This study investigated the influence of early socialization of pre-service teachers and their tendency for interactions towards racial unity in Malaysian higher teacher education institutions. Early socialization in this study refers to the influences of family, school, peers and the mass media. Meanwhile, the interaction aspects refer to the tendency for interaction in different institutional environments among multi-ethnic pre-service teachers during their involvement in curricular activities, co-curricular activities, campus environment and daily in-campus activities. The unity in this study focuses on the appreciation of the values for unity and how it affects the tendency for interaction with multi-ethnic pre-service teachers. The current study utilized a survey research design where a number of 299 pre-service teachers from Higher Teacher Education Institutions (TEI) in the East Malaysia were randomly selected. A set of adapted questionnaires were used as the instruments. The pilot test using Cronbach alpha analysis showed all the items of the constructs are at a high value level between 0.775 and 0.957. This informs that the instruments are valid and reliable to be used. Descriptive statistics involved means and percentages whereas inferential statistics used a structural equation model (SEM). The mean score of the tendency for interaction and unity among multi-ethnic preservice teachers is between 4.17 and 4.7. Meanwhile, the mean scores for unity appreciation aspects among multi-ethics are also at a higher level with the mean scores between 4.19 and 4.41. This indicates that there is a higher level of interaction for unity as well as unity appreciation. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis showed the following sub-constructs i.e. family, school and peer pressure are significantly contributed to the tendency of interaction and appreciation towards the values for unity among multiethnic preservice teachers, where the coefficients paths are 8.712, beta 0.504 (family variable); 5.441, beta 0.288 (school mi-lieu variable); and 3.407, beta 0.183 (peer pressure variable) respectively. These data suggest that those three factors mentioned are supposed to be taken into account in designing and implementing activities for unity in multi-ethnic higher teacher education community.
References
[1]
Ahmad, A. R., Saleha, A., Jelas, Z. M., & Seman, A. A. (2010). (Students’ Diversity and School: A Case Study in Pahang) Kepelbagaian pelajar dan sekolah: Satu kajian kes di Negeri Pahang. Jurnal Pendidikan Malaysia, 35, 87-95.
[2]
Aziz, Z., Hassan, A., Harun, H., & Yasin, M. Z. (2009). (Improving Ethnic Relations among Students) Meningkatkan aktiviti perpaduan dalam kalangan pelajar. Research Report, Selangor Malaysia—Faculty of Education UKM.
[3]
Baharuddin, S. A. (2007). (Ethnic Relation Module) Modul Hubungan Etnik. Shah Alam: Pusat Penerbitan Universiti, Universiti Teknologi MARA.
[4]
Bronfenbrenner, U. (2005). Making Human Beings Human: Bioecological Perspectives on Human Development. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
[5]
Chang, M. J. (1999). Does Racial Diversity Matter? The Educational Impact of Racially Diverse Undergraduate Population. Journal of College Student Development, 40, 377-379.
[6]
Chang, M. J., Astin, A. W., & Kim, D. (2004). Cross-Racial Interaction among Undergraduates: Some Consequences, Causes and Patterns. Research in Higher Education, 45, 529-553. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/B:RIHE.0000032327.45961.33
[7]
Cushner, K. (2008). International Socialization of Young People; Obstacles and Opportunities. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 32, 164-173. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2007.09.004
[8]
Dawi, A. H. (2004). (Ethnic relation in HEI: Ethnographic Studies among Multi-Ethnic Students). Hubungan Etnik di IPT: Satu Kajian Etnografi Habitus dan Modal Budaya di Kalangan Pelajar Berlainan Etnik. Unpublished PhD Thesis, Faculty of Education, UKM Bangi Selangor Malaysia.
[9]
Dawi, A. H. (2006). (Sociological and Educational Theories) Penteorian Sosiologi dan Pendidikan. Edisiketiga, Tanjong Malim Malaysia: Quantom Books.
[10]
Gurin, P., Dey Eric, L., Hurtado, S., & Gurin, G. (2002). Diversity and Higher Education: Theory and Impact Educational Outcomes. Harvard Educational Review, 72, 1-26. http://dx.doi.org/10.17763/haer.72.3.01151786u134n051
[11]
Juang, L., & Moin, S. (2010). Family Cultural Socialization Practice and Ethnic Identity in College—Going Emerging Adults. Journal of Adolescence, 33, 347-354. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2009.11.008
[12]
Karim, F., & Meerah, T. (1986). (Outside Classroom Interaction Pattern) Pola interaksi kaum remaja di luar bilik darjah: Satu tinjauan. Paper Works Presented in the National Education Conference, Malaysian Education Association, 15-17 November 1986, 33-40.
[13]
Khairi, A. (2011). (1 Malaysia Concept) Konsep Malaysia dan cabaran pelaksanaannya kearah pemanta panper paduan sebuah Negara-bangsa. Sosiohumanika, 4, 129-140.
[14]
Kim, Y. K., & Sax, L. J. (2007). Different Patterns of Student—Faculty Interaction in Research Universities: An Analysis by Student Gender, Race, SES, and First-Generation Status. Research Occasional Paper Series, University of California: Center of Studies Higher Education.
[15]
Mustapha, R., Azman, N., Karim, F., Ahmad, A. R., & Lubis, M. A. (2009). A Survey of Social Interaction among Diverse Students in Malaysian Higher Learning Institutions. International Journal of Learner Diversity, 1, 93-112.
[16]
Noor, M. M., Aziz, A. A. R. & Lee, I. M. A. (2006). (Ethnic Relations in Malaysia) HubunganEtnik di Malaysia. Petaling Jaya: Prentice Hall.
[17]
Peng, C. P. (2007). (Malay Arts and Ethnicity: Issues and Challenges) Sastera Melayu dan prasangka etnik: Isu-isu dan persoa-lan. Masalah Pendidikan, 30, 61-78.
[18]
Quintelier, E. (2007). European Citizenship and Ethnic Tolerance among Adolescent: Result of a Representative Survey among Belgian 16 Years Old. Kertas Kerja Persidangan European Sociological Association: Youth Globalization and Migration Local Diversity in Transition, Smolenice, Slovania, 19-22 Januari.
[19]
Ramli, A. H. (2009). (Ethnic Relation in Malaysia) Hubungan Kaum di Malaysia. Shah Alam: Pusat Penerbitan Universiti.
[20]
Rodrigues-Garcia, J. M., & Wagner, U. (2009). Learning to Be Prejudiced: A Test on Unidirectional and Bidirectional Models of Parents-Offspring Socialization. International Journal of Intercultural Relation, 33, 516-523. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2009.08.001
[21]
Seltzer, V., & Waterman, R. (1996). A Cross National Study of Adolescent over Concordance on Issue of the Future. Journal of Adolescent Research, 88, 461-482. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0743554896114005
[22]
Tamam, E. (2009). Contribution of Interethnic Contact on Interethnic Attitudes of Malay and Chinese-Malaysian University Students in Malaysia. European Journal of Social Sciences, 8, 51-61.
[23]
Umbach, P. D., & Kuh, G. D. (2006). Student Experiences with Diversity at Liberal Arts College: Another Claim for Distinctiveness. The Journal of Higher Education, 77, 169-192. http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/jhe.2006.0008
[24]
Zainal, K., Abu, T., & Mohamad, Z. (2010). The Effect of Ethnic Relation Course on the Student’s Perception towards Ethnic Relations among First Year Student of One Public University in Malaysia. Pocedia Social and Behavioral Science, 2, 3596-3599. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.03.558
