The notion of intercultural sensitivity and its measurement Simon Taylor

Overview Starting points Culture and Global mindedness Definitions Intercultural sensitivity Measurement instruments Introduction to IDI IDI use in education IDI use at MIS The pros and cons of the IDI

My Starting Points 1 Why? “Excellence in education for globally minded students” Faculty and staff need to understand, feel and live “global-mindedness” if we are to help students.

Global mindedness heidisparkle.com

My Starting Points 2 Culture IS A valid concept Global – mindedness IS NOT International- mindedness Global- mindedness and culture ARE Linked

Definitions Intercultural … Awareness Learning Sensitivity Competence Understanding Education “Intercultural awareness, intercultural sensitivity and intercultural competence form the cognitive, affective and behavioural aspects of intercultural communication” Chen 1997

Intercultural Sensitivity Measurement etsy.com

Intercultural Sensitivity Measurement 4types Abbe, Gulick & Herman (2007) Self Reporting Behavior 87 Fantini 2007 Multi dimensional Developmental Trait based Observational

Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) Developmental 1986 DMIS developed (Bennett 2004) 1998 IDI – based on DMIS developd (Hammer, Bennett and Wiseman (2003) Denial Defense Minimization Acceptance Adaption Polarization Reversal Ethnocentrism Ethnorelativitism

IDI v3 – 50 questions and self reporting Hammer (2011) “4763 individuals from 11 distinct, cross cultural samples” Different languages Conclusions Perceived (PO) and Developmental Orientation (DO) Readability (Grade 10) Language transferability Predictive validity

IDI use in Education Research results with teachers Fretheim, Bayles and Westrick and Yeun cited in Davies 2010

IDI at MIS 1 50 members of staff at MIS (Random) Perceived orientation Developmental orientation of members of staff at MIS - Intercultural awareness Committee (Self selecting group) Perceived orientation Developmental orientation of

IDI Pros and Cons Grounded theory Measures intercultural sensitivity Identifies development Raises cultural awareness Potential Differential validity- Bias in introduction and questions 50 questions Self reporting “How do I answer?” questions Face validity -Ambiguity of questions Minimization bias Linearity The goodThe not so good

Differential validity - Bias setting Introduction suggests your culture is the one that you feel you belong to, other cultures are those you do not feel you belong to. Self reporting Not behaviour and prone to “social desirabality” bias Moral/normative responses 50 questions Can this be enough? “How do I answer?” questions People in other cultures have more x than we do Commonalities are more important than differences Do you have a culture? IDI – Problems 1

Face validity - Ambiguous questions The world should be governed by given rules I do not have one cultural identity Minimization premise Working to commonalities does not mean being ethnocentric Linearity IDI – Problems 2

IDI use at MIS 2 Raising Intercultural Sensitivity Approaches ■ Recruit the right people ■ Offer professional development – Personal ■ Set the right culture – Systems and policies

Recruitment Antecedent variables Dispositions – openness and intellect, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and emotional stability. Biographical variables - prior experience of cross cultural events and interest in cross cultural experiences Culture specific variables - knowledge of language and a specific culture Cross cultural competence (CCC) where knowledge and cognition of cultural awareness, culture general schema and an understanding of the complexity of culture are important along with attitudes, initiative, empathy and motivation IDI use at MIS Raising Intercultural Sensitivity

Raising ICS Cultural knowledge ICC Dispositions Bio Recruitment IDI use at MIS 2 Raising Intercultural Sensitivity

Raising ICS ToolsPD Educational Change "Org. Change" Personal Systems and Policy IDI use at MIS 3 Raising Intercultural Sensitivity

References Abbe, A., Gulick, L., & Herman, J., Cross-cultural competence in Army leaders: A conceptual and empirical foundation. Washington, DC. U.S. Army Research Institute. Bennett, J Becoming Interculturally Competent [pdf]. Available at: pdf [Accessed ]. pdf Davies, A., The Applicability of the intercultural development inventory for the measurement of intercultural sensitivity of teachers in an international school context. Thesis (Doctor of Education (EdD)), University of Bath. DeJaeghere, J. and Zhang, Y., Development of intercultural competence among US American teachers: Professional development factors that affect competence. Intercultural Education. 19(3), pp Fantini, A.E., About intercultural communicative competence: a construct [Electronic version]. Brattleboro, VT: School for International Training. [Accessed 20 December, 2011]

References 2 Hammer, M., Bennett, R and Wiseman, R., Measuring intercultural sensitivity: The intercultural development inventory. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 27 (2003), pp Hammer, M., Additional cross-cultural validity testing of the intercultural development inventory. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 35 (2011), pp