Enhancing multicultural sensitivity through teaching multiculturally in recreation.

Recent articles in Parks & Recreation have addressed multicultural and diversity issues in the leisure service profession. These articles are positive because as the recreation field continues to function within a more diverse society, race and ethnicity will become increasingly important in every aspect of the profession. More than ever recreation professionals will be expected to work with, and have significant knowledge and understanding of, individuals from many cultural, racial and ethnic backgrounds.

This article addresses the utilization of teaching from a multicultural perspective as a method of enhancing multicultural sensitivity and awareness. The article discusses the inclusion of multicultural teaching in the university recreation curriculum and the delivery of leisure services. The concepts of multiculturalism and multicultural education are presented and attention is given to how multicultural education can be incorporated into the recreation and leisure curriculum. Comments on the status and values of multicultural education, in addition to criticisms and salient curricular patterns in colleges and universities are addressed. The infusion of multicultural education in the core recreation and leisure curriculum are discussed in the final sections of the column.

Multiculturalism and Multicultural Education

Multiculturalism is a concept which implies that appropriate consideration be given to poverty, native languages, physical and emotional disabilities, and ethnic and racial cultural diversity (Hodkinson, 1988). The multicultural concept is broad (D'Souza, 1995) and includes issues such as racism, sexism and homophobia. While each of these dimensions deserves considerable individual attention, the focus of this article is on ethnic and racial multiculturalism.

In higher education, multiculturalism is often addressed through multicultural education. According to Banks (1994):

the goal of multicultural education in the broader sense is an education for freedom. First,...multicultural education should kelp students to develop the knowledge, attitudes, and skills to participate in a democratic and free society. Secondly, multicultural education promotes freedom, abilities, and skills to cross ethnic and cultural boundaries to participate in other cultures and groups. We can empower the Hispanic student to have the freedom to participate in African American culture, and the Jewish student to participate in African American culture-and vice versa. Multicultural education should enable kids to reach beyond their own cultural bound aries.

In most colleges and universities, the recreation curriculum has tended to let university general education requirements fulfill multicultural education learning. While this practice may have been more acceptable in the past, future demographics will require recreation service practitioners to be introduced and integrated into profession-specific multicultural information in the core leisure service curriculum. While preparing future recreation practitioners and professionals, leisure educators will need to ensure that multicultural perspectives are included in the recreation curriculum and courses of work.

Many university professors are beginning to understand the importance of multiculturalism in the curriculum and are less convinced that western culture should be the cornerstone of the college curriculum (Magner, 1996). At the same time while appearing more liberal and admitting that they are "sensitive" to the needs of minority group members, a majority of professors admit that they do not touch on race and gender in their teaching and research (Magner, 1996).

Demographic forecasters have predicted a rapidly growing and diversified population. Teaching multiculturally requires that educators educate professionals within the context of an entirely new societal balance. The 1990 U.S. census data indicated that one fourth of the population was comprised of persons of color. With an increasingly diverse population, many individuals representing various ethnic, racial and cultural groups will help determine future personal and professional directions in recreation. As a consequence, this more diverse population will demand recreational professionals who are sensitive, competent and more knowledgeable of cultural differences.

Multicultural Education in Higher Education: Pros and Cons 

Changing demographic trends often correlates with changes in the university curriculum (Altbach, 1991). For example, when computers became an efficient method for problem solving, colleges and universities soon began offering computer-related courses. When certification became a requirement for entry-level therapeutic recreation practitioners, faculty in therapeutic recreation took the lead in preparing students for certification.

Colleges and universities are expected to be more sensitive to a diverse multicultural society. As a result, institutions of higher education have begun to pay more attention to issues of diversity and multicultural education (Magner, 1996). In some ways however, multicultural education represents a challenge to the traditional higher education curriculum.

Criticism of the traditional university curriculum is not new, but never before has there been such debate on the content of what is being taught in colleges and universities. With an emphasis on multicultural perspectives, higher education institutions are faced with contradictions of some traditional education foundations. Traditionalists argue that writers/scholars who want to add "non-canonical" perspectives to the curriculum are advocating inaccuracies in an ill-fated attempt at inclusiveness.

Not everyone is ready to give multiculturalism and multicultural education high marks as an educational or societal priority. Allan Bloom and Arthur Schlesinger are two of the most noteworthy critics. Bloom (1987) in his best seller The Closing of the American Mind argues that American students are not aware of their own culture and are ignorant of the philosophical, historical, and economic foundations of the West. Schlesinger (1992), in his celebrated book The Disuniting of America: Reflections of a Multicultural Society offers one of the more devastating attacks on multiculturalism and asserts that America is a collection of self-interest groups, celebrating difference while abandoning the idea of assimilation. Schlesinger (1992) contends that multiculturalism can be both positive and negative, however the fragmentation, resegregation, and tribalization it brings with it are unhealthy for America.

Advocates of multiculturalism formulate strong opinions for a more inclusionary approach. Fisher-Fishkin (1995) offers an interesting response to these traditionalists. She contends that the traditional curriculum is inherently multicultural in nature and that much of the canon has been greatly influenced by non-traditionalists (however this influence needs to be acknowledged and provided fair status).

The Interdisciplinary Curricular Pattern in Higher Education

Current curriculum directives in higher education institutions can take different forms. One of the most utilized curricular patterns in colleges and universities at the undergraduate level is the interdisciplinary core curriculum (Gaff, 1983). Within this structure, a core curriculum provides a common learning experience for all students regardless of discipline. The core curriculum might include courses or specified segments on race, culture, and ethnicity. In this curricular approach students are expected to get their multicultural education from these (general education) courses. Utilizing this approach, the organized dissemination of recreation/ leisure cultural information is obtained through, what might be considered "osmosis" (Adelman, 1992). In short, there is an expectation that cultural information will be, in some way, transposed by students to fit their specific major areas of study. A major difficulty with the interdisciplinary approach is that it is not discipline specific. In many of the general education courses with a multidisciplinary focus, it may be difficult and rather unrealistic to give needed attention and focus to all disciplines/areas of study and their relationship to persons from differing racial/ethnic backgrounds. Chances are greater that students can expand their cultural knowledge if multicultural information is included in their specific fields of study. Utilization of the interdisciplinary approach puts discipline specific cultural information in a secondary position. As Adelman (1992) states "...the majority of students' academic time is spent acquiring information and skills that are either generic, psychomotor, or devoid of any prima facie cultural and social information...."

Valuing and Teaching Multiculturally

"People learn the values, beliefs, and stereotypes of their community cultures. Although these community cultures enable individuals to survive, they also restrict their freedom and ability to make critical choices and to take actions to help reform society" (Banks, 1994). Multicultural education should help students and practitioners view the world from different frames, other than the ones they have been limited to. Multicultural education takes into consideration, and gives significant and equitable tribute to, differing attributes that have had an impact on the development of the modern Western world.

Some university faculty believe that multicultural education is only for the benefit of minority students (Banks, 1994). It is true that teaching from a multicultural framework is appealing to minority students (Holland, 1992). Students are attracted to an educational approach that provides adequate consideration to the historical contributions and effects that their culture has had on a profession. However, the reality is that utilizing a multicultural teaching perspective in the college classroom is a benefit to all.

Teaching multiculturally enhances student multicultural literacy. Multicultural literacy is closely allied with the process by which individuals become more proficient producers and users of knowledge, participate in world economic life, and enrich our individual lives (Adelman, 1992). The goal in teaching multiculturally is to help students to understand society from diverse ethnic and cultural perspectives. Using this approach students hear the voices of different cultural perspectives.

A curriculum that is multicultural responds to variances in recreation and leisure behavior as they are influenced by the culture, race and ethnicity. In addition, a multicultural curriculum is inclusive with regard to different culture, history, and thought. A curriculum that is multicultural can take form through four approaches: 1) the contributions approach, 2) the additive approach, 3) the transformation approach, and 4) the decision-making social action approach (Banks, 1994). The contributions approach is rather limited and focuses on reference to holidays, heroes and discrete cultural elements. The additive approach implies that the concepts, themes, and perspectives relating to cultural perspectives are added to the curriculum without changing its structure. According to Banks (1994), "Neither the contributions nor the additive approaches challenges the basic structure of the curriculum." The transformation approach means that the structure of the curriculum is changed to enable students to view concepts, issues, events and themes from the perspectives of diverse ethnic and cultural groups. In the decision-making

social action approach students make decisions on important social issues and take actions to help solve them (Banks, 1994).

These approaches involve either teaching courses that focus specifically on race and gender while incorporating the diversity of experience based on race, class, gender and sexual orientation, or teaching courses that focus on other discipline-related topics and examining the interplay between race, class, gender, sexual orientation, and the topic area (Ward, 1994). The contributions and additive approaches imply inclusion of diverse materials in the effort to ensure that students hear about certain events, while the transformation and social action approaches require more time and effort to accomplish but are richer in depth. Both approaches will require some curriculum adjustment in the recreation classroom. Regardless, teaching multiculturally implies assuring that the various cultural perspectives are incorporated into the curriculum within all courses.

Mainstreaming the Multicultural Recreation Curriculum

In recreation, reviving the traditional curriculum and making it more multiculturally sensitive will require mainstreaming. Many recreation professionals, particularly those in therapeutic recreation, are familiar with the concept of mainstreaming. In therapeutic recreation, mainstreaming deals with the integration of the disabled and the non-disabled (Kraus and Shank, 1992). Mainstreaming implies more integration and less separation of differing groups. This integration has the potential to assist all groups in ways that can break down potential barriers which society imposes with regard to separation. The more that separation occurs, the more likelihood of increasing barriers of understanding between the differing groups. By including more relevant multicultural information and perspectives in the core recreation curriculum, students will likely develop a better appreciation for diverse cultural perspectives.

For the recreation curriculum to address multicultural perspectives effectively, educators may need to adjust their courses. Ward (1994) writes that educators need to alter curriculum and scholarship that is centered on white Western men to "...one that would adequately explain the situations of diverse groups...." This type of curriculum adjustment will require modifications in the way that educators approach teaching and course planning. For example, based on Banks' (1994) ideology of the additive approach, educators will need to seek additional course-related materials which will enable all students to view the world from different lenses.

Andersen (1988) provides some interesting suggestions for educators looking to restructure their courses, and mentions such things as: assuring that more author diversity appear in course reading; ensuring that race and gender are not segregated in course material; becoming aware of the many situations in which race and gender can be discussed in courses other than poverty and social problems; reframing the ways in which race and gender are addressed with respect to a larger more "dominant" culture; and making sure race and gender are seen in their own terms rather than solely as the dominant group see them. Embracing these suggestions should help to ensure more equality and fairness when addressing different racial and ethnic issues in the classroom.

In addition, educators can be effective in the multicultural arena by providing examples of real life situations which detail the experiences of persons from different cultural and ethnic groups. For example, while teaching an assessment in a leisure course, an instructor might first address some of the issues which may be encountered when assessing culturally diverse clients (lack of opportunity, lack of exposure, hostility, staff bias, community environment, role models, etc.) and how these may be addressed through effective cultural knowledge and therapeutic trust-relationship establishment. Then, the educator may discuss and have students identify specific assessment instruments which might be more successful when assessing culturally different individuals. Finally, the instructor may have students evaluate existing assessment instruments in order to `pick apart' their most useful and problematic parts when assessing culturally different persons.

While the previous comments provide an example of what an educator might consider as a way of inclusion of multicultural education, educators should ensure that the inclusion of culturally relevant information is not included only when a specific topic relating to persons from different cultural groups is pre-planned. Rather this type of information, participation and discussion should be ongoing in all leisure studies courses.

Conclusions and Implications

A more diverse society will have a direct impact upon the recreation field and how professionals should be trained. For many recreation professionals currently working in the larger metropolitan areas, changing demographics is a current reality. In larger cities, and many smaller cities, a majority of the residents represent various racial and ethnic groups. To work more effectively with these diverse groups, recreation professionals need to develop a better understanding of minority groups, in addition to recognizing the ethnic and cultural differences which may affect recreation and leisure interest, motivation, participation, and outcomes.

This cultural focus means that recreation professionals can no longer count on the majority of the people they work with to hear and see the world as they do. Cultural differences may make it more difficult to establish and maintain relationships with potential clients. How well the recreation professional adjusts and adequately prepares for these realities will affect professional competence.

Multicultural education is viewed as a method of adaptation. An aggressive effort from educators toward a more inclusive culturally mainstreamed recreation curriculum will serve as a benefit to prepare future recreation professionals for a society with increasingly diverse cultures.

Recreation professionals have a professional obligation to ensure provision of the most optimal services for their clients. To best serve clients, the recreation professional must appropriately address cultural and ethnic variations as they potentially impact the leisure experience. Leisure service educators should ensure that sufficient multicultural educational experiences are incorporated into the recreation curriculum and into the classes they teach.

References

Adelman, C. (1992). Tourist in Our Own Land. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.

Altbach, P. and Lometey, K. (1991). The Racial Crisis in American Higher Education. Albany, NY.: State University of NY Press.

Andersen, M. (1988). Moving Our Minds: Studying Women of Color and Restructuring Sociology. Teaching Sociology, 16, 123-132.

Banks, J. (1994). An Introduction to Multicultural Education. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

Bloom, A. (1987). The Closing of the American Mind. Touchtone. New York, NY.

D'Souza, D. (1995). The End of Racism. New York: The Free Press.

Fisher-Fishkin, S. (1995). The Multiculturalism of Traditional Culture. Chronicle of Higher Education, 61, 48.

Gaff, J. (1983). Emerging Curricular Patterns. In Clifton Conrad (ed.): Academic Programs in Colleges and Universities Lexington, MA: Ginn Press.

Hodgkinson, H. (1988, October). The Context of 21st Century Civics and Citizenship. Paper presented at the National Conference of Civic Education, Washington, DC

Holland, J. (1992). The Effects of Faculty Involvement on African-American Doctoral Students Choosing Careers in Higher Education. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Kraus, R. and Shank, J. (1992). Therapeutic Recreation Service: Principles and Practice (4th ed). William C. Brown Publishers.

Magner, D. (1996). Fewer Professors Believe Western Culture Should be the Cornerstone of the College Curriculum. Chronicle of Higher Education, 43,3.

Schlesinger, A. (1992). The Disuniting of America: Reflections of a Multicultural Society. New York. W.W. Norton and Company.

Ward, K. (1994). Moving Beyond Adding Race, Class, and Gender and Stirring. Schole, 9, 55-61.

Research Into Action is published monthly by the Society of Park and Recreation Educators, National Recreation and Park Association. As an accompaniment to "Research Update," its goal is to turn research findings into field action by highlighting management strategies. founding editors are Dr. Ruth Russell and Dr. Daniel D. McLean, Department of Recreation and Park Administration, Indiana University.

RELATED ARTICLE: RESEARCH INTO ACTION: MULTICULTURAL SENSITIVITY IN RECREATION EDUCATION

Introduction

Americans increasingly represent diverse ethnic, racial and cultural groups, which means the recreation profession must become even more sensitive to multicultural issues.

Impact of the Research

The concept of multiculturalism implies that appropriate considerations are given to poverty, native languages, physical and emotional disabilities, and ethnic and racial cultural diversity. It addresses such issues as racism, sexism and homophobia. Research suggest that preparing diversity-sensitive park and recreation professionals begins with multicultural professional education. Nonetheless, the majority of college and university instructors admit they do not include these issues in their teaching and curricula.

How To Use This Research

Multiculturalism can be incorporated into recreation education in several ways:

1. Establish an interdisciplinary general education core curriculum

2. Provide a multicultural recreation and park curriculum; there are four approaches

* contributions approach (references to holidays, heroes and specific events)

* additive approach (cultural perspectives are inserted into the traditional curriculum)

* transformation approach (changing the basic structure of the entire curriculum)

* social action approach (via the curriculum students take actions to solve social issues)

3. Teach from a multicultural framework:

* provide more author diversity in course reading

* integrate race, gender and other diversity topics into course material

* do not restrict diversity discussions to topics of poverty and social problems

* reframe language so that people from diverse groups are discussed on their own terms rather than from how the dominant groups see them

* provide real life situations that detail the experiences of persons from diverse groups

For More Information

Banks, J. (1994). An Introduction to Multicultural Education. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

Jearold Holland is an assistant professor in the Department of Recreation Management and Therapeutic Recreation at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

Research Update is edited by Dr. Irma O'Dell of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.