Human Diversity in Education: An Integrative Approach [Paperback]

Kenneth H. Cushner (Author), Averil McClelland (Author), Philip Safford (Author), Kenneth Cushner (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0072486694 | ISBN-13: 978-0072486698 | Publication Date: July 19, 2002 | Edition: 4th

Human Diversity in Education: An Integrative Approach is a research-based, comprehensive text designed to provide an introduction to multicultural education and diversity in society. The text prepares future teachers for the wide diversity of students that they are certain to meet in their classrooms, schools, and communities. It provides an updated and broad treatment of the various forms of human diversity found in today’s schools including nationality, ethnicity, race, religion, gender, class, language, sexual orientation, and ability levels. The text maintains a unique approach – a research-based cross-cultural psychological emphasis on how people learn about culture. The text is based on the assumption that it is at the level of the individual teacher where the change that must occur with regard to diversity in schools begins. It assumes that teachers must learn to incorporate issues of diversity in all of their teaching, including, but not limited to their interactions with children, parents, other teachers and the community. In the fourth edition new Case Studies are used to introduce major concepts at the start of chapters and Critical Incidents refer back to the Case Studies throughout the chapter. New coverage includes an emphasis on globalization and a new chapter on intercultural development. Important topics covered include: intercultural development of individuals, globalization and international education, religion in society and schools, gender and sexuality, exceptionality, and diversity with respect to early childhood.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Kenneth Cushner is Associate Dean for Student Life and Intercultural Affairs, and Professor of Education and in the College and Graduate School of Education at Kent State University. He received his doctorate at the University of Hawaii while on scholarship with the Institute of Culture and Communication of the East-West Center. Dr. Cushner is a frequent contributor to the professional development of educators and other professionals through workshops, writing, consulting, and travel programs. Among his publications, he is co-author of Intercultural Interactions: A Practical Guide, 2/e (Sage Publications, 1996); co-editor of Improving Intercultural Interactions, Vol. 2 (Sage Pub, 1997); editor of International Perspectives on Intercultural Education (Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1998), and author of Human Diversity in Action (McGraw-Hill, 1999). He has taught in schools or developed educational programs for teachers and youths on all seven continents, and is current Director of COST—The Consortium for Overseas Student Teaching.

Averil McClelland is Associate Professor of Cultural Foundations of Education and Director of the Project on the Study of Gender and Education in the College of Education at Kent State University. She received her undergraduate degree in sociology with honors from Hiram College and her M.Ed. and Ph.D. in cultural foundations from Kent State University. The author of several articles on gender and multicultural issues in education, she is author of a sourcebook, The Education of Women in the United States, and a Member Center Director with the National Council for Research on Women.

Philip Safford is Professor of Psychology, Case Western Reserve University, and Professor Emeritus, Special Education, Kent State University. His Ph.D. was earned through the combined program in education and psychology of the University of Michigan, with specialization in special education and developmental psychology. Previously, he had been a teacher of emotionally disturbed children and also a coordinator and director of special education in residential treatment programs. He has authored four books, all concerning special education for infants, toddlers, and preschool age children with disabilities, as well as numerous journal articles. He has directed or co-directed a number of training, research, and demonstration projects supported by federal and state grants in special education.

Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages; 4th edition (July 19, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0072486694
• ISBN-13: 978-0072486698
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,076,888 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent resourse for educators!, September 7, 2003

By 

M. Khalil Islam-zwart (Spokane, WA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Human Diversity in Education: An Integrative Approach (Paperback)

One thing is certain - no matter how much US Americans may wax poetically about the good old days when things, including public education, were much more simple, those days are not going to return. As recent census data has indicated, the demographics of the US are continuing to change and the nation is getting more and more diverse. Within the next forty years, those of us living may witness a changing of the majority guard from White to Biracial and Hispanic/Chicano Americans.

That being the case, pre-service teachers and those considering a career in education need to be able to work with those most unlike them. They will need to examine the barriers they have build in their own mind, and create new categories for dealing with difference. The text points out that most pre-service teachers want to work in communities similar from whence they came. With the present teaching force being made up of an 88% White-Middle-Class and 66% female, well, that may not be a reality for those pre-service teachers once they become certified. Human diversity in education: an integrative approach addresses many of the issues that pre-service teachers and others who wish to (or actually do) work in education must understand.

This text is excellent for illuminating diversity and multiculturalism. It is rich in information and resources and information. It will be a most welcome addition to the shelf of any educator or student serious about diversity and multicultural education.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thought-provoking textbook on the issues of diversity and multiculturalism, September 4, 2009

By 

Z Hayes (TX, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Human Diversity in Education: An Integrative Approach (Paperback)

I am not really a fan of textbooks, and many that I have been prescribed to read have been rather dry in content and delivery. This is not the case with "Human Diversity in Education" which was a recommended text in my grad class. The writing style is not at all dry, in fact, it makes for engaging and informative reading, and I breezed through it quite quickly. The text is organized quite effectively, covering a multitude of issues to do with diversity and multiculturalism:
Chapter 1 deals with education in a changing society, providing ideological perspectives on multicultural education.
Chapter 2 covers the historical and theoretical perspectives to do with multicultural education.
Chapter 3 explores culture and the culture-learning process, with various definitions of culture, socializing agents, etc.
Chapter 4 covers classrooms and schools as cultural crossroads
Chapter 5 focuses on intercultural development.
Chapter 6 is on creating classrooms that address race and ethnicity.
Chapter 7 deals with the classroom as a global community, covering curriculum transformation ,among others.
Chapter 8 is on developing learning communities, learning and learning style.
Chapter 9 explores religious pluralism in secular classrooms.
Chapter 10 discusses collaborative classrooms, and also gender and sexual orientation.
Chapter 11 explores the importance of age and developmental status in creating developmentally appropriate classrooms.
Chapter 12 discusses the inclusive classroom.
Chapter 13 looks at the role of social class and social status in teaching and learning.

At the end of each chapter, there is a summary, a chapter review, key terms,active exercise, reflective questions, endnotes, and references. The book also has a glossary, name index, and subject index.

All in all, this is a great resource and go-to text for pre-service teachers, educators, and anyone who has an interest in the issue of diversity as it applies to the field of education and more. Insightful, informative, and interesting!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great discussions on diversity!!, August 2, 2005

By 

T. Mitchell (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Human Diversity in Education: An Integrative Approach (Paperback)

Human Diversity in Education is a great supplemental or support text for a diversity course in education or for any teacher or student who wants to know more about the historical and social perspectives of student diversity in American schools. The importance of language use and learning styles is emphasized and research is presented (although the text does not present an in-depth discussion of current research or applications). The only negative is the lack of coverage on individual diversity, although the absence of text book opinions and presentation can spark great discussions in class!! Overall, an extremely well organized and easy to read text!!