Volume 51 No.4 - 2005-12-31

Does Multicultural Education Really Benefit Various Cultures?

論多元文化教育誰獲益

Author:
Shih-Yu Kuo / 郭實渝
Keyword:
multicultural education, environmental education, indigenous knowledge, / 多元文化教育、環境教育、原住民知識
  • Summary
  • Chinese Summary
  • Reference
  • Scholarly references
This study is a reflection on the theory and practice of multicultural education after almost 40 years of development. After reviewing many recent works on multicultural education, the author found that, basically, there is not much difference in the definition and content of the various forms of multicultural education, even though there may be some variation in terms of the purposes of multicultural education. The author also found that two issues need further clarification. First when there are limited educational resources, there will always be a problem of fairly and accurately distributing those resources to those who need them most. Second, in terms of the direction of the reform for multicultural education, constructing knowledge with the constructivist theory is the main trend. However, the author believes that there are other ways of learning and teaching, especially for the purpose of advancing our understanding of education. To discuss these two primary issues, the author concluded that if we understand multiculturalism through the perspective of environmental education, we can resolve some conflicts based on the problems of fairness and inclusion.
多元文化教育由 1960 年代的大力提倡到 21 世紀,已經有 40 餘年,但在理論 與實踐上,仍有許多問題需要澄清,本文將省思其中的兩個問題。首先,在理想 的理論之下,如何達到公平與正義?其次,以建構主義的方法建構知識,是多元 文化教育的主要改革方向,但若以永續教育作為教育目標,為延續我們的文化, 與永續的生存,是否須保留一些其他的學習與教導方式?為探討上述兩個議題, 本文將多元文化教育放在環境教育的思考下,期望有更寬廣的討論與實踐空間。
田貴賓(1999)。親睹出草的比揚拉航。源,22,42-45。
Banks, J. A. (1996). The canon debate, knowledge construction, and multicultural education. In
J. A. Banks (Ed.), Multicultural education, transformative knowledge, and action: Historical
and contemporary perspectives (pp. 3-29). New York: Teachers College Press.
Banks, J. A. (2003). Multicultural education: Characteristics and goals. In J. A. Banks & C. A.
M. Banks (Eds.), Multiculhtm
Erickson, F. (2003). Culture in society and in educational practices. In J. A. Banks & C. A. M.
Banks (Eds.), Multicultural education: Issues and perspectives (4th ed.) (pp. 31-58). New
York: John Wiley & Sons.
Giroux, H. A., & McLaren, P. (Eds.). (1994). Between borders: Pedagogy and the politics of
cultural studies. New York: Routledge.
Gorski, P. (1999). A brief history of multicultural education. Retrieved May 10, 2004, from
http:// www.mhhe.com/socscience/ education/multi/philosophy/1history.html
Gorski, P. (2003). The challenge of defining a single “multicultural education”. Retrieved May
10, 2004, from http://www. mhhe.com/socscience/education/multi/define.html
La Belle, T. J., & Ward, C. R. (1994). Multiculturalism and education, diversity and its impact
on schools and society. New York: State University of New York Press.
Lynch, J. (1989). Multicultural education in a global society. London: Falmer Press.
Matthews, M. R. (1993). Constructivism and science education: Some epistemological problems.
Journal of Science Education and Technology, 2(1), 359-370.
Mitchell, B. M., & Salsbury, R. E. (Eds.). (1996). Multicultural education: An international
guide to research, policies, and programs. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
Mitchell, K. (2001). Education for democratic citizenship: Transnationalism, multiculturalism,
and the limits of liberalism. Harvard Educational Review, 71(11), 51-78.
Orr, D. (1992). Ecological literacy: Education and the transition to a postmodern world. New
York: State University of New York Press.
Orr, D. (1994). Earth in mind: On education, environment, and the human prospect. Washington,
DC: Island Press.
Orr, D. (2002). The nature of design: Ecology, culture, and human intention. New York: Oxford
University Press.
Ovando, C. J., & Gourd, K. (2003). Knowledge construction, language maintenance, revitalization,
and empowerment. In J. A. Banks (Ed.), Multicultural education, transformative
knowledge, and action: Historical and contemporary perspectives (pp. 297-322). New York:
Teachers College Press.
Palmer, J. A. (1998). Environmental education in the 21st century: Theory, practice, progress
and promise. London: Routledge.
Putnam, H., & Putnam, R. A. (1993). Education for democracy. Educational Theory, 43(4), tural education: Issues and perspectives (4th ed.) (pp. 3-30).
New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Banks, J. A., & Banks, C. A. M. (Eds.). (1995). Handbook of research on multicultural education.
New York: Macmillan.
Bowers, C. A. (2001). Educating for eco-justice and community. Athens, GA: The University of
Georgia Press.
em Tech-Constructivism (2004). Retrieved June 29, 2004, from http://www.emtech.net/construc. 
361-376.
Strathern, M. (1996). Enabling identity? Biology, choice and the new reproductive technologies.
In S. Hall & P. du Gay (Eds.), Questions of cultural identity (pp. 37-52). London: SAGE.