An Immersion Experience in a Developing Nation

1. An Immersion Experience in a Developing Nation Dr. John Kachurick

2. The problem • “…many students lack the basic understanding of cultural pluralism needed to maximize competency with ethnically and racially diverse clients” (Varricchio, 1987, p. 57).

4. Cultural Competency? • Definitions of cultural competency abound. • One of the earliest definitions sees cultural competency as a “…set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together in a system, agency, or among professionals enabling them to work effectively in cross-cultural situations” (Cross, Bazron, Dennis, & Isaacs, 1989: iv–v).

5. Cultural Competency? (2) • Duke University defines cultural competency as “an experiential understanding and acceptance of the beliefs, values, and ethics of others as well as the demonstrated skills necessary to work with and serve diverse individuals and groups.”

6. Cultural Competency • For this presentation, the definition of Cross et al. is the operation definition since it is succinct, clear and the building block upon which the other definitions are constructed.

7. Cultural Intelligence • Earley & Mosakowski (2003) contend that cultural competence starts with one’s cultural intelligence, that is, one’s ability to operate in a variety of situations that involve cross-culture functionality. • This ability includes four elements: • Behavioral intelligence • Cognitive intelligence • Motivational intelligence • Metacognitive intelligence

8. Metacognitive Intelligence • The ability to acquire cultural knowledge, recognize cultural assumptions, understand cultural norms, and perceive others' cultural preferences before and during interactions. (Ang, Dyne, Koh, Ng, Templer, Tay, & Chandrasekar)

9. Cognitive Intelligence • Knowledge of economic, legal, values, and social systems in different cultures and subcultures. (Ang, Dyne, Koh, Ng, Templer, Tay, & Chandrasekar)

10. Motivational Intelligence • The desire to learn about and function in situations involving cultural differences, based on intrinsic interest and confidence in one's ability to deal with them. (Ang, Dyne, Koh, Ng, Templer, Tay, & Chandrasekar)

11. Behavioral Intelligence • The ability to exhibit situationally appropriate verbal and nonverbal actions, including words, tone, gestures and facial expressions, when interacting with people from different cultures. (Ang, Dyne, Koh, Ng, Templer, Tay, & Chandrasekar)

12. Dimensions of Cultural • Hofstede’s (1980, 1991, 2001) framework of cultural values is the most cited work in regarding cultural variation, although others have expanded upon his work. • Hofsted’s (2001) dimensions are: • Individualism/Collectivism • Uncertainty Avoidance • Power Distance, and • Masculinity/Femininity • Long-term Orientation

13. Culture • Hall (1990) defines culture as a set of behavioral rules gained during the socialization process that determine how a person sees her environment and her use of verbal and non-verbal communication.

14. Hall seeks to provide tools to decipher messages from other cultures. • He notes three dimensions to messaging: • Multi-tasking vs mono-tasking • The distance individuals maintain between each other in social interaction • High or low cultural context for communications

15. Enhancing the Models • Trompenaars (1994) enhances the paradigms of Hoftede and Hall, using a seven-dimension model for analysis: • universalism – particularism, • sequential time –synchronic time, • specific - diffuse, • acheived status – ascribed status, • outer directed – inner directed , • affectivity – • neutrality, individualism - collectivism

16. Cultural Immersion • “The desired professional outcome of transcultural immersion experiences is cultural sensitiv(ity)…in practice”…. • “…once a student has had the chance to become immersed in another worldview, one may see differences as well as similarities resulting in a more culturally sensitive approach” (Ryan & Twibell, 2002, p.38).

17. Misericordia University • Small, liberal arts, Catholic university • Very homogenous (Caucasian) population • Limited student exposure to those from other cultures, races, and ethnicities

18. University Ties to Cultural Competency • The university developed a strategic plan that addresses a goal for diversity that states: “We will provide for our students to graduate with cultural competency and our employees to gain needed knowledge, awareness and skills” (Misericordia Strategic Plan)

19. Strategic-initiative Grant • Two faculty from the business department and one faculty from the nursing department received an $8,000 university strategic-initiative reserve grant. • The goal of the grant was to facilitate the development of a pilot international, cross-cultural, immersion course to provide students with an opportunity to develop cultural competency and to study in an international setting.

20. The Proposal • The three faculty members developed a multi-disciplinary course in cultural competency. • Undergraduate and graduate students from all programs were encouraged to apply. • Twelve students (9 graduate, 3 undergraduate) applied and were accepted for the course. • The faculty obtained IRB approval to conduct a research study.

21. Hypothesis • A statistically significant relationship exists between a student’s development of cultural competency and an international, multi-disciplinary, cultural-immersion experience.

22. Guyana, SA The course involved the 12 students and the three faculty members traveling to Guyana, one of the poorest nations in South America.

23. Pre-immersion Activities • Prior to departure for Guyana, the 12 students who registered for the course attended six on-campus class sessions designed for diversity training and trip preparation. • The faculty administered the Discovering Diversity Profile to all students as a pre-test at the final meeting.

24. DDP Test (2) • The Discovering Diversity Profile is a cultural competency test that explores diversity in four key areas: • Knowledge: Stereotypes and information are assessed • Understanding: Awareness and empathy are measured • Acceptance: Tolerance and respect are examined • Behavior: Self-awareness and interpersonal skills are measured and insights are provided into actions and attitudes

25. DDP (3) • The DDP aligns well with the concepts outlined by Hofstede, Hall and Trompenaars and is a good proxy for these concepts. • The instrument meets validity and reliability requirements.

26. Student Immersion Plan • Students were matched with preceptors related to their respective fields of study (nursing, organizational management, social work, and occupational therapy) for a two week period. • Each student spent approximately two weeks working in a variety of organizations within Guyana. • During this time, students wrote reflection papers and participated in group learning sessions. • Students also engaged in a variety of cultural experiences such as field trips, tours and leisure outings over the two-week period.

27. The Students’ Background • 5 Graduate Organizational Management Students • 4 Graduate Nursing Students • 1 Undergraduate Social Work Student • 1 Undergraduate Nursing Student • 1 Undergraduate Physical Therapy Student

28. Placement Goals 1. Matching placements to the abilities, skills and knowledge of the students. 2. Determining the appropriate organizations. 3. Securing commitment of organizations to allow foreign students to participate in their workplaces. • Contact within the organizations • Visiting the organizations to give student backgrounds.

29. Placements (1) • Matching placements to the abilities, skills and knowledge of the students. • Resumes • Interviews • Transcripts

30. Placements (2) • Determining the appropriate organizations. • Safety • Interaction with employees • Appropriate position within the organization

31. Placements (3) • Securing commitment of organizations to allow foreign students to participate in their workplaces. • Contact within the organization • Visiting the organization to: • develop a relationship with the contact and any managers involved • give it students’ backgrounds • observe conditions

32. Our Advantages • The official language of Guyana is English • The three professors have prior experiences within Guyana on rganizational, university and individual levels. • The three professors are familiar with the culture. • The three professors have contacts in the right places within Guyana.

33. The Participating Organizations • GuySuCo • Demerara Distilleries • Mercy Wings • St. Joseph Mercy Hospital • Georgetown Public Hospital

34. GuySuCo • One student spent four days at East Demerara Estates, a sugar processing plantation, observing the production of sugar products from the harvested sugar cane. • The second GuySuCo placement involved putting a student into the IT environment of this major Guyanese corporation so he could observe and interact with the employees of the department on a professional and personal level.

35. Demerara Distilleries • This placement shadowed a marketing representative for this world-renowned distiller of rum and other sugar-based products, including visiting a variety of establishments that sold the firm’s products.

36. Mercy Wings • The two students, one a graduate student and the other a social work student, were placed at Mercy Wings, a facility operated that is an innovative vocational-technical training program for adolescents who have not completed traditional schooling. • Our students interacted with faculty and students at Mercy Wings

37. St. Joseph Mercy Hospital • The four graduate nurses and the undergraduate nurse reworked the charting system at the hospital and provided other valuable assistance and education to the Guyanese nurses. • One OM graduate student worked with the CEO to develop a marketing plan for the private, non-profit hospital.

38. Georgetown Public Hospital • The physical therapy student spent part of her time at the Georgetown Public Hospital and the other part at St. Joseph Hospital working in her discipline with practitioners at both institutions.

39. Post-test Administration • On the return flight to the United States, the faculty administered to all students the Discovering Diversity Profile as a cultural competency post-test.

40. Quantitative Data Analysis • Analysis of the data using SPSS to generate descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test showed: • No statistically significant differences between the pre- and post-tests were apparent.

41. Quantitative Analysis (2) • Probable reasons for this result include: • The pre-test scores were extremely high • 75% of the students were at the graduate level. • The n was extremely low (12). • The immersion may have been too short. • Since the data was non-parametric, the descriptive statistics provided little usable information.

42. Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test • Binomial distribution used p = .05 (.006 Bonferroni correction) • Sign Test

43. Qualitative Data Analysis • Data excerpted from in-country class discussions and student reflection papers following the international study experience indicate the students enhanced their cultural intelligence. • The following excerpts from student papers point to an emerging pattern of enhanced cultural intelligence.

44. Qualitative Data Analysis (1) • “A look at other cultures is an experience you can only read about - but to travel to other countries is the best way to understand and learn. It was beyond what I expected, a real chance to have a true look at another culture.”

45. Qualitative Data Analysis (2) • “A look at other cultures is an experience you can only read about - but to travel to other countries is the best way to understand and learn. It was beyond what I expected, a real chance to have a true look at another culture.”

46. Qualitative Data Analysis (3) • “We were immersed in the culture and the community. It allowed us to see first hand what the needs were.” • “The opportunity to study in this wonderful country allowed me to learn things that could not be taught in a classroom. This experience taught me not only about culture and diversity; it taught me more about the person I want to be.”

47. Qualitative Data Analysis (4) • “Their (Guyanese) reason was plain and simple—they did not want to leave their homes and their families behind. The Guyanese people are very close and very relying on the bonds and relationships they have with their families and I believe this is one of the greatest factors that separate the Guyanese from the Americans.”

48. Qualitative Data Analysis (4) • “I truly believe all of us returned to the United States with a greater appreciation for what we have at home….Furthermore, we obtained an even greater appreciation for another world culture.”

49. Qualitative Data Analysis (5) • “… it is clearly a course that students can compare a culture to what they experience in their own group. I personally was made aware, obtained knowledge, and realized that diversity has very genuine effects on behavior and work outcomes.”

50. Limitations • Threats to external validity • Convenience sample • Self-selected group of highly motivated students • Small n • Limited generalizability of findings.