1. Assessing College Students’ Desire to Enhance Global Learning Competencies Rosalind R. King, Ph.D. ABSTRACT Literature indicates the urgency to enhance global learning professional competencies (GLPCs) needed to better prepare college students for globalization in the 21st century (Hovland & Wathington, 2009). This study assessed students’ feelings regarding the use of social software technology (SST) and personal tacit knowledge (P-T K) to enhance GLPCs. PROCEDURES Stratified random sampling was used to select full and part-time college students to participate in the pilot study and research study. Data were collected using an Internet self-administered survey. Data collected included survey responses from the pilot study and research study. The pilot survey was delivered to 126 participates and a total of 102 students responded. The research study was delivered to 348 participates and a total of 289 responded. The overall response rate was 81% for the pilot study and 83% for the research study. DATA ANALYSIS Descriptive statistics, reliability and validity tests were used for the pilot study and research study data analysis. MANCOVA and post hoc test were used for the research study data analysis. RESEARCH QUESTIONS The first key research question was the following: How does students’ use of SST associates with their desire to enhance GLPCs? Part 1, 2, 3, and 4 of this key research question were the following: How does students’ use of social networking associates with their desire to enhance GLPCs? How does students’ use of knowledge construct associates with their desire to enhance GLPCs? How does students’ use of identifying self associates with their desire to enhance GLPCs? How does students’ use of actualizing self associates with their desire to enhance GLPCs? The second key research question was the following: How does students’ use of P-T K associates with their desire to enhance GLPCs? Part 1, 2, and 3 of this key research question were the following: How does students’ use of cognitive skills associates with their desire to enhance GLPCs? How does students” use of technical skills associates with their desire to enhance GLPCs? How does students use of social skills associates with their desire to enhance GLPCs? PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to assess whether college students felt their use of SST was an indicator of their desire to enhance GLPCs. Moreover, the study was conducted to assess whether college students felt their use of P-T K was an indicator of their desire to enhance GLPCs. PROBLEM Little research has been conducted to determine relationships linking college students’ feelings about the use of SST and P-T K to their desire to enhance GLPCs. This study focused on this problem because institutions of higher education are faced with an enormous challenge of better preparing college students for globalization in the 21st century. RELEVANT LITERATURE The theoretical framework draws from several theories, namely GLPCs ( Hovland & Wathington,, 2009), technology constructivist learning (Jonassen et al., 1995), SST (Klamma et al., 2007; Jonassen, 2000; Bouman et al., 2007), and P-T K (Leonard & Insch, 2005). Hovland and Wathington described the seven dimensions of GLPCs as attributional complexity, social self- confidence, multicultural competency awareness, social awareness, self-efficacy for social change, pluralistic orientation, and civic engagement. College students acquire these competencies through engaging in global learning activities. Constructivists Jonassen et al., (1995) and studies related to SST (Klamma et al., 2007; Jonassen, 2000; Bouman et al., 2007) concluded that students’ use of technology within a constructivist environment enhances learning competencies. For example, students’ use of SST triggers social behaviors such as social networking, constructing knowledge, identifying and actualizing self which has a profound impact on learning enhancements. Leonard and Insch (2005) went to great lengths to prove that use of P-T K; which involves use of cognitive, technical, and social skills, contributes to academic success. Social networking, constructing knowledge, identifying and actualizing self represent dimensional constructs of SST. Cognitive, technical, and social skills are viewed as dimensional constructs of P-T K. SOCIAL CHANGE IMPLICATIONS Implications for social change include raising awareness among academic leaders to focus on college students’ thoughts regarding the use of SST and P-T K to enhance GLPCs, which can better prepare them to be effective agents of change within their own communities and abroad. LIMITATIONS Students from other colleges may differ in their responses. No instruments could be found that measured two of the independent variables. Qualitative inquiry was not conducted. CONCLUSIONS The results of the hypotheses testing support the theoretical model. Specifically, results are consistent with the theory that social behaviors triggered by the use of SST, social networking, constructing knowledge, identifying and actualizing self, relate to college students’ desire to enhance GLPCs. Furthermore, the results support the theory that use of P-T K which involves the use of cognitive, technical, and social skills relate to college students’ desire to enhance GLPCs. In summary, college students desired to enhance GLPCs through their use of SST and P-T K. FINDINGS As predicted, the findings indicated individual relationships among the dimensions of SST and GLPCs. Moreover, the results revealed individual relationships among the dimensions of P-T K and GLPCs. The relationship effects were significant, p<.001. Students did not differ significantly in their feelings about the use of SST and P-T K being a factor in their desire to enhance GLPCs. Dimensions of SST Social networking (Klamma et al., 2007) Constructing knowledge (Jonassen, 2000) Identifying self (Bouman et al., 2007) Actualizing self (Bouman et al., 2007) Dimensions of P-T K (Leonard & Insch, 2005) Cognitive skills Technical skills Social skills GLPCs Seven Dimensions (Hovland & Wathington, 2009) Attributional complexity Social self-confidence Multicultural competency awareness Social awareness Self-efficacy for social change Pluralistic orientation Civic engagement THEORETICAL MODEL RESULTS FROM PERSPECTIVE OF ADDRESSING THE RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND NULL HYPOTHESES ________________________________________________________________________________ Answer to Null Hypotheses Research Question Accepted/Rejected ____________________________________ Research Questions ________________________________________________________________________________ 1. How does students’ use of socialPositive significantRejected networking associates with theircorrelation desire to enhance GLPCs? 2. How does students’ use of knowledge Positive significantRejected construct associates with their desire correlation to enhance GLPCs? 3. How does students’ use of identifying Positive significantRejected/ self associates with their desire to correlationRejectedª enhance GLPCs? 4. How does students’ use of actualizing Positive significantRejected self associates with their desire to correlation enhance GLPCs? 5. How does students’ use of cognitive Positive significant Rejected skills associates with their desire to correlation enhance GLPCs? 6. How does students’ use of technicalPositive significantRejected/ skills associates with their desire to correlationRejectedª enhance GLPCs? 7. How does students’ use of social Positive significantRejected skills associates with their desire to correlation enhance GLPCs? ________________________________________________________________________________ Note: ªTwo null hypotheses associated with questions 3 and 6.