When No One is Looking:

Assessing Internalization of Experiential Learning in Multicultural Education

Abstract

The current global climate is a glaring reminder of the consistent struggle for equality and equity both nationally and abroad. Here in the U.S., the education system has been identified as a major stage for shifting race relations and engendering pluralism as it is a microcosm of the larger society. The way youth are taught to understand and engage with difference while in school sets the stage for the views they carry as adult citizens. The scholarship of teaching and learning is focused on taking a scholarly approach to measuring individual learning during instruction and nurturing holistic educational spaces. The following project is aimed at the intersection of this research and practice towards advocacy and equity. It assesses the impact of experiential learning within the context of multicultural education and diversity work. Students enrolled in the course were asked to track their personal process and growth across the semester to evaluate the impact of the practical curriculum. The main focus of the article is a tailored assignment testing how well students have internalized class lessons and what students would actually do when presented with an inequitable situation. This work holds a mirror up to those professing to do intrapersonal and interpersonal work.