The Birth of a Survey: Developing an Assessment of Preservice Teachers’ Diversity Awareness

Mary Cain Fehr (Texas Tech University, USA), Mary Frances Agnello (Texas Tech University, USA), Steven M. Crooks (Texas Tech University, USA), Fethi Inan (Texas Tech University, USA), and Raymond Flores (Texas Tech University, USA)
Copyright: © 2012 |Pages: 304
EISBN13: 9781466610026|DOI: 10.4018/978-1-60960-857-6.ch019
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Abstract

Assessing the effectiveness of academic programs is a critical element of institutional research. Changing demographics in the United States compel us to measure the effectiveness of academic programs to address issues of diversity. At a large public university in the Southwestern U.S., a team of researchers constructed a diversity awareness survey as part of its institutional research. This survey was created in response to several factors: (1) results from a university-wide survey of graduating seniors regarding attitudes toward diversity were alarming; (2) the College of Education was undergoing NCATE accreditation review, and assessment had become part of institutionalized procedures in the college; (3) the Curriculum and Instruction department chair requested it; (4) the teacher certification program was guided by a mission to prepare teachers to be effective in diverse classrooms. This process appeared simple at first, but proved to be a lengthy, complex series of steps on a not-so-linear path. After three years, we are just now reaching a point where we believe the survey validity is strong and the questions need no further revision.
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