My Global Cultures MA dissertation: super-diversity in schools

I returned to being a university student at the age of fifty-five. It was both daunting and exhilarating. This incredible journey started in January 2022. After studying and working as a fashion designer for many years and raising four kids living in many different European and Asian countries, I needed to invest time and energy in myself and find my true interests while simultaneously catering to my family. That’s why online learning was the perfect choice for me.

During the Covid lockdown, I started studying short courses online. The more courses I picked, the more I knew what I wanted to gain next: a master’s degree in Global Cultures. First, I was scared and only on the third attempt did I hit the apply button, worrying about the costs, time management and my capability. But enrolling with King’s has been one of my best decisions. I enjoyed every moment. All the enriching content and long nights of reading, topping up on digital skills, learning how to research, improving presentation skills and writing academically… Becoming more confident in general defines it perfectly.

I discovered so many fascinating topics that the two-year period quickly passed. I wanted to finish the course and to do well, but I also did not want it to finish! So, when it was time for the last two modules – designing, presenting, and writing my dissertation – I felt happy, scared, excited and sad all at once. Academic writing has been a challenge for me throughout the master’s degree course in Global Cultures. I knew I had to put extra effort into studying how to write the final dissertation correctly. One of the pieces of advice that resonated with me is that writing is often a messy process, and there is no such thing as a perfect final work. I carried a notebook wherever I went to keep my thoughts written for later consultation, which proved handy when getting stuck or when my writing sounded repetitive.

To find the theme of my dissertation I jotted down some ideas about work-related and personal experiences around inclusive education, gathered a lot of potential readings, and wrote the proposal for my final paper. Another lesson learned: how to prepare and present a research proposal! The advice to choose a topic of personal interest for my dissertation was easy to follow. Of all the enriching programme content, diversity and inclusion as a cultural practice was the topic I felt drawn to most because of my recent job as a teaching assistant in an inclusive, comprehensive school here in Bremen, Germany. Multiple cultural concepts (language, migration, race, gender, cultural identity, etc.) shape students’ school experience, which is summed up in the idea of ‘super-diversity’ and intersectionality.

Once I had specified the field I wanted to explore, I started consuming multiple sources, including scientific research and newspaper articles, TV shows/interviews, books, and podcasts. The more I consumed, the more I discovered. At a certain point, I was overwhelmed by the amount of information. My supervisor reminded me that a project needs to be doable and focused in order to meet a deadline and word limit. I narrowed down my research question and changed it several times before titling it: How Does Staff Collaboration Shape Classroom Management in Inclusive School Systems’ Super-Diversity? Super-diversity and intersectionality need particular attention in modern society, especially in countries with a high intake of foreign students. I was curious to study how staff identify and address problems arising from multiple identity markers in class, and how they turn them into opportunities. My supervisor said jokingly, ‘Stick the finalised research question in front of your desk so that you always see it when you work on it’, which I did (on the wall behind the computer).

I consider myself more creative than well-organised; therefore, I feared the deadline, word limit, and overall workload from the beginning. In a table calendar, I determined when parts of the work needed to be done and kept it close by. I also needed to improve my digital skills before and during the project. Arranging the first virtual meeting with my supervisor helped me focus on what to do first and how to organise myself. The professor reminded me at the beginning that getting ethical clearance is paramount and sometimes requires a significant waiting time, so I pressured myself to get official permission to undertake the research project as soon as possible. I realised the complexity when involving children in research and quickly ruled out interviewing (vulnerable) minors or their parents. Getting a minimal-risk ethical clearance was still complicated because I needed permission from King’s College London, the German authorities, the school and related social organisations, and the Ministry for Education here in Bremen. I also had to ensure compliance with European standards of data protection.

For the methodology of my research, I used a combination of an online survey aimed at school staff, and classroom observations including break times and field trips. Once I had a list of survey questions, I sent them to my supervisor for consideration. She reminded me to be specific, and reflect on whether the data was valuable to my research question. She also noted that the data gathered should not just showcase the situation in Germany but also relate it to a global context. Therefore, I researched school practices internationally: in the EU, UK, USA, Australia, and Asia. All my research led me to the conclusion that collaboration is critical to success,  which inspired me to begin the project with the following proverbial saying: 

After elaborating on the political context, describing past events in the German educational landscape, and providing related statistics, including the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (United Nations, 2009), I continued by providing the theoretical framework. I outlined several international scientific studies on the use of school support workers, their impact on students with and without disabilities, and their work relationships with teachers. By comparing many different national realities, I showed the similarities and potential learning effects when international knowledge exchange happens more frequently. Since I argued that collaboration could not occur without dialogue, I extended the theoretical framework on leading constructive conversations and nurturing collaboration to obtain multiple positive outcomes, including teachers’ well-being and strengthening the school’s community spirit. Regular inclusive school routines can only take place with the help of teacher assistants (TAs), but their effectiveness and impact on students depend on how well they integrate themselves in class and collaborate with the teachers. Additionally, the employment of TAs is not evenly regulated, leading to confusing expectations, vacancies, or frequent turnover in staff and disruption to inclusion processes. The need for dialogue to identify improvements on all levels should, therefore, be seen as crucial.

Immigration impacts education systems in different countries for various reasons (economic, political, natural disasters, etc.), and the way it is handled by authorities according to national legislation shapes diversity and inclusion processes and outcomes. Some countries focus more than others on additional language courses, for example. Depending on the region, some German schools try to involve parents of students in need more, offering them guidance on national social welfare. With more international exchange concerning these experiences, governments could learn from each other and save time and energy. That is why constructive dialogue, not only in schools but also among institutions and across borders, should be encouraged.

By comparing many different international practices of diversity and inclusion, I also learned a lot about my own country and how the city of Bremen was one of the first regions to implement inclusion policies. I realised that until 2010, Germany did not consider itself an immigration country, even though for decades after World War II, Germany actively looked for foreign labourers. The government and the public thought that, sooner or later, these foreign workers would leave the country. Instead, many settled in, and their children finished school here. Only since 2009 and 2014, when immigration reached peak levels in Germany, did politicians admit to being an immigration country, like the USA, Canada, France, and the UK, with all the connected advantages and challenges.

The path to inclusivity in schools

My dissertation’s conclusion highlights how super-diversity plays a significant role in Germany's schools today and that the high level of diversity immensely impacts the teaching and learning experience. An inclusive leader in class must be able to address this and communicate the complexity to other school staff involved. My findings urge everyone to see and cater to all forms of diversity, acknowledging how elements overlap (e.g. cultural backgrounds, language differences, possible traumatic experiences, social and economic disadvantages, gender, and sexual orientation). To ensure and sustain full inclusion for all students it is crucial to have clear yet flexible guidelines, along with constructive dialogue and collaboration between teachers and TAs.

The findings also confirm that true inclusion will be better achieved through eye-level conversations, flat hierarchies, and positive reinforcement of students, including those with disabilities, by identifying their strengths and talents. Their experiences and personalities can help other students to build qualities in resilience, determination, a positive outlook on life, language acquisition, problem-solving, empathy, humour, humility, creativity, and more. Collaboration between teachers, TAs, students, and parents can form bridges and enrich everyone’s world.

Most participants in my research confirmed that more help in class is needed to cater to the various students’ needs that also vary between subjects and tasks. Teachers felt that their work should be valued more by politicians and policymakers, and were troubled by funding cuts and teacher shortages. They agreed on the need for more funding, a change of curriculum, and more exchange of ideas between school staff, community aid workers, students, and parents. There was also a demand for multi-professional teams in school that could respond quicker and better to mental health problems among students, challenge anti-social behaviour, and even intervene to prevent vandalism and bullying. Again, the need for good communication was highlighted to establish and implement school rules efficiently.

There appeared to be a generational gap between teachers’ opinions on needing extra help during their lessons and break times. Younger teachers confessed to feeling unprepared for diversity-related challenges in class. In contrast, teachers with more work experience were more likely simply to ask for additional assistance in lessons. Do teacher training courses in Germany equip teachers to teach in super-diverse, inclusive school systems? Or is it that some teacher skills learned mainly by practical experience? The latter would suggest the benefit of a more extended period of co-teaching between well-established and early-career teachers. This would once again reinforce the call for better communication between professionals of any age or work experience. My research also suggested the benefit of actively recruiting international school staff and lowering bureaucratic hurdles in hiring processes, so that professional talent with a migration background could be employed more easily.

Benefits of the Global Cultures MA

I enjoyed learning how to research, create and distribute my survey, gather data, assemble the pieces, think critically, and add my ideas. Being taught and supported by inspiring professors from King’s and meeting like-minded students and people who were different from me made for a perfect experience returning to university.

I wish I could study more, which is an idea sitting in the back of my head, waiting to mature. First, I will try to further my career by changing jobs. I continue to read a lot across fields, but I am drawn by the arts, diversity and inclusion, sustainability, and how people worldwide live their culture. I aim to do more research in this field and maybe apply for a PhD programme, hopefully with King’s College London.

About Britta Beneke

Britta Beneke obtained her bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design in 1993 in Florence, Italy, after finishing her baccalaureate in Bremen, Germany. In 1994, she co-founded InterVento Sas in Vittorio Veneto, Italy, with her partner, designing and producing handprinted tapestries for interiors. She has worked as a Fashion Designer for several labels, including Roberto Cavalli, Benetton, and New Yorker.

As a student, she also did internships abroad, for example, in Perth, Australia, as an assistant costume seamstress, accompanying the Western Australian Ballet Company on tour. She won two international Design Awards.

In 2024, Britta achieved an online MA in Global Cultures with King’s College while working for the Red Cross as a personal assistant to students with disabilities.

About the Global Cultures MA

The online Master's in Global Cultures will build your interpersonal and cultural skills to help you engage effectively with colleagues, customers, clients, suppliers, and partners in today's interconnected world. Developing the key soft skills to bridge the gaps in the global industry workforce, this course sets you up for success in the modern workplace.