In this Viewpoint contribution, Dr. Carla Peck reflects on what motivated her to launch a researc... more In this Viewpoint contribution, Dr. Carla Peck reflects on what motivated her to launch a research program focused on diversity and education. Inspired by 12-year-old Gurbaj Multani, a young Montreal student who took his struggle for the right to express his religious identity all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada, Dr. Peck first explores what some of her early research found about students’ understandings of ethnic diversity and then reports some preliminary findings from her most current work. She concludes by commenting on current events (the proposed Quebec Values Charter) that, in her view, undermine Canadian democracy.
Canada is a country with a long history of substantial ethnocultural diversity. Questions about t... more Canada is a country with a long history of substantial ethnocultural diversity. Questions about the reasonable accommodation of immigrant groups, the preservation of official language minority rights, and the fostering of Aboriginal rights permeate political and social discourse in Canada. Effective citizenship requires people who understand the subtle differences between and among groups in Canada, and are able to wrestle intelligently and respectfully with difficult questions inherent in these issues. This article reports on a study designed to map the conceptions of ethnic diversity held by grade 6 students in the eastern Canadian province of New Brunswick with a particular focus on the three areas outlined above. Overall, students demonstrated quite superficial understandings of ethnic diversity being able to identify some practices and beliefs as 'cultural', but with little knowledge of specific cultural groups or practices or the role of language as a vehicle for cultural enhancement and preservation.
For much of Canada's history, diversity has been a defining characteristic of the country and has... more For much of Canada's history, diversity has been a defining characteristic of the country and has preoccupied and bedevilled policymakers. Policy and practice in Canada has moved from attempts to assimilate minority groups to fostering respect and appreciation for diversity. We argue, however, that attention to diversity education remains superficial and limited. In this article we provide an overview of policy and practice in education about and for diversity in Canada, make connections between that and policy and practice in citizenship education. We also review findings from research in the area, and lay out possible directions for moving the field forward. Like other democracies Canada has struggled to balance recognition and respect for diversity with concerns about social cohesion and we believe Canada's unique experience in this area can provide valuable insights to researchers and practitioners in other jurisdictions.
This article explores the relationship between students' ethnic identities and their ascr... more This article explores the relationship between students' ethnic identities and their ascriptions of historical significance to moments in Canada's past. Twenty-six grade 12 students living in an ethnically diverse urban centre in British Columbia, Canada participated. Phenomenographic research methods were followed, with a range of data informing the findings. In groups, students completed a “picture-selection task” during which they were
In recent years, Canadian schools have developed new policies and practices in their approaches t... more In recent years, Canadian schools have developed new policies and practices in their approaches to both diversity policy and curriculum development. Public schools once intended to homogenize a diverse population have been transformed to institutions designed to foster tolerance and respect for diversity. Curricula previously organized around subject content are now framed as standards for student achievement. This article traces the development of contemporary curriculum standards with regard to diversity and examines those standards in the context of a study of grade 7 students' understanding of diversity in New Brunswick. It presents evidence to suggest students are falling far short of expectations outlined in standards documents. While the sparse and fragmentary nature of student understanding should be of concern, this article also identifies key areas of concern about the development and implementation of the standards themselves. We argue that expecting teachers to teach toward, and students to attain, the standards might be unreasonable in light of these concerns.
RÉSUMÉ This paper presents findings from a research project that focuses on grade seven students&... more RÉSUMÉ This paper presents findings from a research project that focuses on grade seven students' understandings of ethnic diversity. It describes the ways in which students understand the concept of ethnic diversity and the related concept, tolerance. It represents a significant shift from past research that has focused solely on attitudes toward ethnic diversity without investigating the knowledge structures that
This article examines the ways in which students reason about past and present in relation to que... more This article examines the ways in which students reason about past and present in relation to questions of ethnic identities and loyalty to the state in a time of war. In digitally recorded discussion groups of three, they studied documents from the largely German–Canadian town of Berlin, Ontario, which, responding to images of the German enemy, changed its name to
In this Viewpoint contribution, Dr. Carla Peck reflects on what motivated her to launch a researc... more In this Viewpoint contribution, Dr. Carla Peck reflects on what motivated her to launch a research program focused on diversity and education. Inspired by 12-year-old Gurbaj Multani, a young Montreal student who took his struggle for the right to express his religious identity all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada, Dr. Peck first explores what some of her early research found about students’ understandings of ethnic diversity and then reports some preliminary findings from her most current work. She concludes by commenting on current events (the proposed Quebec Values Charter) that, in her view, undermine Canadian democracy.
Canada is a country with a long history of substantial ethnocultural diversity. Questions about t... more Canada is a country with a long history of substantial ethnocultural diversity. Questions about the reasonable accommodation of immigrant groups, the preservation of official language minority rights, and the fostering of Aboriginal rights permeate political and social discourse in Canada. Effective citizenship requires people who understand the subtle differences between and among groups in Canada, and are able to wrestle intelligently and respectfully with difficult questions inherent in these issues. This article reports on a study designed to map the conceptions of ethnic diversity held by grade 6 students in the eastern Canadian province of New Brunswick with a particular focus on the three areas outlined above. Overall, students demonstrated quite superficial understandings of ethnic diversity being able to identify some practices and beliefs as 'cultural', but with little knowledge of specific cultural groups or practices or the role of language as a vehicle for cultural enhancement and preservation.
For much of Canada's history, diversity has been a defining characteristic of the country and has... more For much of Canada's history, diversity has been a defining characteristic of the country and has preoccupied and bedevilled policymakers. Policy and practice in Canada has moved from attempts to assimilate minority groups to fostering respect and appreciation for diversity. We argue, however, that attention to diversity education remains superficial and limited. In this article we provide an overview of policy and practice in education about and for diversity in Canada, make connections between that and policy and practice in citizenship education. We also review findings from research in the area, and lay out possible directions for moving the field forward. Like other democracies Canada has struggled to balance recognition and respect for diversity with concerns about social cohesion and we believe Canada's unique experience in this area can provide valuable insights to researchers and practitioners in other jurisdictions.
This article explores the relationship between students' ethnic identities and their ascr... more This article explores the relationship between students' ethnic identities and their ascriptions of historical significance to moments in Canada's past. Twenty-six grade 12 students living in an ethnically diverse urban centre in British Columbia, Canada participated. Phenomenographic research methods were followed, with a range of data informing the findings. In groups, students completed a “picture-selection task” during which they were
In recent years, Canadian schools have developed new policies and practices in their approaches t... more In recent years, Canadian schools have developed new policies and practices in their approaches to both diversity policy and curriculum development. Public schools once intended to homogenize a diverse population have been transformed to institutions designed to foster tolerance and respect for diversity. Curricula previously organized around subject content are now framed as standards for student achievement. This article traces the development of contemporary curriculum standards with regard to diversity and examines those standards in the context of a study of grade 7 students' understanding of diversity in New Brunswick. It presents evidence to suggest students are falling far short of expectations outlined in standards documents. While the sparse and fragmentary nature of student understanding should be of concern, this article also identifies key areas of concern about the development and implementation of the standards themselves. We argue that expecting teachers to teach toward, and students to attain, the standards might be unreasonable in light of these concerns.
RÉSUMÉ This paper presents findings from a research project that focuses on grade seven students&... more RÉSUMÉ This paper presents findings from a research project that focuses on grade seven students' understandings of ethnic diversity. It describes the ways in which students understand the concept of ethnic diversity and the related concept, tolerance. It represents a significant shift from past research that has focused solely on attitudes toward ethnic diversity without investigating the knowledge structures that
This article examines the ways in which students reason about past and present in relation to que... more This article examines the ways in which students reason about past and present in relation to questions of ethnic identities and loyalty to the state in a time of war. In digitally recorded discussion groups of three, they studied documents from the largely German–Canadian town of Berlin, Ontario, which, responding to images of the German enemy, changed its name to
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Papers by Carla L. Peck