Hadwen, Diane Jeanette (2024) A study of the context, development, implementation and impact of a Bradford model of multicultural learning outside the classroom. Doctoral thesis, York St John University.

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Abstract

My experience of working in Bradford, suggests that although much maligned for its divisions, poverty and social problems, the city’s diversity of culture, ethnicity, language and religion, has resulted in innovative approaches to multicultural education, aimed at encouraging ‘communities of contrasting backgrounds to live together harmoniously’ (Bowen 1997, p116).

In this thesis I argue that although not unique, multiculturalism in Bradford is different. Successive
innovative education projects demonstrate a response to this difference. I assert that collectively they evidence the existence of a distinctive ‘Bradford’ model of multicultural education, one which situates learning outside the classroom. I consider why a distinctive model has evolved in the Bradford context, identify its key features, as evidenced by retrospective and contemporary cases and provide evidence of its impact. I explore the model’s potential to transfer across spatialities, focusing on its use as a framework for learning in a cathedral setting.
To achieve this, I chronicle three projects retrospectively and focus on one contemporary case study.

The latter stories the experiences of 23, predominantly Muslim, primary school children, all volunteers, who took part in a project, which situated learning outside the classroom in Bradford’s Anglican Cathedral. I identify emerging themes across the cases, inferring generalisations and highlighting the possible implications of my findings for future practice.

Through conceptualising and offering new insights into an existing phenomenon, I conclude that a contextual, distinctive, yet transferable, Bradford model of multicultural learning outside the classroom exists and that its implementation has a positive impact on both children and adults, helping to facilitate communities of ‘contrasting backgrounds’ to live together well.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Status:	Published
Subjects:	L Education > LB Theory and practice of education
School/Department:	School of Education, Language and Psychology
URI:	https://ray.yorksj.ac.uk/id/eprint/11819

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