Inclusive practices among university teaching staff. Confirmation of a model based on personal predictors

ABSTRACT

Different personal traits could predict not only prejudice, but also practices aimed at the inclusion of vulnerable minorities in higher education. On the basis of this assumption, the study presented here sets out to confirm a predictive model of inclusive practices among university teaching staff, incorporating variables of personality, ideological attitudes, perceived discrimination, and beliefs and attitudes towards diversity, hypothesising the pre-eminence of the predictive route anticipated by John Duckitt’s Dual-Process Motivational Model in the perception of disadvantaged groups. The research process involved collecting and analysing data from 613 university teachers at eight Spanish public universities, confirming the hypothetical model by means of structural equations. The study showed that personality, through ideological attitudes and, in turn, such attitudes together with perceived discrimination, had significant effects on the inclusive practices of teachers through the mediation of beliefs and attitudes towards diversity, and that agreeableness and social dominance orientation primarily anticipated beliefs, attitudes, and practices. The conclusions establish the relevance of personal competencies in the profile of teachers when addressing diversity, suggesting professional development in such competencies through reflexive, extensive training, and application in the classroom.

KEYWORDS:

• Diversity
• inclusion
• higher education
• teaching practice
• structural equation modelling

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Spain’s Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Competitiveness, the State Research Agency, and the European Regional Development Fund [grant number EDU2017-82862-R]; Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities [grant number FPU2017/02463].

Notes on contributors

José-Luis Álvarez-Castillo

José-Luis Álvarez-Castillo is a Full Professor with the Department of Education, University of Córdoba (Spain). He conducts research in the field of inclusive and intercultural education, and particularly strategies for reducing intergroup bias (stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination) in future teachers.

Gemma Fernández-Caminero

Gemma Fernández-Caminero is a Lecturer with the Department of Education, University of Córdoba (Spain). She has published articles and book chapters on diversity and inclusion in higher education, and also on empathy and other inclusive competencies in the training of future educators.

Carmen-María Hernández-Lloret

Carmen-María Hernández-Lloret has been a Teaching and Research Assistant with the Department of Education, University of Córdoba (Spain). She recently conducted her doctoral research on the institutionalisation of diversity and inclusion in higher education considering mixed methods.

Hugo González-González

Hugo González-González is a Senior Lecturer with the Department of Education, University of Córdoba (Spain). His research focuses on inclusive and intercultural education, empathy, moral education, and prejudice reduction strategies in teacher education.

Luis Espino-Díaz

Luis Espino-Díaz is a Lecturer with the Department of Education, University of Córdoba (Spain). His research focuses on inclusive education, higher education, and education in values.