Assessing The Impact of
Cross-Cultural Interactions
Between First-Year students
in a Learning Community
and International students
Presenter
Gita Maharaja, Ed.D
Duquesne University
23 rd International Conference on the First-Year Experience
Session 11
Purpose of Study
• Investigate the impact of crosscultural interactions between
freshmen in a Learning
Community and E.S.L. students on
cross-cultural sensitivity, cultural
awareness and self-awareness
over a semester-long period.
Significance of the study
• Increasing need to prepare our students
to be sensitive to and aware of cultural
differences in our interconnected and
interrelated world
• Serve as model for other educators and
administrators seeking to increase the
effectiveness of interactions among their
native and international student
Definitions
Cross-Cultural Sensitivity: Ability to
experience cultural differences
Cultural Awareness : Ability to adjust to
cross-cultural situations
Self-Awareness: Ability to learn about
oneself as a result of the cross-cultural
interactions
•
Literature Review: OnCampus Cross-Cultural
Experience
Global perspective – cultural pluralism, world-
mindedness, support of internationalism,
cosmopolitan world outlook (Sharma and Jung, 1986)
• More accepting of diversity, desire to travel
abroad and greater responsibility for foreign
visitors (Stohl, 1986)
• Personal Development (Wilson, 1993)
• Interpersonal Relationship (Wilson, 1993)
Literature Review ( cont. )
• Cross-cultural Sensitivity is a skill that can be
learned through cross-cultural training
(Bennett, 1986, Cushner and Brislin, 1996)
• Cultural Awareness and Self-Awareness can be
developed through cross-cultural classroom
experiences (Fantini, 1997, Hammer, M. R., Bennett, M. J.
& Wiseman, R. 2003, Wilson, 1993)
Goals of Cross-cultural
Interactions On-Campus
• Help U.S. students to develop a more
comprehensive understanding of their
own culture and the culture of others.
• Assist international students in adapting
and integrating into the American culture
and the culture of their host institution
Conceptual Framework
• Concept of Cross-cultural Sensitivity based on
intercultural experiences (Cushner, 1986)
Five dimensions: - Cultural Integration
-
Behavioral
Intellectual Interaction
Attitude Towards Others
Empathy
Conceptual Framework (cont.)
• Cultural Awareness and Self-Awareness based on
cross-cultural adaptability skills
(Fantini, 1997, Hammer, M. R., Bennett, M. J. & Wiseman, R.
2003, Wilson, 1993)
Four Dimensions: - Self-confidence
- Tolerance
- Cultural empathy
- Independence
Research Questions
• Are there changes in students’ cross-cultural
sensitivity through structured interactions
occurring over a semester?
• Are there changes in students’ cultural
awareness through structured interactions
occurring over a semester?
• Are there changes in students’ self-awareness
through structured interactions occurring over
a semester?
Research Design
• Method: Quantitative Study with a
convenience sample; pre- and post-test design
• Population: Freshmen in a Learning
Community (27), English as a Second
Language students (23) and upper classmen(6)
• Instrument: Inventory of Cross-Cultural
Sensitivity (Cushner, 1986) and Cross-Cultural
Awareness questionnaire (piloted)
Cross-Cultural
Interactions
• On-line interactions via Wimba Voice tools
• Conversation hours as part of regular course
works
• Face-to face interactions in and out of
classroom
• Intercultural activities with the community
Cross-Cultural Activities
• Structured with specific directions
- Bafa Bafa
- Story Reading
- Guest speaker
- Critical Incidents
- Barnga
• Written and Oral reflections of cross-cultural
experiences
Demographics
Variable
Total
Percentage
Gender
Male 25
45
Female
Age Group
31
18-20
21-23
24+
Classification
E.S.L.
Freshman
Sophomore
Junior
Senior
Graduate
31
38
6
11
Only
36
1
2
5
3
9
64
2
4
9
5
68
12 21
16
Demographics (cont.)
Variables
Nationality
American
Non-American
First Language
English
Other
Overseas Traveling
Never
1-4 weeks
5-16 weeks
17-52 weeks
1+Years
Major
Liberal Arts
Business
Other
Total
Percentage
33
59
23
41
33
59
23
41
8
20
13
4
11
14
36
23
7
20
38
8
10
68
14
18
Statistical Data
Table I: Paired Samples t -Test Comparisons of Cultural Sensitivity
at the beginning and end of the semester
Scale
Mean (SD)
Mean (SD)
Pre-test
Post-test
t (df=56)
p
____________________________________________________
Cultural Integration
42.98(7.97)
46.29(8.07)
-3.162
.003*
Behavioral Scale
27.55(4.49)
29.14(4.32)
-1.999
.051*
Intellectual Interaction 33.01(4.59)
35.27(4.38)
-2.857
.006*
Attitude Towards Others 13.28(4.93)
10.80(4.47)
3.625
.001*
Empathy
22.41(3.30)
22.73(3.92)
-0.649
.519
_______________________________________________________________
Total Score
139.25(12.70)
144.23(12.90) -2.571
.013*
* p<.05 ( statistically significant difference)
Statistical Data (cont.)
Table I: Paired Samples t -Test Comparisons of Cultural and SelfAwareness at the beginning and end of the semester
Scale
Mean (SD)
Pre-test
Mean (SD)
Post-test
t (df=56)
p
____________________________________
Self-Confidence
34.36(3.57)
35.45(2.88)
2.075
.043*
Tolerance
14.05(1.99)
15.59(2.32)
-4.280
.001*
Independence
21.79(3.50)
23.62(3.58)
-3.454
.001*
Cultural Empathy
14.60(2.07)
15.70(1.57)
-4.312
.001*
_________________________________________________________________
Total Score
84.78(8.59)
90.36(7.50)
-4.697
.001*
* p<.05 ( statistically significant difference )
Data Analysis of Cultural
Sensitivity
• Statistically significant difference found in:
- Cultural Integration
- Behavioral Scale
- Intellectual Interaction
-Attitude Towards Others
-Overall Cultural Sensitivity
No Statistically significant change found in:
- Empathy
Data Analysis of Cultural and
Self-Awareness
• Statistically significant difference between preand post-results in :
- Self-Confidence
- Tolerance
- Independence
- Cultural Empathy
- Overall Cultural and Self-Awareness
Limitations
• Purely quantitative approach
• Carry-over effect of a pre- and posttest research design
• Duration of the research (one
semester)
• Cross-Sectional Research – data
collected reflected feelings at one
point of time at beginning and end of
semester
Recommendations
Mixed Method: Quantitative and
qualitative for in-depth data
• Explore other impacts of crosscultural interactions between
freshmen and E.S.L. students
(friendship, compassion, and others)
• Longitudinal studies
• Comparison to a control group
•
Conclusion
• Cross-cultural interactions did
increase students’ cultural sensitivity,
cultural awareness and selfawareness.
• Efforts to create and implement
cross-cultural activities for both E.S.L.
and U.S. students are beneficial.
References
• Bennett, M. J. (1993). Towards ethnorelativism: A
developmental model of intercultural sensitivity. In: R.M.
Paige (Ed.), Educational Exchange for the intercultural
experience, 21-71. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press.
• Cushner, K. (2003). Human Diversity in Action: Developing
Multicultural competencies for the classroom (2nd Ed). New
York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
• Hammer, M. R., Bennett, M. J. & Wiseman, R. (2003).
Measuring intercultural sensitivity: The intercultural
development inventory. International Journal of Intercultural
Relations, 27: 421-433.
References (Cont.)
• Fantini, A.E. (1997). New ways in teaching culture.
Bloomington, IL: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other
languages (TESOL), Inc.
• Sharma, M.P. & Jung, L.B. (1986). How cross-cultural
participation affects the international attitudes of U.S.
students. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 10,
377-387.
• Stohl, C. (1986). The A.M.I.G.O. project. International Journal
of Intercultural Relations, 10, 235-254.