(2023). Dual Pandemics How a Global Health Crisis Exposed Educational Inequity to White, Middle-Class America. Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education, v22 n1 Article 3 p18-21. This opinion piece explores the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on exposing educational inequity. The historically racist and discriminatory practices related to both academic instruction and discipline are long-standing in the history of American education, but have been brought to the attention of White, middle-class America as a result of the global health crisis. Specific strategies are presented as initial steps in simultaneously embedding anti-racism and addressing discriminatory policies in every American classroom, specifically related to students of color and disabled students…. [PDF]
(2021). Racial Literacy. A Policy Research Brief. National Council of Teachers of English Racial literacy is a skill and practice by which individuals can probe the existence of racism and examine the effects of race and institutionalized systems on their experiences and representation in US society. Students who have this skill can discuss the implications of race and American racism in constructive ways. Racially literate teachers develop curricula that are centered on fostering open-mindedness, commitment to inquiry and reflection, and exploration of ideas connected to the concepts of democracy and equity in schooling. A desired outcome of racial literacy in an outwardly racist society like America is for members of the dominant racial category to adopt an antiracist stance and for persons of color to resist a victim stance. Thus, racial literacy in English classrooms is the ability to read, discuss, and write about situations that involve race or racism. This brief is divided into four sections that discuss: (1) what racial literacy is; (2) racial literacy in teacher… [PDF]
(2025). Depoliticisation of Stigma: The Drama Series "Skam" ("Shame") as an Instance of Public Religious Education. British Journal of Religious Education, v47 n1 p37-51. In the final season of the Norwegian drama series "Skam" ("Shame") (2015-2017), the protagonist Sana, navigating in a secular, liberal youth culture, is a practicing Muslim wearing the hijab. The series is analysed as an instance of public religious education focusing on the issue of representation. This approach is informed by the ethical turn in narrative studies, warranting and problematising representations of the other. Stigmatisation and normalising strategies are examined and discussed as part of the plot structure with an emphasis on the portrayal of Sana. The series presents a process towards self-determination in a distinct portrait of a young, Muslim woman's agency. Liberal values are privileged, and the issue of racism is put aside. In the development of the plot, stigmatisation is subject to depoliticisation, bringing forward a utopian vision of a liberal, diverse society. While the series turns out to be a rich, educational resource, "Skam"… [Direct]
(2020). Seeing Things as They Are, Not Just as We Are: Investigating Linguistic Racism on an Australian University Campus. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, v23 n7 p789-803. Globalisation in higher education has brought linguistically diverse students and staff to Australian campuses. Universities have a range of language policies/practices around diversity, however, these often reflect national language planning policies in their strong monolingual tendency, with almost exclusive use of English dominant in most areas. This study was based on the premise that linguistic racism is present on Australian university campuses, because while some students experience linguistic invisibility others experience linguistic privilege. Specifically, the study examined the micro-ecology of one Australian university campus in order to explore (1) the extent and nature of linguistic racism present on the campus and (2) how discussions about linguistic racism can inform overall language policies in Australian higher education. Qualitative data were collected from in-depth interviews with students and staff and were contextualised by the examination of university policy… [Direct]
(2024). Moving beyond #Governancesowhite: (Re)Imagining a Demographic Shift in the Future of Boards of Higher Education. Research & Occasional Paper Series: CSHE.5.2024. Center for Studies in Higher Education While current higher education literature stresses the importance of equity, diversity, and inclusivity, these imperatives have been mainly absent from conversations related to boards of higher education. In this paper, the authors present a historical overview of the demographic landscape of trustee boards from inception to the present. Using critical literacy as a methodology, the authors problematize the lack of discourses regarding Board's diversity. The authors juxtapose the longstanding homogeneity of boards with the increasing heterogeneity of higher education students and argue that systemic forms of racism have denied the opportunity to diversify those in charge of making decisions in higher education. Additionally, using the case of California, the authors problematize how diversity gaps in board composition manifest even within one of the most diverse and liberal states in the country. Ultimately, the authors make a case for diversifying the board of trustees as an… [PDF]
(2022). A QuantCrit Investigation of Society's Educational Debts Due to Racism and Sexism in Chemistry Student Learning. Journal of Chemical Education, v99 n1 p25-34 Jan. The American Chemical Society holds supporting diverse student populations engaging in chemistry as a core value. We analyzed chemical concept inventory scores from 4,612 students across 12 institutions to determine what inequities in content knowledge existed before and after introductory college chemistry courses. We interpreted our findings from a Quantitative Critical (QuantCrit) perspective that framed inequities as educational debts that society owed students due to racism, sexism, or both. Results showed that society owed women and Black men large educational debts before and after instruction. Society's educational debts before instruction were large enough that women and Black men's average scores were lower than White men's average pretest scores even after instruction. Society would have to provide opportunities equivalent to taking the course up to two and a half times to repay the largest educational debts. These findings show the scale of the inequities in the science… [Direct]
(2021). A Response to Taylor. Psychology of Education Review, v45 n2 p17-22 Aut. GIVEN the focus of this research, Rachel C. Boyle's ontological positioning is central to her response as she is a researcher from a mixed race (Black Caribbean and White British) background. Her view of racism has been shaped by personal, professional and academic experiences. Within this article the author, Louise Taylor addresses the position of race in the university experiences of Black students undertaking studies in health and social care related subjects. She charts her brief and seemingly recent journey into developing her understanding of the concept of racism and the 'unfairness' of inequality. Through research with her students the author describes their experiences with racism as 'shocking and deeply saddening' and provides a narrative of her reflections and actions in response to her new found knowledge and understanding. This article seeks to 'inform and inspire educational change that promotes racial equality of outcomes both within and beyond [our] classrooms.'… [Direct]
(2022). Working towards Relational Accountability in Education Change Networks through Local Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Being. Cogent Education, v9 n1 Article 2098614. Indigenous communities and students have been marginalized by colonial practices, disproportionally referred to special education programs, and encounter systematic prejudice and discrimination in education systems that lack respect for their ways of knowing and being. To disrupt hierarchical practices and structures that enact a hidden curriculum of privilege and racism, reconciliation and educational and system transformation need to work in tandem. Drawing on critical case study guided by Indigenous Storywork principles, we are researching how Professional Learning Networks (PLNs) can support educators and Indigenous community partners' collaboration to decentre colonizing education practices. Analysis of preliminary data offers a window into the potential and complexity of engaging in decolonizing work that asks educators to unpack their role in reconciliation efforts and unlearn much of what they believed to be ethical practice. Findings include: participants awakening to… [Direct]
(2022). Internationalization of Canadian Teacher Education: Teacher Candidates' Experiences and Perspectives. ECNU Review of Education, v5 n3 p425-449 Sep. Purpose: Informed by social imaginary, Canadian exceptionalism, and social inclusion, this study explores how teacher candidates experience and interpret internationalization at home at one university in Canada. Design/Approach/Methods: Data were collected from three sources–(a) policy analyses of public documents related to internationalization in Canada and at the university; (b) a student survey on the internationalization of higher education; and (c) individual interviews with 12 teacher candidates. Eight interviewees were local, four White and four racialized minorities, and four were international. Findings: Findings indicate that most participants relate internationalization to student mobility. They present the Canadian society and themselves as open, tolerant, and accepting. Such an imaginary of Canadian exceptionalism does not necessarily coincide with everyday realities of international and racialized teacher candidates. They reported that they experienced Eurocentric… [PDF] [Direct]
(2024). "Close to My Heart": Teacher Educators Building Racial Literacies. Literacy Research: Theory, Method, and Practice, v73 n1 p171-192. Although building preservice teachers' racial literacy is a key goal to reducing racial inequity in K-12 settings, little attention has been paid to how literacy teacher educators are prepared to conduct this work. This is unsurprising given the neoliberal logic underpinning universities today. In this multiduo autoethnographic study, six literacy teacher educators utilized reflection on critical incidents to examine their own racial literacy development. By forming cross-racial pairs and utilizing a combination of writing and dialogue, these six participant/researchers interrogated their own views and experiences of race and racism. Findings suggest that the examination of critical incidents can support teacher educators' racial literacy growth. Specifically, participants reflected on the vulnerability necessary to support preservice teachers' racial literacy development and utilized ethnographic methods to build the practice of sharing about their own racial literacy learning. They… [Direct]
(2023). Long-Term Effects of STEM Enrichment Programs on Wages among Under-Represented Minority Students. Metropolitan Universities, v34 n1 p66-87 Feb. This study focuses on the increasing disparities in STEM education achievement and long-term wage earnings of under-represented minority groups. As part of national efforts to improve the diversity of the STEM workforce, this study uses longitudinal data from the University of Houston's Education Research Center (UH-ERC) to examine the effect of participation in a STEM-focused intervention program (Houston-Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation) on wage earnings across students from traditionally under-represented groups. Data analysis consisted of propensity score matching analysis, followed by an ordinal logistic regression model to measure program participation effects on wage earnings. Findings indicate a significant negative association between participation in the STEM intervention program and long-term wage earnings. Results highlight the role of structural racism and human capital on perpetuating achievement and wage gaps across race and socio-economic status…. [PDF]
(2020). Segregation, Innocence, and Protection: The Institutional Conditions that Maintain Whiteness in College Sports. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, v13 n4 p384-395 Dec. Research into racism and college sports largely explores how universities profit off the undercompensated labor of predominately Black men in Division I football and basketball. This research frames college sports as an institution that dehumanizes, marginalizes, and exploits athletes of color (Beamon, 2014; Eitzen, 2016; Hawkins, 2010; Sack & Staurowsky, 1998). Yet to truly understand the bounds of systemic racism in college sports, studies must also interrogate how white people are elevated, centered, and rewarded at the expense of people of color. Drawing upon critical whiteness studies (Cabrera, 2012; DiAngelo, 2011; Leonardo, 2009), I analyzed 47 college athlete narratives and identified 3 interrelated themes–racial segregation, racial innocence, and racial protection–within higher education that protect whiteness. Findings outline how colleges recruit white athletes from predominately white communities who, as a result of their segregated environments, adopted… [Direct]
(2023). State Support for Civic Engagement. Learning Policy Institute Civics education continues to gain national importance, especially in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election and with recent debates about the teaching of history that addresses the legacy of racism and discrimination in the United States. Despite the increasing interest in strengthening civics education, states continue to differ in their interpretation of what constitutes relevant and high-quality civic engagement among students. This report describes how states are approaching policies to encourage civic engagement. It first provides an overview of state policies and then describes the work in 10 states that are encouraging both the development of civics knowledge and engagement in civic action…. [PDF]
(2024). Anonymity and Grading Fairness in Online Education. American Journal of Distance Education, v38 n1 p24-37. The online classroom introduces a sense of anonymity unlike that in the physical classroom. In some ways, online education seems as if it could be more equitable or even free from racism because physical characteristics are mostly absent from which racialized judgments are made. However, students' feelings about how technology afforded anonymity do not always indicate online education is free of identity bias or racialization. This mixed-methods study investigates students' feelings (n = 174) about fair grading practices and anonymity in undergraduate online classes. Findings suggest that online students perceive anonymity, and their identities factor into grading, in both positive and negative ways. Rubrics and clear expectations can help alleviate concern over unfair grading practices. Institutions intent on offering online instruction should not rely on students' perceptions of anonymity to create equitable learning environments…. [Direct]
(2024). Mapping, Reflecting, and Exploring Education for the Labour Movement: A Thematic Literature Review. International Journal of Lifelong Education, v43 n2-3 p295-314. This article offers a comprehensive thematic literature review on labour education, exploring the major contributions as well as some of the limits of this scholarship and future directions for researchers. Based on an analysis of 180 English-language publications from the 1960s until today, we find several general trends that we analyse as four broad themes in this literature: the politics of labour education; labour education in, through, and with formal educational institutions; the pedagogy of labour education; and labour education, globalisation, and transnational solidarity. Identifying some of the gaps in the existing scholarship, we propose several future directions for research on labour education: connecting social movement scholarship and the labour education literature; labour education programmes that centre intersectionality, namely themes such as gender justice, anti-racism, and disability; labour education through solidarity with other social movements, such as the… [Direct]