Tania Nagpaul* and Vivien SHAN Wen
Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)
Nagpaul, T., & Shan, V. W. (2024). Experience and reflection: The bases of a successful diversity and inclusion course [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/hecs2024-tnagpaul-vshan/
SUB-THEME
Opportunities from Wellbeing
KEYWORDS
diversity education, inclusion, multicultural attitudes, experiential learning, reflection
CATEGORY
Paper Presentation
RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND OBJECTIVES
Embracing diversity and inclusion in the workplace is a key competency for successful future-ready young adults. Ample empirical evidence from Western countries suggests that diversity curricula must be part of university education given the salutary effects it has on student outcomes like personal growth, (Booker et al., 2016), moral development (Parker et al., 2016), ethnocultural empathy (Monroe, 2018) and multicultural awareness (Richardson et al., 2020). Yet, in Singapore, very few diversity and inclusion courses for pre-employment students exist, much less any empirical evidence that supports their effectiveness in bringing about intended student outcomes. Hence, this study examines the effectiveness of a diversity & inclusion course offered to undergraduate students to answer the following research questions:
- To what extent is a diversity and inclusion course effective in influencing shifts in inclusive attitudes and behaviours?
- What pedagogical elements are most critical in delivering the intended student outcomes of the course?
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
The pedagogy of the course is based on two teaching approaches of multicultural education. First, is the liberal approach which involves personal and social identity reflection, embracing pluralism and teaching sensitivity and tolerance. This approach forms a stepping stone for deeper reflection in the next critical approach which focuses on matters of power, privilege and equity emphasising social transformation reflection (Gorski & Dalton, 2020). The course incorporates experiential learning activities in each classroom session which include, in-class exercises, speaker panels, videos, storytelling, and small-group processes (Pugh, 2014).
Contrary to the traditional didactic model where students are often passive recipients of knowledge, the experiential pedagogy of this course gets students to reflect on course concepts. Imagine being ‘told’ how sweet a fruit is versus given a chance to taste it! This power of experience is unleashed in each lesson of this course (details of each curated activity available upon request).
METHOD
The curriculum comprises six units covered over a 12-week semester. Sixty-four undergraduate students at an autonomous university in Singapore participated in this study.
Participants were recruited from two sections of the same diversity course offered through the human resource management program. The Munroe and Pearson (2006) 18-item Munroe Multicultural Attitude Scale Questionnaire (MASQUE) was administered both at the beginning (pre-test) and end (post-test) of the semester to assess changes in students’ attitudes. Behavioural intentions were assessed by content analysing students’ end-of-semester responses to an open-ended prompt.
KEY FINDINGS
Results demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in students’ inclusive attitudes and behaviours from pre-test to post-test. By the end of the semester, students were not only more caring and inclusive but also made more bias-interrupting choices in a situational judgment task, indicating a positive shift in their decision-making around diversity issues. Furthermore, by the semester’s end, students showed higher intentions to advocate for gender inclusiveness compared to the beginning.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study has demonstrated the educational value of a reflection and experiential learning–based pedagogy in delivering a course aimed at students’ attitudes and behaviours towards greater inclusivity.
ALIGNMENT WITH SUB-THEME: OPPORTUNITIES FOR WELLBEING
Student wellbeing is a central focus in the learning journey of this course. The instructors take considerable effort to create psychological safety throughout the course, ensuring that reflection and experiences can reap their intended benefits. This study demonstrates that a course with strong pedagogical foundations can fulfil the promise of building students’ competence in navigating the challenges of a diverse social environment. Apart from the immediate benefits it also underscores the critical role of education in shaping future societal interactions and professional landscapes.
REFERENCES
Booker, K. C., Merriweather, L., & Campbell-Whatley, G. (2016). The Effects of Diversity Training on Faculty and Students’ Classroom Experiences. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 10(1), n1. https://doi.org/10.20429/ijsotl.2016.100103
Gorski, P. C., & Dalton, K. (2020). Striving for critical reflection in multicultural and social justice teacher education: Introducing a typology of reflection approaches. Journal of Teacher Education, 71(3), 357-368. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487119883545
Munroe, A., & Pearson, C. (2006). The Munroe multicultural attitude scale questionnaire: A new instrument for multicultural studies. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 66(5), 819-834.
Parker III, E. T., Barnhardt, C. L., Pascarella, E. T., & McCowin, J. A. (2016). The impact of diversity courses on college students’ moral development. Journal of College Student Development, 57(4), 395-410. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2016.0050
Pugh, G. L. (2014). The experiential learning cycle in undergraduate diversity and social justice education. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 34(3), 302-315. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841233.2014.906531
Richardson, L., Volberding, J., & Zahl, M. L. (2020). The impact of a university approved diversity course on undergraduate students’ multicultural awareness. SCHOLE: A Journal of Leisure Studies and Recreation Education, 35(1), 28-40. https://doi.org/10.1080/1937156X.2020.1720461