Culturally Humble or Bumbling Along? Measuring Effectiveness of Embedded Diversity Content in a BSW Curriculum

Abstract

This study explored whether the experience of completing a Bachelor of Social Work degree with embedded diversity education has an effect on a student’s cultural humility, specifically looking at the variables of cultural awareness and commitment to lifelong learning. Students were administered the Diversity & Oppression Scale at the beginning and end of the BSW program. An independent sample t-test determined there was a significant difference in mean scores on the DOS subscale for cultural diversity, self-confidence and awareness between the pretest and the posttest (t (136) = − 2.65, p < .001) as well as a significant difference in an item related to lifelong learning scores between the pretest and the posttest (t (139) = − 2.253, p < .05). These results suggest that awareness of diverse populations improves as students progress through the curriculum while their recognition of the importance of continuing education and lifelong learning also expands. Given the effectiveness of specific diversity courses found in the literature, future research may wish to focus on the content and quality of diversity learning experiences possible via various approaches to enhance students’ cultural awareness and commitment to lifelong learning.

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