Enhancing Teacher Self-Efficacy in Multicultural Classrooms and School Climate: The Role of Professional Development in Multicultural Education in the United States and South Korea

Soobin Choi,Se Woong Lee

doi:10.1177/2332858420973574

Abstract

The modern classroom is becoming increasingly diverse, with many countries seeking to develop teacher self-efficacy in multicultural classrooms (TSMC) to effectively teach diverse students by offering professional development in multicultural education (PDME). Using the Teaching and Learning International Survey 2018, we examine whether the teachers’ experience in PDME improves TSMC, as well as whether TSMC mediates the relationship between PDME and teachers’ perceptions of school climate in secondary schools in the United States and South Korea. We find a significant positive relationship between PDME and TSMC and that TSMC plays a mediating role between PDME and school climate. The findings suggest that PDME not only plays a key role in enhancing TSMC but also promotes a positive school climate.

Highlights

The modern classroom is becoming increasingly diverse, with many countries seeking to develop teacher self-efficacy in multicultural classrooms (TSMC) to effectively teach diverse students by offering professional development in multicultural education (PDME)
As seen in Model 1, we found that PDME was significantly positively related to TSMC, both for Korea (β = .409, p < .001) and for the United States. (β = .276, p < .001), when the other factors are held constant
The results analyzing the direct effect of PDME without the mediator (TSMC) on the teachers’ perceptions of school climate showed that the participation in PDME was positively associated with school climate in the United States, Figure 1

Summary

Introduction

The modern classroom is becoming increasingly diverse, with many countries seeking to develop teacher self-efficacy in multicultural classrooms (TSMC) to effectively teach diverse students by offering professional development in multicultural education (PDME). Research suggests that PDME is not limited to develop TSMC but may extend to encourage teachers to enhance the elements of school environments such as inclusive and collaborative learning capacities and social relationships (Aujla-Bhullar, 2011; Dimitriadou et al, 2012; Voltz et al, 2003). These school environments have been shown to build a positive school climate, defined as the quality and characteristics of schools (Bear et al, 2014; Cohen, 2009). Given the roles of PDME in TSMC and the possible mechanism that PDME may help create a schoolwide climate of learning, collaboration, and student-teacher relationships through TSMC, its association with both TSMC and school climate warrants further study

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion