| The purpose of this study was to examine cultural proficiency instruction and its impact on the dispositions of the school librarian candidates in the Library Education Program at a Midwestern University. As research indicates that school librarians face the unique challenge of differentiating instruction to meet the educational needs for all students in the school, no matter their culture or ability (Mestre, 2009), it was also the intent of this study to explore which diversity disposition factors were impacted the greatest by that cultural proficiency instruction.;Prior to cultural proficiency instruction, candidates completed the Diversity Dispositions Index (DDI) pre-survey, a 43-item instrument, which measures responses to belief statements on a 5-point Likert Scale. Following learning opportunities developed around the Developmentally and Culturally Appropriate Practices Teacher Preparation Model (DCAP) and Nuri-Robins', Lindsey's, Lindsey's, & Terrell's (2012) Culturally Proficient Instruction approach, the Diversity Dispositions Index post-survey was administered.;Findings indicated that candidates scored themselves relatively high above the midpoint on the 5-point Likert Scale during the pre-survey ( M=4.23, SD=0.38). Even with fairly high espoused diversity dispositions at the beginning of the study, findings showed growth on the post-survey (M=4.59, SD=0.33). Employing a repeated measures t-test with an alpha level of .05, two-tailed, further findings indicated that candidates showed statistically significant growth within all 3 Factor Domains: Factor 1: Educators' Skills in Helping Students Gain Knowledge, (M = 4.31, SD = 0.36, p < .01, d = 1.40), Factor 2: Educators' Beliefs and Attitudes about Students and Teaching/Learning , (M = 4.82, SD = 0.23, p < .01, d = 1.05), and Factor 3: Educators' Connections with the Community (M = 4.20, SD = 0.59, p < .01, d = 1.03). These results support the need for cultural proficient pedagogy in which candidates reflect on their own understandings, values, beliefs, and attitudes, to ensure they are effectively prepared to work with a diverse student population. |
