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A Systems Analysis Approach To Integrating Cultural Diversity Into Colleges of Education

The changing demographic representation of students in United States public schools has significant implications for colleges of education. These changes make it imperative for colleges of education to produce candidates that possess the knowledge, skills, and sensitivity to deal with diverse student populations. To do so effectively, teacher educators would have to understand the meaning of cultural diversity and how to effectively integrate it into all facets of their teacher education programs. Such integration processes will include helping candidates to become more diversity mature (that is, to be comfortable with who they are) so that they can develop the self-efficacy that will propel them to contribute to the goals of a multicultural society. This article suggests the systems approach based on the systems analysis theory as a model for integrating cultural diversity in colleges of education. The process of systems analysis consists of a sequence of activities that includes (a) definition of the problem, (b) determination of the objectives and criteria for performance, (c) examination of alternative plans, and (d) evaluating the chosen alternative in light of resulting outcomes from the process. Using the systems approach to integrate cultural diversity will lead to a comprehensive assessment of current diversity efforts in individual colleges of education. Integrating cultural diversity will also entail collaboration among the systems and subsystems within and outside the college community, and finally, it will lead to the designing of a cultural diversity plan that takes advantage of the values inherent in the material and human resources possessed by the institution. This article challenges educators to examine their commitment to promoting cultural diversity and offers a plan to make their programs more multicultural in nature.