Students’ Perceptions of the Faculty of Education’s Diversity Climate: A Mixed Methods Survey Study

• Author / Creator

  Ulan, Justine A

• The cultural climates of Canadian universities’ are becoming increasingly diversified. As such, regular evaluations ensuring that the unique needs of culturally diverse students are being met are necessary. Here, in this convergent sequential mixed methods survey study, both quantitative and qualitative data was collected and analyzed to address the current diversity climate of the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta. The sample was comprised of 269 participants, yielding a 7% response rate. The quantitative results show the vase majority of students perceive the Faculty’s climate as positive, feel respected and included, and have not personally experienced or witnessed forms of discrimination or harassment. Between group differences highlighted that students who identify as ‘other diversity,’ (including students who are married, students who identify as Mormon and Jewish, and students who are single parents with dependents) experienced the Faculty’s climate as significantly more negative than their peers, while the students who identify as Indigenous rated their experiences with professor-based feedback as significantly more favourable than others. A total of 1,417 open-ended responses were analyzed. In terms of perceived strengths and weaknesses, four themes emerged from qualitative data, including Academic Resources, Discrimination and Harassment, Feelings of Inclusion, and the Concern for the Future of the Faculty. And finally, following typical mixed methods research (MMR) procedures, quantitative and qualitative data were integrated to fully comprehend student experiences in terms of the highlighted Faculty strengths and weaknesses. The most notable finding being that while cases of discrimination or harassment were low, they are highly salient experiences that negatively affect all students’ well-being. Identified study limitations, implications, and directions for future research are, in the last chapter, addressed and discussed in detail.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Mixed methods
  • Climate survey
  • Diversity

• Graduation date

  Spring 2017

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Doctor of Education

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R37D2QK7M

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.