Dissertation Proposal Announcement Ed.D. Program: Eman Arafa, “Leveraging Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) for Professional Development (PD) in Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Pedagogy (CR-SP) Inclusive of Muslim Students”
In an era of increasing racial, cultural, religious, and linguistic diversity in U.S. public schools, Muslim students remain one of the most marginalized and underrepresented populations, often facing stereotyping, invisibility, and discrimination. Culturally responsive-sustaining pedagogy (CR-SP) offers a transformative framework for affirming student identities, challenging systemic inequities, and positioning cultural diversity as an asset rather than a deficit. However, while CR-SP has been widely explored in relation to racial and linguistic diversity, little is known about its application to Muslim student populations. This qualitative action research study addresses that gap by investigating how participation in a Professional Learning Community (PLC) focused on CR-SP influences public school teachers’ beliefs and practices toward affirming and sustaining Muslim students’ cultural and religious identities.
Guided by adult learning theory, which includes transformative learning theory and experiential learning theory specifically, the study engages 5-7 public school teachers in a five-session PLC designed to foster identity awareness, perspective-taking, and inclusive instructional strategies. Participants will critically examine their own biases, explore curriculum adaptations, and collaboratively explore and develop classroom practices aligned with CR-SP principles, inclusive of Muslim students. Data will be collected through pre-intervention and post-intervention interviews, PLC session transcripts, and teacher-generated artifacts, with triangulation used to enhance validity and reliability of findings. The PLC structure emphasizes collaborative inquiry, reflective dialogue, and the translation of theory into sustained classroom practice.
Findings from this study aim to contribute to both scholarship and practice in equity-oriented professional development (PD) by offering a model for integrating CR-SP into PLCs with a focus on religious equity. In doing so, the study seeks to expand educators’ capacity to create affirming and inclusive learning environments for Muslim students while also enriching the broader discourse on culturally responsive-sustaining pedagogy. This research responds to the urgent need for PD that moves beyond theoretical awareness to transformative change in teacher practice, with implications for teacher education and school leadership committed to advancing educational equity for all students