Tonbuloglu, Aslan, and Aydin (2016) conducted research focused on multiculturalism in education. The authors engaged teachers, as they are held responsible in regards to matters that pertain to the environments of learning, to correct stated negative views. The abstract is well-written and gives a summary of the research. The reader is able to understand the critical details about the research study from the abstract.
The general flow of the research is also good. Additionally, the work is detailed with facts and verifiable sources and facts. The article is well-written as the researchers provide a clear definition of terms, making it easier for non-technical readers to still understand the research. The researchers give details on multiculturalism and race and age, proposing that even within one race, one can find several types of cultures.
The question, Hypothesis, and Purpose
This study was well-written. The purpose of the identified study was to determine the nature of the views of the teachers in regards to multicultural education, the associated diversity of learning environments, and the efforts teachers have put in place to include multiculturalism in their yearly plans of the school syllabus. Even though the significance of the study was not evident, the reader was able to deduce it in the introduction of the paper. The research questions are highlighted as:
- How the teachers reacted to the system of multicultural education?
- What was the teachers’ first evaluation concerning the multicultural type of education and the associated sphere surrounding the activity?
- What are the teachers’ suggestions concerning the multicultural type of education?
- What are the associated proficiency levels of the respective teachers in line with the yearly involvement of the multiculturalism system in the school syllabus?
Review of the Literature
The literature review is detailed. The authors used several scholarly articles and journals to explain their premises. For example, the argument that teachers also have to be taught multiculturalism is supported by several other scholars and authors. They also included citations that criticized some of their premises. For instance, the scholars quote Kaya (2015), who argued that multiculturalism should not be taught within a classroom set-up.
The addition of the sources that critique the proposed arguments ensured a rich and informing literature review. Interestingly, the researchers combined the literature review with the introduction part of the paper. It is more common to have the two sections separate. Sources were also used in other sections of the paper to both support and criticize different arguments.
Methodology and Results
Tonbuloglu et al. (2016) employed a qualitative design for their research. In the study, the teachers presented their views concerning a multicultural type of education. Towards the end, the teachers reflected on the respective schools’ plans for the introduction of multiculturalism in their curriculums, thus, fulfilling their purpose. A purposeful sampling strategy was used to select the sites and participants. In this study, the study group for this research consisted of six teachers employed at a primary school in the Istanbul province during the 2012-2013 school years. Purposeful sampling techniques were selected because participants had the needed experience and ability to respond to the research questions.
Data analysis was comprehensive and reliable. The data were analyzed using the content analysis technique. During analysis, it was realized that the actual knowledge of every teacher in line with the multicultural type of education, together with the diversity of the system, was adequate. The respective opinions from the teachers towards the multicultural kind of training were identified to be positive. However, the teachers appeared confused in regards to the multicultural type of education, which made them experience some problems due to certain inadequacies. Moreover, a yearly analysis was conducted, and it showed that the efforts applied to the multicultural education system were not enough. The results were appropriate and complete for the research design.
Strengths
The presentation style and the general flow of the study, including proper sentence construction and grammar, allows for an easy read. Additionally, one can quickly pick out various views concerning the multicultural education system. The in-depth questions also allow the reader to note the proficiency levels of the teachers. The data collection and analysis approach also go hand-in-hand due to the many variants of study that were identified. From a research design perspective, the study gives refined data, which increases reliability.
Weaknesses
One weakness of the study is that the teachers lacked the required skills and knowledge that are necessary for multicultural education. Thus, the teachers also have to be culturally competent to engage in multicultural education processes with their students.
Reliability, Validity, and Limitations
The research is reliable. The authors explained their process well. There appears to be no sign of bias in the study, as well. The purposeful random sample size also ensures the reliability and validity of the data. It is important to also note that the reliability and validity of the research, to academics, lie in its impact on globalization. In a culturally diverse world, students should be molded on competency amidst differences.
The researchers proved the importance of multicultural education, and in so doing, demonstrated its usefulness in real life. Additionally, multicultural competency allows for personal growth. A limitation of the study is that a good number of the teachers did not know what multiculturalism involves. Such participants could not be avoided due to the methodology and sample selection design used in the study.
References
Kaya, Y. (2015). The opinions of primary school, Turkish language, and social science teachers regarding education in the mother tongue (Kurdish). Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies, 2(2), 33-46.
Tonbuloglu, B., Aslan, D., & Aydin, H. (2016). Teachers’ awareness of multicultural education and diversity in school settings. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 64, 1-28.