A Dialogue in Diversity: Taking the First Steps

This paper describes a workshop designed to: determine the preconceptions about diversity issues held by predominantly white faculty at a small, NCATE-accredited Pennsylvania university; increase faculty members' awareness of diversity and multiculturalism; ascertain what the faculty would need to include diversity issues in their classes; and provide information regarding diversity issues to encourage faculty to incorporate such content into their classes. Through a luncheon workshop, eight volunteer faculty members discussed, questioned, and synthesized their understandings of multicultural education and diversity within education. Pre- and post-intervention questionnaires were used to determine changes in their beliefs and understandings following a short video, readings from a current booklet on multicultural education, and discussion. Before the workshop, none of the participants defined multicultural education in terms of pedagogy, knowledge construction, or student empowerment. However, they were broader in their definitions of diversity. All of them claimed to address multiculturalism and diversity in their classes. Following the workshop, their definitions changed. Responses became less definite, and many reconsidered their initial views. They appeared to have a greater awareness of the issues and willingness to re-explore their knowledge, assumptions, and practices. The questionnaires are appended. (Contains 12 references.) (SM)