A variety of demographic shifts has resulted in increased cultural diversity in our classrooms leaving many educators challenged to deliver course content the ways they may have previously. This presentation will outline a research inquiry into the impacts of an intensive professional development program: Interculturalizing the Curriculum. In this session the presenters will outline the program features and share the findings of their mixed methods study. The Interculturalizing Curriculum has been delivered to 4 interdisciplinary cohorts between 2008 and 2013, with a total of 60 faculty participants. The program consists of several days of professional development based in intercultural and pedagogical theory in order to support individual faculty to make shifts to their curriculum and delivery. The aim of the program is to provide faculty with intercultural and indigenous frameworks and pedagogical strategies that may enhance both their ability to work with culturally diverse learners and to incorporate intercultural and global learning outcomes in their coursework. The purpose of this research project was to gain an understanding of faculty perceptions of the impact of the program to them personally, professional, and to their learners. Close to 40% of past participants consented to be part of the research. We used a mixed methods approach to data gathering: a likert scale online questionnaire, peer video interviews, and individual interviews. The findings are promising and contribute to the field of professional development in education.
Deardorff, D. K. (2011). Assessing intercultural competence. New Directions for Institutional Research, (149), 65-79.
Kuokkanen, R. (2007). Reshaping the university: Responsibility, indigenous epistemes, and the logic of the gift. Vancouver, BC: University of British Columbia Press.
Lee, A., Poch, R., Shaw, M.,& Williams, R. (2012). Engaging diversity in undergraduate classrooms: A pedagogy for developing intercultural competence. ASHE Higher Education Report, Volume 38, Number 2.
