Review and critically analyze 2 related articles - Essay Example

The two studies conducted regarding diversity had different approaches but had the same objective which was to generally create awareness and acceptance to people of diverse cultural backgrounds. The first study, “Immigrant Students in Public Schools: To What Extent Do School Leaders Recognize, Promote, and Utilize Their Cultural Diversity?” (Schiff, n.d.), used the qualitative approach where it invited several school leaders as participants to gauge on how they respond to their existing diverse settings as shown in the increasing number of immigrant students in their respective schools. Interviews were conducted and relevant documents were gathered by the researcher on finding out the school leaders’ role on recognizing, promoting, and utilizing the school immigrants’ diverse cultural backgrounds. The result of the study shows that majority of the school leaders recognize the diversity but does not do well in the promotion and utilization of such. With that, the researcher recommended several action steps on how to increase the promotion and utilization of the foreign immigrants’ diversity and how they can be incorporated into their school programs, both in the academe and in the extra-curricular activities.
The second study was entitled “The Impact of a Multicultural Training Program on Adolescents’ Understanding of Cultural Awareness” (Wynn, Hart, Wilburn, Weaver, Wilburn, n.d.). Its objective was to determine if a particular pro-diversity program had significant impact to its participants. The study used a quantitative approach where it invited a particular group of teen students who will be participants of the program and another group who will not be part of the pro-diversity program. The study aims to find out if the program will have positive impact on the awareness and respect of adolescent teens to people of different backgrounds. Similar survey sheets were filled out by both groups before and after the program. The results were gathered and analyzed. It showed significant increase of diversity awareness to the group who attended the program as compared to the group who were not part of the program. Statistical methods were used to support the significance of the results.
Both studies were oriented towards the road to promotion of cultural diversity but the impact of their results differs. The first study, which utilized the qualitative approach, enabled the researcher to conclude that there is a significant need to address the lack of diversity promotion in schools and was able to recommend several action plans to promote multicultural programs in schools. However, there were no means to measure or there were no recommended indicators if the recommended action plans will become effective. The second study was also able to determine the lack of diversity awareness among the participants but it used a tool (the pro-diversity program) to asses if it will bring significance on the participant’s attitude towards diversity after the program. The pro-diversity program indeed brought positive results on the students to become more aware and become more respectful to people of diverse backgrounds. Through the conducted quantitative study, it was able to recommend more specific action plans since it was able to pinpoint which sector of the participants did not respond well to the program and how the program may be adjusted so it will fit, if not all, majority of the participants. The quantitative study was able to give more bearing on its recommendation.
If a third study will be made, I would suggest the usage of the two approaches. First is to use the qualitative method where it will be able to assess the diversity issue on the macro level. It will be able to determine which recommendation will be prioritized. To test the recommendation, the quantitative approach will then be applied. That is to test one recommendation on the micro level and assess if it will bring significant contribution to the school’s diversity issue.
Schiff, M. (n.d.). Immigrant Students in Public Schools: To What Extent Do School Leaders
Recognize, Promote and Utilize Their Cultural Diversity? (Dissertation, Fairfield Public Schools, Trumbull, CT., n.d.)
Wynn, R.D., Hart, A.I, Wilburn, S.T., Weaver, D.M., Wilburn, K.T. Adolescents’ Multicultural
Training Program. The Impact of a Multicultural Training Program on Adolescents’ Understanding of Cultural Awareness. (Dissertation, University of North Florida, University of Florida, Health-Tech Consultants, Inc., n.d.) Read More