Preservice teachers’ attitude toward homosexuality, religiosity, and guidance efficacy

Preservice teachers’ attitude
toward homosexuality, religiosity,
and guidance efficacy:
Implications for teacher and counselor education
I. INTRODUCTION

Lorelei R. Vinluan
UP College of Education
6th International Conference on Teacher
July 29-31, 2010
Education SEAMEO-INNOTECH, Quezon City

What is LGBT? Homophobia
• LGBT – lesbian, gay, • LGBT students frequently suffer from prejudice
bisexual, and at the hands of their peers and teachers,
transgender expressed as:
• They are a minority – harassment
within the school – verbal expressions of dislike
system based on – discrimination / ostracism
sexual orientation. – violent attacks
• They are part of a • Greater bias in pre-service teachers with
community of respect to sexual orientation than race, gender,
diverse learners. social class, and ability (Wynne, 2008)
July 29-31, 2010 Education July 29-31, 2010
Education SEAMEO-INNOTECH, Quezon City
SEAMEO-INNOTECH, Quezon City

Resulting to… Teacher roles
• poor self-concept • knowledge provider
• poor academic • facilitator
achievement
• molder
• social isolation
• depression • nurturer
• suicidal tendencies • entertainer
• etc. • change agent
• counselor
SOURCE: Saban, Kocbeker, & Saban, 2007
6th International Conference on Teacher 6th International Conference on Teacher
July 29-31, 2010 July 29-31, 2010
Education SEAMEO-INNOTECH, Quezon City Education SEAMEO-INNOTECH, Quezon City

Teacher as counselor Teacher as counselor
• The teacher is expected:
• The teacher should disrupt homophobia, which
– to listen
begins in the early years.
– to show sensitivity
• The teacher is responsible for modeling
– to teach right and wrong
behavior that is not just condoning, but also
– to act as parent, friend, or even psychologist to
students
accepting, respectful, and even nurturing of the
sexual minority.
• Teacher-student contact starts as conversation
on academic and other matters but develops
into a conversation which is of a counseling
nature.

But… Objectives
• Teacher is biased 1. To determine the attitude of pre-service
– own previous knowledge teachers toward homosexuality
– own family values 2. To determine how this attitude was related
– own cultural values to their:
– own experiences, and – religiousness
– own fears – guidance efficacy (a measure of their ability to
• Bias must be overcome provide support to LGBT students), and
– demographic variables

July 29-31, 2010 July 29-31, 2010

Sample
• N = 160
• Pre-service teachers taking up BEEd (29), BSE
(40), CPE/PTC (81), no mention (10)
• Enrolled at UPD (79) or UPOU (81)
• Taking EDCO 101 or Educ 106 (2nd sem, SY
II. METHOD 2009-2010 or 1st sem, SY 2010-2011)
• Age (mean = 25.4 y; median = 23.0 y)
• Gender (M = 41; F = 119)
July 29-31, 2010 July 29-31, 2010

Instruments Instruments
• Online questionnaire (on Google Docs) • Online questionnaire (on Google Docs)
consisting of: consisting of:
1. Homosexuality Attitude Scale (Kite & Deaux, 1986) 2. Religiousness Scale (Strayhorn, Weidman, & Larson, 1990)
• assesses people's stereotypes, misconceptions, and • measures religiosity (REL)
anxieties about homosexuals (HAS) • ecumenical
• 21 items • 12 items
• single factor (attitude toward homosexuality) • single factor
• internal consistency (α = .93) • internal consistency (α = .88)
• test-retest reliability (r = .71)

July 29-31, 2010 July 29-31, 2010

Instruments Procedure
• Online questionnaire (on Google Docs) • Sent “Invitation to participate in study” with
consisting of: link to research instrument by e-mail
3. Personal Guidance Efficacy Scale (Ho & Hau, 2004) • Google Docs (automatically) compiled
• Subscale of Teacher Efficacy Scale responses in a spreadsheet
• measures teacher’s ability to foster students’ personal
and social adjustment (PGE) • Spreadsheet imported to SPSS v. 17.0
• 4 items • Descriptive and frequency analysis; t-test;
• internal consistency (α = .78) ANOVA

July 29-31, 2010 July 29-31, 2010

General findings
Variable Range Mean SD
HAS 1 to 5 3.79 .70
REL 1 to 5 3.43 .67
PGE 1 to 6 4.02 .88

In general, the respondents (n = 160):
• have a positive attitude toward homosexuality,
III. RESULTS • are religious, and
• believe that they are capable of fostering their
students’ personal and social adjustment.
July 29-31, 2010 July 29-31, 2010

Religious affiliation Religiosity differences in HAS
Religion n % REL N Mean SD t Sig
More religious 121 3.70 .72
Roman Catholic 126 78.8 HAS 3.65 .000
Less religious 39 4.10 .55
Born again 19 11.9

Protestant 6 3.8 • Less religious respondents have a greater positive attitude
Iglesia ni Cristo 4 2.5 toward homosexuality than more religious respondents.
Agnostic 3 1.9 • This difference in attitude is significant at .05 level.
Others 2 1.2
•rHAS-REL = -.39 (significant at .05 level)
• Religiosity influences attitude toward homosexuality.
Total 160 100.0

July 29-31, 2010 July 29-31, 2010

Denominational differences in HAS Gender differences in HAS
Denomination N Mean SD F Sig
Gender N Mean SD t Sig
HAS Roman Catholic 126 3.91 .62 9.05 .000
Male 41 3.59 .79
“Born Again” 19 3.08 .68
HAS -2.00 .050
Protestant 6 3.66 .98 Female 119 3.87 .66
Others 9 3.71 .85
Caveat: Unequal sample sizes • Female respondents have a greater positive
• In general, there is a significant difference in the attitude attitude toward homosexuality than male
toward homosexuality of respondents when grouped
according to denomination. respondents.
• Post hoc test (Tukey) identified significant difference coming • This difference in attitude is significant at .05 level.
from Roman Catholic (more positive HAS) and “Born Again”
(less positive HAS) denominations.
• Gender influences attitude toward homosexuality.
• Denomination influences attitude toward homosexuality.
July 29-31, 2010 July 29-31, 2010

Age differences in HAS No. of LGBT friends vs. HAS
Gender N Mean SD F Sig LGBT friends N Mean SD F Sig
15 – 19 yrs 44 3.71 .68 1-2 35 3.24 .67
HAS 3.68 .027 HAS 20.66 .000
20 – 29 yrs 103 3.88 .67 3-5 46 3.75 .61

> 29 yrs 12 3.34 .85 >5 79 4.06 .62

• In general, there is a significant difference in the attitude toward • There is a significant difference in the attitude toward homosexuality
homosexuality of respondents when grouped according to age. of respondents when grouped according to number of LGBT friends.
• Post hoc test (Tukey) identified significant difference coming from 20- • Number of LGBT friends influences attitude toward homosexuality.
29 yrs (more positive HAS) and > 29 yrs (less positive HAS) age groups.
• Age influences attitude toward homosexuality.

July 29-31, 2010 July 29-31, 2010

Interaction with LGBT vs. HAS Course differences in HAS
Interaction w/ LGBT N Mean SD F Sig Gender N Mean SD F Sig
Negative 8 2.63 .51 BEEd 29 3.98 .72
HAS 56.35 .000 HAS 1.55 .216
Neutral 30 3.10 .50 BSE 40 3.82 .65

Positive 122 4.04 .55 CPE/PTC 81 3.71 .74

• There is a significant difference in the attitude toward homosexuality • In general, there is NO significant difference in the attitude toward
of respondents when grouped according to type of interaction with homosexuality of respondents when grouped according to course.
LGBT friends.
• Type of interaction with LGBT friends influences attitude toward
homosexuality.

July 29-31, 2010 July 29-31, 2010

How to deal with LGBT pupils? How to deal with LGBT pupils?
• According to respondents (sample only): • According to respondents (sample only):
1. Create a policy in the class to treat each other 5. No need to give exceptional treatment to LGBT
with respect. students as it is not a mental, cognitive, or even
2. Name calling such as bading, tibo, t-bird, faggot, physical disorder.
queer, etc is not to be tolerated. 6. They must be accepted with respect, compassion,
3. Increase awareness by educating the children and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination
about sexual orientation. in their regard should be avoided.
4. Engage them in an activity to help them realize 7. I would assign grades according to their
how it feels to be discriminated. performance and not based on their sexual
preferences.
July 29-31, 2010 July 29-31, 2010

LGBT issues in teacher education
• Before…
– LGBT issues perceived to be irrelevant to pre-service
teachers
– Sexuality is not the concern of teachers or school
– Pre-service teachers impose ‘compulsory
heterosexuality’ in both the university and school
IV. DISCUSSION classrooms

July 29-31, 2010 July 29-31, 2010

LGBT issues in teacher education Enabling teachers
• But now… • Institute anti-homophobia
– Increasing acceptance of LGBT (although pockets education in teacher education
of resistance, sometimes violent, still exist) courses
– Sexual orientation topics in curriculum of only a – sexual diversity
few teacher education institutions – gender sensitivity
– Educational (esp. curricular) reform focuses too – multiculturalism
much on academic achievement, not on social – LGBT issues
aspects of school and classroom – social justice
– LGBT not only religious/moral issue but also social, • How about in sectarian schools?
cultural, and political
July 29-31, 2010 July 29-31, 2010

Enabling teachers How do you do it?
• Develop essential counseling skills or traits in pre- • To be resolved:
service teachers – Topic, module, or 3-unit course?
– congruence – At what year level?
– unconditional positive regard – Before or after teaching practicum?
– empathy
– Taught by LGBT or religious person?
– warmth and caring
– Mandatory or optional?
– openness
– Theoretical or practical?
– respect
– concreteness and specificity • Crucial ingredient
– communication competencies – Support from university or college officials
July 29-31, 2010 July 29-31, 2010

For further study
• Include pre-service teachers in other
institutions to study their attitude toward
homosexuality (pervasiveness)
• Study supportive and nurturing practices of
teachers for GLBT students (difference
between attitude and actual practice)
V. RECOMMENDATIONS • Study pre-service teachers’ knowledge of
LGBT issues (knowledge)

July 29-31, 2010 July 29-31, 2010

Preservice teachers’ attitude toward homosexuality, religiosity, and guidance efficacy

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Preservice teachers’ attitude toward homosexuality, religiosity, and guidance efficacy