Abstract
A research experiment conducted in 2003 at The University of Montana addressed the question of whether multicultural online supplements can reduce ethnocentricity in students. The data was accumulated through an established ‘global mindedness’ questionnaire in both a traditional international business course and an international business course with an online supplement at The University of Montana. The data suggests that multicultural online supplements are a valuable tool to reduce levels of ethnocentricity in students.
The pre-test showed no significant difference in global mindedness between the students of the ‘experiment class’ (online group) and the students in the ‘traditional class’ (control group). The post-tests, however, conducted in both student groups, showed a significant difference in global mindedness in the students that were instructed via online technology. The 'global mindedness' scores of the students in the control group were actually lower in the post-test, compared to the pre-test. This suggests that teaching multicultural issues in a traditional classroom environment, over a short period of time, is not an effective way to increase multicultural awareness and global mindedness among participating students.
Furthermore, the multicultural-online-supplement prototype developed for this study provides important information regarding a student friendly, online-platform structure and a teaching technique that can be attached to existing university courses.
In closing, based on this study’s findings, multicultural online supplements can aid in educating the next generation of graduates to perform successfully in global markets and societies, by reducing ethnocentric attitudes in students, while increasing multicultural awareness and global mindedness.
Details
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