Comparing Students' Intercultural Competence After Completing a Cultural Diversity Course Online or Face-to-Face

• In Event: 56.061 - Curriculum and Academic Programs for Multicultural/Multiethnic Societies

Abstract

The use of online courses in higher education has been increasing, and much research has been conducted focusing on the effectiveness of these courses. The use of online courses for teaching intercultural competence, however, has not been explored in depth. In this paper, we compared students’ degrees of intercultural competence before and after taking a cultural diversity and social justice course. We also compared degrees of intercultural competence between students who took the course online versus face-to-face. Our findings suggest that students in the online class developed more openness to other cultures after taking the course than those who took the course face-to-face. This paper is significant because it advances the knowledge of assessment and teaching of intercultural competence.

Authors

• Shalyse Iseminger, Purdue University

• Horane A. Holgate, Purdue University

• Pamala Morris, Purdue University