1. Assessing Bias Before and After Completing a Course in Cultural Diversity Preliminary Findings Sarah W Morgan RN, PhD, CNE Clinical Assistant Professor – College of Nursing Wisconsin Teaching Fellow Assessment was focused on Cultural Diversity in Health Care a large lecture class of approximately 160 students. This course is a pre-requisite for admission to the professional nursing major and it also serves as a course which meets campus General Education Requirements for Minority Cultural Diversity in America and Social Science. This is the third SOTL project that I have undertaken in this course. In previous projects I had students complete a pre and post test measure of cultural competence. This was an anonymous measure and it indicated according to the measure that the students as a whole showed an increase in cultural competence after completing this course. As part of this project I added an assignment – a reflective paper – in which students reflected on a group that they held a negative bias towards. In my second project I received student consent to analysis these papers as well as relevant D2L discussion question postings. This analysis revealed the populations students had a bias towards as well some insight into what their biases were and what influenced the development of these biases. These preliminary data represent results from 56 studentsThese preliminary data represent results from 56 students 23 are students of color, 32 are white students23 are students of color, 32 are white students 44 are female, 12 are male44 are female, 12 are male 50 were born in the US, 6 are foreign born50 were born in the US, 6 are foreign born 19 are the first in the family to go to college19 are the first in the family to go to college 39 speak English at home,16 speak another language at home39 speak English at home,16 speak another language at home 9 describe their family as poor, 9 working class, 8 lower middle class, 26 middle class, 9 upper middle class9 describe their family as poor, 9 working class, 8 lower middle class, 26 middle class, 9 upper middle class Following IRB approval questionnaires were distributed to students during class time. To strengthen the findings students gave written consent so that matched pre and post semester findings could be assessed. Procedures were put in place to allow students to confidentially decline to participate and carefully protect the identity and responses of students who did choose to participate. Questionnaires were distributed in four different sections of the course. Three taught by the author including a large lecture section – approximately 160 students, an Honors College Section – 16 students and a smaller compressed semester section – 26 students. In addition questionnaires were distributed in a large lecture section – approximately 160 students – taught by another faculty member. Over 250 matched pre and post semester questionnaires were collected. Data are still being analyzed and this poster shares some preliminary findings. The Color Blind Racial Attitudes Scale (Neville et al, 2000) assesses levels of color blindness. The 20 item scale results in a total score as well as three subscales. Subscale one is called Racial Privilege assesses blindness to White Privilege. One question is “White people in the US have certain advantages because of the color of their skin.” Subscale two is called Institutional Discrimination assess levels of awareness of the impact of institutional forms of racial discrimination and exclusion. One questions is “Due to racial discrimination, programs such as affirmative action are necessary to help create equality”. The third subscale is Blatant Racial Issues and assess awareness of general, pervasive racial discrimination”. One question is “Racial problems in the US are rare, isolated situations”. I was interested in assessing whether the course makes a positive impact on students’ biases relative to race and ethnicity. Measures included the Color Blind Racial Attitudes Scale as well as an adaptation of a questionnaire distributed to students at the University of California Los Angeles.I was interested in assessing whether the course makes a positive impact on students’ biases relative to race and ethnicity. Measures included the Color Blind Racial Attitudes Scale as well as an adaptation of a questionnaire distributed to students at the University of California Los Angeles. This project, as well as the two previous, is focused on the course objective “Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to recognize own culturally derived values and beliefs”. It also is tied to an overall objective of the Nursing program “Upon completion of the program, the graduate will provide culturally competent nursing care in a variety of settings to diverse populations throughout health and illness”.This project, as well as the two previous, is focused on the course objective “Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to recognize own culturally derived values and beliefs”. It also is tied to an overall objective of the Nursing program “Upon completion of the program, the graduate will provide culturally competent nursing care in a variety of settings to diverse populations throughout health and illness”. Background APPROACH METHODOLOGY RESULTS Acknowledgements The Wisconsin Teaching Fellows and Scholars Program Center for Instructional and Professional Development College of Nursing How positively or negatively do you feel toward the following groups? Scores can range from 1-7 lower scores equate to a more negative feeling Pre Caucasians – range 2 to 7 mean 5.55 Latinos - range 2 to 7 mean 4.86 Asians - range 2 to 7 mean 5.20 African Americans - range 2 to 7 mean 4.52 Post Caucasians – range 3 to 7 mean 5.27 Latinos - range 3 to 7 mean 4.79 Asians - range 3 to 7 mean 4.98 African Americans - range 2 to 7 mean 4.30 Color Blind Racial Attitudes Scale Total Score – 19 Items One question was removed Scores can range from 19-114 with a higher score indicating a higher level of color blindness Racial Privilege Subscale – 7 items Scores can range from 7-42 Institutional Discrimination – 6 items One question was removed Scores can range from 6-36 Blatant Racial Issues – 6 items Scores can range from 6-36 Where would you rate the following groups in general on these scales? Scores can range from 1 to 7 lower scores equate a more negative feeling PreCaucasians Violent - range 2 to 7 mean 4.34 Intolerant - range 2 to 7 mean 4.04 Unintelligent - range 3 to 7 mean 5.14 Lazy - range 1 to 7 mean 4.20 Latinos Violent - range 1 to 7 mean 3.70 Intolerant - range 1 to 7 mean 3.95 Unintelligent - range 1 to 7 mean 4.04 Lazy - range 1 to 7 mean 4.80 Asians Violent - range 1 to 7 mean 4.86 Intolerant - range 2 to 7 mean 4.52 Unintelligent - range 3 to 7 mean 5.73 Lazy - range 2 to 7 mean 5.34 African Americans Violent - range 1 to 6 mean 3.14 Intolerant - range 1 to 7 mean 3.46 Unintelligent - range 1 to 7 mean 3.91 Lazy - range 1 to 7 mean 3.70 Where would you rate the following groups in general on these scales? Scores can range from 1 to 7 lower scores equate a more negative feeling PostCaucasians Violent - range 2 to 7 mean 4.34 Intolerant - range 1 to 7 mean 3.75 Unintelligent - range 1 to 7 mean 4.77 Lazy - range 2 to 7 mean 4.29 Latinos Violent - range 1 to 7 mean 4.00 Intolerant - range 2 to 7 mean 4.11 Unintelligent - range 2 to 7 mean 4.09 Lazy - range 2 to 7 mean 4.95 Asians Violent - range 2 to 7 mean 5.09 Intolerant - range 2 to 7 mean 4.43 Unintelligent - range 2 to 7 mean 5.41 Lazy - range 3 to 7 mean 5.16 African Americans Violent - range 1 to 6 mean 3.30 Intolerant - range 1 to 6 mean 3.57 Unintelligent - range 1 to 7 mean 4.05 Lazy - range 1 to 7 mean 3.77