Understanding diversity: a Dutch case study on teachers’ attitudes towards their diverse student population

Abstract

Background: In the Netherlands, there has been a strong increase in diversity among students in recent decades. Even though access for previously underrepresented groups based on economic status, ethnicity or culture has been realised to a certain extent, differences in student performance between groups persist. Research shows that teacher performance influences student achievement and that this influence is more pronounced for 'non-western students'. This creates a need for reflection on the way teachers cope with their increasingly diverse student population. This paper explores the attitudes of Dutch teachers in higher vocational education towards their diverse student population and the translation of these attitudes into teaching practice. Methods: Twenty-five teacher teams at two universities of applied sciences participated in this research. The teams came from a broad range of programmes that educate students for different future professions. A mixed method methodology was used to gather data, in which the qualitative method was most substantial. Focus group interviews on diversity and student achievement were held with each teacher team. Additionally, a questionnaire was distributed to all 274 participants, which was completed by 215 teachers. Data from the questionnaire were analysed using SPSS. In order to analyse the qualitative data we used AtlasTI. Because we applied a grounded approach, allowing teachers to form their own ideas on both diversity and student achievement, we used a similar approach in the first analytical phase. In a second phase, we compared the concepts arising from the grounded theory approach with concepts from the literature. Results and conclusions: Around 40% of the teachers repudiated the influence of diversity on student achievement and did not take student diversity into account in their teaching practice. Problems regarding the student achievement of students or groups thereof are considered as something that the students, the educational institution or society at large should cope with, not teachers themselves. Of the teachers, 60% recognised diversity among students, but mainly based on students' shortcomings and perceived problems. A minority of this 60% not only recognised but also understood diversity's effect on student achievement. Teachers do not always translate this understanding into their teaching practice. They feel they lack the skills, knowledge or time to do so. Teachers seemingly translate their understanding of diversity into their didactic and pedagogical approaches only when these conditions are met.

Attitudes of Classroom Teachers to Cultural Diversity and Multicultural Education in Country New South Wales, Australia

“…We need, therefore, to reflect on how teachers relate to culturally diverse student bodies (cf. Middlekoop, Meerman & Ballafkih 2014;Wiggins & Follo, 1999) in country NSW.…”

How professional memory influences vocational teachers’ perception of changes related to students

“…Kutseõpetajatega tehtud rahvusvahelised ja Eesti-sisesed uuringud peegel davad sarnaseid tendentse õpilaskonnas. Kutseõpetajate hinnangul on õpilaskond muutunud mitmekesiseks, pidades silmas õppijate tausta, vanust, varasemaid teadmisi ja oskusi ning motivatsiooni (van Middelkoop et al, 2017;. Seetõttu on õpperühmade üldine tase ja motiveeritus ebaühtlased, varieerudes lisaks eriala, õppekeele või õppeaasta arvestuses (Tamm, 2011).…”

“…Peamine õppijaid eristav näitaja on vanuseline koosseis, millest tulenevad paljud teised muutused (Cort & Rolls, 2010). Probleemsed muutused on enamasti seotud just noorukiealiste (15-19) ja pigem meessoost õppijatega (van Middelkoop et al, 2017). Näiteks on kutseõpetajad kogenud noorte õppijate perekondliku toe vähenemist mitmel moel (Espenberg, Beilmann, Rahnu, Reincke, & Themas, 2012;van Middelkoop et al, 2017) ning seetõttu on kasvanud nende töös vajadus tegeleda õppijate sotsiaalsete ja personaalsete probleemidega (van Middelkoop et al, 2017;.…”

“…Probleemsed muutused on enamasti seotud just noorukiealiste (15-19) ja pigem meessoost õppijatega (van Middelkoop et al, 2017). Näiteks on kutseõpetajad kogenud noorte õppijate perekondliku toe vähenemist mitmel moel (Espenberg, Beilmann, Rahnu, Reincke, & Themas, 2012;van Middelkoop et al, 2017) ning seetõttu on kasvanud nende töös vajadus tegeleda õppijate sotsiaalsete ja personaalsete probleemidega (van Middelkoop et al, 2017;. Täheldatud on, et noored õppijad on muutunud neid ümbritseva suhtes ükskõiksemaks, laisemaks ja ebaküpsemaks ning neil on raskusi vastutuse võtmisega (Cort & Rolls, 2010;Kats et al, 2010;Susimetsä, 2010).…”

“…tööalastest muutustest hoolimata peavad kutseõpetajad suurimaks raskuseks õpilaskonnas toimunud muutusi, mis on oluliselt mõjutanud nende iga päevast tööd (van Middelkoop, Ballafkih, & Meerman, 2017;Sirk et al, 2016). Õpilaste õpi-ja käitumisraskused, motivatsioonipuudus ning perede puudulik tugisüsteem on lisanud kutseõpetajatele uusi rolle, nagu sotsiaaltöötaja, vanemliku toe pakkuja, juhendaja, mentor ja nõustaja (Cort & Rolls, 2010;Hughes & Attwell, 2010;Kats, van Lakerveld, & Smit, 2010;Sirk et al, 2016;Susimetsä, 2010), ning nõuab neilt üha enam sotsiaalpedagoogilisi ja psühholoogilisi pädevusi (Kirpal, 2011).…”