Cultural Competence
in Academic Advising
What is cultural competence?
O The ability to effectively interact with people from
different cultural backgrounds.
O Cultural competence is comprised of four main
components:
O (a) Awareness of one's own cultural worldview.
O (b) Attitude towards cultural differences.
O (c) Knowledge of different cultural practices
and worldviews.
O (d) Cross-cultural skills.
Why is cultural competence
important?
O Increased diversity is already present:
O 1/5 of students in the public schooling system
are immigrants or children of immigrants.
O By the year 2050, European Americans will no
longer be the numeric majority.
O Colleges today embody a multitude of ages,
cultures, races, ethnicities, sexual orientation,
languages, nationalities, etc.
New reality for
Academic Advisors
O Academic Advisors will be working with increasingly
diverse student populations.
O Advisors need to be able to respond appropriately to
their needs.
O How can we learn to do this?
O Through cultural competence training…
Cultural competence training
O Can be used to…
O Raise awareness (of self and others).
O Gain knowledge about diverse student populations.
O Learn skills to adjust/adapt behavior.
O For more information about cultural competence
training and cross-cultural issues in advising, check
out this NACADA webpage
Developmental Model of
Intercultural Sensitivity
Developmental Model of
Intercultural Sensitivity
1)
2)
Denial -- The inability to construe cultural difference.
Defense -- Recognition of cultural difference coupled with negative
evaluation of most variations from native culture -- the greater the
difference, the more negative the evaluation.
3)
Minimization -- Recognition and acceptance of superficial cultural
differences such as eating customs, etc., while holding that all human
beings are essentially the same.
4)
Acceptance -- Recognition and appreciation of cultural differences in
behavior and values.
5)
Adaptation -- The development of communication skills that enable
intercultural communication.
6)
Integration -- The internalization of bicultural or multicultural frames
of reference.
References
Bennett, M. J. (1993). Towards Ethnorelativism: A developmental model of
intercultural sensitivity. In R. M. Paige (Ed.). Education for the intercultural
experience. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press.
Cardenas, V., Ajinkya, J., & Leger, D. G. (2011). Progress 2050: New ideas for a diverse
America. Retrieved from: http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/10/
pdf/progress_2050.pdf
Martin, M., & Vaughn, B. (2007). Strategic diversity & inclusion management. San
Francisco, CA: DTUI Publications Division.