
prompted with statements such as “Gays and lesbians should not be allowed to teach in
public schools.” These data are reflected in Table 73 below.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 133
Table 73
Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Questions on Sexual Orientation
Statistic
Quarter
Profession
al 1b
Profession
al 3b
Personal
4c
Personal
5c
Personal
12c
Personal
13c
Mean
1 1.52 1.25 4.44 1.62 4.04 1.80
2 1.90 1.28 4.45 1.72 3.97 1.76
3 1.95 1.71 4.37 2.16 4.11 2.05
4 1.45 1.34 4.22 1.73 4.11 2.05
Standard
Deviation
1 1.01 0.70 0.55 1.03 0.71 1.18
2 1.06 0.53 0.69 1.10 0.87 1.12
3 1.28 1.23 0.68 1.46 0.81 1.13
4 0.50 0.75 0.89 1.15 0.74 1.39
Total
Responses
1 48 48 45 45 45 45
2 30 29 29 29 29 29
3 21 21 19 19 19 19
4 38 38 37 37 37 37
The results for questions on sexual orientation revealed that students became more
accepting of the statement, “Society should not become more accepting of gay/lesbian
lifestyles” over the course of study. This increase in acceptance is represented in Table 74
below.
Table 74
Significant Questions on Sexual Orientation
Item
Number
Sexual Orientation Question
Significant Personal
Belief
Significant
Professional Belief
Increase Decrease Increase Decrease
22b
Society should not become
more accepting of
gay/lesbian lifestyles
*
* p<0.05
VALUES AND BELIEFS 134
This finding suggests that a candidate’s personal beliefs regarding gay and lesbian
lifestyles transformed over the course of study. These data present a conflict with the
Diversity disposition that all students in the Rossier School of Education should “develop
an unshakeable commitment to a diversity of thought and experience in their practice.”
A Pearson Correlation Coefficient was used to determine whether the relational
direction between personal and professional beliefs on sexual orientation was positive or
negative. There was a positive correlation between all personal beliefs and personal beliefs
related to sexual orientation. The positive correlational data are depicted in Table 75.
Table 75
Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Correlations on Sexual Orientation
Personal Beliefs on
Sexual Orientation
Professional Beliefs on
Sexual Orientation
Personal Beliefs Pearson Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed)
N
.439**
.000
177
.348**
.000
183
Professional Beliefs Pearson Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed)
N
.783**
.000
178
.394**
.000
177
Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Questions on Disabilities. The Professional
Beliefs about Diversity Scale and The Personal Beliefs about Diversity Scale contain nine
statements that apply to disability. The student was asked to rate whether s/he agreed or
disagreed regarding the statements such as “Students with physical limitations should be
placed in the regular classroom whenever possible.” Descriptive data for these types of
questions is found in Table 76.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 135
Table 76
Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Questions on Disabilities
Statistic
Quarter
Profession
al 1b
Profession
al 5b
Profession
al 9b
Profession
al 11b
Profession
al13b
Profession
al 20b
Personal
3c
Personal
4c
Personal
8c
Mean
1 1.52 1.67 3.50 4.13 2.35 3.60 1.73 4.44 1.42
2 1.90 1.60 3.83 4.03 2.23 3.97 1.59 4.45 1.62
3 1.95 1.95 4.05 4.05 2.29 4.26 1.74 4.37 1.32
4 1.45 1.89 3.89 3.84 2.61 4.00 1.70 4.22 1.43
Standard
Deviation
1 1.01 0.78 0.83 0.67 0.89 0.87 0.75 0.55 0.62
2 1.06 0.72 0.91 0.67 0.63 0.72 0.73 0.69 0.82
3 1.28 1.07 0.92 0.86 0.96 0.81 0.87 0.68 0.48
4 0.50 0.92 0.97 0.95 0.97 0.81 0.70 0.89 0.80
Total
Responses
1 48 48 48 48 48 48 45 45 45
2 30 30 30 30 30 30 29 29 29
3 21 21 21 21 21 19 19 19 19
4 38 38 37 38 38 38 37 37 37
No significant change was revealed regarding the personal questions related to
disability. However, change was found with questions related to professional beliefs
related to diversity. The increase or decrease in acceptance of statements related to
disability can be viewed in Table 77 below.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 136
Table 77
Significant Questions on Disability
Item
Number
Disability Question
Significant Personal
Belief
Significant
Professional Belief
Increase Decrease Increase Decrease
11b
Students with physical
limitations should be placed
in the regular classroom
whenever possible
*
20b
Large numbers of students of
color are improperly placed
in Special Education classes
by school personnel
*
* p<0.05
Combined, these findings imply that professional beliefs regarding disability may be
influenced over the course of a teacher education program. The increase in acceptance of
the statement, “Large numbers of students of color are improperly placed in Special
Education classes by school personnel” reflect the Rossier Diversity disposition that
students should be able to “identify practices, structures and policies that create barriers to
learning.” Conversely, the statement “students with physical limitations should be placed in
the regular classroom whenever possible” rejects the value of mainstream classroom
environments and, therefore, challenges the disposition about identifying the structures
that create barriers to learning. These data suggest further investigation regarding
student’s professional beliefs on disabilities, as described in Chapter 5.
To determine whether beliefs on disability had a positive or negative correlation
with personal and professional beliefs related to diversity, a Pearson Correlation
Coefficient was utilized. There was a large positive correlation between personal and
professional beliefs related to disability as noted in Table 78.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 137
Table 78
Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Correlations on Disabilities
Personal Beliefs on
Disabilities
Professional Beliefs on
Disabilities
Personal Beliefs Pearson Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed)
N
.542**
.000
177
.759**
.000
183
Professional Beliefs Pearson Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed)
N
.717**
.000
178
.418**
.000
175
Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Questions on Language. Six questions from The
Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scale and The Personal Beliefs about Diversity Scale
refer to language. For example, the student was asked to rate the degree to which “All
students should be encouraged to become fluent in a second language.” Data for questions
related to language is depicted in Table 79.
Table 79
Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Questions on Language
Statistic
Quarter
Professional
1b
Professional
6b
Professional
9b
Professional
16b
Professional
23b
Personal
4c
Mean
1 1.52 4.23 3.50 2.98 2.13 4.44
2 1.90 4.53 3.83 3.87 1.83 4.45
3 1.95 4.38 4.05 4.26 1.60 4.37
4 1.45 4.21 3.89 4.00 1.66 4.22
Standard
Deviation
1 1.01 0.81 0.83 0.96 1.06 0.55
2 1.06 0.57 0.91 0.86 0.79 0.69
3 1.28 0.74 0.92 0.87 0.99 0.68
4 0.50 0.93 0.97 0.87 0.78 0.89
Total
Responses
1 48 48 48 48 48 45
2 30 30 30 30 30 29
3 21 21 21 19 20 19
4 38 38 37 38 38 37
VALUES AND BELIEFS 138
The results reveal a change in professional beliefs related to language. However, no
change was found in personal beliefs. These data and the question types that presented a
significant change are shown in Table 80 below.
Table 80
Significant Questions on Language
Item
Number
Language Question
Significant Personal
Belief
Significant
Professional Belief
Increase Decrease Increase Decrease
11b
Whenever possible, second
language learners should
receive instruction in their
first language until they are
proficient enough to learn via
English instruction
*
20b
Students should not be
allowed to speak a language
other than English while in
school
*
* p<0.05
These findings suggest a significant degree of change in how teacher education
students professionally develop in regards to language. These data support the Rossier
Diversity disposition that believes all students should be able to, “demonstrate a valuing of
using individual and cultural differences to inform practice related to accountability,
leadership, and instruction that result in equal opportunity and access for all learners.”
A Pearson Correlation Coefficient was used to measure the negative and positive
correlations between language and personal and professional beliefs related to diversity.
There was a positive correlation between all personal beliefs and professional beliefs
related to language. These data are shown in Table 81 below.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 139
Table 81
Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Correlations on Language
Personal Beliefs on
Language
Professional Beliefs on
Language
Personal Beliefs Pearson Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed)
N
.436**
.000
177
.768**
.000
183
Professional Beliefs Pearson Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed)
N
.625**
.000
178
.543**
.000
176
Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Questions on Immigration. The Professional
Beliefs about Diversity Scale and The Personal Beliefs about Diversity Scale has six
statements designed to measure beliefs on immigration. For example, the student is asked
his/her opinion regarding the statement “Historically, education has been monocultural,
reflecting only one reality and has been biased toward the dominant (European) group.”
Descriptive data for these questions is reflected in Table 82.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 140
Table 82
Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Questions on Immigration
Statistic
Quarter
Professio
nal 1b
Professio
nal9b
Professio
nal15b
Personal
2c
Personal
4c
Personal
14c
Mean
1 1.52 3.50 4.00 1.89 4.44 2.71
2 1.90 3.83 4.27 2.10 4.45 2.62
3 1.95 4.05 4.42 2.05 4.37 2.37
4 1.45 3.89 4.03 2.28 4.22 2.08
Standard
Deviation
1 1.01 0.83 0.92 0.88 0.55 1.12
2 1.06 0.91 0.87 0.98 0.69 1.15
3 1.28 0.92 0.51 1.27 0.68 1.16
4 0.50 0.97 1.03 1.16 0.89 0.92
Total
Responses
1 48 48 48 45 45 45
2 30 30 30 29 29 29
3 21 21 19 19 19 19
4 38 37 38 36 37 37
Findings suggest a change in personal beliefs related to immigration over the course
of study. One of the statements that showed significance is related to immigration policy,
whereas the other statement is related to language and immigration. These findings are
reflected in the table below.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 141
Table 83
Significant Questions on Immigration
Item
Number
Immigration Question
Significant Personal
Belief
Significant
Professional Belief
Increase Decrease Increase Decrease
2c
America’s immigrant and
refugee policy has led to the
deterioration of America
*
14c
It is more important for
immigrants to learn English
than to maintain their first
language
*
* p<0.05
Questions related to immigration demonstrate a change in personal beliefs, not
professional beliefs. When compared to the Rossier Diversity Candidate Proficiencies, an
increase in acceptance of the statement, “America’s immigrant and refugee policy has led to
the deterioration of America” presents a philosophical conflict. However, a decrease in
acceptance of the statement, “it is more important for immigrants to learn English than to
maintain their first language” is aligned to the Rossier Diversity proficiency that states all
students should, “demonstrate a valuing of using individual and cultural differences to
inform practice.”
Questions related to immigration and personal and professional beliefs related to
diversity were compared to measure the negative and positive correlations using a Pearson
Correlation Coefficient. There was a large positive correlation between all personal beliefs
and professional beliefs related to immigration. Data reflecting these positive correlations
is shown in Table 84.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 142
Table 84
Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Correlations on Immigration
Personal Beliefs on
Immigration
Professional Beliefs on
Immigration
Personal Beliefs Pearson Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed)
N
.516**
.000
176
.716**
.000
183
Professional Beliefs Pearson Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed)
N
.735**
.000
178
.479**
.000
176
Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Questions on Religion. Five questions from The
Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scale and The Personal Beliefs about Diversity Scale
measure beliefs on religion. The students were asked to rate how they felt regarding
statements such as, “Students and teachers would benefit from having a basic
understanding of different (diverse) religions.” These data measuring the personal and
professional beliefs related to religion are presented in Table 85.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 143
Table 85
Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Questions on Religion
Statistic
Quarter
Professio
nal 1b
Professio
nal 4b
Professio
nal9b
Professio
nal24b
Personal
4c
Mean
1 1.52 4.46 3.50 3.96 4.44
2 1.90 4.17 3.83 3.97 4.45
3 1.95 4.33 4.05 3.95 4.37
4 1.45 4.16 3.89 3.68 4.22
Standard
Deviation
1 1.01 0.62 0.83 0.94 0.55
2 1.06 0.99 0.91 0.85 0.69
3 1.28 0.91 0.92 0.94 0.68
4 0.50 0.92 0.97 0.99 0.89
Total
Responses
1 48 48 48 48 45
2 30 30 30 30 29
3 21 21 21 20 19
4 38 38 37 38 37
The results reveal no significant change in personal or professional beliefs related to
religion. These findings parallel the initial study using The Professional Beliefs about
Diversity Scale and The Personal Beliefs about Diversity Scale (Pohan & Aguilar, 2001).
A Pearson Correlation Coefficient was used to measure positive or negative
correlations between items pertaining to religion and personal and professions beliefs
related to diversity. There was a positive correlation between all personal beliefs and
professional beliefs related to religion. These data are shown in Table 86 below.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 144
Table 86
Personal versus Professional Beliefs: Correlations on Religion
Personal Beliefs on
Religion
Professional Beliefs on
Religion
Personal Beliefs Pearson Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed)
N
.436**
.000
177
.676**
.000
183
Professional Beliefs Pearson Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed)
N
.626**
.000
178
.444**
.000
177
A variety of diversity concepts are embedded within the instrument: a)
race/ethnicity, b) gender, c) social class, d) sexual orientation, e) disabilities, f) language, g)
religion, and h) immigration. Of these diversity concepts, immigration and sexual
orientation are the only concepts wherein a change in personal beliefs was found.
Table 87
Diversity Concepts and Significant Change in Personal or Professional Beliefs
Diversity Concept Significant Personal Beliefs
Significant Professional
Beliefs
Race/Ethnicity *
Gender
Social class *
Sexual Orientation *
Disabilities *
Language *
Religion
Immigration *
* p<0.05
The remaining concepts, excluding the concept of religion and gender, present data
that suggest a change in professional beliefs. These data suggest a greater difference in a
candidate’s professional beliefs related to diversity over the course of study.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 145
Summary
The results from this research study were described in this chapter. Organized by
research question, this chapter reported the findings associated with the study. The
researcher provided an interpretation of the findings using the measurement tests
identified in Chapter Three for justification and support.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 146
Chapter 5: Overview
Two converging data points drove this study: (a) The ethnic and gender
demographics of teachers nationally are in stark contrast to the demographics of our
students (Education Data Partnership, 2011; National Center for Education Statistics,
2011); and (b) evidence suggests that educators need to be able to connect with and teach
a diverse student population (Bennett, 2001). The difference between teacher
demographics and student population trends lead to an examination of educators’
attitudes, beliefs, and expectations related to diversity in comparison to their credential
type, ethnic identification, location, grade point average, and gender in this research study.
A teacher’s behavior, or disposition, in the classroom is informed and mediated by values
and beliefs (Bandura, 1986; Dewey, 1933; Rokeach, 1968). Teachers who believe that
children can be academically successful demonstrate a characteristic of effective teachers
of diverse student populations (Ladson-Billings, 1994). Examining educators’ beliefs over
the course of study while they were being prepared as teachers extends this analysis to
uncover territory that has not been presented in previous research.
The purpose of this study was to examine the values and beliefs related to diversity
and how they transform over the course of study. Inquiry was conducted through the use of
a pretest, a posttest, and content analysis of syllabi. Values and beliefs related to diversity
were explored using the Rossier School of Education Diversity Candidate Proficiencies, The
Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scale and The Personal Beliefs about Diversity Scale
(Pohan & Aguilar, 2001).
VALUES AND BELIEFS 147
One overarching research question guided this study:
Over the course of study, how do values and beliefs related to diversity vary and evolve
amongst students at the Rossier School of Education?
Related questions were the following:
1. Entering the program:
a. What are the beliefs of the entering cohort overall?
b. Do their entering beliefs about diversity vary by program specialization (e.g.,
grade level, multiple or single subject credential, or content area emphasis),
or by demographics such as age, race, incoming GPA, gender, or region of the
country from which they come?
c. Is there a difference in a candidate’s entering personal versus professional
beliefs related to diversity?
2. Changes during a single term:
a. Is there a relationship between any changes in a candidate’s beliefs about
diversity during an academic term, and the concentration of diversity content
in a course syllabus?
3. Changes across the length of the program:
a. Are there any significant differences in candidates’ beliefs about diversity at
the end of a term (post-test)?
b. Are there any significant differences in candidates’ beliefs about diversity
from the start of Term 1 (pre-test) to the end of Term 4 (post-test)?
c. If there are significant differences, are there also differences between their
personal and professional beliefs about diversity?
VALUES AND BELIEFS 148
This study aimed to investigate whether preservice teachers’ values change using a
quasi-experimental, cross sectional design. The research questions allowed the researcher
to move deductively from the concept of diversity and teacher education preparation to
specific analysis using quantifiable data across four quarters in a teacher preparation
program. The use of quantitative data allowed the researcher to make interpretations
about preservice teachers’ values and beliefs and the observed differences that occurred
over the course of study.
The research site for this study was the Rossier School of Education at the
University of Southern California. Students in the Rossier School of Education’s Master of
Arts in Teaching program form the group of participants for this research study, reflecting
a criterion-based convenience sample. Within that group, both Multiple and Single Subject
credential students were examined. Additionally, syllabi for the 2012-2013 academic year
were analyzed using the Rossier Diversity Candidate Proficiencies.
Key Findings and Implications for Practice
This section explains how the study’s findings translate into recommendations for
teacher education programs. The findings are organized around three key transition points
during the teacher preparation program: 1) What are the beliefs of the entering cohort
overall (pre-test)? (research question 1a), 2) Are there any significant differences in
candidates’ beliefs about diversity from the start of Term 1 (pre-test) to the end of Term 4
(post-test)? (research question 3b), and 3) Are there any significant differences in
candidates’ beliefs about diversity at the end of a term (post-test)? (research question 3a).
The remaining research questions will be embedded in the report of the findings organized
by the beginning of the program, during the program, and the end of the program.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 149
Entering the Program. What are the beliefs of the entering cohort overall?
In order to determine the beliefs associated with diversity for the entering cohort,
the questions measuring beliefs were categorized by concept: 1) race/ethnicity, 2) gender,
3) social class, 4) sexual orientation, 5) disabilities, 6) language, 7) religion, and 8)
immigration. Findings from these data were compared to the dispositions all students are
expected to develop during the course of study, as articulated in the Rossier Candidate
Proficiencies on Diversity. Findings revealed that entering student’s beliefs were similar to
the Rossier Proficiencies on Diversity on the concepts of race/ethnicity, gender, social class,
language, and religion. Student beliefs regarding sexual orientation, disability, and
immigration were not similar to the Rossier Candidate Proficiencies on Diversity. Further
analysis should examine the student’s coursework for the topics of sexual orientation,
disability, and immigration and their relationship to the curriculum scope and sequence.
This finding has an impact on the types of diversity concepts that are addressed in the
curriculum and the placement and duration in which they occur in the course sequence.
At the beginning of the term, multi-cultural coursework, a candidate’s age, ethnic
identification, location, grade point average, grade level, credential type, ethnicity and
gender were measured as they relate to beliefs on diversity. There was a statistically
significant effect for gender and personal beliefs. Data revealed that females have a more
accepting perspective on diversity topics than males. Pohan & Aguilar (2001) also found
that females have a more accepting perspective on diversity topics, however, their research
extended to include professional beliefs related to diversity. Further analysis is warranted
for significant items related to gender as the sample included a disproportionate number of
women in comparison to men. Additional investigation is required to see if the pattern of
VALUES AND BELIEFS 150
significance continues when gender is compared to personal beliefs for entering students
at Rossier School of Education.
The grade level the preservice teacher intends on teaching was significantly related
to their personal beliefs. One exception surfaced with teachers who intended to teach 4-5
th
grade as compared to teachers who intended to teach 9-12
th
grade and their professional
beliefs related to diversity. Teachers who planned to teach 4-5
th
grade were less accepting
of diversity statements than teachers who planned on teaching 9-12
th
grade. Hollingsworth
(1989) analyzed the differences between elementary and secondary teachers engaged in
reading and literacy instruction and found that a teacher education program has the ability
to introduce new ideas that impact beliefs. Hollingsworth’s (1989) study was focused on
reading and literacy instruction, which decreases our ability to generalize the findings
across content areas. Additional exploration of the professional beliefs of 4-5
th
grade
teachers in comparison to 9-12
th
grade teachers is warranted. Future research should
compare the degree and frequency of content that addresses professional beliefs for
elementary and secondary teachers.
The type of credential the preservice teacher is pursuing was significantly related to
their personal beliefs on diversity. This significance surfaced when comparing Multiple
Subject teachers to Single Subject teachers pursuing History, Science, and English
credentials. These data suggest that teachers who plan to teach elementary school have
differing personal beliefs as compared to those who are pursuing a high school credential.
One caveat is that the personal beliefs of Single Subject credential students pursuing a Math
credential were not significantly different from those of Multiple Subject students. Hofer
(2000) found that teachers who focus on the Humanities, History, or Social Studies view
VALUES AND BELIEFS 151
knowledge as uncertain and constructed based on independent reasoning. Conversely,
Labert (1990) found that teachers who specialize in Mathematics and Science view the
teacher as the primary source of knowledge. Further analysis is required to investigate the
similarities and potential differences between elementary teachers and secondary
Mathematics teachers. Additional comparisons can be made when examining the degree of
diversity content in the syllabi for Multiple Subject and Math students.
Entering the Program: Personal versus Professional Beliefs. The pretest
instrument measured the difference between gender and personal and professional beliefs
related to diversity. As mentioned previously, there was a statistically significant effect for
gender (females) on personal beliefs and grade level as compared to personal and
professional beliefs. Hofer’s (2001) examination of beliefs and how they vary by discipline
was not specific to grade level. Research from this study extends Hofer’s findings to reveal
more information on the relationship grade level has with personal and professional
beliefs. Analysis should be conducted to examine the difference between 4-5
th
teachers and
9-12
th
grade teachers and their professional beliefs related to diversity. Interviews,
surveys, and lesson observations are suggested to facilitate this analysis.
Ethnicity was examined in comparison to personal and professional beliefs on
diversity. Ethnicity was significant when compared to personal beliefs. Guttman’s and Bar-
Tal’s (1982) study revealed that teachers have beliefs and stereotypes that affect their
perception of student performance and expectations. Bingham, Haubrich, White, Zipp
(1990) and Walker-Dalhouse and Dalhouse (2006) found that a teacher’s ethnicity has an
impact on their personal feelings about their school site and community. Further analysis is
warranted to examine the variable of ethnicity and whether personal beliefs affect a
VALUES AND BELIEFS 152
teacher’s disposition in practice. Teacher’s dispositions could be analyzed using teacher
observation and the Rossier Candidate Proficiencies to see if any correlations occur with
the teacher’s ethnicity, behaviors that occur in practice, and the expected dispositions from
the teacher education program.
Data from this series of measurement tests suggest a greater degree of difference
between personal beliefs than professional beliefs related to diversity on the pretest.
Further investigation is warranted to see if future cohorts of students are not in agreement
with the Rossier Candidate Proficiencies in the areas of immigration, sexual orientation,
and disability at the beginning of the program. Additional investigation in the form of
interviews, analysis of student work, and observation is necessary to investigate why
students have these personal beliefs on immigration, sexual orientation, and disability
when they begin the program. The program may want to develop an admissions question
that addresses these diversity topics and the Rossier Candidate Proficiencies. During the
program, future research should analyze how these personal or professional beliefs and
dispositions influence clinical practicum in quarters three and four. Specific attention
should be placed on the variables of grade level, ethnicity, gender, grade level, and
credential type.
During the Program. Are there any significant differences in candidates’ beliefs
about diversity from the start of Term 1 (pre-test) to the end of Term 4 (post-test)?
From Term 1 to Term 4, items measuring diversity concepts identified as:
race/ethnicity, gender, social class, sexual orientation, disabilities, language, religion, and
immigration were measured in connection to their alignment with the Rossier Proficiencies
related to Diversity. Of these items, professional beliefs related to language shifted to agree
VALUES AND BELIEFS 153
with the Rossier Proficiencies on Diversity. Was there any curriculum content addressing
language that caused this positive shift in beliefs? Personal beliefs related to gender, sexual
orientation, and disability were not in alignment with the Diversity Rossier Proficiencies.
Students at the beginning of the program and students during the program do not change
in regards to beliefs on immigration and disability. Additional research should examine the
course syllabi to see when these topics are addressed in the curriculum. What course
content addressed gender and why did this surface as a topic that shifted from positive at
the beginning of the program to negative during the program? Further investigation should
be conducted on the concept of gender to identify when this concept surfaces in the
curriculum, how the topic is introduced, taught, and reinforced by instructors, and what
type of participation is required by students around the topic (e.g., discussion, essay, test,
reflection, lesson plan). Interviews and surveys may capture why students are in
disagreement with these topics in comparison to the Rossier Candidate Proficiencies.
During the Program: Concentration of Diversity Content in Course Syllabi. Syllabi
from the Master of Arts and Teaching program were reviewed to measure the degree of
diversity content embedded in the course design. Analysis was conducted using the
dispositions articulated in the Rossier School of Education’s Candidate Proficiencies for
Diversity.
Findings for quarter one and four suggest that there is a greater degree of diversity
content in the course syllabi for single subject students, or those being prepared to teach
high school. Findings for quarter two and three suggest a greater degree of diversity
content for multiple subject students, or those being prepared to teach elementary school.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 154
In comparison, multiple subject students experienced 2.76 more of diversity content than
single subject students.
Gay and Kirkland (2003) suggest that teacher education programs include
components of racial, cultural, and ethnic diversity content in the course of study to
develop teachers who contribute to educational equity. Further investigation is warranted
to study the impact diversity content has on clinical practicum decision-making during
quarter three and quarter four. Multiple subject students have a greater degree of diversity
content in their coursework when they begin clinical practicum, versus single subject
students who have a greater degree of diversity content in their coursework when they end
clinical practicum in quarter four.
Further research suggests examining course syllabi for single subject students to increase
the degree of diversity content they experience. Additional analysis may include looking at
the types of diversity concepts, such as race, immigration, religion, gender, sexual
orientation, and disability to explore what types of content surface the most frequently in
single subject versus multiple subject course syllabi. Future research should study the
degree of diversity content in the curriculum and the correlation that has on decision-
making in clinical practicum. This study, which measured the correlation between diversity
content in a course syllabi and a survey that measures beliefs related to diversity may be a
limited method to measure this type of relationship. Future research should examine the
impact diversity content in course syllabi has in relationship to course sequence and
clinical practicum.
During the Program: Personal versus Professional Beliefs. A variety of diversity
concepts are embedded within The Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scale and The
VALUES AND BELIEFS 155
Personal Beliefs about Diversity Scale instrument: a) race/ethnicity, b) gender, c) social
class, d) sexual orientation, e) disabilities, f) language, g) religion, and h) immigration. Of
these diversity concepts, immigration and sexual orientation revealed a degree of change in
personal beliefs. The concept of disability also surfaced as a professional belief that did not
receive a high degree of acceptance. The remaining concepts showed a greater shift in
professional beliefs. The question of why immigration and sexual orientation remain
concepts that are not accepted diversity concepts at the beginning of the program, during
the program, and by the end of the program remains unanswered. Additional questions
arise when we see that personal beliefs related to disability were not accepted at the
beginning of the program and transferred to a professional belief at the end of the program.
It is suggested that research further investigate personal beliefs on immigration and sexual
orientation and the professional beliefs on disabilities and the relationship these have to
political party, immigration status, and sexual orientation of the student.
End of the Program: Personal versus Professional Beliefs. Are there any significant
differences in candidates’ beliefs about diversity at the end of a term (post-test)?
The posttest instrument measured the personal and professional beliefs using The
Personal Beliefs about Diversity Scale (Pohan & Aguilar, 2001) and The Professional Beliefs
about Diversity Scale (Pohan & Aguilar, 2001). Data did not reveal any significance for the
posttest. Tests of between-subject effects measuring categorical variables were also
performed with no significant results. Further research should alter the release of the
survey to prevent survey fatigue any may consider alternative means of collecting data,
such as interviews, observation, and document analysis.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 156
Limitations
The sample size for this research study is a limitation and should be considered in
future research. The pretest responses were higher than the posttest responses. Research
suggests that administering the same survey multiple times in an academic year can
suppress responses (Porter, Whitcomb & Weitzer, 2004). It is suggested that further
research take response rate into consideration by modifying the survey or interval of time
between the pretest and posttest.
The sample for this research study consisted of students who were actively enrolled
in the Rossier School of Education’s Master of Arts in Teaching Program. Although the
sample was composed of students located internationally, this type of sampling did not
allow for the study findings to be generalized because it was limited to one site and one
teacher education program. Further research may take into consideration non-
representative or non-probability sampling to allow for generalization.
Future Research
The investigation of values and beliefs related to diversity and how they transform
over the course of study is multi-faceted and warrants future research. Recommendations
for further examination are framed using Kirkpatrick’s (2006) model consisting of four
levels of evaluation for preparation programs: 1) reactions, 2) learning, 3) transfer, and 4)
results. This study examined the relationship between student values and beliefs related to
diversity and their coursework by focusing on the element of learning in Kirkpatrick’s
evaluation model. Additionally, this study focused on student reactions, as it prompted
students to self-assess their beliefs.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 157
Figure 13. Kirpatrick’s Evaluation Model: Reactions and Learning
Future studies should analyze student reactions, transfer, and results in relationship to
data from this study.
Figure 14. Kirpatrick’s Evaluation Model: Reactions, Transfer, and Results
Reactions. Analysis of student reactions may be conducted during the program
application phase. Prospective students may be surveyed to capture data on why they have
applied to the program and their beliefs regarding the Rossier School of Education’s
philosophical stance regarding diversity and education. These data can be compared to
those students who have been accepted into the program in comparison to those who have
been denied. Additionally, these data can be measured against those students who are
currently enrolled in the program. Data capturing reactions on immigration, sexual
orientation, and disability would further the program’s understanding on why student’s
entering the program do not agree with the Rossier Candidate Proficiencies on these
diversity topics. Future course modification may be informed by these data in term one.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 158
Future research could analyze candidates’ reactions to coursework in relationship
to personal and professional beliefs associated with diversity and the quantity of diversity
content in the course. Measuring the reactions to the course enables the researcher to
examine the student’s value and satisfaction with the course experience. This research may
be conducted using an end-of-course survey that captures quantitative course evaluation
data. Currently, an end-of-course survey is conducted in the Rossier School of Education
that measures satisfaction, however, it does not contain items related to diversity and
learning. The results from this study suggest that items are added to this existing survey to
measure the student’s beliefs related to diversity. Specific questions should address items
on immigration, sexual orientation, and disability as these concepts were in disagreement
with the Rossier Candidate Proficiencies at the beginning of the course of study. Additional
questions may want to address gender as this topic presented itself as a topic of
disagreement as students progressed through the program. This recommendation provides
a lens to analyze the data from this study which presents findings on how values related to
diversity change in relationship to the degree of diversity content in a course in parallel to
the student’s perception and value associated with the course. This combination would
provide a degree of triangulation that summons further analysis.
Transfer. Using this study as a foundation, future studies could explore students’
ability to transfer diversity concepts in practice. This study focused on a student self-
assessment, as articulated in the NCATE Conceptual Framework (January, 2012). Further
emphasis should be placed on the Rossier Candidate Proficiencies and the Key Assessments
and Clinical Practicum.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 159
Figure 15. Measuring Values and Beliefs in a Teacher Education Program
Rubrics from the Key Assessments in the Rossier School of Education should be
examined for their inclusion of the Diversity Candidate Proficiencies to ensure that
students are familiar with these proficiencies they are expected to develop over the course
of study. The Rossier School of Education currently uses a Lesson Observation Form to
capture data and provide feedback during student teaching, or clinical practicum.
Embedding the Rossier Candidate Proficiencies on Diversity and measurement mechanism,
such as a Likert scale, to measure how beliefs are transferred into practice would be a
useful mechanism for feedback, reflection, and program modifications. Analyzing students
teaching lessons at the school site will enable the researcher to identify specific
dispositions that have a relationship to the values and beliefs identified in the program.
Values and beliefs that do not align with the Candidate Proficiencies may also surface in
observation during clinical practicum. Enabling this data collection to occur will enable the
teacher educator to address misconceptions and problems of practice. Specific emphasis
should be placed on observing school sites, or lessons that address immigration, sexual
VALUES AND BELIEFS 160
orientation, gender, and disability based on the data from this study. This analysis could
occur during student teaching or upon program completion during in-service practice.
Results. Paired with an investigation of the results of K-12 student performance on
classroom assignments or tests, this measure would allow further research to address the
interrelationship between beliefs and practice and how they connect to teacher
effectiveness. Further research on results could analyze teachers once they have graduated
from the program and entered the classroom. Measuring inservice beliefs in comparison to
preservice beliefs on diversity would be a useful dataset to analyze the impact the teacher
preparation program has on alumni and their ability to transfer knowledge and skills
acquired in the program to practice.
Conclusions
This chapter concludes the research study with a discussion of the findings. Results
from this study were deconstructed to determine the contributions they make to the field
of teacher education and the implications they have for preservice teacher preparation
programs. Ethnic and gender demographics of teachers nationally differ from the
demographics of our students (Education Data Partnership, 2011; National Center for
Education Statistics, 2011). Data from this study suggest that preservice teachers have less
than accepting views on immigration, sexual orientation, and disability. However, research
suggests that educators need to be able to connect with and teach a diverse student
population, including those who are immigrants, have a differing sexual orientation, or are
disabled (Bennett, 2001). Given this paradox, Gay and Kirkland (2003) suggest that teacher
education programs include components of racial, cultural, and ethnic diversity content in
the course of study to develop teachers who contribute to educational equity. This study
VALUES AND BELIEFS 161
suggests that a rigorous, ongoing examination of curriculum for the degree of diversity
content occur. Additionally, interviews, additional surveys, and observations are suggested
at admissions, during the course of study, and throughout clinical practicum. The chapter
concludes with recommendations for future research to continue to investigate how
preservice teachers’ personal and professional beliefs change over the course of study.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 162
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Torok, C.E., & Aguilar, T.E. (2000). Changes in preservice teachers’ knowledge and beliefs
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Program Accreditation and Evaluation, Rossier School of Education.
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VALUES AND BELIEFS 172
Zeichner, K.M. (1992). Educating teachers for cultural diversity. National Center for
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VALUES AND BELIEFS 173
Appendix
Instrument
• (Q1) What is your gender?
• Male
• Female
• (Q4) What year were you born? __________________
3. (Q5) What is your undergraduate grade point average (GPA)?
• 2.0 or below
• 2.0-2.49
• 2.5-2.99
• 3.0-3.49
• 3.5-3.99
• 4.0 or above
4. (Ethnicity) How would you classify yourself?
• American Indian or Alaska Native
• Asian
• Black or African American
• Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
• White
• Hispanic or Latino
• Arab
• Multiracial
• Other
5. (GradeLevel) What grade level do you plan to teach?
• K-3
• 4-5
• 6-8
• 9-12
6. (Q12) Which type of credential are you pursuing?
• Multiple Subject
• Single Subject: Math
• Single Subject: History
• Single Subject: Science
• Single Subject: English
• Single Subject: Music
Q13_1-Q13_25) What course(s) are you currently enrolled in this term?
(Q14_1-Q13_26) What course(s) have you completed in previous terms?
VALUES AND BELIEFS 174
7. (Q9) What is your zip code? __________________
8. (Q10) What are the last two letters of your first name and last two letters of your last
name? Example: Ben Williams = enms
__________________
SECTION A- Rossier Proficiencies
Please indicate the extent to which you agree with the following statements:
Strongly
Disagree
(1)
Disagree
(2)
Undecided
(3)
Agree (4)
Strongly
Agree (5)
1a. (Q9_1) I believe that
accountability and
communication leads to
equitable and transparent
outcomes for all learners.
2a. (Q9_2) I believe in an
unshakable commitment to
honoring the diversity of the
populations with which I
work.
3a. (Q9_3) I value the
importance of individual and
cultural differences that
result in equal opportunity
and access for all learners.
4a. (Q9_4) I believe that
effective instruction is
learner-centered,
theoretically grounded, and
contextually responsive.
5a. (Q9_5) It is important for
me to promote and
contribute instructional and
technological innovations
that address educational
barriers.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 175
Strongly
Disagree
(1)
Disagree
(2)
Undecided
(3)
Agree (4)
Strongly
Agree (5)
6a. (Q9_6) I recognize the
value of creating and
promoting equitable and
achievement-oriented
educational settings.
SECTION B- Professional
Please indicate the extent to which you agree with the following statements:
Professional
Strongly
Disagree
(1)
Disagree
(2)
Undecided
(3)
Agree (4)
Strongly
Agree (5)
1b. (Q10_1) Teachers should
not be expected to adjust
their preferred mode of
instruction to accommodate
the needs of all students.
2b. (Q10_2) The traditional
classroom has been set up to
support the middle-class
lifestyle.
3b. (Q10_3) Gays and
lesbians should not be
allowed to teach in public
schools.
4b. (Q10_4) Students and
teachers would benefit from
having a basic understanding
of different (diverse)
religions.
5b. (Q10_5) Money spent to
educate the severely disabled
would be better spent on
programs for gifted students.
6b. (Q10_6) All students
should be encouraged to
become fluent in a second
language.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 176
Professional
Strongly
Disagree
(1)
Disagree
(2)
Undecided
(3)
Agree (4)
Strongly
Agree (5)
7b. (Q10_7) Only schools
serving students of color
need a racially, ethnically and
culturally diverse staff and
faculty.
8b. (Q10_8) The attention
girls receive in school is
comparable to the attention
boys receive.
9b. (Q10_9) Tests,
particularly standardized
tests, have frequently been
used as a basis for
segregating students.
10b. (Q10_10) People of
color are adequately
represented in most
textbooks today.
11b. (Q10_11) Students with
physical limitations should
be placed in the regular
classroom whenever
possible.
12b. (Q10_12) Males are
given more opportunities in
math and science than
females.
13b. (Q10_13) Generally,
teachers should group
students by ability levels.
14b. (Q10_14) Students
living in racially isolated
neighborhoods can benefit
socially from participated in
racially integrated
classrooms.
15b. (Q10_15) Historically,
education has been
monocultural, reflecting only
one reality and has been
biased toward the dominant
(European) group.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 177
Professional
Strongly
Disagree
(1)
Disagree
(2)
Undecided
(3)
Agree (4)
Strongly
Agree (5)
16b. (Q10_16) Whenever
possible, second language
learners should receive
instruction in their first
language until they are
proficient enough to learn via
English instruction.
17b. (Q10_17) Teachers often
expect less from students
from the lower socio
economic class.
18b. (Q10_18) Multicultural
education is most beneficial
for students of color.
19b. (Q10_19) More women
are needed in administrative
positions in schools.
20b. (Q10_20) Large
numbers of students of color
are improperly placed in
Special Education classes by
school personnel.
21b. (Q10_21) In order to be
effective with all students,
teachers should have
experience working with
students from diverse racial
and ethnic backgrounds.
22b. (Q10_22) Students from
lower socio-economic
backgrounds typically have
fewer educational
opportunities than their
middle class peers.
23b. (Q10_23) Students
should not be allowed to
speak a language other than
English while in school.
24b. (Q10_24) It is important
to consider religious
diversity when setting public
school policy.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 178
Professional
Strongly
Disagree
(1)
Disagree
(2)
Undecided
(3)
Agree (4)
Strongly
Agree (5)
25b. (Q10_25) Multicultural
education is less important
than reading, writing,
arithmetic, and computer
literacy.
SECTION C - Personal
Please indicate the extent to which you agree with the following statements:
Personal
Strongly
Disagree
(1)
Disagree
(2)
Undecided
(3)
Agree (4)
Strongly
Agree (5)
1c. (Q11_1) There is nothing
wrong with people from
different racial backgrounds
having/raising children.
2c. (Q11_2) America’s
immigrant and refugee
policy has led to the
deterioration of America.
3c. (Q11_3) Making all public
facilities accessible to the
disabled is simply too costly.
4c. (Q11_4) Accepting many
different ways of life in
America will strengthen us
as a nation.
5c. (Q11_5) It is not a good
idea for same-sex couples to
raise children.
6c. (Q11_6) The reason
people live in poverty is that
they lack motivation to get
themselves out of poverty.
7c. (Q11_7) People should
develop meaningful
friendship with others from
different racial/ethnic
backgrounds.
VALUES AND BELIEFS 179
Personal
Strongly
Disagree
(1)
Disagree
(2)
Undecided
(3)
Agree (4)
Strongly
Agree (5)
8c. (Q11_8) People with
physical limitations are less
effective as leaders than
people without physical
limitations.
9c. (Q11_9) In general, White
people place a higher value
on education than people of
color.
10c. (Q11_10) Many women
in our society continue to
live in poverty because
males still dominate most
major social systems in
America.
11c. (Q11_11) Since men are
frequently the heads of
households, they deserve
higher wages than females.
12c. (Q11_12) It is a good
idea for people to develop
meaningful friendships with
others having a different
sexual orientation.
13c. (Q11_13) Society should
not become more accepting
of gay/lesbian lifestyles.
14c. (Q11_14) It is more
important for immigrants to
learn English than to
maintain their first language.
15c. (Q11_15) In general,
men make better leaders
than women.
Abstract (if available)
Abstract
The belief that all children can succeed is an important attribute of successful teachers of diverse student populations (Ladson-Billings, 1994). NCATE specifies that teacher education programs must prepare preservice teacher education students with dispositions associated with diversity, including this belief that all students can learn (NCATE, 2012). The purpose of the study was to examine how values and beliefs related to diversity vary and evolve amongst students at the Rossier School of Education. Elementary and secondary teachers were examined using The Personal and Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scale (Pohan & Aguilar, 2001) and course syllabi were analyzed using a scale informed by the Rossier School of Education’s Diversity Proficiencies. This study revealed that entering students had less accepting personal beliefs related to immigration, sexual orientation, and disability. Over the course of study, significance shifted to professional beliefs related to diversity. Further research is necessary to examine assessments and clinical practicum within the preservice program for beliefs related to diversity.
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Asset Metadata
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Nyberg, Julia
(author)
Core Title
Values and beliefs related to diversity amongst students being prepared as teachers
School
Rossier School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Education
Degree Program
Education
Publication Date
08/10/2013
Defense Date
06/19/2013
Publisher
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(original),
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Sundt, Melora A. (
committee chair
), Cole, Darnell G. (
committee member
), Romans, Robin (
committee member
)
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julia.nyberg@me.com,nyberg@usc.edu
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