REFRAMING CULTURAL COMPETENCE AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT: A REPLICATION STUDY OF HIGH IMPACT PRACTICES IN UNDERGRADUATE PSYCHOLOGY COURSES

Authors

  • Lori Simons Widener University, Chester, Pennsylvania, USA
  • Sara Schoneman Widener University, Chester, Pennsylvania, USA
  • Madeline Hoffman Widener University, Chester, Pennsylvania, USA
  • Kylie Beller Widener University, Chester, Pennsylvania, USA
  • Nancy Blank Widener University, Chester, Pennsylvania, USA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v10i2.4660

Keywords:

high-impact practices, student learning outcomes, cultural competence, civic engagement

Abstract

Institutions of higher education require diversity courses so that students can increase their multicultural awareness, knowledge, and skills. Multicultural Psychology courses play a pivotal role in instilling cultural competence in students. The study examined differences in cultural competence and civic engagement for 1,053 undergraduate students exposed to different types of high-impact practices enrolled in educational psychology, multicultural psychology, and psychology internship courses. There was a significant Group x Time interaction effect for cultural skills. Post hoc analyses revealed that students exposed to diversity service-learning in a multicultural psychology course acquired cultural skills compared to students exposed to academic service-learning in the educational psychology course and those students exposed to fieldwork in an internship from the beginning to the end of the semester. Students in the multicultural psychology course were also intellectually challenged, reflected on the course concepts, and gained a deeper understanding of the course content more than students in the educational psychology course. Recommendations for teaching diversity courses are discussed.

 

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Author Biographies

  • Lori Simons, Widener University, Chester, Pennsylvania, USA

    Lori Simons, Ph.D. is a Professor of Psychology in the Social Science Department at Widener University in Chester, PA, USA. She is an Educational Psychologist and serves as both the Coordinator of the Psychology Department’s Practicum/Internship Program and the Co-Director of the University’s Academic Service-Learning Faculty Development Program. Her research focuses on assessment and evaluation, pedagogical impacts, and student learning.

  • Sara Schoneman, Widener University, Chester, Pennsylvania, USA

    Nancy Blank, Ph.D. is a Professor of Criminal Justice in the Social Science Department at Widener University in Chester, PA, USA. Dr. Blank also serves as both the Chair of the Criminal Justice Department and the Coordinator for the Department’s Practicum/Internship program. Her research focuses on restorative justice for girls in detention and diversity service-learning impacts on student learning.

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Published

2023-02-06

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 2 (2023)

Section

Articles

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