Intercultural Competencies among Undergraduates in the College of Arts & Humanities at Minnesota State University, Mankato

This study examined the impact of an intercultural communication course in arts and humanities on the intercultural competency (ICC) among a group of university students. ICC was defined as “the capability to accurately understand and adapt behavior to cultural difference and commonality.” Globalization has led to increased contact between different cultures, so individuals must know how to communicate between one another and to understand the culture behind the communication (Melles & Frey, 2017). Students must strive for acceptance and understanding of religion, language, communication style, music, or any other aspect of culture. The research questions were: (1) What is the starting level of ICC among students in the intercultural communication course? (2) How does the ICC of students change after their experiences in an intercultural communications course? Data was collected using the computer-based, online Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), developed by Hammer and Bennett (1998, 2001), which identifies five orientations toward cultural differences: denial, polarization, minimization, acceptance, and adaptation. For compari-son data, investigators used previously collected data from more than 700 undergraduate students enrolled in a human relations course between 2010 and 2018. Additional data was collected at the beginning and at the conclusion of the communications 16-week course, in order to measure changes that possibly occurred as a result of the course experiences. This provided baseline and comparison data. Additional data will be reviewed after collection in an intercultural communications course. Investigators expect that the study may show that the instructional methods of the professors and the course work in the College of Arts and Humanities will lead to a positive growth in ICC among undergraduate students. The study offers insight to help determine the efficacy of teaching methods to develop ICC. Results were shared among faculty members seeking to infuse instruction with strategies to foster ICC

Preparing Teachers for a Diverse Classroom

This project investigated the research question: How do changes in inter-cultural competency (ICC) compare among pre-service teachers at three data collection points? Intercultural competency was defined as “the capability to accurately understand and adapt behavior to cultural differences and commonalities” (Hammer & Bennett, 2010). The study was based on the Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (Bennett, 1986), which identified five orientations toward cultural differences: denial, polarization, minimization, acceptance, and adaptation. Data was collected from 48 undergraduate students who majored in elementary education. Investigators hypothesized that students would have a statistically significant change in their ICC from the beginning of their academic studies until just before student teaching. Subjects completed the Intercultural Develop-mental Inventory (IDI) (Hammer & Bennett, 2012), which calculates a score that reflects capacity for cross-cultural adaptation. The IDI is based on Bennett’s Developmental Model of Intercultural Sen-sitivity (1986). Results showed that (1) students who completed the one-semester course (Human Relations) improved their ICC by an average of 5.874 points and (2) students who completed the professional education program (three more semesters) improved their ICC by an average of 15.805 points. Most importantly, students improved their ICC by an average of 21.679 points from the beginning of their academic studies until the beginning of student teaching. The data analysis showed that students did have a statistically significant change in their ICC, and results suggested that the program’s content, pedagogy, and mentorship have a positive impact on pre-service teachers. Outcomes are being shared with MSU’s faculty to help determine the efficacy of teaching methods used by the instructors to develop cultural competency. Data and information will be reviewed with administrators for program planning, implementation, and assessment. See also: https://youtu.be/t1N_947yh2

Impact of Service Learning on the Inter-Cultural Competency of Pre-Service Teachers

The population of the U.S. is becoming increasingly diverse in language and culture. And, the population of students in elementary and secondary schools is becoming more diverse, as well. Therefore, it is critical that pre-service teachers (PSTs) experience and understand other cultures. Teachers will need to become more inter-culturally competent (ICC). According to Hammer & Bennett (2010), ICC is the capability to accurately understand and adapt behavior to cultural differences and commonality.” One way to do this is for PSTs to participate in Service Learning. According to the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse (NSLC), service learning is “a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities (NSLC, 2012). This study responded to the question: Do different types of Service Learning have different impacts on changes in inter-cultural competence of pre-service teachers? The data set included more than 800 students who took the general education course, Human Relations in a Multicultural Society. Students completed the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) at the beginning and at the conclusion of the semester (Hammer, Bennett, & Wiseman, 2003). This study analyzed several types of Service Learning that may have impacted the pretest and posttest results. Service Learning opportunities included 18 hours of volunteer work at organizations such as residences for disabled adults, English language tutoring of immigrants and refugees, home visits with children of new immigrants, and others. The university may use this information in considering the effectiveness of its cultural diversity goal: experience diversity with supervised reflection and recognize and respond to conditions of marginalized populations. University departments will use the information in planning, evaluating, and promoting opportunities in the community

Intercultural Competencies Among Undergraduates in the College of Arts & Humanities at Minnesota State University, Mankato

The study is examining the impact of an intercultural communication course in Arts & Humanities on the Intercultural Competency (ICC) among a group of university students. ICC was defined as “the capability to accurately understand and adapt behavior to cultural difference and commonality.” Globalization has led to increased contact between different cultures, so individuals must know how to communicate between one another and to understand the culture behind the communication (Melles & Frey, 2017). Students must strive for acceptance and understanding of religion, language, communication style, music, or any other aspect of culture. This project addressed: (1) What is the starting level of ICC among students in the intercultural communication course? Data was collected using the computer-based, online Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), developed by Hammer and Bennett (1998, 2001), which identifies five orientations toward cultural differences: denial, polarization, minimization, acceptance, and adaptation. Data was collected at the beginning and will be collected at the conclusion of the 16-week course, in order to measure changes that occurred possibly as a result of the course experiences. This will provide baseline and comparison data. Investigators expect that the study may show that the instructional methods of the professors and the course work in the College of Arts & Humanities leads to a positive growth in Intercultural Competency among undergraduate students. The study will offer insight to help determine the efficacy of teaching methods to develop ICC. Results were shared among faculty members seeking to infuse instruction with strategies to foster ICC

Starting Level of Inter-Cultural Competency Among Undergraduates

The U.S. Bureau of the Census estimates America\u27s whites will become a minority in 2043. All in all, minorities, now 37 percent of the U.S. population, are projected to comprise 57 percent of the population in 2060. The total minority population would more than double, from 116.2 million to 241.3 million over the period.” (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2016). As the population changes, everybody will need to become more inter-culturally competent, including MSU graduates. Therefore, this study examined the starting level of inter-cultural competency (ICC) among undergraduates at MSU, Mankato. According to Hammer & Bennett (2010), ICC is the capability to accurately understand and adapt behavior to cultural differences and commonality.” Cultural competency is “the ability to communicate and behave in appropriate ways with those who are culturally different - and to co-create shared spaces, teams, and organizations that are inclusive, effective, innovative, and satisfying.” This research analyzed pre-existing, archived data from about 800 MSU students enrolled in the course, Human Relations in a Multicultural Society (EEC222W). ICC was assessed by the Intercultural Development Inventory (Hammer & Bennett, 2010). Results indicated that individuals perceived they had a high level of inter-cultural competency. However, data showed that they actually had a relatively low level of ICC. MSU may use this information in considering the effectiveness of its cultural diversity goal: experience diversity with supervised reflection and recognize and respond to conditions of marginalized populations

Association of Neutralizing Antispike Monoclonal Antibody Treatment With Coronavirus Disease 2019 Hospitalization and Assessment of the Monoclonal Antibody Screening Score

Objective: To test the hypothesis that the Monoclonal Antibody Screening Score performs consistently better in identifying the need for monoclonal antibody infusion throughout each “wave” of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant predominance during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and that the infusion of contemporary monoclonal antibody treatments is associated with a lower risk of hospitalization. Patients and Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we evaluated the efficacy of monoclonal antibody treatment compared with that of no monoclonal antibody treatment in symptomatic adults who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 regardless of their risk factors for disease progression or vaccination status during different periods of SARS-CoV-2 variant predominance. The primary outcome was hospitalization within 28 days after COVID-19 diagnosis. The study was conducted on patients with a diagnosis of COVID-19 from November 19, 2020, through May 12, 2022. Results: Of the included 118,936 eligible patients, hospitalization within 28 days of COVID-19 diagnosis occurred in 2.52% (456/18,090) of patients who received monoclonal antibody treatment and 6.98% (7,037/100,846) of patients who did not. Treatment with monoclonal antibody therapies was associated with a lower risk of hospitalization when using stratified data analytics, propensity scoring, and regression and machine learning models with and without adjustments for putative confounding variables, such as advanced age and coexisting medical conditions (eg, relative risk, 0.15; 95% CI, 0.14-0.17). Conclusion: Among patients with mild to moderate COVID-19, including those who have been vaccinated, monoclonal antibody treatment was associated with a lower risk of hospital admission during each wave of the COVID-19 pandemic