Cross-Discipline Examination of Students' Cultural Sensitivity in an Agriculture Communicating Across Cultures Course

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 15
  In Roundtable Session: Career and Technical Education Roundtable 2

Abstract

The agriculture industry finds itself at the center of the challenges of diversity and social equity issues. The institution in this study created courses to help students develop greater domestic intercultural self-awareness and sensitivity. This study assesses the effectiveness of the interventions in one such course, comprised of experiential and reflective activities grounded in critical pedagogy, social development theory, and cognitive development theory. The impact of the interventions was measured in a pre-/post-test design with the Intercultural Development Inventory. As a group, participants slightly increased their IDI scores, with forward stage movement and Perceived-Developmental Orientation gap decreases notes. Implications of the findings, including the fit of the IDI for this context, and limitations of the study design are discussed.

Author

• Lisa A Lambert Snodgrass, Purdue University