1979 - School Practices that Improve Race Relations

Attribution: Slavin, Robert E., & Madden, Nancy A.
Researchers: Nancy A. MaddenRobert E. Slavin
University Affiliation: Johns Hopkins University; American University
Email: rslavin@jhu.edu
Research Question:
Which school practices improve racial relations in desegregated schools?
Published: 1
Journal Name or Institutional Affiliation: American Educational Research Journal
Journal Entry: Vol. 16, No. 2, pp. 169-180
Year: 1979
Findings:
  • School-level and student-level analyses show that actual interaction is the best predictor of positive interracial attitudes and behaviors for Blacks and Whites.
  • There were strong effects for working in cooperative groups, sports teams and classroom work groups. This is consistent with the social psychology idea that interpersonal interaction is the key to positive intergroup relations.
  • Methods focused on teachers (multicultural texts, intergroup relations workshops) did not change student interaction and had no effects or weak effects on students’ interracial behaviors and attitudes.
Keywords: AttitudesDesegregationIntergroup RelationsRegions: NationalMethodologies: QuantitativeResearch Designs: SurveyAnalysis Methods: Regression Sampling Frame:National
Sampling Types: RandomAnalysis Units: StudentData Types: Quantitative-Cross Sectional
Data Description:
  • Data are from 1974 ETS (Educational Testing Service) study of effective desegregation—factors affecting race relations outcomes in desegregation. Survey and interview was collected from 5th and 10th grade students in 96 elementary schools and 72 high schools. This study focuses on the data about school practices. This study uses the 10th grade data. Only Blacks and Whites were analyzed. The student level analysis takes data from 10th graders in 48 schools in 10 Southern states (2,384 respondents). The school level sample is 51 schools (35 Southern and 16 Northern).
  • DV- 6 dependent variables (from student survey) for student level and school level analyses (3 behavioral & 3 attitudinal)
  • IV school level- 8 independent variables (from student & teacher surveys) for school level analysis (teacher attitudes, heterogeneous grouping, student behavior). Controls for school percent black, mean black SES, mean white SES, region (South or non-South).
  • IV student level- 3 dependent variables (from student survey) for student level analysis (experiences of attitude-change attempts, experiences of interracial contact). Controls for school percent black, black SES, white SES, region, student SES, and gender.
Theoretical Framework:
Relevance:
Archives: K-12 Integration, Desegregation, and Segregation Abstracts