Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

Date of Award

2014

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

First Advisor

Skip Trudeau

Second Advisor

Scott Gaier

Third Advisor

Todd Ream

Abstract

A growing focus addresses the value of cross-cultural experiences within higher education, especially in how these opportunities develop students’ intercultural competence. However, the literature on intercultural competence focuses primarily on study abroad experiences, leaving gaps as to how to cultivate this competency in students on their home campuses. The present study seeks to connect student engagement with intercultural competence in understanding what increases engagement levels. The current study analyzed quantitative data using two new scales—the Individual Intercultural Competence Engagement Scale and the Institutional Facilitation of Intercultural Competence Engagement Scale—created from the National Survey of Student Engagement with student participants from a small liberal arts university in the Midwest. Results demonstrated that study abroad itself actually does not serve as a significant predictor of growth in student engagement with intercultural competence, pointing to a need to facilitate opportunities for engagement on campus.

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