Supporting Pre-Service Teachers Through Intersectionally Conscious Collaboration: A Multimethod Study Utilizing Transformative Learning Theory

K-12 educators in the U.S. are woefully unprepared to meaningfully engage with students and their families from multiply marginalized communities. In addition, current educational research and praxis continue to perpetuate prescriptive notions of family involvement and engagement that center white, middle-class practices and marginalize students and families with markers of difference. To create and sustain the conditions needed to disrupt educational inequities, K–12 educators must deeply understand their own intersecting sociocultural identities, those of other educators, as well as of their students to create effective environments for learners across all markers of diversity and to foster equitable engagement practices with families and students. This dissertation research aims to address these inequities through teacher education using an intersectional conscious collaboration protocol for educator preparation (ICC-EP) and researcher-developed teaching modules as an instructional tool with pre-service teachers (PSTs). The ICC Protocol and associated modules are grounded in intersectional competence and the Black feminist framework of intersectionality coupled with collaboration and coteaching. This research examines how the ICC-EP and learning modules shaped PSTs’ intersectional competence, supported collaborative inclusive and special educational practices, and enhanced the potential to equitably engage multiply marginalized families. This multimethod case study utilizes ICC-EP modules, assignments, teacher education course material, and surveys as data throughout a semester-long university course centered on family engagement. Using an iterative coding process, the researcher employed Mezirow’s 10-phase transformative learning theory throughout the deductive coding process alongside thematic analyses to understand PSTs’ course experiences. In addition, quantitative transformative learning survey data is used to further understand the extent of PSTs’ views of transformative learning processes and outcomes. Research findings indicated that the ICC-EP assignments, learning modules, and course material strengthened the development of PSTs’ intersectional competence and shaped their teaching practices and approaches. Data analyses also demonstrated PSTs’ beliefs and practices regarding family engagement were transformed beyond prescriptive notions of parent involvement that further extended family-school partnerships and considerations of differing sociocultural identities and practices. These findings indicate the need for continued teacher education curriculum that is grounded in intersectionality and guided by research-based tools to adequately prepare PSTs to address systemic inequities.