Date of Award

Fall 2022

Document Type

Open Access Dissertation

Department

Educational Studies

First Advisor

Terrance McAdoo

Abstract

The purpose of this action research study was to understand the impact purposeful professional development has on the levels of higher education instructors’ cultural competence. The training developed as an intervention for this study included two 75-minute sessions and an independent book study over a five-week period. Fourteen faculty members participated in this mixed methods study. Quantitative data was collected via pretest and posttest scores on the Cultural Intelligence Scale (CQS) and analysis of the statistical significance was performed to gauge the effectiveness of the intervention and its impact on instructors’ cultural competence. Open-ended responses from participants on a three-item questionnaire served as qualitative data to understand participants’ perceptions of the professional development’s impact on their cultural competence. The results of this study indicated statistically significant differences in 15 of the 17 factors and sub-dimensions on the CQS from pre- to post-intervention as reflected via t-tests. The qualitative data provided positive in-depth insight regarding the impact the content of the trainings and the strategies utilized within them had on their cultural competence. The results provided meaningful guidance for an action plan for future steps both department-wide and campus-wide.

Rights

© 2022, Jennifer Lilly Engle

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