Exploring University Teaching Assistants’ Knowledge of the Power of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.12.27Keywords:
culturally responsive pedagogy, teaching assistants, undergraduate studentsAbstract
This qualitative case study examined 11 teaching assistants’ (TAs) awareness of the need to infuse culturally responsive pedagogy into undergraduate level courses. The TAs represented the fields of political science, history, English, psychology, world languages, and kinesiology at one public university. One-on-one interviews were conducted, audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed utilizing six phase thematic analysis. Interactive analysis and coding provided a system to examine the data, generate initial codes, and subsequently review, define, and report on the themes that emerged. Results suggest the TAs interviewed had not been adequately prepared to infuse culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) with instruction.
Read the corresponding ISSOTL blog post here.
References
Alim, H. Samy, Django Paris, and Casey Philip Wong. 2020. “Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy: A Critical Framework for Centering Communities.” In Handbook of the Cultural Foundation of Learning, edited by Na’ilah Suad Nasir, Carol D. Lee, Roy Pea, Maxine McKinney de Royston 1–16. New York: Routledge.
Angrist, Joshua, Sarah Hudson, and Adeline Pallais. 2017. “Evaluating Post-Secondary Aid: Enrollment, Persistence, and Projected Completion Effects.” NBER Working Paper, 1–47. National Bureau of Economic Research. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3386/w23015
Daniel, Mayra, editor 2017. Culture, Language and Curricular Choices: What Teachers Need to Know about Planning Instruction for English Learners. New York: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Ball, Anetha. 2009. “Toward a Theory of Generative Change: In Culturally and Linguistically Complex Classroom.” American Educational Research Journal 46 (1). https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831208323277. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831208323277
Banks, Tachelle, and Jennifer Dohy. 2019. “Mitigating Barriers to Persistence: A Review of Efforts to Improve Retention and Graduation Rates for Students of Color in Higher Education.” Higher Education Studies 9 (1): 118–31. https://doi.org/10.5539/hes.v9n1p118. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5539/hes.v9n1p118
Barkley, Elizabeth, and Claire H. Major. 2020. Student Engagement Techniques: A Handbook for College Faculty, 2nd ed. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
Barron, Hillary A., Julie C. Brown, and Sehoya Cotner. 2021. “The Culturally Responsive Science Teaching Practices of Undergraduate Biology Teaching Assistants.” Journal of Research in Science Teaching 58 (9): 1–39. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21711. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21711
Bartolomé, Lilia. 1994. “Beyond the Methods Fetish: Towards a Humanizing Pedagogy.” Harvard Review 64 (2): 173–95. https://doi.org/10.17763/haer.64.2.58q5m5744t325730. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17763/haer.64.2.58q5m5744t325730
Bettinger, Eric. 2015. “Need-Based Aid and College Persistence: The Effects of the Ohio College Opportunity Grant.” Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis 37 (1): 102S–19S. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3102/0162373715576072
Bogdan, Robert, and Sari K. Biklen. 1982. Qualitative Research for Education: An Introduction to Theory and Methods. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Braun, Virginia, and Victoria Clarke. 2006. “Using Thematic Analysis in Psychology.” Qualitative Research in Psychology 3 (2): 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Camarao, Joy, and Cari Din. 2023. “‘A Group of People to Lean On and Learn From’: Graduate Teaching Assistant Experiences in a Pedagogy-Focused Community of Practice.” Teaching & Learning Inquiry 11. https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.11.11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.11.11
Cho, Yoonhung, Myoungsook Kim, Marilla D. Svinicki, and Mark Decker. 2011. “Exploring Teaching Concerns and Characteristics of Graduate Teaching Assistants.” Teaching in Higher Education 16 (3): 267–79. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2010.524920. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2010.524920
Creswell, John. W., and Timothy C. Guetterman. 2019. Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research, 6th edition. New York: Prentice-Hall.
Dulabaum, Nina L. 2016. “Barriers to Academic Success: A Qualitative Study of African American and Latino Male Students.” League for Innovations 11 (6). https://www.league.org/innovation-showcase/barriers-academic-success-qualitative-study-african-american-and-latino-male.
Easley, Janeria A., and Regina S. Baker. 2023. “Intergenerational Mobility and Racial Inequality: The Case for a More Holistic Approach.” Sociology Compass 17 (10): 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1111/soc4.13128. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/soc4.13128
Fránquiz, Maria E., Alba A. Ortiz, and Gilberto Lara. 2019. “Co-Editor’s Introduction: Humanizing Pedagogy, Research and Learning.” Bilingual Research Journal 42 (4): 381–86. https://doi.org/10.1080/15235882.2019.1704579. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15235882.2019.1704579
Freire, Paulo. 1970. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: Herder and Herder.
García-Carrión, Rocío, Maria Padrós Garazi López de Aguileta, and Mimar Ramis-Salas. 2020. “Implications for Social Impact of Dialogic Teaching and Learning.” Frontiers in Psychology 11: 140. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00140. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00140
Gay, Geneva. 2000. Culturally Responsive Teaching. New York: Teachers College Press.
Gay, Geneva. 2015. “Teachers’ Beliefs about Cultural Diversity: Problems and Possibilities.” In International Handbook of Research on Teachers’ Beliefs, edited by Helenrose Fives and Michele Gregoire Gill, 436–52. New York: Routledge.
Gay, Geneva. 2018. Culturally Responsive Teaching: Theory, Research, and Practice, 3rd edition. New York: Teachers College Press.
Ginwright, Shawn, and Julio Cammarota. 2002. “New Terrain in Youth Development: The Promise of a Social Justice Approach.” Social Justice 29 (4): 82–95.
González, Norma, Luis Moll, and Cathy Amanti. 2005. “Funds of Knowledge for Teaching in Latino Households.” Urban Education 29 (4): 443–70. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085995029004005. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085995029004005
Groulx, Judith G., and Cecilia Silva. 2010. “Evaluating the Development of Cultural Relevant Teaching.” Multicultural Perspectives 12 (1) 3–9. https://doi.org/10.1080/15210961003641120. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15210961003641120
Guba, Egon G. 1981. “Criteria for Assessing the Trustworthiness of Naturalistic Inquiries.” Educational Communication and Technology Journal 29 (2): 75–91. https://www.jstor.org/stable/30219811. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02766777
Hallström, Jonas, Konrad J. Schönborn. 2019. “Models and Modelling for Authentic STEM Education: Reinforcing the Argument.” International Journal of STEM Education 6 (22): 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-019-0178-z. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-019-0178-z
Hammond, Zaretta. 2014. Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. California: Corwin Press.
Han, Heejeong S., E. Vomvoridi-Ivanović, J. Jacobs, Z. Karanxha, A. Lypka, C. Topdemir, and A. Feldman. 2014. “Culturally Responsive Pedagogy in Higher Education: A Collaborative Self-Study.” Studying Teacher Education 10 (3): 290–312. https://doi.org/10.1080/17425964.2014.958072. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17425964.2014.958072
Harper, Shaun R. 2010. “An Anti-Deficit Achievement Framework for Research on Students of Color in STEM.” New Directions for Institutional Research (148): 63–74. https://doi.org/10.1002/ir.362. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ir.362
Heffernan, Troy A. 2018. “Approaches to Career Development and Support for Sessional Academics in Higher Education.” International Journal for Academic Development 23 (4): 312–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360144X.2018.1510406. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1360144X.2018.1510406
Herrington, Jan, Thomas C. Reeves, and Ron Oliver. 2013. “Authentic Learning Environments.” In Handbook of Research on Educational Communications and Technology, edited by J. Michael Spector, M. David Merrill, Jan Ellen Elen, Bishop, 401–12. New York: Springer. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3185-5_32
Herrington, Jan, Jenni Parker, and Daniel Boase-Jelinek. 2014. “Connected Authentic Learning: Reflection and Intentional Learning.” Australian Journal of Education 58 (1): 23–35. https://doi.org/10.1177/0004944113517830. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0004944113517830
Hu, Shouping, and Alexander C. McCormick. 2012. “An Engagement-Based Student Typology and Its Relationship to College Outcomes.” Research in Higher Education 53: 738–54. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-012-9254-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-012-9254-7
Johnson, David W., and Roger T. Johnson. 1999. “Making Cooperative Learning Work.” Theory into Practice 38 (2): 67–73. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00405849909543834
Jonassen, David H. 1991. “Objectivism versus Constructivism: Do We Need a New Philosophical Paradigm?” Educational Technology Research and Development 39: 5–14. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02296434. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02296434
Kafele, Baruti. 2013. Closing the Attitude Gap: How to Fire Up Your Students to Strive for Success. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Keller, Katarina. R. I. 2021. “The External Social and Economic Benefits of Higher Education: Empirical Evidence from Worldwide Data.” Journal of Education Finance 46 (4): 431–55. https://www.muse.jhu.edu/article/796975.
Kuh, George D. 2008. High-Impact Educational Practices: What They Are, Who Has Access to Them, and Why They Matter. Association of American Colleges and Universities.
Ladson-Billings, Gloria. 1994. The Dreamkeepers: Successful Teaching for African-American Students. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Ladson-Billings, Gloria. 2021. “Three Decades of Culturally Relevant, Responsive, & Sustaining Pedagogy: What Lies Ahead?” The Educational Forum 85 (4): 351–54. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131725.2021.1957632. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00131725.2021.1957632
Lombardi, Marilyn 2007. “Authentic Learning for the 21st Century: An Overview.” EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative 1 (2007): 1–12.
Lucey, Thomas A., and Elizabeth S. White. 2017. “Mentorship in Higher Education: Compassionate Approaches Supporting Culturally Responsive Pedagogy.” Multicultural Education 24 (2): 11–17.
McMahon, Walter W., and Jennifer A. Delaney. 2021. “The External Social Benefits of Higher Education: Introduction to This Special Issue.” Journal of Education Finance 46 (4): 387–97. https://www.muse.jhu.edu/article/796973.
Montañez, Smirla Ramos. 2023. “Advancing Equity through Research: The Importance of Asset-Based Approaches and Methods.” Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology 86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2023.101540. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2023.101540
Museus, Samuel D., Varaxy Yi, and Natasha Saelua. 2018. “How Culturally Engaging Campus Environments Influence Sense of Belonging in College: An Examination of Differences Between White Students and Students of Color.” Journal of Diversity in Higher Education 11 (4): 467–83. https://doi.org/10.1037/dhe0000069. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/dhe0000069
National Center for Education Statistics. 2021. “Digest of Education Statistics.” https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d22/tables/dt22_306.50.asp
Nguyen, Tuan D., Jenna W. Kramer, and Brent J. Evans. 2019. “The Effects of Grant Aid on Student Persistence and Degree Attainment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Causal Evidence.” Review of Educational Research 89 (6): 831–74. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654319877156. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654319877156
OECD. 2013. “What Are the Social Benefits of Education?” Education Indicators in Focus10. Paris: OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/5k4ddxnl39vk-en. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1787/5k4ddxnl39vk-en
O’Leary, Erin Sanders, Casey Shapiro, Shannon Toma, Hannah Whang Sayson, Marc Levis-Fitzgerald, Tracy Johnson, and Victoria L. Sork. 2020. “Creating Inclusive Classrooms by Engaging STEM Faculty in Culturally Responsive Teaching Workshops.” International Journal of STEM Education 7 (32). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-020-00230-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-020-00230-7
Paris, Django, and H. Samy Alim. 2014. “What Are We Seeking to Sustain Through Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy? A Loving Critique Forward.” Harvard Educational Review 84 (1): 85–100. https://doi.org/10.17763/haer.84.1.982l873k2ht16m77. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17763/haer.84.1.982l873k2ht16m77
Paris, Django, and Arnetha Ball. 2009. “Teacher Knowledge in Culturally and Linguistically Complex Classrooms: Lessons from the Golden Age and Beyond.” In Handbook of Research on Literacy Instruction: Issues of Diversity, Policy, and Equity, edited by Leslie Mandel Morrow, Robert Rueda, and Daine App, 379–95. Guilford Press.
Paris, Django. 2012. “Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy: A Needed Change in Stance, Terminology, and Practice.” Educational Researcher 41 (3): 93–7. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X12441244. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X12441244
Reeves, Todd D., Gill Marbach-Ad, Kristen R. Miller, Judith Ridgway, Grant E. Gardner, Elisabeth E. Schussler, and E. William Wischusen. 2016. “A Conceptual Framework for Graduate Teaching Assistant Professional Development Evaluation and Research.” CBE Life Sciences Education 15 (2): es2. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.15-10-0225. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.15-10-0225
Rice, Kathleen, and Seth Pollack. 2014. “Developing a Critical Pedagogy of Service Learning: Preparing Self-Reflective, Culturally Aware, and Responsive Community Participants.” In Integrating Service Learning and Multicultural Education in Colleges and Universities edited by Carolyn R. O’Grady, 115–34. New York: Routledge.
Rodriguez, Gloria M. 2013. “Power and Agency in Education: Exploring the Pedagogical Dimensions of Funds of Knowledge.” Review of Research in Education 37 (1): 87–120. https://doi.org/10.3102/0091732X12462686. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3102/0091732X12462686
Salazar, Maria del Carmen. 2013. “A Humanizing Pedagogy: Reinventing the Principles and Practice of Education as a Journey Toward Liberation.” Review of Research in Education 37 (1): 121–48. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3102/0091732X12464032
Saldaña, Jonny. 2016. The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers, 3rd edition. California: Sage Publications Inc.
Samuels, Amy J. 2018. “Exploring Culturally Responsive Pedagogy: Teachers’ Perspectives on Fostering Equitable and Inclusive Classrooms.” SRATE Journal 27 (1): 22–30.
Sarju, Julia P., and Leonie C. Jones. 2021. “Improving the Equity of Undergraduate Practical Laboratory Chemistry: Incorporating Inclusive Teaching and Accessibility Awareness into Chemistry Graduate Teaching Assistant Training.” Journal of Chemical Education 99 (1): 487–93. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.1c00501. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.1c00501
Schrum, Kelly, Niall Majury, and Anne Laure Simonelli. 2021. “Authentic Learning Across Disciplines and Borders with Scholarly Digital Storytelling.” Teaching & Learning Inquiry 9 (2). https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.2.8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.2.8
Slavin, Robert E. 1995. Cooperative Learning: Theory, Research, and Practice. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Sleeter, Christine. 2012. “Confronting the Marginalization of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy.” Urban Education 47 (3): 562–84. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085911431472
Torche, Florencia. 2011. “Is a College Degree Still the Great Equalizer? Intergenerational Mobility Across Levels of Schooling in the United States.” American Journal of Sociology 117 (3): 763–807. https://doi.org/10.1086/661904. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1086/661904
United States Census Bureau. 2020. “Race and Ethnicity Prevalence by State: 2020.” https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/stories/2021/08/2020-united-states-population-more-racially-ethnically-diverse-than-2010-figure-1.jpg.
Vygotsky, Lev. S. 1978. Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvjf9vz4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvjf9vz4
Welton, Anjalé D., Tiffany Octavia Harris, Priya G. La Londe, and Rachel T. Moyer. 2015. “Social Justice Education in a Diverse Classroom: Examining High School Discussions about Race, Power, and Privilege.” Equity & Excellence in Education 48 (4): 549–70. https://doi.org/10.1080/10665684.2015.1083839. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10665684.2015.1083839
Wofford, Annie. M., and Justine A. Gutzwa. 2022. “Funds of Science Identity: Toward AN Asset-Based Framework for Undergraduate STEM Research and Praxis.” Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering 28 (3): 59–81. https://doi.org/10.1615/JWomenMinorScienEng.2022036454. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1615/JWomenMinorScienEng.2022036454
Yosso, Tara. J. 2005. “Whose Culture Has Capital? A Critical Race Theory Discussion of Community Cultural Wealth.” Race Ethnicity and Education 8 (1): 69–91. https://doi.org/10.1080/1361332052000341006. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1361332052000341006
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Ximena D. Burgin, Mayra C. Daniel, Sheila S. Coli, Leslie Matuszewich
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.