The Implementation Of Multicultural Education In Promoting Tolerance Character Among Elementary School Students At Mulia Bakti Purwokerto
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37812/fatawa.v6i2.2368Keywords:
Multicultural Education, Character Education, Elementary School, Tolerance, Diversity, School Culture.Abstract
Indonesia is a multicultural country characterized by religious, cultural, ethnic, and social diversity, requiring educational practices that promote tolerance and respect for differences. Multicultural education has emerged as a significant approach to fostering students’ character development and preparing them to live harmoniously in pluralistic societies. This study aims to examine the implementation of multicultural education and its contribution to students’ character development at SD Mulia Bakti Purwokerto. A qualitative case study approach was employed. Data were collected through observations, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis. Research participants consisted of the principal, teachers, and students selected through purposive sampling. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis involving data reduction, coding, categorization, and interpretation. The findings reveal that multicultural education has been systematically integrated into school policies, classroom instruction, religious activities, and an inclusive school culture. Its implementation is supported by diversity-responsive school leadership, collaborative teaching strategies, and recognition of students’ religious identities. The study further demonstrates that multicultural education contributes significantly to the development of tolerance, empathy, respect, social responsibility, and positive intercultural interactions among students. These findings suggest that multicultural education functions not only as a pedagogical approach but also as an effective strategy for strengthening character education and promoting inclusive, democratic, and harmonious school environments.
References
Ainscow, M. (2020). Promoting inclusion and equity in education: Lessons from international experiences. Routledge.
Allport, G. W. (1954). The nature of prejudice. Addison-Wesley.
Banks, J. A. (2019). An introduction to multicultural education (6th ed.). Pearson.
Banks, J. A. (2021). Diversity and citizenship education in multicultural societies. In The Routledge international companion to multicultural education (pp. 15–29). Routledge.
Banks, J. A., & Banks, C. A. M. (2020). Multicultural education: Issues and perspectives (10th ed.). Wiley.
Bennett, C. I. (2017). Comprehensive multicultural education: Theory and practice (8th ed.). Pearson.
Berkowitz, M. W., & Bier, M. C. (2014). Research-based character education. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 591(1), 72–85.
Bowen, G. A. (2009). Document analysis as a qualitative research method. Qualitative Research Journal, 9(2), 27–40. https://doi.org/10.3316/QRJ0902027
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. Sage.
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Harvard University Press.
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). Sage.
Deardorff, D. K. (2020). Manual for developing intercultural competencies: Story circles. UNESCO Publishing.
Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (2018). The SAGE handbook of qualitative research (5th ed.). Sage.
Gay, G. (2018). Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research, and practice (3rd ed.). Teachers College Press.
Gorski, P. C. (2016). Rethinking multicultural education. In P. C. Gorski & S. R. Swalwell (Eds.), Equity literacy for all (pp. 17–32). Teachers College Press.
Gorski, P. C., & Swalwell, K. (2015). Equity literacy for all. Educational Leadership, 72(6), 34–40.
Khalifa, M., Gooden, M. A., & Davis, J. E. (2016). Culturally responsive school leadership: A synthesis of the literature. Review of Educational Research, 86(4), 1272–1311. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654316630383
Kohlberg, L. (1984). Essays on moral development: The psychology of moral development (Vol. 2). Harper & Row.
Kvale, S., & Brinkmann, S. (2015). InterViews: Learning the craft of qualitative research interviewing (3rd ed.). Sage.
Leeman, Y., & Ledoux, G. (2018). Preparing teachers for diversity. Teaching and Teacher Education, 69, 1–10.
Lickona, T. (2013). Educating for character: How our schools can teach respect and responsibility. Bantam Books.
Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Sage.
Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2016). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation (4th ed.). Jossey-Bass.
Merryfield, M. M. (2018). Global education and multicultural education: Improving teaching and learning. In J. A. Banks (Ed.), The Routledge international companion to multicultural education. Routledge.
Morrison, B., & Vaandering, D. (2012). Restorative justice: Pedagogy, praxis, and discipline. Sense Publishers.
Nieto, S. (2017). Language, culture, and teaching: Critical perspectives (3rd ed.). Routledge.
Nieto, S., & Bode, P. (2018). Affirming diversity: The sociopolitical context of multicultural education (7th ed.). Pearson.
OECD. (2023). PISA global competence framework. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Parekh, B. (2014). Rethinking multiculturalism: Cultural diversity and political theory (2nd ed.). Palgrave Macmillan.
Santrock, J. W. (2020). Educational psychology (7th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Sleeter, C. E., & Grant, C. A. (2020). Making choices for multicultural education: Five approaches to race, class, and gender (8th ed.). Wiley.
UNESCO. (2021). Reimagining our futures together: A new social contract for education. UNESCO Publishing.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods (6th ed.). Sage.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Azmi Hidayatun Nissa, Muh. Hanif
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
