Predicting Intercultural Sensitivity Using Demographic Variables among College of Agriculture Undergraduate Students

Autor/inn/en	Fabregas Janeiro, Maria G.; Kelsey, Kathleen D.; Robinson, Shane J.
Titel	Predicting Intercultural Sensitivity Using Demographic Variables among College of Agriculture Undergraduate Students
Quelle	(2012), S.710-719 (10 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1548-6613
Schlagwörter	Cultural Awareness; Agriculture; Agricultural Colleges; Undergraduate Students; Prediction; Agricultural Education; Employers; Universities; Educational Opportunities; Study Abroad; Measures (Individuals); College Students; Online Courses; Student Attitudes; Correlation; Majors (Students); Individual Characteristics + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Cultural identity; Kulturelle Identität; Landwirtschaft; Landwirtschaftliche Fakultät; Landwirtschaftliche Hochschule; Vorhersage; Agriculture; Education; Landwirtschaftliche Ausbildung; Ausbildung; University; Universität; Bildungsangebot; Bildungschance; Studies abroad; Auslandsstudium; Messdaten; Collegestudent; Online course; Online-Kurs; Schülerverhalten; Korrelation; Personality characteristic; Personality traits; Persönlichkeitsmerkmal
Abstract	Employers seek interculturally sensitive professionals who can successfully navigate among a variety of cultures and serve as ambassadors to promote commerce internationally. To facilitate the development of interculturally sensitive citizens, universities offer students a variety of opportunities, such as studying abroad and internationally designated courses (I-courses), with the assumption that by experiencing another culture, participants will deepen their levels of interculturally sensitivity. These assumptions are rarely tested empirically. The purpose of the study was to determine if agriculture students' level of intercultural sensitivity differed in terms of the type of intercultural experience selected (studying abroad experience or I-course) and various demographic variables. The findings indicated that 98.01% of the students were operating at the lowest levels of intercultural sensitivity (ethnocentric stage), as measured by a standardized and validated instrument. In conclusion, agriculture undergraduate college students' level of intercultural sensitivity did not differ in terms of the type of intercultural experience selected (studying abroad vs. I-course) or various demographic variables including college year. Implications suggest that neither the time spent in college (from freshman to senior years) nor experiences (studying abroad or I-courses) increased levels of intercultural sensitivity among population studied. Due to the importance of developing intercultural sensitivity among the student body, it is recommended that colleges of agriculture implement a multi-pronged approach to developing intercultural sensitivity among undergraduates, including empirically tested experiences that are known to increase cultural competency. Future research should focus on identifying variables that predict changes in intercultural sensitivity, so that program planners can achieve their goal of developing intercultural competence among the student body. (Contains 4 tables.) (As Provided).
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10