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.