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TEACHING NOTE SELF-ASSESSMENT AND DIALOGUE AS TOOLS FOR APPRECIATING DIVERSITY

Gwenelle S. O'Neai West Chester University

As social work educators continue to examine methods and techrüques to pro- vide meaningful knowledge about racism and discriminafion, the role of self- assessment and dialogue should also be explored. This teaching note presents a tool for students and educators to use in considering Uterature discriminafion and increasing awareness of mulficultural resources. This tool and the related acfivifies may be used for orientafion or modified and combined with the vari- ety of mixed media used to engage students in acfive learning.

THE ROLE OF SOCIALIZATION in e s t a b l i s h i n g

mindsets or world views is an estabUshed per- specfive among sociologists, social workers, and other helping professionals. Educafional socializafion has typicaUy favored middle- class Euro Ainerican students and neglected the importance of ethnic minority or working- class student backgrounds (Stanton-Salazar, 1997). It seems relevant that engagement around diversity content should begin with the evaluafion of one's own socializafion or connection to multicultural examples and concepts. Services to individuals, famdies, groups, organizafions, and communifies need to come from an understanding of the demeaning reaUfies and often unjust circum- stances that many people have faced or are

facing. This teaching note presents the de- scripfion of an exercise that has been used over the past 10 years to orient students to their verbal acknowledgement of the appreci- afion of diversity and their actual parficipa- tion in gaining understanding of the mulfiple cultural backgrounds of people in our com- munifies. Related acfivities are also described.

Diaiogue, Self-Assessment, and the Learning Process

The human-behavior-in-the-social-environ- ment course The Dialecfic of Oppression and Liberafion examines the impact of oppression and discriminafion on members of various groups as weU as on Euro Americans within the context of a diverse and stratified society.

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The course prepares students to engage in con- versafions that examine tradifional behaviors and atfitudes. Tradifional contexts, evolving nofions, and dynamics are addressed in the process of becoming a social worker prepared to embrace mulfiple cultural groups. The process involves self-assessment, exposure to various perspecfives, and opportunifies to reflect on and discuss these in an acfive leam- ing environment.

Critically analyzing routinely accepted paradigms helps students reevaluate power structures (Darüel, 2008) and their personal views of them. The dialectic includes ac- knowledging and exploring survival and defensive behaviors. The course incorporates the history of oppression, impact on idenfity development of members of all groups, and ülustrafions of resistance and transformafions. White privilege and insfitufional racism are concepts addressed in several ways through- out the course as precedents, outcomes, and continuing reaUfies identified in various envi- ronmental and situafional contexts. Discussion of these concepts involves examining crifical race theory (Ortiz & Jani, 2010) with respect to students' past organizafional experiences and current field placements. The test on implicit racism (Project Implicit, 1998), which students are required to take, illustrates the ongoing impact of socializafion stereotypes.

Self-assessment is acknowledged as a via- ble component of professional educafion (Bald- win, 2000). It is a concept and a process per- ceived as reflecfive observafion that gives stu- dents opportunifies to make sense of their socializafion and leaming experiences. Expo- sing students to informafion about their mulfi-

cultural awareness (Lee & Greene, 2003) serves as a basis for discussion and growth. The per- sonal values and diversity exercise/self- assessment tool described below was designed to provide new insights into students' educa- tional and family racial socialization (Caughy, O'Campo, Randolph, & Nickerson, 2002) as well as the affect of these d5mamics on their development. Simultaneously, it raises aware- ness of the negafive influence of oppression and stimulates interest in seeking greater knowledge about other cultures.

Implementing the Exercise

The design of the exercise draws on social leaming and ecosystems theories. It creates an opportunity to talk about what students say they believe and how they behave. It sets the tone for openness about their school and home experiences and support for a range of experiences. The exercise handout consists of three parts. Parts one and two are on the front of the page. Part one entails a set of three gen- eral value quesfions. These quesfions are not used to empirically assess or evaluate stu- dents' values about diversity. The intent is to gain a general consensus of their interest in diversity. Part two requests a list of communi- ty civic acfivifies in which students have parficipated (see Figure 1).

The reverse side of the page presents a grid for the student to complete that idenfifies their connecfions with mulficultural resources (see Figure 2).

Students are informed that the exercise will not be collected (early use of the quesfion- naire indicated student discomfort with it being collected). The sheet is distributed with

SELF-ASSESSMENT AND DIALOGUE 1 6 1

side one showing. Students are asked not to indicate they agree with the value items, turn it over until directed to do so. They Those who may have responded with less complete side one. A discussion is irüfiated than agreement are supported—their respons- about how they responded. Usually, most es are equally acceptable; their parficipafion is

FIGURE 1 . Personal Values and Diversity Experiences

Personal Values and Diversity

A. Please circle one response to each of the following three questions.

1. I support the need for diversity in our lives.

Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree

2. I have demonstrated my interest in diversity in specific ways.

Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree

3.1 believe social and economic injustice must be addressed.

Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree

B. List examples of your participation in social and economic justice concerns at school, work, or in your community.

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desired. We discuss the reality of consensus

and exceptions, the variations and similari-

ties, and social work values. The discussion

moves to Section B. Students describe their

activities. We sort the types, locations, and

positives and negatives. Some indicate rea-

sons they may or may not have been active

participants. Or they report on activities that

may have occurred in the past but not recent-

ly. AU responses are welcomed, and the con-

versation acknowledges how these experi-

ences or lack thereof may contribute to their

FIGURE 2. Multicultural Literature Awareness Instrument Handout

C. List some examples of multicultural involvement with reference to the listed groups in the past year.

Cultural Group

African American

Hispanic

Asian

Native American

Arab

Asian Indian

LGBTQ

EuroAnglo/Caucasiai^ Other White ethnic

groups

Other challenge^Age, physical, learning, etc.

Books Films Churcl^empli/Mosques Friends Other

Events Activities

Note. LGBTQ=lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning.

SELF-ASSESSMENT AND DIALOGUE 1 6 3

current percepfions. Then students are asked to turn the page over and to ful in the grid. After a few minutes, students have completed this secfion. The quesfion is asked—"How does your grid look?"

Student Reactions

Typically, students observe that they have not read very much by diverse authors. They also acknowledge they have not parficipated in many diverse cultural acfivifies. Generally, they have not attended events in cultural set- tings other than their own. Some have friends of different groups, but they tend to be few in number. Students of color or those who have lived in mixed or color-dominant communi- fies have described a broader range of obser- vafions and experiences. However, they often reflect on their limited exposure to resources of other cultures.

The reacfions of Euro American students and students of color to issues of diversity, oppression, and liberafion include a range of emofions. Because the grids are not collected students are usually quite responsive about the results. The range of reacfions is useful for the discussion of their percepfions about them- selves. Some students have traveled, parfici- pated in church missionary programs, or engaged in student exchange programs. Those with several items filled in on their grids report on their experiences. Other students may express shock, surprise, and quiet thought. Those with few items often reflect that they have not been exposed to opfions regarding mulficultural populations. Many have not grown up in diverse environments or been exposed to mulficultural opportunifies. Over the years, several students have observed the

absence of opportunity for exposure in their educafional socializafion to literature, science, math, or other contribufions to society by per- sons of color or members of typically excluded groups. One student recently exclaimed, "Our teachers only taught us about American and Brifish literature and especially Shakespeare." Another student concluded: "No wonder we don't value ethnic minorifies. We haven't been taught to do so." Another reflected in her jour- nal: "I was very surprised at the numbers because I didn't realize how little friends of color I have or know."

Celebrating Black History Month, Mexican Cinco de Mayo, Women's History Month, and similar points of reference have done little to socialize growing and developing children to the contribufions of all people to society over time. The premier historical and cultural chronology that children in our educafional systems have been taught has excluded people of color and taught negafive interpretafions of their presence in this society. The results of the exercise provide a visual schemafic of the ümi- tafions or extent of students' literacy with respect to mulfiple cultures. Examples of cul- turally affirming resources (Adichie, 2009; McCoy & McKay, 2006; O'Neal, 2006) and con- temporary ideas of oppressive situations (Kristoff & WuEXmn, 2009) are provided.

The results of this tool have not been for- mally evaluated. A midcourse evaluation asks students about the exercises, content, pace, and quesfions. A verbal assessment in the last class asks them to evaluate their knowledge of mulficultural literature and their perceived awareness. Their responses help guide the instructor's response to student concerns. Generally there is enthusiasfic reporting of

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growth—our program evaluafion self-report instrument consistently shows high sensifivi- ty to cUent diversity issues. The major func- fion of the tool Ues in its use for processing classroom behavior and estabUshing a sup- portive learning environment. Student responses are analyzed on the spot in the classroom. Indicators of their comfort or dis- comfort with the content—their comments, facial expressions, body language, and questions—are acknowledged and addressed.

Integrating Learning Through Assignments

Self-assessment exercises have been presented as useful methods to promote awareness of thinking variafions with respect to ethnicity and class differences (Ellis, 2001). Self- assessment is included in acfivifies Usted to help foster cultural literacy and competency in working with international families (Hamon, 2008). It is also included in the dis- cussion of training exercises for agency pracfi- fioners that help them be aware of their own "culture-bound beUefs" (Beckeft & Dungee- Anderson, 1996, p. 27). In addifion to the self- assessment instrument, course content in- cludes informafion regarding policy, pracfice, and social behaviors that perpetuate negative stereotypes and those that assist in aftirming one another.

Following the discussion of the grids, stu- dents engage in conversafion about the focus of the course, the expectafion of crificaUy thirdcing and reflecting on the traditional stereotypical messages they have heard, and examining multiple perspectives. Several assignments are used to assist continuing self- reflecfion and considerafion of how mulficul-

tural Uterature can be used to enhance their understanding. Two assignments have been selected by faculty as key indicators to evalu- ate student competency behaviors. The jour- nal entries and the final exam are scored by a rubric to determine achievement targets. The rubric segments define the steps in informa- fion literacy and crifical thinking.

Journal. The joumal is required to log thoughts and reactions to the course content— readings, discussions, videos, presentations, exhibits—with respect to oppression, discrim- inafion, affirmation, and social justice. Reflec- fions are often connected to observafions and experiences of privilege.

The final exam. The final exam is a take- home assignment that öfters several opfions for responding. In addifion to essay quesfions, the selecfions include opportunifies to react to poetry (i.e., "With no immediate cause," about rape [Shange, 2007]), to write and iUustrate a poem of their owm about an issue related to oppression or Uberafion, and to design a con- cept map that demonstrate their conceptualiza- fion of the oppression-to-Uberafion process.

Other opportunifies for discussion, analy- sis, and reflecfion include the following.

Small group and dyads. Weekly course ac-

fivifies involve discussion questions for en- gagement in small groups or with one other student. A group project requires a multicul- turally sensifive presentafion that selects an issue of importance to social work designed to inform a target audience. Incorporating mulfi- cultural and mulfidimensional (micro, mezzo, and macro) perspecfive informafion to deUver services to diverse consumers is required.

Novel analysis. A novel wriften by a per- son of color; lesbian, gay, bisexual, or trans-

SELF-ASSESSMENT AND DIALOGUE 165

gender person; or representing a physical, leaming, and/or emofional challenge is read and analyzed for its cultural context and per- specfive. Students are required to select an excerpt or create a summary that may be inte- grated into service delivery to promote cultur- al affirmafion. The relevance of integrating cultural materials is a core course concept, and examples are integrated across the semes- ter (O'Neal, 2006). All students discuss their novels. A demonstrafion of how an excerpt can be used with a group is conducted.

International examples of oppression. Stu-

dents develop a short paper in class (using the computer room) on oppressive condifions in a country of their selecfion. Students teach each other about their examples, and the informa- fion from the countries around the world are compared and contrasted with U.S. examples.

All of these examples and other acfivifies are designed to further self-assessment and increase mulficultural knowledge. The per- sonal values and diversity exercise has been an effecfive tool for student orientafion to the history of exclusion in the United States and the evolving role of cultural competence. The orientafion sets the tone for open and sup- porfive discussion and interacfion. The course provides a foundafion that helps students understand that all social work services are delivered in a macro societal context.

Conclusion

This teaching note promotes the integrafion of culturally affirming materials into teaching and practice. It addresses the continuing observafions of the need for more effecfive engagement methods with social work stu- dents. This engagement dynamic is simulta- neously explored for its potenfial implemen- tafion in delivering services to various family members and diverse communifies. Student parficipafion in the discussion has identified specific needs for social work:

• To create various ways to integrate cultur- al knowledge into competency behaviors across the curriculum

• To advocate for the inclusion of diverse authors, researchers, and their perspecfives throughout the elementary, secondary, and higher educafional socializafion process

• To promote the relevance of family racial socializafion in developing idenfity and self-confidence across cultures

Challenges to more effecfive social work service delivery and the need for prevenfion of ongoing social problems continue in local and global arenas. Implementing, researching, and advocating for methods to expand our under- standing is fundamental to our progress.

References

Adichie, C. (2009, October 7). The danger of a single story [Video file]. Retrieved from http: / / www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9Ihs241zeg

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Accepted: 0 9 / 1 0

Gweneiie S. O'Neai is professor at West Chester University.

Address correspondence to Gwenelie S. O'Neal, West Chester University, Graduate Social Work Department, 650 Alley Way, Reynolds Hall, West Chester, PA 19383; e-mail: [email protected].

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