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Using an Informal Interactional Diversity Experience to Promote Students’ Openness to Diversity
Susan Sanner, PhD; Lillian Parker, PhD; Kathleen Cannella PhD; Jennell Charles, PhD
Clayton State UniversityMorrow, GA
Lilly Conference on College & University Teaching
Traverse City, MISeptember 25, 2009
Federal Funding to Support Nursing Student Success
“Partnering to Increase the Nursing Workforce Diversity.” HRSA, Division of Nursing, NWD (D19HP08207-01-00) for $1,005,897 (07/01/07-06/30/2010).
“Openness” (Pascarella, et al., 1996)
Defined as “an orientation toward enjoyment from being intellectually challenged by different ideas, values, and perspectives as well as an appreciation of racial, cultural, and ethnic diversity” (p. 6).
Gurin, et al. (2002)
Informal interactional diversity. Involves the frequency and quality of
inter-group interaction as necessary ways to experience meaningful diversity experiences during college.
Presentation Objectives Define the meaning of diversity as it pertains to your
institution. Discuss an informal interactional diversity experience as a
means of promoting understanding of diversity. Determine the need for an informal interactional diversity
experience at your institution. Brainstorm a specific diversity experience that could be
implemented at your institution that could promote understanding of the issues faced by vulnerable populations at your institution.
Diversity Defined Categorization: Open-ended and
ambiguous: “our institution needs more diversity”
Representation: depicts images of particular social groups defining them by race, gender, age, or socioeconomic status
Ideology: refers to a set of beliefs for the purpose of changing people’s attitudes.
Wood, P. (2003). Diversity: The invention of a concept. San
Francisco: Encounter Books.
Benefits of a Diverse College Experience
Astin (1993):participation in cultural awareness workshops, and frequency with which students socialized with persons from different racial/ethnic groups, were positively associated with measures of student satisfaction with the undergraduate experience and with measures of academic development, including increased cultural awareness and commitment to promoting racial understanding.
Informal Interactional Diversity Experiences Explored in Higher Education
Pascarella et al. (1996): explored ways in which institutions instilled in students a greater openness to racial, cultural, and value diversity.
Assessed the extent to which an individuals enjoyed being challenged by different ideas, values, and perspectives.
Developed the Openness to Diversity and Challenge Scale (ODCS).
Informal Interactional Diversity Experiences Explored in Higher Education: Determining Openness
Summers et al. (2002): administered the ODCS to students over a two year period.
Analyzed data according to gender, ethnicity and class rank.
Significant differences in scores based on gender and ethnicity.
Informal Interactional Diversity Experiences Explored in Higher Education: Study Abroad Programs
Wortman (2002) Ismail et al. (2006) Both found significant increases in
students’ openness to diversity after the experience.
The Need for Informal Interactional Diversity Experiences at CSU
Diverse student populations. Improve communication among
students. Develop racial/cultural understanding. Dispel assumptions
Enrollment by Ethnic Group (CSU Fact Book 2008-2009)
Fall ‘04 Fall ‘05 Fall ‘06 Fall ‘07 Fall ‘08
Asian/Pacific Islander
273 303 343 313 299
Black 2,892 3,173 3,200 3,241 3,291
Hispanic 145 169 161 167 172
Multiracial 343 356 317 275 247
Native American
22 15 14 14 13
White 2,279 2,196 1,963 1,746 1,608
Unknown 83 287 444
Total Enrollment
% Minority
5,954
61.7
6,212
64.6
6,081
66.4
6,043
66.4
6,074
66.2
CSU SON Student Diversity
2004 2005 2006 2007
BSN Enrollees
48 41 47 45
Minority BSN Enrollees
35 22 30 33
% Minority BSN Enrollees
73% 55% 64% 73%
Purpose of the First Diversity Forum
To promote racial/cultural understanding among students and among faculty and students.
To develop culturally competent graduates who are sensitive to the needs of diverse patient populations.
60 Countries Represented by CSU’s International Students
Albania Djibouti Iraq Netherlands Spain
Antigua/Barbados
Dominica Jamaica Niger Taiwan
Brazil Ecuador Japan Nigeria Tajikistan
Cambodia El Salvador
Kenya Pakistan Thailand
Cameroon Ethiopia Korea Panama Togo
Canada France Laos Peru Trinidad
China Germany Lebanon Philippines Ukraine
Colombia Ghana Liberia Poland U. K.
Congo Grenada Lithuania
Portugal Venezuela
Cuba Guyana Malaysia Romania Vietnam
Cyprus Hong Kong
Mexico Senegal W. Sahara
Czech Republic
India Moldova Sierra Leone
Zimbabwe
CSU International Students by CSU International Students by World RegionWorld Region
Asia / Pacific Islands
18%Sub-Saharan
Africa24%
Eastern Europe
13%Carib-bean10%
West. Europe
12%
Latin America
15%
North America (excluding U.S.)
2%
Middle East3% India / Pakistan
3%
The Activities
Keynote Speaker Shared a Meal Group Activity Multidisciplinary Experience
Students’ Openness to Diversity
Measured using the Openness to Diversity/Challenge Scale (Pascarella, et al., 1996).
8 question Likert-type Scale
Openness to Diversity/Challenge Scale Questions I enjoy having discussions with people whose ideas and
values are different from my own. The real value of a college education lies in being
introduced to different values. I enjoy talking to people who have values different from
mine because it helps me understand myself and my values.
Learning about people from different cultures is a very important part of my college education.
I enjoy taking courses that challenge my beliefs and values. The courses I enjoy the most are those that make me think
about things from a different perspective. Contact with individuals whose background is different from
my own is an essential part of my college education. I enjoy courses that are intellectually challenging.
Results The means and standard deviations for the
total scores on the pretest and post-test were 33.70/5.718 and 36.34/4.833, respectively.
Scores ranged from 16 to 40 on the pretest and 20 to 40 on the posttest.
A significant difference was found between participants’ pretest and posttest scores
Results supported the research hypothesis that the students’ posttest scores on the ODCS would be significantly higher than their pretest scores.
Implications An educational forum can promote
racial/cultural understanding among students.
Racial and cultural understanding provides a critical foundation in promoting cultural competency among future nurses.
With the increasing diversity of patients and healthcare professionals, cultural competency is the key in the delivery of safe and effective health care.
Annual Cultural Diversity Forum
Sanner, S., Baldwin, D., Cannella, K., Charles, J., & Parker, L. The impact of a cultural diversity forum on students’ openness to diversity. To appear in the Journal of Cultural Diversity (accepted for publication, May, 2009).
Steps for Implementing a Diversity Forum or a Type of Informal Interactional Diversity Experience
Decide why a forum or informal interactional experience would be needed.
Consider your institution and department missions.
Consider student issues. Identify how the activity may link to
program outcomes.
Group Time! Discuss the Following
The need for diversity experiences at your institution/department.
Consider your department’s program outcomes and choose how a diversity experience could assist in meeting one or more program outcomes.
Brainstorm an experience that could provide your students an appropriate diversity experience.
Thank You! Any Questions?
References Astin, A.W. (1993). Diversity and multiculturalism on
campus: How are students affected? Change, 25(2), 44-49.
Gurin, P., Dey, E., Hurtado, S., & Gurin, D. (2002). Diversity and higher education: Theory and impact on educational outcomes. Harvard Educational Review, 72(3), 330-366.
Ismail, B., Morgan, M., & Hayes, K. (2006). Effect of short study abroad course on student openness to diversity. Journal of Food Science Education, 1, 15-18.
Pascarella, E., Edison, M., Nora, A., Hagedorn, L., & Terenzini, P. (1996). Influences on students’ openness to diversity and challenge in the first year of college. Journal of Higher Education, 67(2), 174-195.
References
Summers, J., Svinicki, M., Gorin, J., & Sullivan, T. (2002). Student feelings of connection to the campus and openness to diversity and challenge at a large research university: Evidence of progress? Innovative Higher Education, 27(1), 53-64.
Swaminathan, R. and Alfred, M. (2003). Strangers in the mirror: Immigrant students in the higher education classroom.
Wood, P. (2003). Diversity: The invention of a concept. San Francisco: Encounter Books.
Wortman, T.I. (2002). Psychosocial effects of studying abroad: Openness to diversity. Dissertation Abstract International, 63(7): 2479-572.