Learning Environments member Ridwan Maulana with Xiangyuan Feng, Ni Zhang, Dingchen Yang, and Wenyuan Lin for From awareness to action: Multicultural attitudes and differentiated instruction of teachers in Chinese teacher education programmes. 

The increasing diversity in modern classrooms necessitates that teacher education programmes equip pre-service teachers with skills to create equitable and inclusive learning environments for all students. In response to this imperative, particularly within the Chinese educational context, this study investigated pre-service teachers' multicultural attitudes—including stages of awareness (Know), emotional engagement (Care), and behavioural intentions (Act)—and their differentiated instruction skills. Furthermore, it examined how Chinese teacher education programmes can cultivate these attributes and enhance their alignment. Using a mixed-methods approach, we surveyed 257 pre-service teachers on their multicultural attitudes and 1356 students on their perceptions of their teachers' differentiated instruction skills, supplemented by in-depth interviews with 10 pre-service teachers. Results from descriptive, correlation, and multilevel modelling analyses revealed that pre-service teachers generally possessed positive multicultural attitudes, progressing from initial awareness to empathy and behavioural intention, and were perceived as proficient in differentiated instruction. However, the Know and Act dimensions showed limited direct relationships with student-perceived differentiated instruction practices, highlighting an 'intention-action gap'. Content analysis identified several essential components of teacher education for enhancing pre-service teachers' multicultural competence and bridging this gap, including specialized formal training, reflection activities, and practical application opportunities. These findings advocate for a shift towards more personalized, experiential, and reflective learning environments in Chinese teacher education programmes to better align multicultural attitudes with effective differentiated instruction implementation.

➡ Find the research of Xiangyuan Feng, Ni Zhang, Dingchen Yang, Wenyuan Lin, & Ridwan Maulana here.

Learning Environments member Joy Muth, for Teaching to the Test in the English Language Classroom: Development of a Measurement Instrument. 

Each year the SIG provides two awards sponsored by Springer.

• Best “Presented” Paper Award: given to the author/s judged to have presented the most significant paper for the SIG.
• Best “Published” Paper Award: given to the author/s judged to have published the most significant paper in the journal of Learning Environments Research.

The papers are evaluated on the following criteria:

• Choice of topic/contribution to the field of education;
• Mechanics of the research: Theoretical Frame, methods, data source(s)
• Quality of the writing/organization; and
• Conclusions/Interpretations.

Each year there will be a call for nominations in the fall by the Award Chair, Chris Long (chris.long@unt.edu). if you present a paper for the SIG at the AERA annual meeting, or publish a paper on the journal learning environments research and wish to be considered for the awards, you may submit an electronic copy of your paper to the award chair then.  Papers can be self-nominated or nominated by a colleague. The award ceremony is held at the SIG business meeting, AERA annual meeting.