exploratory study of the multicultural responsiveness of higher education faculty at two South Florida universities

The study started with a presumed conviction that there was ample evidence in Florida universities and in the community at large that students of color made up a large proportion of the student population. Meanwhile, I observed in classrooms, and realized that the diverse student population offers an opportunity to explore and understand issues of interest about diversity. With the changing demographics in the United States and a more inclusive university system, students of diverse cultures, racial, and ethnic backgrounds are making American education both more exciting and more complex. This qualitative study seeks to uncover the cultural and philosophical underpinnings of multicultural responsiveness of higher education faculty at two South Florida universities. The study recognizes the central role of faculty in delivering instruction in ways that are most understandable to cultural diverse populations Twenty faculty members from two universities were interviewed and observed. They demonstrated positive interest and responses to the study. Most faculty support the view that an integration of well balanced multicultural education is necessary, especially in today's classrooms that are more diverse than in the past. The findings of the study confirm that a number of faculty believe that there are characteristics of culture that must be attended in order to provide quality multicultural education to students. The results of the study also indicate a coherence of faculty willingness to modify their instruction although not specifically to align with the model used in this study. The model cannot be applied with equal success to all faculty members. It comprises of a number components that can be used with flexibility in numerous educational settings. Participants in this study provided important information about their practice, their views about the multicultural trends and changes of attitude toward classroom diversity.