Instructor Name: Dr.

Robert Lake
Office Location: Room 2126 Education Building
Telephone Number: (912) 478-0355
Fax Number: (912) 478-5382
E-mail Address:boblake@georgiasouthern.edu
Office hours by appointment
Multicultural Education - EDUF 7235-CRN-51942-Summer 2015
Course Description
Multicultural Education. Using an interdisciplinary approach, this seminar investigates
underlying theoretical concepts and social assumptions that both inform and impede
efforts in multicultural education. Specifically, this course is designed to examine: 1) the
nature and function of culture; 2) the development of individual and group cultural
identity; 3) definitions and implications of diversity, and 4) the influences of culture on
learning, development, and pedagogy.
Conceptual Framework in a Nutshell
We believe that Reflective Educators for Diverse Learners, as the theme for our
conceptual framework, considers all learners and represents a vision of professional
practice for undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty, joining together to
form a community of learners. Therefore, we believe that all educators, at all levels,
must acknowledge the multifaceted nature of their work and engage in an informed
pedagogy that both recognizes and celebrates the diversities of contemporary life.
Reflective Educators for Diverse Learners is the framework that permeates various
orientations to the foundation of education, students reflections upon their educational
experience, observations of teachers in practicum, and the portraiture of schools.
Course Objectives
As a result of completing this course, the student will be able to:
1. Apply principles of the course content to field experience.
2. Examine the nature and function of culture.
3. Explore how history and culture shape world views.
4. Examine the development ones cultural identity and learning styles.
5. Develop and apply strategies for observing, analyzing, and comparing
differences related to family structures, socioeconomic status,
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abilities/disabilities and culture.

6. Articulate strategies for teaching culturally diverse students in the classroom.
7. Identify school practices and policies that perpetuate and maintain achievement
gaps, including negative stereotypes, related to race, class, persons with
disabilities, gender, sexual orientation, and other forms of prejudice and
discrimination.
8. Identify educators cultural practices and expectations that perpetuate and
maintain achievement gaps.
9. Identify strategies that creatively deal with challenges and differences between
the cultures of educators and students.
10.

Identify assets and values of diverse populations to bring student

learning to higher levels.

Subject Matter Content Summary

The students will explore: The social construction of culture and racial stereotypes; the
manifestations of cultural difference; the individual as an intersection of multiple
cultures; diverse cultural perspectives on American education; multicultural and
democratic education; and education in/for a culturally diverse world.
Required Course Activities
Instruction is imparted primarily through the creation of personal reading journals and
discussion board postings, and independent student activities, analyzing instructional
material, individual conferences between students and instructor, and various
evaluative activities such as those described below.
Student Performance Requirements
1. Folio Participation-30%. The quality of your participation in the Folio interface will
be assessed this semester. (See discussion posting rubric at the very end of the
syllabus).You will be expected to participate fully in Folio discussions, including
commenting on the PowerPoint slides I post as well as from the weekly readings from
Braided Lives , and comments and questions from classmates. Also, you are expected to
keep up with reading discussion postings from me and from your classmates. Although
you do not need to respond to every question posted, you do have the responsibility to
demonstrate your understanding of the course content. You must log in to Folio at least
5x per week.
2. Essay Questions -20% are assigned for each module and are graded with the

rubric that is found at the bottom of this syllabus.

3. Interview and Summary Paper -40%. (Due July 12, 2015) For this assignment you
will need to locate a person whose culture is different from you on the basis of race,
gender, social class, sexual orientation, national origin, first language, or other criteria
we study this semester. You will conduct a short interview helping you to understand
the differences between the educational structures and cultural experiences of this
individual and your own. You will write a paper (10 page max.) presenting and
analyzing your findings from this interview. Your analysis should be supported by
appropriate reference materials. (See separate document with suggested interview
questions for more detailed information.)
4. Book Review-10% (due July 21, 2015). This will be one of the elective texts listed
below and will be in the following format:
One page summary.
Top fifteen quotes: spread out over the entire book (Use APA 6th ed. citations).
Include one paragraph personal reflection on each quote. For example I
liked this because, or I agree or disagree with this because.
Your personal conclusion should be 1-2 pages.
Grading Scale
90-100 = A

80-89 = B

70-79 = C

60-69 = D

below 60 = F

Required Readings
Nieto, S. & Bode, S. (2011).Affirming Diversity: The Sociopolitical Context of Multicultural
Education (6th Ed).Boston: Allen & Bacon. THIS MUST BE THE 6TH EDITION.
Minn. Humanities Comm. (1991) Braided Lives: An Anthology of Multicultural American
Writing. Minneapolis. (This book lists for an average of around $5.00 through
online vendors).
Choose one of the following: (or you can suggest a title to me).
Carger, C. (1996). Of borders and dreams: Mexican-American experience of urban education. New
York, NY: Teachers College.
Delpit, L. (1995). Other people's children: Cultural conflict in the classroom. New York, NY: The
New Press.
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Igoa, C. (1995). The inner world of the immigrant child. New York, NY.
St. Martins Press.
Kozol, J. (2005) .The shame of the nation: The restoration of apartheid schooling in America.
New York, NY: Random House.
Satloff, R. (2006) Among the righteous: Lost stories from the holocaust's long reach into Arab
lands. New York, NY : Public Affairs Publishers.
Expectations for written work
Demonstrate a thoughtful analysis and presentation of your topic.
Demonstrate thorough research wherever applicable.(e.g. bibliography and citations)
Avoid strings of quoted or paraphrased material. Your paper must be yours, write in first
person. Your paper must include your own ideas and perspectives generated from your
research.
Plagiarism will not be tolerated.
You will not receive credit for written work if any of the following apply:
1. You include quoted material without proper quotation marks or citations.
2. You fail to cite paraphrased material.
3. Your paper is filled with quotes or paraphrasing without your own analysis of the
topic.
Academic Integrity Expectations
Students are expected to abide by the GSU Student Conduct Code and Regulations
regarding academic integrity. Academic misconduct such as cheating and plagiarism
will be reported to the Office of Judicial Affairs and appropriate penalties imposed that
could affect course grade. See Student Conduct Code, Section III.
The Eagle Eye and The Student Code present an overview of university policy
regarding academic honesty. Each student should be aware of these guidelines, as every
student is required to adhere to them. The minimum penalty for any breach of these
guidelines will be the assignment of the grade of AF@ for the assignment. Egregious
breeches of academic honesty will result in failure of this course. (Of particular
importance for this course are the guidelines regarding plagiarism.)
Disability Accommodations: If a student has a documented and declared disability,
reasonable accommodations will be provided if requested by the student according to
the recommendations of the GSU Disabled Student Services office
Rubric for Essay Questions and Reflective Journal Entries.
This rubric will be used to grade essay questions and your reflective journal entries.

1 = Unsatisfactory, 2 = Needs Improvement, 3 = Satisfactory

Student uses appropriate grammatical forms.
1-Consistent grammatical errors are evident in two or more forms.
2-Some grammatical errors are present in one or more forms.
3-Few, if any, grammatical errors are present.

Student uses appropriate semantic forms.

1-Consistent semantic errors are evident in two or more forms.
2-Some semantic errors are present in one or more forms.
3-Few, if any, semantic errors are present.
Student demonstrates mastery of spelling.
1-Numerous errors are evident throughout the students work.
2-Some spelling errors are present in students work.
3-Few, if any, words are misspelled in students work.
Student follows appropriate rules of punctuation.
1-Consistent punctuation errors are evident in two or more forms.
2-Some punctuation errors are present in one or more forms.
3-Few, if any, punctuation errors are present.
Student uses appropriate organization for written work, including the use of multiple
paragraphs, transitions, etc.
1-Students organization is of a poor quality, for example, lacking clear transitions,
and/or the use of multiple paragraphs.
2-Student demonstrates some organization difficulties.
3-Student presents a clearly organized paper with few errors present.
Student presents information clearly.
1-Information presented is very difficult to follow and/or understand.
2-There is some difficulty understanding what the student has written.
3-Information is clearly presented and easy to understand.

Student demonstrates reflection in written work.

1-Very little reflection and/or reflection that is superficial in nature is present.
2-Some reflection is evident, and/or reflection is somewhat superficial.
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3-Student clearly reflects on field experiences in a meaningful way.

Discussion Rubric
I will use this discussion rubric to grade your participation in the required discussion
activities.
1 = Unsatisfactory, 2 = Needs Improvement, 3 = Satisfactory
Communicates Ideas
1-The learner communicates ideas well, but fails to provide evidence to support his/her
ideas, opinions, and conclusions.
2-The learner communicates ideas, opinions, and conclusions clearly and completely.
Specific examples from the activity/resource are provided to support his/her ideas and
opinions.
3-The learner communicates ideas eloquently and thoroughly. Specific examples from
the activity/resource are provided to support his/her ideas and opinions. The learner is
able to provide additional resources or applications of the discussion topic.
Understanding of the Activity
1- The learners contribution to the discussion board demonstrates a developing
understanding, but further explanation and exploration is needed.
2- The learners contribution to the discussion board demonstrates an understanding of
the concept being presented.
3- The learners contribution to the discussion board demonstrates a thorough
understanding of the concept being presented.
Peer Review
1- The learner provides comments on others ideas, but not specific feedback. The
learners response discourages other group members to share ideas.
2- The learner provides meaningful feedback on others ideas. Comments include
personal reactions and/or experience. The learners response encourages other group
members to share ideas.
3- The learner provides meaningful feedback on others ideas. Comments include how
the idea could be enhanced, how the idea might be applied to a different content area,
or personal experience. The learners response encourages other group members to
share ideas.
Mechanics of Messages
1- The learners response lacks organization. The message has not been edited for
grammar and spelling.
2- The learners response has an obvious logical/sequential organization. The message
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has been edited for grammar and spelling.

3- The learners response has an obvious logical/sequential organization. The message
has been edited for grammar and spelling. The student contributes to the discussion
board regularly and on a timely basis.