Impact of Service Learning on the Intercultural Competence of Pre-service Teachers
Document Type
Conference Poster
Publication Date
6-2021
Abstract
Service-Learning expands domains of practice across the community and supports the development of culturally responsive practice among pre-service teachers. This study examined Intercultural Competence (ICC) among a group of university undergraduate students in the College of Education who participated in a course (Human Relations in a Multicultural Society) that required completion of 18 hours of service learning. For purposes of this project, ICC was defined as the capacity to gracefully adapt one’s behavior in order to interact well with people from a different culture. Service learning was broadly defined as learning through active participation in thoughtfully organized community service projects that are integrated into the academic curriculum. This study focused on the research question: How does the intercultural competency of pre-service teachers change after participating in service learning in the teacher preparation program? The methodology included a mixed-methods approach. Investigators analyzed archived quantitative data from 2016 - 2019. A survey, Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) (Hammer, 2003), was used before and after service learning. Results indicate that service learning experiences during teacher preparation have a positive impact on the ICC of undergraduate students. Investigators expect the project results will support future policies, curricula, and coursework on diversity and inclusion, multiculturalism, and intercultural competence for teacher education programs.
Department
Elementary and Literacy Education Department
Publication Title
14th Global Studies Conference: Life after pandemic: Towards a new global biopolitics?
Recommended Citation
Sandell, E. J. and Lindmeier, L. 4–6 June 2021. Impact of service learning on the intercultural competence of pre-service teachers presented online at the Fourteenth Annual Global Studies Conference with Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
