This book contains seven exploratory research papers from a conference on diversity and workplace teams. The authors examine diversity in terms of a variety of attributes, including race and sex. The book is divided into three sections. The first contains three papers that deal with the management of diverse teams. The following papers are…

This digest introduces three issues to consider when evaluating test items for bias: fairness, bias, and stereotyping. In any bias investigation, the first step is to identify the subgroups of interest. Bias reviews and studies generally focus on differential performance for sex, ethnic, cultural, and religious groups. In preparing an item bias…

This book developed from a series of lectures under the auspices of Oxford University Press and the New York Public Library in 1992. Neither an academic nor an U.S. citizen, the writer examines the clouded issues of "political correctness"; "multiculturalism"; and the politicization of the arts. The book is divided into the following sections: (1)…

Adolescence is a time when individuals are trying to establish a sense of personal identity. This study compared the self-image of Iranian-American adolescents with those in a normative American sample so as to determine whether or not growing up with two cultures hinders the development of adolescents' self-image. The subjects were 150 (75 male,…

Anyone who teaches or has taken a course in intercultural communication inevitably faces the task of defining culture. The purpose of this paper is to provide examples and suggestions for using film segments to help students understand some of the conceptual components of culture using different perspectives than those to which they may be…

This book is designed to help the teacher become a reflective practitioner in the multicultural science classroom. The ideas presented are grounded in constructivist theory and emphasize a multicultural approach to science education. The first section, "Addressing Diversity," deals with issues germane to the science education needs of…

This research draws upon both a preliminary study conducted over a 3-year period, in which a group of 15 children was tracked through the first 3 years of school, as well as works-in-progress. The particular concern of this research is the accessibility of the complex organization of reading instruction to young readers, realized by explicit and…

Due to cultural and linguistic misunderstandings, racism, and even homophobia, sexual abuse is frequently mishandled by professionals working with minority populations. Research and multiculturalism have led to advances in understanding sexual abuse in its various contexts. The complicated issues which surround such abuse, in nine different…

This book was designed to share lessons learned from vocational rehabilitation research conducted at 11 Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers. Papers for the book were developed to provide practical guidance to the common efforts of professionals, advocates, consumers, and public figures interested in creating workable rehabilitation…

Recent American educational research focuses on the differences between urban and nonurban schools. Ideas such as "inner city" are taken as self-evident and are imposed as a way to achieve a more just and equitable national system of schooling. The urban environment is singled out as violent. This essay takes the position that the…

The case study of an all-male Catholic college preparatory school illustrates that, although the school appears to be a model school, African American students do not feel connected to the school community or culture, and many experience alienation, frustration, and racial prejudice at the school. Initial interview questions were pretested with 10…

The challenge of celebrating diversity in multicultural classrooms requires both teachers and students to be aware of elements influencing the communication process. This essay identifies and discusses relevant sociocultural factors that affect the interaction and learning processes among participants in diverse classrooms. As they recognize their…

Some of the uses of laughter in conversation are examined, specifically as laughter occurs in a second language setting. Although the concepts of humor and laughter are often intertwined, not all laughter is humorous, nor does every humorous event evoke laughter. Furthermore, cross-cultural difference can contribute to misinterpretation of…

As teachers gravitate more and more to the use of literature and strive to include a range of cultural experiences in their classrooms, the use of poetry from various cultural groups should be considered. Poetry is a very real means of having children see themselves and others as being both unique and yet the same. In considering poetry across…

Research increasingly supports the theory that individuals' epistemological beliefs--their fundamental views about knowledge and how it is acquired--influence academic learning, thinking, and problem solving. This paper presents preliminary findings of an ongoing study of educators from Chile and Missouri involved in research projects. A total of…