Research
Online Tutorial
Working
Students who were not in a first-year orientation course learned about the IDI and intercultural development through an online tutorial.
Interculturally
Competent
Citizens
Across Difference
- All first-year CFANS students took the IDI in fall 2013.
- 9 first-year courses devoted at least one class session to learning about the IDI and intercultural development.
- These courses served as touch-point for integrating intercultural content into each CFANS major, providing students with an introduction to why intercultural competence matters.
- Currently includes 26 CFANS courses to varying degrees.
University of Minnesota
Difference
College of Food Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences
Matters
(...Equity and Social Justice)
Mike White, Associate Dean
Karl Lorenz, Director Office for Diversity and Inclusion
In addition to intercultural development and competency, students gain and understanding of why difference matters. Examples include:
- How our identities impact our experiences and opportunities
- When we matter and when we are marginalized
- The impact of in/out group dynamics
Shift perspective and behavior
Goals &
Progress
Based
We employ the IDI as a pre/post assessment tool
Culturally relevant
Adaptation
Minimization
Denial
Acceptance
Polarization
Shift perspective and behavior
Lacks experience with difference
Focus on similarities
Looking below the "waterline"
Intentionally shifting behavior
Us vs. them
Universal values and experiences
Difference as "value-added"
Task: Gain experience with difference
Task: Move beyond us vs. them
Strength: Complex understanding and ability to shift fluidly
Task: Recognize how and why difference matters
Task: Put knowledge into practice
What would this mean for you if you were a professional advising team?
The Role of Pedagogy
Monocultural Mindset
Intercultural Mindset
Can we enhance intercultural competency without going abroad?
...and as a developmental framework to build targeted intercultural growth in CFANS students.
Coursework
Our research expanded to on-campus courses.
Work was undertaken to build faculty capacity.
Outcomes for study abroad...
Pre/Post scores were graphed
For example, instructors:
This research initiated and informed the Working Across Difference initiative.
Control Group - difference between "pre" and "post" scores. (Control model includes only pre/post IDI, no interventions)
Modified Group - difference between "pre" and "post" scores. (Modified model includes pre/post, group IDI feedback, targeted integration of intercultural content)
Directed intercultural reflection and targeted class activities with an appropriate underlying developmental model consistently deliver a measurable increase in intercultural competency.
Full Implementation Group - difference between "pre" and "post" scores. (Full model includes pre/post, individual and group feedback, and targeted integration of intercultural content)
- Provide opportunities for students to practice approaching issues from multiple perspectives
- Integrate Universal Design (learning styles)
- Utilize case studies
- Conduct syllabus review for inclusive sources and course content
- Provide community engaged activities
- Consider integration with study abroad
Why is the ability to work across difference important?
Global Citizenship
Demographic Changes
Understanding relationships of power and priviledge
Part of the college experience
Accountability
Future Career
(...guiding our work and measuring outcomes)
UNESCO Intercultural Competencies
...All students demonstrate the ability to work effectively across difference as a core competency upon
graduation.
Aligns with UNESCO Intercultural Competencies:
- Respect (valuing others);
- Self-awareness/identity (understanding the lens through which we each view the world);
- Seeing from other perspectives/world views/ways of knowing (both how these perspectives are similar and different);
- Listening and Sharing (engaging in authentic intercultural dialogue);
- Adaptation (being able to shift temporarily into another perspective);
- Relationship building (forging lasting cross-cultural personal bonds);
- Cultural humility (combines respect with self-awareness).
Assess
Intercultural
Development
UMN Student Learning
Students will take the IDI again during the sophomore and senior year to assess change in intercultural development. Employ additional qualitative measures to support findings.
and Development
Outcomes
Supports the following all-university learning and development outcomes:
Next
Student Learning Outcomes:
- Understand diverse philosophies and worldviews...
- Have acquired skills for effective citizenship...
Steps
Student Development Outcomes:
- Self-awareness...
- Appreciation of differences...
- Tolerance of ambiguity...
Identify, develop and employ additional direct assessment tools to evaluate student progress in developing and demonstrating Intercultural Competence (e.g., reflection essays, e-portfolio and self-assessment tools.
Encourage additional classes in CFANS to articulate their relationship to relevant SLO's and DLO's, incorporate case studies that highlight multiple worldviews and cultural perspectives.
Increase faculty participation.
- Deepen work with the departments, Office for International Programs and faculty to identify core courses that can serve as touch-points within each of the majors for the intentional integration of intercultural content.
- Implement a faulty mentor program to recruit and support interested faculty in developing pedagogy that incorporates intercultural approaches and content. ...Also provides continuing development for advanced faculty practitioners.
- Continue to develop/improve the online learning module. Extend use for transfer students (30% of our population). Develop a second module expanding on social justice and equity impacts.
- Increase the learning community of faculty who are already integrating intercultural content into their courses and study abroad programs. Encourage department level participation for curriculum integration.
- Seek additional resources and identify partnerships to share costs and effort.