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The student exchange programs are venues for learning opportunities by offering multicultural contexts. This study reports on the experiences of ten prospective English language teachers in a virtual student exchange program to investigate likely skill development in a multicultural and open and distance learning setting. This descriptive study used the qualitative method. The textual data were elicited through eighty reflective essays written by the participants. Virtual classroom observations and WhatsApp chat data ensured data triangulation. The results revealed the themes as developed learning and life skills and enhanced internal gains. It was found that internal outcomes, such as self-confidence, empathy, and self-reliance, were enhanced rather than external gains. One of the limitations of this study was the brevity of the exchange program, which lasted only eight days. Additionally, the current study is a small-scale study, which limits the generalizability of the results. Last but not least, only two participants placed in the researcher's class were observed. The study poses a few implications for education policymakers, curriculum developers, and teachers. In light of the results, it is posed that adding a multicultural aspect to the teacher training curriculum is imperative for teacher empowerment. Though the literature on student exchange reports findings on the gains and challenges, there is a scarcity of studies delving into what skills students develop and how with vivid examples. In this respect, this study adds to the relevant literature.

The study aims to describe the success of the collaborative supervision between the head of the madrasah and the teachers at five private madrasah tsanawiyah in Gresik. This research, a qualitative case study design, involved the head of the madrasah and the teachers of five private madrasah tsanawiyah. Instruments used include interviews, observations, and documentation. Data analysis techniques used are data condensation, data presentation, conclusion drawing, and verification. The research findings demonstrate the significant positive impact of collaborative supervision on teachers' creativity and professionalism and its direct correlation with students' improved learning quality and learning outcomes. Collaborative supervision has been successful in enhancing the creativity of teachers in the implementation of a multicultural-based independent curriculum. The implications of the findings provide a strong basis for educational institutions to consider implementing more effective collaborative supervision strategies in the context of a multicultural-based independent curriculum. The importance of considering cultural and multicultural contexts is also highlighted in designing educational supervision programmes and strengthening the inclusive learning environment.

The privilege walk is a pedagogical tool used to teach students about often-ignored aspects of privilege. Despite their popularity, privilege walks are under-examined in the scholarship of teaching and learning. This leaves open questions about the efficacy of the walk, and whether, and to what extent, the walk yields different results among students from different backgrounds. This paper critically examines the privilege walk by reflecting on our experience of teaching the walk and analyzing student learning reflections about the exercise. We draw on critical race theory to interpret our data and also to help introduce the concept of slippage. We use slippage as shorthand for systematic issues long described by critical race theorists, such as meritocracy, that are reframed as individual responsibilities. We conclude by discussing how educators might prioritize teaching about structural power by integrating ideas from critical race theory, and abandon intellectual traditions that center Whiteness or the individual.

The many universities across the world that promote internationalisation together with global citizenship education overtly or covertly orient their students around particular global citizenship values. Neoliberal and liberal humanist perspectives on global citizenship have historically dominated global citizenship education. The neoliberal 'global competitiveness' model promotes the values Achievement and Power, and the humanist 'global rights and responsibilities' model promotes the values Benevolence and Universalism. The critical perspective has emerged to challenge these dominant approaches. Inter alia, the critical perspective has argued against the prescription of certain values (or homogeneity of values) and for value pluralism that is open-ended. We investigated the extent to which these different perspectives on global citizenship values correspond with patterns in the value priorities among students from across the world. With data from the World Values Survey, we tested for homogeneity of values among students and assessed whether either global rights and responsibilities or global competitiveness values are dominant. There is no clear evidence of students' values converging as either global rights and responsibilities or global competitiveness. These findings suggest that a critical perspective on global citizenship education, which acknowledges value pluralism, is better suited to work with differences in student value priorities by creating opportunities in dialogical non-prescriptive ways for the conceptualisation of multiple global citizen selves.

Using only monocultural books create problems of invisibility, ethnocentrism, and systemic privilege. For this study, undergraduate preservice teachers (PSTs) delved into books representing diverse identities and experiences over two subsequent semesters. Using surveys, reflections, and lesson plans, the knowledge, attitudes, and perspectives of PSTs changed as a result of the exposure and use within classroom assignments. PSTs responses indicated a stronger desire to include a broader range of books and to promote representation within the curriculum.

Communities that can speak more than one language as a daily habit are not only happening in the present era but have long existed in the "pesantren" environment. However, multilingualism in "pesantren" is often only seen as a capacity enhancement of the "santri's" knowledge. On the other hand, the multilingual ability of the "Santri" is an asset in forming an attitude of religious moderation. This article then presents the results of qualitative research using the concept of additive multilingualism which focuses on "pesantren" students in Indonesia. Through observations, interviews, and literature review, this research can describe the reality of multilingualism in "pesantren" and its impact on the religious attitudes of its "santri." It turns out that the religious moderation attitude of the students is closely related to the multilingual learning process in "pesantren" that takes place with technological restrictions. The application of additive multilingualism is aligned with the pillars of religious moderation in four ways. First, respect for locality is reflected in the "Santri's" habit of using local languages. Second, multilingualism is an expression of anti-violence, this is reflected in "Santri's" acceptance of linguistic and ethnic diversity as a brotherhood base. This is what manifests in the Third pillar by making "santri" a tolerant community as a result of learning from the reality of ethnic and linguistic diversity in their environment. Fourth, the introduction of "santri" to foreign languages is directed to reaffirm their national commitment through the use of foreign languages in flag ceremonies. The limitation of technology in multilingual learning is also intended to keep students from the bad influence of technology and to maintain the discipline of students in maintaining a "pesantren" culture that is friendly to locality and sensitive to the times.

The sudden increase of numbers in terms of international students in once-monolingual EFL classrooms in Türkiye brought new challenges and opportunities for English as Foreign Language (EFL) instructors to adapt more culturally diverse setting-friendly approaches and methods in class instantly, which inevitably caused shifts and highlights on in-class practices as well. For this qualitative descriptive study, the data was collected from individual face-to-face interviews and survey results from eight experienced EFL instructors working at a Turkish private university's English preparatory program in the fall semester of the academic year of 2022-2023, focusing on highlighting the challenges and opportunities of teaching in multicultural classrooms. In conjunction with that, teachers' experiences with multicultural students were highlighted in teaching such interculturally and linguistically diverse settings. Following the manual thematic analysis of the data, results were grouped under three categories such as cultural, pedagogical and social issues regarding teaching in intercultural classrooms and presented in accordance with the relevant literature review which is in line with the results of this study. This paper contributes to this relatively new area of research as being one of the initial studies focusing on tertiary-level EFL instructors' experiences of teaching in multicultural classroom settings and their experiences rather than beliefs while teaching in such classrooms, and it can help to pave the way to design professional development activities which is crucial regarding aiming at improving Turkish EFL teachers' intercultural awareness in the classroom.

Individuals hold a wide range of beliefs and ideas on immigration throughout Western societies. Some are highly embracive of immigrants while others want draconian restrictions. This mixed-methods study conducted in the U.S. examines these beliefs, specifically on immigration being a human right. Particular attention is given to the rationales of those advocating for more open immigration policies and those opposed to them. The analysis reveals that individuals appeal to economic arguments both to advocate for and against greater immigration. Issues of security and order are also employed to argue against immigration; In contrast, participants use ethical themes and the history of the United States in arguing for immigration as a human right. Others highlighted normative restrictions across the world as a reason to reject the idea. The findings of this study can help inform both researchers and immigration advocates as they seek to understand the complex perceptions of immigration.

Amid the abundance of studies on translation errors in Thailand, a scarcity remains especially within the multi-linguacultural context of Thailand's Deep South. To address this gap, this study aims to examine Thai-English and English-Thai translation errors encountered by 232 Thai EFL university students studying English in three universities located in Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat, primarily Pattani-Malay speakers with Thai and English as second and third languages, and some proficient in Arabic. The study employed two sets of 20-sentence translation tests and analyzed via qualitative content analysis. The findings reveal that semantic errors (65.02%), miscellaneous errors (20.73%), and syntactic errors (14.25%) were found in English-Thai translations, whereas syntactic errors (46.88%), semantic errors (40.76%), and miscellaneous errors (12.36%) were found in Thai-English translations respectively. The results suggest that linguistic proficiency, cultural familiarity in both the source and target languages and cultures, and L1 interference were considered as possible core factors influencing students' translation abilities. The study suggests integrating cultural experiences into translation teaching to better prepare learners for real-world challenges in multilingual educational settings.

In this article, we examine the relationship established between what the history of education in Spain has identified as "pedagogical renewal" and the proposals, experiences, reflections, meetings and training spaces framed in what at the time was identified as "intercultural education". This analysis stems from the apparent disappearance of everything generated around "intercultural education" throughout the 1990s from the historical account of pedagogical renewal. Faced with this apparent mismatch, the authors of the article argue that the main characteristics of the intercultural proposal (in terms of organisational forms, the global nature of its proposals and critical spirit questioning some of the basic pillars of the dominant educational system and model) would allow it to be identified with the movements, proposals and practices of pedagogical renewal. Additionally, the authors highlight the commitment and involvement of individuals, groups and journals aligned with the pedagogical renewal in the promotion and defence of intercultural education. Consequently, the authors finally propose some key insights that may help us understand why this presence and participation tends to be overlooked in the historiographical account of the renewal.

French immersion (FI) programs are becoming increasingly culturally and linguistically diverse as a result of growing migration to Canada. In the present mixed-methods study, I explore the perspectives and ideologies of teachers, principals, and central office staff in eight school divisions in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Alberta with respect to refugee-background students in FI programs. Through the triangulation of survey responses (N=126) and interviews (N=40), I examine perspectives pertaining to four themes: 1) suitability of FI for refugee-background students; 2) language learning; 3) challenges facing refugee-background students; and 4) supports and resources in FI programs. Adopting the theoretical perspective of sociolinguistics for change, I discuss three underlying ideologies shaping the perspectives of FI educators across the Canadian Prairies: 1) English-first ideologies; 2) deficit ideologies; and 3) ideological tensions between inclusion and support.

This article presents a systematic review of the literature with the aim of providing an updated framework for the scientific production developed in the field of digital competence and inclusive education in Higher Education, as indexed in the Web of Science (WoS) and SCOPUS databases. Twenty-one scientific articles published between 2016-2023 were included and analyzed, with no temporal cohort established. The search matches yielded a first document of the topic of study in 2016 in the Social Sciences Citation Index. The results obtained on the conceptual structure of the analyzed documents were carried out through a multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) observing the existence of two dimensions composed of three clusters. Cluster one was composed of studies on digital competence, virtual learning environments, digital divide, and functional diversity, among others. Cluster two comprised studies carried out on digital tools and competencies, inclusive education, educational processes, and digital strategies; while cluster three was made up of educational inclusion related to interculturality and digital competence. Among its limitations, there were aspects related to the heterogeneity of the studies, which make it difficult to compare the data, and the sample and size of the study, which makes the results obtained and the generated data have a lower percentage of generalization compare to studies that use larger simples. This study has implications for researchers and Higher Education institutions interested in research on digital competence for inclusive education, with the possibilities of digital competence for inclusive education being established from the studied variables, allowing teachers to adapt and personalize learning to meet individual student needs. All of this is in line with the goals of the 2030 Agenda, concerning the empowerment of citizens and the digitization of public services to ensure the population's access to such services via the internet.

Religion has been associated with human values and competencies needed to shape young people into responsible citizens able to make a positive difference in the lives of others. However, this correlation remains dependent on the context. As the correlation has not yet been investigated in Mauritius, which is a multicultural and multi-ethnic country, this study aims to bridge this knowledge gap using a purely positivist epistemological approach. It will analyze the Mauritius-specific data derived from a public data set which was part of the "Mapping the Terrain" project to examine the correlation between religion and a broad set of human values and competencies, namely forgiveness, individualistic orientation, collectivistic orientation, self-efficacy, problem-solving, meaning-making, sense of belongingness, religiosity/spirituality, hope, life satisfaction, gratitude, emotion, regulation, empathy, and self-regulation. The descriptive analysis and the Structural Equation Model (SEM), developed using the SPSS and AMOS software, revealed that (i) independent of ethnic group, educational stakeholders in Mauritius have a high affinity to most of the human values and competences, and (ii) as compared with others, the Muslim community has a slightly lower affinity to forgiveness, life satisfaction, individualistic orientation, self-efficacy, and problem solving. These data, which represent important baseline information needed to inform policymakers and other educational stakeholders, were used to derive a set of recommendations that will further the development of the key human values and competencies needed to promote harmony in a multicultural and multi-ethnic country.

This paper provides evidence gathered from two suites of non-formal science activities that were intended to increase engagement in science by culturally diverse groups. Both studies involved the delivery of science activities that were designed, implemented and evaluated to show culturally contextualised science. The activities were run in two very different contexts (urban and very rural areas) and were designed to be of relevance to two distinctive cultural groups (those with links to South Asia, and those being educated through the medium of Gaelic, an indigenous minority language in Scotland), while also actively engaging with those beyond the target group. The link between language identity and culture was incorporated into the design of both sets of activities as well as the qualitative evaluation. The latter considers how the participants' assessment of the interventions, implemented by writing or drawing on a blank postcard, was designed to provide unstructured responses and explores what the resulting data revealed about the impact of the interventions. The findings suggest that the set of activities that most strongly engaged participants on the value of diversity in the creation of scientific knowledge, as well as increasing their focus on the consequences of scientific activity, were those that facilitated a more exploratory approach to the subject matter. By contrast, activities that had to be done according to a standard scientific protocol produced growth in subject-specific knowledge. The present paper explores the principles of the inclusive pedagogies that informed the design of the activities and discusses how these were operationalised in two very contrasting cultural contexts. The key finding was that presenting science as social practice, rather than as being socially neutral, is key to promoting engagement, along with the benefits of explicitly demonstrating the relevance of science to participants' daily lives.

Culture is an inseparable part of English Language Teaching (ELT), and ELT textbooks, as one of the main instructional resources are bound to include cultural and linguistic content. However, the kind of cultural content in these books has been a controversial issue for decades. It is recommended that curriculum designers use intercultural content, which represents different countries. However, it is repeatedly observed that the cultural contents in course books are mainly drawn from some specific countries where English is the first language. In this study, the authors investigated an English textbook series named "Touchstone" to determine the representativeness of the cultural content in those books based on Kachru's (1992) three concentric circles of countries in which the English language is spoken, namely the inner circle, the outer circle, and the expanding circle. Although the results were promising and a tendency to include expanding circle countries' cultures was found, the outer circle countries were yet culturally under-represented. The findings of this research can shed light on the intercultural representativeness of this particular series of textbooks and help raise English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers and learners' awareness of the cultural landscape of ELT textbooks. The findings would also benefit ELT materials developers who wish to produce course books with more internationally representative cultural content.

Indonesia as a multicultural country has a very complex diversity. More differences create greater potential for disunity as well as conflicts between ethnic and cultural groups. Inculcating values of tolerance towards students in Indonesia is a must, because Indonesia does not only consist of one understanding, religion, ethnicity and culture. Therefore, a uniter for Indonesians in order to make the nation live in harmony is needed. One of the concerns is regarding to the religious tolerance in Indonesia. This qualitative research was conducted in Cilacap at Immaculata Foundation, by using observation, interview, and documentation techniques. The data analysis used was interactive analysis, including data reduction, data display, and data conclusion. The findings of this study describe that the values of religious tolerance are applied through routine activities, such as respect, mutual help, cooperation, equality, freedom, justice, and responsibility which are internalized through exemplary, habituation, and the giving of advice to keep the harmony among religions.

As a means for students to comprehend and communicate knowledge in our technologically advanced and culturally diverse globalized societies, more integrative ELT approaches are required. Multiliteracies is a literacy concept that addresses meaning-making variability in various cultural, social, or domain-specific contexts. Extensive reading activities are an essential component of the curriculum for Indonesian EFL students, especially those who major in English in higher education. Previous research has demonstrated that reading literary texts can enhance cultural comprehension. Reading is fundamental to getting new information and fostering students' empathy for world conditions. This qualitative case study aims to discover the implementation of multiliteracies practices and the student's responses to the multicultural book Amazing Grace in the multiliteracies framework in the Extensive Reading class. The researcher used a purposive sampling of one lecturer and twenty students in the Extensive Reading classroom. Data are compiled through observation and interviews. The data are then analyzed through Saldaña's (2016) coding. The findings showed that the lecturer had implemented all stages of multiliteracies. The students showed various responses to multicultural literature in every multiliteracies stage. Their responses demonstrated that the practice could recollect their knowledge of diversity in Indonesia. They also can investigate the cultural identity and aspects within the text. They evaluated the text's meaning based on their experience regarding cultural issues. Last, they constructed multiculturalism-themed posters as a reflective practice of critical learning. The students' responses emphasized raising multicultural awareness and upholding tolerance. This research provides new insight into how multiliteracies pedagogy can encourage students' responses to multicultural literature. The inclusion of multicultural awareness is crucial for Indonesia as a multicultural country.

This research aims to analyze global diversity values present in Indonesian language textbooks for fourth-grade elementary school students. The study employs a qualitative approach with content analysis as the method. The research objects consist of four textbooks published by Erlangga, Yudistira, Bumi Aksara, and Puskurbuk Kemdikbudristek. The analysis process involves selecting relevant material samples, developing analytical categories, coding the content, and interpreting emerging patterns. The research findings indicate that the Indonesian language textbooks for fourth-grade elementary school students provide activities and experiences that enrich their understanding of cultural diversity in Indonesia. Students are taught to develop attitudes of tolerance and intercultural communication, as well as reflection and responsibility towards diversity. These books contribute to shaping students who are inclusive, tolerant, and capable of communicating in a multicultural environment, embodying the values of global diversity character. The importance of fostering global diversity character in primary school students is highlighted through education, particularly using meticulously designed Indonesian language textbooks. These textbooks introduce students to various aspects of Indonesian and other cultures, promoting understanding, appreciation, and tolerance for cultural diversity. Emphasizing character development, the textbooks instruct students in intercultural communication and encourage interactions with culturally diverse peers, fostering effective communication skills for multicultural environments. Furthermore, students are prompted to reflect on their own multicultural experiences, shaping their global perspectives. In summary, Indonesian language textbooks serve as a vital resource in shaping students into inclusive, tolerant individuals proficient in effective communication within multicultural contexts.

This study explores the identities of Korean American college students through identity journey maps during a faculty-led study abroad program in Korea. Drawing from Asian Critical theory (AsianCrit), this study presents how participants of Korean descent challenged a monolithic and unitary notion of Korean American identity while acknowledging the multifaceted, dynamic, and fluid nature of their transnational identity. Furthermore, it suggests that identity journey maps can serve as a pedagogical tool to counter racial stereotypes and discrimination against Asian Americans.

This study aimed to identify the effectiveness of training on non-native speakers of Arabic at a university in Saudi Arabia from their point of view by determining the degree of their satisfaction in terms of four aspects: benefits of the offered training, trainers' performance, organizational effectiveness of the training program and the difficulties encountered by the trainees during training. The study examined whether there are differences in the averages of the trainees' responses according to the number of their previous training courses. The surveyed sample consisted of 29 trainees chosen by the intentional method. To pursue the aim of the study, both quantitative and qualitative designs were used. A questionnaire consisting of 24 items was developed and the descriptive analytical method was used.? The results showed that the average responses of the trainees in the areas of the scale as a whole were high according to the statistical standards followed in the study with an arithmetic average of (3.88). The benefit and the organization aspects of the training course received an arithmetic average of (4.63), the trainer's performance came next with an average of (4.61). In the last place is the aspect of difficulties with an average of 1.67, which is at a weak level. The study also found that there are no significant differences between the trainees' responses to the first three aspects according to the number of previous training courses the trainees attended. ?However, there are statistically significant differences for the fourth aspect 'difficulties encountered by the trainees', as the value of (f) is (5.34). The study offers insights into the usefulness of holding such a training program for refining the skills of the trainees and enhancing their teaching strategies to create a better classroom environment.

Sense of belonging has been associated with increases in perceived task importance, along with motivation and academic achievement. These factors indicate that sense of belonging may be an important and relevant concept to consider when preparing clinicians to practice cultural humility, which entails a commitment to lifelong learning. This study utilized qualitative data to examine 20 undergraduate students' experience of belonging in an undergraduate cultural and linguistic diversity course. Additionally, pedagogical practices and student identity-related factors that promote belonging were explored. Results revealed four interrelated themes that characterized how students experienced belonging in the course. Salient components of belonging as they relate to a diversity context are discussed. Additionally, practice recommendations to foster sense of belonging in the classroom are provided.

This systematic literature review examines the panorama of interculturality in rural contexts of bilingual education in Latin America. It aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge in Latin America and identify key themes, challenges, and gaps in the field. The review highlights the importance of recognizing and valuing linguistic and cultural diversity, particularly in marginalized rural communities. It also discusses the lack of adequate resources and educational policies as significant challenges to promoting intercultural bilingual education in these contexts. The findings underscore the need for further research and the development of effective strategies to enhance intercultural understanding and bilingual education in Latin American rural areas.

The main purpose of this study is to examine the perceptions of psychological counselors on working with clients from different cultures. Accordingly, the extent of the knowledge of psychological counselors on multicultural counseling approach and their perceptions of this approach, the theoretical competencies thereof, and cultural differences were examined in line with the main purpose of the study. The study was conducted using the basic qualitative design. The study group consists of 17 psychological counselors (eleven females and six males) who were continuing their post-graduate education at Gazi University Institute of Educational Sciences in the Spring Semester of the 2020-2021 Academic Year. Data were collected online with semi-structured interviews. The results revealed that a significant portion of the participants did not consider themselves theoretically competent in the multicultural counseling approach. It was further concluded that the majority of the participants had positive perceptions of cultural differences. On the other hand, the holistic evaluation of the answers indicated that the extent of knowledge and awareness of the significant portion of the participants on cultural differences are rather poor and insufficient. It is recommended to implement psychoeducational programs and training on the subject, to give compulsory courses on multicultural counseling approach in Guidance and Psychological Counseling undergraduate programs, and to direct students to exchange programs to experience cultural differences.

This instrumental case study (Stake, 1995) explores the external factors that influence international science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) postdoctoral scholars in the United States to pursue a career in STEM. Interviews with 20 international STEM postdoctoral scholars were analyzed deductively to shed light on their unique backgrounds and experiences. Three themes emerged: (a) parents were highly encouraging, (b) a love of science was nurtured in school, and (c) they were eager to engage in and promote scientific innovation. These findings illustrate the ways in which family, schools, and community influence the STEM career trajectories of international postdoctoral scholars.

In this article, I offer my observations of the epistemological shifts that have taken place in the TESOL discipline as a result of the inexorable forces of globalisation. Specifically, the article highlights how the multicultural, multilingual, and multimodal nature of communication in the 21st century has disrupted various assumptions on how English is conceptualised, learned, and taught, prompting a shift in disciplinary discourses from a modernist to postmodernist orientation. Readers will gain insights into how the TESOL discipline is increasingly aligning itself with discourses that endorse inclusive plurality, emphasize processes and practices, recognize the role of everyday contexts, promote situated pedagogy, and advocate agency-giving.

The whole, consisting of interconnected and interacting parts that come together for a purpose, is called a system. Every system has subsystems, vitally connected to each other and interacting. However, each of them forms a whole within itself. Generally, entities in nature are grouped into three main categories: natural systems, mechanical systems, and social systems. Institutions established by people form the social system and together with culture, they form the social structure. Educational institutions, one of the basic institutions of society, are in relationship with both the material and spiritual elements of culture, just like other institutions. In this context, education and culture appear as two separate concepts that are interdependent and mutually affecting each other. In our age where social and cultural changes are experienced, the relationship between culture and education holds an important place. One of the significant factors affecting the education systems of societies is their culture. Education is also what enables the transfer of cultures to future generations. Culture is influential at every level of education and education serves as a significant tool for the transmission of culture. Therefore, it is important to consider cultural factors for understanding and developing the Turkish Education System. The study focuses on examining and discussing the relationship between education and culture in a sociological context. The primary method of the study is literature review. The relationship between education and culture, the influence of education on societies, the education systems of societies with different cultures and histories and multiculturalism are discussed to form a whole. Today, the Turkish education system continues to be shaped by the influence of culture. Examples illustrating how culture has shaped the Turkish Education System are provided within the study, discussing the impact of culture on the education system and concluding that the Turkish Education System is influenced by the cultural activities of the past of society.

Italy has recently and rapidly become a country of immigration with an increase in school contexts, especially of second-generation children, leading to the need to deal with the issue of inclusion. This contribution aims to enclose the scientific literature that addresses the inclusion of children with a migrant background within the national school context. After analyzing the ministerial documents and the literature that address this issue, the school context at the local level will be investigated, emphasizing the challenges that teachers must face within increasingly multicultural school contexts, in which they must cope with the numerous needs deriving from the relationship with CNI families and the management of cultural diversity at school.

This conceptual paper explores the characteristics of education for sustainable development (ESD) within urban secondary schools. Despite the discourse about the importance of sustainability, there has been a lack of research on this topic. The authors employed theory synthesis, which resulted in a concept for Education for Sustainable Development in Urban Contexts (ESDUC). This presents a comprehensive view on the interconnected characteristics that facilitate the successful implementation of ESD in urban secondary schools, (1) developing sustainability competences among both students and teachers, encompassing intercultural competences for teachers and self-regulating skills for students, (2) utilizing teaching methods that are both transformative and culturally responsive, (3) engaging the wider community in the educational process, and (4) shifting the school culture toward embracing diversity and adopting a whole-school approach. This study is valuable for researchers and urban secondary schools seeking to effectively integrate ESD into their educational framework.

The objectives of this study were to explore the multicultural acceptance of college students toward new immigrants and its influencing factors, the cognitive discrepancy between college students and new immigrants, and the reasons why college students exhibit prejudice, stereotypes, and social distance toward new immigrants. The questionnaire survey approach was applied for data collection. It was found that the stereotype of college students toward new immigrants was relatively positive. College students recorded a high multicultural acceptance toward new immigrants. However, in addition to the stereotype of college students toward new immigrants, there were significant differences regarding the cognition of college students and new immigrants. The results of this study confirmed the hypothesis that stereotype, prejudice, and social distance have significantly negative influence on multicultural acceptance. The findings of this study revealed that Taiwan is an immigrant society, and there should be greater tolerance and respect for married immigrants, to prevent conflicts between different ethnic groups. A good multicultural education would help Taiwan society accept new immigrants and establish social harmony.

Transformation reflects the government's engagement and policies in restructuring higher education to cultivate the country's communal economy. Higher education is challenged in providing tertiary education to students from diverse environments, and staff transformation is needed. This cross-sectional study establishes the staff's perception of transformation in the School of Healthcare Sciences of a selected South African university. Staff were purposively sampled and were surveyed using an electronic questionnaire. The survey included aspects of equity, transformation, management, recognition, the social environment, the physical environment and general satisfaction. Demographic variables, including the perspective on transformation in the institution, the student body and transformation management, were descriptively analysed. Most staff members perceived the university as committed to transformation despite racial tensions and past injustices. Over two-thirds of the staff support the university's goal of increasing a diverse student body. Additionally, the management is comfortable with diversity and demonstrates equity for all. The implementation of transformation was actively considered and aligned with policies.

Teachers are pivotal in creating safe and efficacious learning environments for ethnic minority students. Research suggests that teachers' multicultural attitudes, self-efficacy, and wellbeing at work may all play important roles in this endeavor. Using survey data on 433 teachers in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, the present study used structural equation models to analyze the paths between teachers' multicultural attitudes and work-related wellbeing (work dedication and exhaustion), and whether self-efficacy mediates these paths. We further investigated how these associations differ between teachers of reception classes for migrant and refugee students versus teachers of multi-ethnic mainstream classes. The results show that positive multicultural attitudes were directly associated with high level of work dedication, but not with work exhaustion. Self-efficacy mediated the association between multicultural attitudes and work-related wellbeing, indicated by both higher work dedication and lower work exhaustion. Concerning the role of teacher's class type, self-efficacy mediated the association between positive multicultural attitudes and work dedication for both types of teachers, whereas the mediation to low work exhaustion was only evident in mainstream class teachers. To conclude, teachers' multicultural attitudes and work-related wellbeing are mediated by self-efficacy and this important link should be acknowledged when designing professional development programs in order to create supportive and competent learning environments for all students.

Democracy is increasingly being challenged, by disengagement and by anti-pluralist movements (Levitsky and Ziblatt in How Democracies Die: What History Reveals About Our Future, Viking, New York, 2018; Wikforss in "Därför demokrati. Om kunskapen och folkstyret" [Because of this, democracy. On knowledge and people's rule] Fri Tanke, 2021; Svolik et al. in J Democr 34(1):5-20, 2023). This article draws upon a theoretical discussion about democracy, pluralism, and threats to democracy. Departing from Dewey, Laclau, Mouffe, Young and Allen, we address democracy as an ideology that centers around pluralism, or an ever-increasing inclusion of voices from the margins as its goal. We argue that perceiving democracy pedagogically as a pluralistic ideology would support students' democratic citizenship and equip them for a world where threats to democracy are being reported. Employing a case study on Finnish social studies textbooks, we analyze how democracy as well as threats to democracy are discursively portrayed. Our study shows that the textbooks present democracy as predominantly institutional and static. We also find that while disengagement is portrayed as a problem for democracy, anti-pluralist movements are generally not referred to as a threat. Additionally, we examine a discourse in the textbooks that connects freedom of speech with democracy in a way that favors a multitude of opinions, even antidemocratic ones, over creating space for marginalized voices. Drawing on the theoretical discussion and the results of the analysis, we argue that a focus on pluralism as the core of democracy makes the opposition between restricting hate speech and advocating for democracy redundant.

In this article, the authors illustrate how teachers use a strength based, culturally responsive Response to Intervention (RTI) framework to meet the varied needs of a culturally diverse, twice-exceptional student. Using a case-based approach, the authors demonstrate how classroom teachers and specialists collaborate with the student and her family to create an individualized system of supports designed to nurture the student's gifted potential while simultaneously addressing her cultural needs and learning disabilities. Using a hypothetical case, a student's curiosity about her Puerto Rican heritage and multiracial identity becomes the central focus as teachers build a thematic unit of instruction that honors her ancestors. As the student learns about her Indigenous Taíno and African heritage, she is taught to use specific evidence-based learning strategies to improve her memory, study skills and build on her curiosity and multilingual strengths. Throughout the article, the authors provide explicit examples of how to create a culturally responsive RTI plan for a diverse twice-exceptional student.

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the ways that early childhood teachers were "making waves" as they fostered equitable classrooms through multicultural picturebooks. Through a thematic analysis of one-on-one interviews and a virtual book selection simulation, five early childhood teachers offered their insights on the potential barriers teachers may face in selecting and using such books in their classrooms, as well as their suggestions for curating classroom libraries that highlight books that serve as mirrors, windows, and doors for children. These insights have the potential to support other early childhood teachers as they make waves of their own and leverage multicultural children's literature to build equitable classrooms.

Internationalization in higher education is essential, and although active learning methodologies are increasing and allow students to develop transversal skills, most still have a very local scope. In this context, the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) methodology is an interesting approach to benefit the students' development. It consists of an online program that involves creating multicultural teams to develop a specific learning project. Although this methodology is expanding, its use in physiology is still scarce. This paper aims to show an example of applying COIL methodology in physiology topics to enhance higher-education students' innovation and business skills. Our example project developed a sports-assessment service concept focused on physiology and biomechanics assessments. The program involved teams from Brazil, Germany, and Spain, comprising undergraduate and master students. Over 7 weeks, these teams, mentored by professors and researchers, engaged in workshops covering COIL methodology, business model design, executive summary planning, economic analyses, and communication techniques. Key outcomes included learning new concepts, developing soft skills, building confidence in innovative solution proposals, and experiencing diverse cultures. Challenges faced were language barriers, scheduling, task complexity, and logistical issues. This experience confirms the effectiveness of incorporating programs using COIL methodology into educational curriculums. Doing so exposes physiology students to innovation, entrepreneurship, and business creation while strengthening their professional connections and opening up postgraduation opportunities.

Educational policies and practices in the current age of heightened globalization are increasingly grounded on unjust binary curriculum approaches that favor educational designs from Minority-World countries at the expense of epistemologies of indigenous people in Majority-World nations that are typically deemed culturally inferior (Gupta, 2015). Essentially, those opposing binaries promote neocolonial and neoliberal ideologies while disregarding lived cultural contexts of people in Majority-World countries (Lee, 2012). To grapple with this conundrum, this ethnographic study examined how educators in Kenya and Nepal (N = 26) contested, constructed, and transformed educational practices in contexts of globalization, neocolonialism, and neoliberalism. Qualitative data from four schools in Kathmandu, Nepal (16 participants) and two schools in Kenya (10 participants) revealed that educators struggled with issues of intellectual imperialism. Therefore, they strived to deconstruct the existing unjust binary curricula policies by embracing pluralist educational discourses essential to sustaining indigenous languages and dialects. In doing so, those educators focused on advancing local cultural values, rights, and ideologies without antagonizing influential stakeholders from Minority-World nations.

This study examined how 44 preservice teachers reflected on their teacher self-identities through exploring multicultural children's books, which are published in different time periods, with a focus of analyzing characterization of main characters. The researcher collected data, including a multicultural book project, pre- and post-surveys on multicultural children's literature and teacher identities, and a reflection paper. Data analysis consisted of looking for and coding emergent themes. The findings of the study showed that preservice teachers analyzed multicultural books from authentic perspectives, focused on how the authors used appropriate language, and examined trends in cultural details and illustrations published in different time periods. They analyzed characteristics of main characters by parsing the facts, by examining the context of the story, and by examining the personalities of main characters. They also refined their teacher identities and strengthened their commitment to become culturally responsive teachers by reflecting on the importance of equity, diversity, and inclusion and embedding high-quality multicultural children's books into the curriculum. Implications and recommendations are also shared.

Recent demographic changes in the United States have shown that we live in a multicultural society. However, for some reason, colleges and universities are still floundering in mediocrity when it comes to multiculturalism. What we see in higher education is multiculturalism that is fraudulent and unaccountable and the fact that individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) and vulnerable backgrounds consistently endure White supremacy, racism, discrimination, and xenophobia, to say the least. In addition, we consistently see that proactive and measurable efforts are not made in the recruitment, retention, graduation, continuation, tenure, and promotion of students, faculty, staff, and leaders from CLD, immigrant, and vulnerable backgrounds. While there are well-written and documented policies, mission and vision statements, and goals and objectives in institutions of higher learning, there appears to be deficits in applicability and accountability measures of equity, diversity, quality, goodness, and fairness. Most strategies seem to be feel-good, look-good, fake, bandaid, and fraudulent approaches that are divorced from realities. How do we reverse these moves while respecting the traditional roles of higher education? This article responds to this critical question.

In an ever-increasingly diverse workforce, cross-cultural communication skills are essential for success regardless of job title or task. We present an engaging and customizable 30-minute activity designed to develop participants' cross-cultural communication skills by increasing awareness and sensitivity to interpersonal differences in collaborative group settings. Drawing from a multiculturalism approach to diversity, participants learn that acknowledging our differences facilitates more effective and strategic communication. We provide detailed instructions for running this exercise to meet instructors' and students' outlined learning objectives. The debriefing questions and post-lesson reflections support an environment where facilitators and participants grow. This experiential exercise suits any discipline's synchronous undergraduate, graduate, and professional classes.

This study examines the knowledge level of Multicultural Education among national school teachers in Negeri Sembilan. This study was conducted on 927 teachers who teach in national-type schools in Negeri Sembilan. This study aims to identify the influence of knowledge about multicultural education from content integration knowledge, knowledge construction, equity pedagogy, prejudice reduction and knowledge of school cultural empowerment and social structure on implementing multicultural education in primary schools. It is quantitative survey research. The questionnaire was distributed to 927 respondents consisting of teachers who teach in national-type schools in Negeri Sembilan. The data of this study was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 26.0. Two types of statistics are used, namely descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics using frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation are used to describe the profile of the respondents and answer the research questions. The data of this study was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 26.0. Multiple Regression Statistics are used to identify the influence of multicultural education knowledge from knowledge of content integration, knowledge construction, equity pedagogy, prejudice reduction and knowledge of school cultural empowerment and social structure on implementing multicultural education in primary schools.

This qualitative study, situated within an interpretivist paradigm, hypothesized that teachers who engage in their own classroom research are more likely to undergo changes to their habits of mind regarding their pedagogical practices, thus experiencing transformative learning. Twelve English language teachers from Singapore primary and secondary schools, who had received research funding and completed their research projects, participated in semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. The teacher-researchers' research studies were found to be student-focused. Their research process was time-consuming and arduous, but their learning experience was emotional. The findings also revealed that teacher-researchers' research experience from participating in a research project had had an impact on their teaching practices, on their learning, and on their students' learning and engagement as well as on the educational community. These findings offer evidence that teacher-researchers adopt a certain stance of inquiry towards teaching and learning as a result of engaging in classroom research and that their pedagogical practices have been transformed through the adoption of the habit of having an inquiry stance, and through the adoption of the habit of sharing successful pedagogical practices with others.

This article addresses the question of how global citizenship, often an aim of international schools, is conceptualised as interculturalism by students and teachers. It presents selected findings of global citizenship expressed as interculturalism and perceptions of learning through interculturalism, from a larger empirical study which investigated articulations of global citizenship education in three International Baccalaureate international schools in different locations: Finland, The Netherlands and Australia. Reflexive thematic analysis of phenomenological interviews with students, school leaders and teachers in the three schools revealed two important themes: that global citizenship is interpreted as simplistic interculturalism, with students focusing more on relational aspects of intercultural experiences, and that global citizenship is perceived as being learned through intercultural engagement. The article contributes to research into the expressions and practices of global citizenship in International Baccalaureate international schools. The article proposes that school leaders, teachers and students could engage further with critical and human rights constructivist approaches to interculturalism.

A standalone literature review was conducted to ascertain the extent and status of research on the practical inclusion of Chinese music in Western educational contexts. The study identified a body of journal articles and postgraduate theses on the topic. The papers were analysed to discern what might constitute best practice classroom approaches to teaching and learning Chinese music. Based on the review's criteria for inclusion -- papers were in English, praxis-oriented, peer-reviewed and published over the past three decades -- the study found that the number of publications was limited (19) and that in terms of established pedagogical approaches they engaged, some gaps existed, certain pedagogies were minimally represented and some were perhaps too recent to have been trialled. Even so, the study concluded that while best practice is an elusive notion, Chinese music forms and styles appear to be compatible with a range of educational settings and Western-oriented music teaching and learning approaches.

This research study reports on the in-service English as a Foreign Language teachers' perceptions of and needs and expectations regarding EIL and EIL-informed pedagogy in Northern Cyprus, which is a multilingual and multicultural teaching-learning context. A mixed method research design was utilized by collecting data through a questionnaire and interviews. A total of 152 in-service EFL teachers responded to the questionnaire, and 23 of them participated in the interviews. The findings of the study indicated that although the teachers welcomed the inclusion of EIL-aware pedagogy, they were hesitant to implement it in their classrooms due to lack of EIL-bound materials and existence of native speaker bound tests. The analysis also showed that teachers are aware of the EIL and EIL-aware pedagogy to some extent, however they lack the practical experience and expertise in order to implement such an approach to their daily practices. The findings of the study are believed to help raise EFL teachers' awareness on how to integrate an EIL-informed approach in not only the local context but also in other multilingual and multicultural teaching-learning contexts worldwide.

In the age of Anthropocene, we problematize the multitudes of affordances of humanism that we are ultimately entwined by and within. Education is a discipline that always placed predominance to the human centredness ignoring several non-human and non-living objects that also form a part of teaching and learning. However, the humanistic notions of hierarchies have undergone radical changes. The locus in a classroom is no longer regulated by teachers and in a multicultural, multilingual classroom, the interaction between teacher, learners, materials and methods are evolving continually redefining the power relations. This essay highlights how every assemblage (an assemblage being a random clubbing of several human and non-human elements) is unique and in a state of flux to act and react with various human and non-human elements within/outside classroom territories. Designed as an autoethnographic study, by analysing the major tenets of posthumanism and by connecting them with English language education, this article argues for a posthuman turn in English language teaching and learning by examining the research diary entries of the author to identify how the entanglement of affect, rhizome and assemblage results in deterritorialization. Episodes and anecdotes from an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) teaching context in England serve as primary data. This autoethnographic study reveals the agential assemblages in the classrooms which problematize the singular agency of the teacher as the reservoir of knowledge and discusses how the power structure in the classroom is altered when learners and their affective assemblages influence the teacher and the very practice of teaching.