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Service Learning: A Catalyst for Cultural competence
- 1. Service Learning A Catalyst for Cultural Competence Dr. Narketta Sparkman-Key, HS-BCP
- 2. Big Idea We can purposefully utilize international service learning opportunities to develop cultural competence.
- 3. Objectives Enhance participants understanding of Define the stages of and highlight it as a method of inclusivity Identify the role of international service learning in developing cultural competence Identify the in creating culturally competent pedagogy through international service learning A model for
- 6. Service Learning Combination of service to the community and student learning Meets a community need Fosters civic responsibility Coordinated by educational institution Integrated into and enhances academic curriculum National and Community Service Trust Act (1993)
- 7. Service Learning Model P.A.R.E. Model (most common) Preparation Action Reflection Evaluation University of Maryland (1999)
- 8. What is missing from this definition?
- 9. Cultural Competence “A process by which individuals and systems respond respectfully and effectively to people of all cultures…races, …religions and other diversity factors in a manner that recognizes, affirms, and values their [inherent] worth [and dignity]” (NASW, 2001).
- 10. Cultural Competence is…… Considers power dynamics Who has control to influence, dominate and access resources Considers privilege When one group has something of value that is denied to others Recognizes relationships between power, privilege and oppression “A relationship in which the dominant [privileged] group benefits from the systemic abuse, exploitation, and injustice directed at a subordinate group” (Ore, 2014).
- 11. What role does service learning play in our understanding of cultural competence?
- 12. How can we use service learning as a vehicle to becoming more culturally competent?
- 14. Culturally Competent Pedagogy “Empowers students intellectually, socially, emotionally, and politically by using cultural referents to impart knowledge, skills, and attitudes” (Ladson-Billings, 1995, p. 18). Also called culturally relevant pedagogy, cultural responsiveness, cultural congruence, and cultural appropriateness (Saint-Hilaire, 2014).
- 15. Model for International Service Learning Cultural Competence Preparation Immersion In Country Education Service Activity • Community Need Processing Reflection Evaluation
- 16. Testimonial “While working with the girls at the Women’s Center it was very important to be aware of myself in order to not offend as well as in order to try to understand them better. There were many factors that made myself different from these girls such as culture, socioeconomic status, as well as race and ethnicity.” My time during study abroad helped to develop my professional skills in counseling and helped me enlarge my world through increased cultural competency. Our trips to the local areas, exploring the food, spirits and dance enlightened us of another world.
- 17. Concluding Thoughts Service Learning is a catalyst to becoming more culturally competent Expanded definition of service learning which includes cultural competence Educators are change agents in facilitating opportunities for students to become culturally competent Model presented is preliminary but has developed over the past three years to foster cultural competence development
- 19. Reference Cross, T. L., Bazron, B. J., Dennis, K. W., & Isaacs, M. R. (1989). Towards a culturally competent system of care. CASSP Technical Assistance Center, Georgetown University Child Development Center, Washington, D. C. Furrey, M. (2007). Cultural proficiency continuum [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from: http://www.ccps.org/District/Department/25-Social-Studies/1330-Cultural-Profciency.html Johnson, A. G. (2006). Privilege, Power, and Difference (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. Ladson-Billings, G. (1995). Toward a theory of culturally relevant pedagogy. American Educational Journal, 32,465-491 National Association of Social Work (2001) Standards for Cultural Competence in Social Work Practice. Washington, DC: Author. National Education Association. (n. d.). Retrieved from http://www.nea.org/. Ore, T. E. (2014). Social construction of difference and inequality: Race, class, gender, and sexuality (6th ed.) New York: McGraw-Hill. Saint-Hilaire, L. (2014). So, how do I teach them? Understanding multicultural education and culturally relevant pedagogy. Reflective Practice, 15, 592-602. Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (n.d.) Retrieved from www.samsha.gov
Editor's Notes
- Thank you for such a great introduction. This is my 3rd year traveling here with students. I must say that this has become my second home. I consider the UWI faculty my friends and family. Today I want to talk to you about service learning and I want to talk in the context of service learning being a catalyst for cultural competence. We can also use the term vehicle. Everyone picture a vehicle and service learning is the actual vehicle while cultural competence is the final destination. I argue that this vehicle carrying students can take them to their final destination which is cultural competence.
- Service learning is our vehicle to help individual grow culturally, competently and appropriately. The big idea is that we can purposefully utilize international service learning opportunities to develop cultural competence. I guess I don’t have to go any further since I have already given you my main point. However, lets dig a little deeper into this discussion. I want to give you a little more background and history on why this topic is important and leave you with a model of effective international service learning that can be used to develop cultural competence.
- We are going to gain understanding of service learning and distinguish it from international service learning. We will identify the stages of cultural competence. We will then discuss how education plays a big role in the relationship between service learning and cultural competence. We will explore the role of educators and discuss pedagogy. Then I am going to paint a picture using my model of international service. This model is one that I use each year when I take students abroad. It has evolved over the last four years and I think it really captures the essence of how educators can leverage service learning for use in the community and abroad to develop students.
- Annually I work with students and take them on service learning focused study abroad. This journey began in Ireland and led way to Costa Rica. However, these ventures didn’t capture the experience I wanted to embark upon my students. Ireland though great wasn’t as rich culturally and Costa Rica was both rich in heritage and culture but the language barrier presented a major challenge in students interactions with Costa Ricans. They had difficulty developing and utilizing their skills. So for the last three years we have ventured to Jamaica. The last three years have been successful in my eyes and in the eyes of the students. What we were able to accomplish in Jamaica has a tremendous impact. Through these very service focused travels I have noticed changes in my students in their understanding of cultures, awareness of differences and willingness to discuss biases in the context of how they were raised. They are more self aware, understanding of cultural differences and equally compassionate and affirming. It is my belief that this discussion is so important in continuing to foster this type of growth in students so that they can be well rounded professionals. Later on we will look at some student statement that really caught my attention in understanding the change that was occurring within them.
- We really need to lay the foundation before we get into our big idea. It is important that we define service learning first so that you have a frame of reference. Then we must explore cultural competence within the framework of this discussion. This concept is complex so we need a working definition that relates to our topic. When people hear the term cultural competence they may just think this is simply knowing about other cultures but the definition is much more complex and can include individuals and systems. So we will pace ourselves with this discussion.
- We we talk about service learning. Some may think of various meanings such as some sort of training for a service position which is often done in the hospitality and tourism field. Others may instantly think of volunteer opportunity often known as community service. Service learning is volunteering in the community but it is also purposeful volunteering to meet a need in that community which is integrated in educational outcomes and curriculum. It must happen in a academic environment. The entire experience is integrated into the curriculum. So, the key term here is meeting a need and being tied to education. Planting a tree to beautify a neighborhood would be consider community service but it would not be something seen in service learning experiences. For example: You could be a transporter at a local hospital. The need is that the hospital doesn’t have enough funding to employ transporters to wheel chair individuals for testing in other areas of the hospital or to the main entrance for checkout. A student is volunteering as a transporter as part of a class to see how lack of funding impacts hospital operation. This would be considered a service learning activity. It is tied to a educational goal, meeting a need and a service/volunteer activity.
- There are four components to service learning. It is assumed that these four components lend way to positive outcomes for both the student and the community. In fact the P.A.R.E. is most used structured approach to service learning. It involves preparation of participants for service-learning experiences. Which includes providing information on the agency or need being met. Meaningful action is critical to successful service-learning. The bottom line for success is action that makes all parties involved feel that a measurable (even if small) difference was made! Reflection is an essential component of service-learning that distinguishes service-learning from traditional volunteerism or community service. Reflection can address skills developed, experiences and challenges. Evaluation is essential so the project’s impact on both student participants and the community can be measured.
- There is something missing from this definition. We covered working in the community and that work having meaning. We discussed the role of the educational institution. We haven’t addressed the specific impact it has on the person. This definition doesn’t address culture, diversity or the development of competence. This definition doesn’t dig deep into the most important aspect of service learning in my opinion which is those cultural components. It also doesn’t account for specific experiences that happen internationally which I argue is very different from providing service within a familiar community such as the one you live, work or grew up in. I argue that that challenge is different. If you are in a community you are familiar with. Your values and beliefs would likely be similar to the majority. However, in a international environment you are vulnerable due to lack of familiarity with the environment. Your beliefs, values and experiences are likely to be different from the majority. This is where change takes place. In this vulnerable state change can take place almost immediately within a individual.
- I know you may be thinking what in the world is she talking about when she says cultural competence. Cultural competence in my view is a necessary component of service learning in this era especially during these times. It is important to define cultural competence within this discussion as a process in which individuals respond respectfully and effectively to people of all cultures, races, religions and other factors in a manner that recognizes, affirms and values. Some think that watching the news they can find out about a specific culture in a accurate and culturally appropriate way but it is not true. I argue that this is not true. If you watched our news recently you would see some things that embarrassed some Americans and some depictions that are grossly inaccurate. Current media doesn’t represent the entire culture of the people. It doesn’t accurately represent Americans and American values many times. The news can only give you their view based on the current details available to them. They can brief you on a specific issue on circumstance with in a country. No one can become culturally competent in this way. It take deeper work than that. We must use critical thinking skills, our experience and reflection to be open to what it means to be culturally competent.
- So lets define cultural competence a little more. I hope I am not going to fast for you all but I really want to lay the ground work before digging deeper and discussing the service learning as a catalyst for cultural competence. Cultural competence is a little more complex. Cultural competence accounts for aspects you may not see or accurately capture in the media. It considers power, privilege and recognizes the relationship between power, privilege and oppression. Cultural competences is understanding that the dominant group has privileged and benefits from injustices of a subordinate group. Lets review this again cultural competence accounts for the dominant groups privilege and their ability to use this privilege against subordinate groups. They also benefit from these subordinate groups in terms of having more power. In order to be considered culturally competent you must understand these relationships, be aware of cultural differences, be open and affirming to diverse groups and be willing to seek advice or information from diverse groups. This is so important in today’s society where we are becoming more diverse by the day. Everyone must be prepared to encounter, experience, work with and embrace people of all cultures. It is inevitable that we will be in contact with someone with values other their our own.
- So you are wondering what is the relationship between service learning and cultural competence. Now that we have framed this discussion and adopted a working definition of cultural competence and service learning. We now have a understanding of its relevance in todays society. If you all would be willing to save your questions and comments til the end. I want to move on and consider the big idea I presented early on. I argue that service learning can be a catalyst to becoming more culturally competent. It is a vehicle, a tool that we can maneuver to become culturally competent, aware and appropriate. It is the person that has control of the tool responsibility to maneuver. I say that this person is a educator. The educator has to power to maneuver this tool in a way that cultural competence is developed within students.
- I guess your wondering how can service learning really develop cultural competence. We defined this a little earlier. First we prepare students, then we give them the activity, we ask them to reflect on the activity and finally we evaluate the experience on from all parties view point. But how do we prepare them to be culturally competent. The model I presented doesn't’t account for cultures, diversity or any of these important aspects of learning. Since you are wondering I am going to assist you. Some of you may be considering experiences in your local community and how you never thought of your own biases because whatever was going on was happening to those people and not your people so to speak. Like you, I can remember working in a drug rehab clinic as a college student and thinking those people are drug addicts, “crackheads”. Those people have this issue not my people. I had no understanding of my own biases, my culturally inappropriate language, my condescending beliefs. Because I was in my local community I felt comfortable with these beliefs because I knew that they were shared beliefs within my community. Though I never voiced those believes it was my belief. It wasn’t until those beliefs were challenged during this service experience that I began to see things differently. I began to changed after working there several months and getting to know them. Once I learned about addiction, relapse and the challenges I began to change my perspective. I began to see Ms. Mary for who she was, a person who needed help. She loved her kids and her goal was to get them all back. I began to root for her and would get sad when she would relapse. I was compassionate toward her. I was aware of my biases and began to see her much differently. I was more affirming and open as a result of this interactions. What I am saying is that service learning provides the opportunity for individuals to maneuver through the different stages of of cultural competence through experiences such as mines. It is a proven fact. How many of you can think of similar instances in which your experiences began to really change your beliefs.
- So lets go back to our discussion of cultural competence. Researchers have contended that cultural competence on a continuum. It is a process that happens over this continuum that travels in two directions. There are six levels to this continuum. I argue that our experiences, family values and exposure sends us up and down this continuum through the various levels in both directions. We can easily be influenced by those around us, our elders and their experience have great bearing on this process. It is my belief that one bad experience (or story of a experience) between a person of another culture and ourselves can take us from being culturally competent to being culturally destructive, which means we want to destroy the subordinate group. You see cultural destructiveness is the total opposite of what it means to be culturally competent or culturally proficient. Those in this stage believe in forced assimilation and the dominant group being the only group to have rights and privileges. As a person moves up the continuum their believes begin to change in a positive manner and has people go down this continuum the opposite occurs. Cultural incapacity is step up from destructiveness and individuals in this stage hold a belief in racism, stereotypes and unfair hiring practices. Individuals in the cultural blindness stage treat all people the same but only meet the dominant group needs. Cultural pre competences means they are willing to begin exploring the issues and recognizing the need. The next step is cultural competence which we have explored and the final stage of this continuum is cultural proficiency which represents the individuals who are committed to making changes. Now that we have a good understanding of each level on the continuum and my belief that we can move down the continuum with a negative experiences. I also believe the reverse can happen we can go up the continuum based on our positive experiences. We are just one service learning experience away from moving from cultural blindness to cultural pre competence. From cultural incapacity to cultural blindness and so on. What I am saying is if leveraged properly service learning can be purposefully utilized to move individuals up the continuum, assisting them in becoming more culturally competent as a process of their service learning activity. This leverage is in the hands of the educator.
- How many of you can think of a experience that really helped you grow to be more open and accepting of a culture different from your own? I can remember working with a person from Iran and speaking to her about her culture and middle eastern food. She was very sweet and I began to want to know more. I started visiting the local museum and learning history of the culture as well as frequenting local restaurants that served middle eastern cuisine. You see that positive interaction moved me up the continuum. If I had continued my beliefs that were only informed by the local media stories I would not have grown in this way. Now it is my belief that we shouldn’t have to wait for these positive experiences and moments in life. We can create them as educators. We can foster this move up the continuum through our teaching methods and embracing the idea of incorporating service learning experiences. I argue that through culturally competent pedagogy, which is pedagogy that empowers through cultural referents to impart knowledge, skills and attitudes, students can move through this continuum. Culturally competent pedagogy is culturally relevant, responsive, congruent and appropriate. Couple this with activities that immerse the student in experiences that are culturally different from their own and you really begin to create change within the student.
- My argument is that service learning opportunities can be leveraged by educators to allow students to become more culturally competent. This may be a big role to move into but very necessary in today’s society. You see culturally competent pedagogy coupled with service learning can begin to move students through the stages of cultural competence. In order to be purposeful we need a systematic model that captures the essence of cultural competence. The model we discussed earlier in this presentation had four simple steps: prepare, activity, reflect and evaluate. I want to introduce you to a model I have adopted for use with international service learning programs. Over the years I have perfected my strategy for developing culturally competent students. I sought out suggestions from colleagues here in Jamaica and made changes over time. My model has at is core a focus on cultural competence. The service activity is just a aspect of this model. There are seven areas that revolve around cultural competence: preparation, immersion, in country education, service activity, processing, reflection and evaluation. In my efforts to prepare students, I focus on culturally competent pedagogy that introduces a understanding of cultural competence and introduces the cultures of the country visiting. I use a text on Jamaica and discussion to meet this requirement as well as 13 module training on cultural competence. I immerse them in the service activity through content on the population and the need being addressed. Videos on social issues, the agency visiting and the need being met (such as self esteem and teem pregnancy) are utilized and reflected on through course activities. I also have them prepare to meet the need through research and presentations. I further enforce the culture through the in country education provided by local educators and professionals. These lectures are very focused on the culture, social issues, challenges and skill development. We then perform the service activity.
- This is where the change begins. Students begin to see differences. We then process verbally the experiences, feelings, views and conflicting values. Students then begin to reflect on their experience through a journal and portfolio. The final steps is evaluating the entire process. This model depicts the purposeful action I take as an educator to assist my students in becoming more culturally competent through this international service focused experience. My actions are planned and strategic and the outcomes depict that change has occurred. You see the educator is the key to leveraging pedagogy and service learning in order to help students become more culturally competent. This benefits the student and their respective careers. Excerpts from their reflective portfolios suggest students have become more aware immediately. They began to think of how they would be perceived and wanted to be culturally appropriate. Students reflected on those in-country lectures as well as the service activity and made the connection to becoming more culturally competent as a result. One student said “It was very important to be aware of myself in order to not offend as well as in order to try to understand them better” and another stated “My time during study abroad helped develop my professional skills in counseling and helped me enlarge my world through increased cultural competence”
- In summation, service learning can be a catalyst leveraged by educators to help students become more culturally competent. Essentially educators are the change agents. There should be a expanded definition of service learning which has a focus on cultural competence. International service learning quickly challenges biases and fosters students moving through the stages of cultural competence.