The effects of cross-cultural training on the attributions and attitudes of preservice teachers
Ramirez, Hermila A.
This item is only available for download by members of the University of Illinois community. Students, faculty, and staff at the U of I may log in with your NetID and password to view the item. If you are trying to access an Illinois-restricted dissertation or thesis, you can request a copy through your library's Inter-Library Loan office or purchase a copy directly from ProQuest.
Permalink
https://hdl.handle.net/2142/21343
Description
Title
The effects of cross-cultural training on the attributions and attitudes of preservice teachers
Author(s)
Ramirez, Hermila A.
Issue Date
1992
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Walker, Jerry L.
Department of Study
Education
Discipline
Education
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Education, Bilingual and Multicultural
Anthropology, Cultural
Education, Teacher Training
Education, Curriculum and Instruction
Language
eng
Abstract
The Hispanic population in the United States is well on its way of becoming the largest minority group. It is also known that a great number of Hispanics have difficulty functioning in the school environment. Since schools institutionalize the dominant Anglo-American culture code, it may well be that intercultural conflicts are the root of the problem. Ignorance of other cultures can produce misinterpretation of behavior and may lead to cultural conflict. Cross-cultural training may help teachers identify and define cultural patterns of Hispanic students.
Therefore, this study investigated effects of cross-cultural training on the attributions and attitudes of pre-service teachers. It was designed to help teachers identify and define cultural patterns of Hispanic students which may be different from those found in the American mainstream culture. The design consisted of 59 pre-service teachers who were randomly divided into three experimental groups: The first group received no training; the second group received cultural assimilator training, by reading Hispanic cultural materials developed by R. D. Albert; the third group received cultural assimilator training, plus role-play exercises. This procedure involved both cognitive and behavioral training. In Both cases the pre-service teachers were presented with interactions which hold the potential of cultural misunderstandings and conflict. The group results were used for comparative purposes. They showed that both types of training are effective for changing the attributions and attitudes of pre-service teachers. The results showed a very strong positive effect on the subjects' attitudes toward Hispanic students.
Although this study is directed to the Hispanic culture, it can be extrapolated to members of other cultures through the use of culture assimilators that may be designed for each specific culture under study.
Use this login method if you
don't
have an
@illinois.edu
email address.
(Oops, I do have one)
IDEALS migrated to a new platform on June 23, 2022. If you created
your account prior to this date, you will have to reset your password
using the forgot-password link below.
