Culture and Developmental Education

Pedelty, M. H., & Jacobs, W. R. (2001). The place of "culture" in developmental education's social sciences. In D. B. Lundell, & J. L. Higbee (Eds.), Theoretical perspectives for developmental education (pp. 75-90). Minneapolis, MN: Center for Research in Developmental Education and Urban Literacy, General College, University of Minnesota. Retrieved July 4, 2004, from: http://www.gen.umn.edu/research/crdeul/publications.htm
The authors state in the preface to the article that a new trend within developmental education is to view students in their full complexities, rather than as "deficits" to be fixed. This position can be actualized in the social sciences by retheorizing "culture". The authors use a cultural studies framework to combine anthropological and sociological groundings into a model of culture that demands that first the students' pre-c0llege lived experiences and understandings be accessed, and then work with them to expand, rather than replace, their knowledge with the formal discourses that they must master to negotiate academic spaces.

Multicultural Awareness Project for Institutional Transformation

Miksch, K. L., Higbee, J. L., Jehanglr, R. R., Lundell, D. B., Bruch, P. L., Siaka, K., & Dotson, M. V. (2003). Multicultural Awareness Project for Institutional Transformation (MAP IT). Minneapolis, MN: Multicultural Concerns Committee and the Center for Research on Developmental Education and Urban Literacy, General College, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Additional copies available from the Center for Research on Developmental Education and Urban Literacy, General College, 128 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455. The MAP IT survey instruments, extended bibliography, and additional reports related to MAP IT were retrieved July 4, 2004 from http://www.gen.umn.edu/research/crdeul/publications.htm
The Multicultural Awareness Project for Institutional Transformation (MAP IT) was developed at the University of Minnesota's General College with the goal of integrating multicultural education within postsecondary education. MAP IT is an adaptation of Diversity Within Unity: Essential Principles for Teaching and Learning in a Multicultural Society (Banks et al., 2001). This publication contains the MAP IT set of 10 Guiding Principles and four survey instruments designed to aid in measuring the extent to which institutions of higher education centralize multicultural education and incorporate the guiding principles. Instruments are provided for survey of the following four groups within the institution: administrator, faculty & instructional staff, student development and support services staff, and student.

Cooperative learning and multicultural education

Jehangir, R. R. (2001). Cooperative learning in the multicultural classroom. In D. B. Lundell, & J. L. Higbee (Eds.), Theoretical perspectives for developmental education (pp. 91-99). Minneapolis, MN: Center for Research in Developmental Education and Urban Literacy, General College, University of Minnesota. Retrieved July 4, 2004, from: http://www.gen.umn.edu/research/crdeul/publications.htm
The author describes the role of cooperative learning in creating an inclusive, interactive classroom for fostering both developmental education and multicultural education. Key elements of cooperative learning include: value of learning, shared governance, group accountability, and student-generated construction of knowledge. All these elements permit a more open and even discussion of issues from a variety of perspectives and cultures rather than the learning setting being dominated by the course professor who may represent only one cultural perspective and often that of the dominant culture in society.

Multicultural developmental education monograph

Higbee, J. L., Lundell, D. B., & Duranczyk, I. M. (Eds.) (2003). Multiculturalism in developmental education. Minneapolis, MN: Center for Research on Developmental Education, General College, University of Minnesota. Retrieved July 4, 2004, from: http://www.gen.umn.edu/research/crdeul/publications.htm This publication is the first major monograph or book written on the topic of multicultrual developmental education.
The first three chapters of this monograph provide models for integrating multiculturalism in developmental education. The remaining chapters focus on conversations related to multiculturalism in developmental education, reported by our colleagues in the General College of the University of Minnesota. The work of these authors reflects the General College's efforts to implement its multicultural mission. The following chapters are included in this monograph: The Centrality of Multiculturalism in Developmental Education (Karen L. Miksch, Patrick L. Bruch, Jeanne L. Higbee, Rashné R. Jehangir, and Dana Britt Lundell); Walking the Talk: Using Learning-Centered Strategies to Close Performance Gaps (Donna McKusick and Irving Pressley McPhail); Creating Access Through Universal Instructional Design (Karen S. Kalivoda); Multicultural Legacies for the 21st Century: A Conversation with James A. Banks (Patrick L. Bruch, Jeanne L. Higbee, and Dana Britt Lundell); Is there a Role for Academic Achievement Tests in Multicultural Developmental Education? (Thomas Brothen and Cathrine Wambach); The Triumphs and Tribulations of a Multicultural Concerns Committee (David L. Ghere); MultiCultural Development Center (MCDC): Sharing Diversity (Ghafar A. Lakanwal and Holly Choon Hyang Pettman); Summary Report on the Third National Meeting on Future Directions in Developmental Education: Grants, Research, Diversity, and Multiculturalism (Dana Britt Lundell); Report of the Future Directions Meeting Multicultural Themes Track (Jeanne L. Higbee and Holly Choon Hyang Pettman); and appendices.

Multicultural mission of developmental education

Higbee, J. L., Bruch, P. L., Jehangir, R. R., Lundell, D. B., & Miksch, K. L. (2003). The multicultural mission of developmental education: A starting point. Research and Teaching in Developmental Education, 19(2), 47-51.
The authors describe the work of the Multicultural Awareness Project for Institutional Transformation (MAP-IT) and the development of ten guiding principles for institutions regarding changes in institutional governance, organization, and equity; faculty and staff development; student development; intergroup relations; and assessment. this work is based on Diversity within unity: Essential principles for teaching and learning in a multicultural society (Banks et al, 2001).

Importance of multiculturalism within the curriculum

Higbee, J. L. (2001). Promoting multiculturalism in developmental education. Research and Teaching in Developmental Education, 18(1), 51-57.
The author describes the importance of multiculturalism being deeply embedded within the curriculum and culture of the institution in general and developmental education in particular. This is especially true since often such programs have the most culturally diverse student populations. Examples are provided for ways for the institution and the classroom instructor to incorporate multiculturalism.

Role of multiculturalism within developmental education

Brunch, P. (2002). Toward a new conversation: Multiculturalism for developmental educators. In J. L. Higbee, D. B. Lundell, & I. M. Duranczyk (Eds.), Developmental education: Policy and practice (pp. 35-44). Auburn, GA: National Association for Developmental Education.
The author provides a review of the place of multiculturalism within developmental education and the impact, or lack thereof, that it has had. After exploring the various positions taken on multiculturalism, the author proposes a new conversation based on asymmetrical reciprocity. Following this discussion, the author makes several recommendations for transforming writing instruction to foster this model.