The Tilford Group

MULTICULTURAL RESEARCH PROJECT RATIONALE

 

Today's college students will be living in environments requiring increasing levels of multicultural competence. Institutions of higher learning must determine the most effective ways to:

(a) facilitate student's knowledge of diverse groups,

(b) enhance student's understanding of civic engagement and social responsibility, 

(c) relate knowledge of diversity to a student's major and academic disciplines.

Central to this effort must be scholarship related to defining diversity, transforming curriculum, understanding the relationship between diversity and learning, and defining diversity's role in the total student experience.

Kansas State University must be prepared to understand the curriculum processes that facilitate the development of students' multicultural growth. To guide this understanding a qualitative research project was designed using focus groups to ascertain how students' multicultural competence is relevant to the preparation of Kansas State University graduates in each academic college.

FOCUS GROUP PROCESS

A qualitative research project Multicultural Competency Development approved by the university's Institute Research Board was implemented. This qualitative research project involved twenty-two focus groups from all academic colleges, Hale Library and the Deans Council as a strategy to: (a) understand the differing needs of academic colleges as they relate to preparing students for multicultural competence (b) identify multicultural competencies, and (c) develop multicultural learning objectives.

Ninety-minute focus groups were conducted in all academic colleges. The college deans selected faculty participants. The assistant dean for each college selected undergraduate student participants. The deans were encouraged to select faculty, administrators and students representing diverse perspectives.

Tilford members were moderators, assistant moderators and note takers for the focus groups. They participated in a three hour training session using the Krueger model (1998) for conducting focus group training. Students who served as assistant moderators and note-takers participated in a similar abbreviated training session.

ANALYSIS AND REPORTING

Focus group data was analyzed by a Tilford group subcommittee. Electronic recordings and field notes were used to capture participant comments. The audio tapes for each group were transcribed for analysis. Using the thematic analysis process, re-occurring themes were identified for each question.

This research project recognized the importance of two guiding principles: researcher neutrality and systematic procedures. To begin, the questions and procedures were pilot tested prior to the research study. Moderators were never members of the college represented by the focus group. Moderators were trained to pose questions in a neutral manner, to ask for clarifications when responses seem ambiguous, and to avoid participating in the discussion. Assistant moderators and note-takers were trained to listen carefully, to capture verbatim phrases as often as possible, and to observe non-verbal behaviors as well. At the end of each focus group, participants were asked to verify a brief summary presented by the assistant moderator or the note-taker.

*Krueger, Richard A., Morgan, David L., The Focus Group Kit 6. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 1998.

FACULTY FOCUS GROUP QUESTIONS

1. When you hear the world "multiculturalism" what does this mean to you?
2. When you hear the phrase "multicultural curriculum" what comes to your mind?
3. Where in your current curriculum are students exposed to multicultural competencies?
4. How do accreditation guidelines influence how you prepare students to live and work in a diverse world?
5. When you hear the phrase "multicultural competence" what comes to mind?
6. How relevant is multicultural competence to the preparation of graduates in your college?
7. What in your opinion are the multicultural competencies prospective employers are looking for in graduates from Kansas State University?
8. Of all areas discussed, what area is most important to you?

STUDENT FOCUS GROUP QUESTIONS

1. When you hear the word "multiculturalism" what does this mean to you?
2. When you hear the phrase "multicultural curriculum" what comes to mind?
3. Where in your current classes are you exposed to multicultural knowledge, skills, and practices?
4. When you hear the phrase "multicultural competence" what comes to mind?
5. How relevant is multicultural competence to your academic preparation?
6. What in your opinion are the multicultural competencies prospective employers will be looking for when you graduate?
7. Of all areas discussed what is most important to you?

DEANS COUNCIL FOCUS GROUP QUESTIONS

1. When you hear the word "multiculturalism" what does this mean to you?
2. When you hear the phrase "multicultural competence" what comes to mind?
3. How relevant is multicultural competence to the preparation of Kansas State University graduates?
4. What can or should the Dean do to provide multicultural leadership for a college?

LIBRARY FOCUS GROUP QUESTIONS

1. What does the word "diversity" mean to you? When you hear the word "diversity" what comes to mind?
2. When you hear the phrase "multicultural competence" what comes to mind?
3. How can Kansas State University libraries support faculty and students who are incorporating multicultural competencies within their curriculum?
4. How relevant is multicultural competence to preparation of students using the library?
5. How does the library support faculty as they assist students in learning multicultural competencies prospective employers will need?
6. a. How does the library support faculty's education of students in the multicultural competencies expected by future employers?
   b. What multicultural approaches should the library adopt to facilitate teaching and learning about diversity?
7. How do ARL benchmarks, the Dean's evaluation, and the KSU Libraries' Comprehensive Diversity Plan influence how we prepare students to live and work in a diverse world?
8. Of all areas discussed today what areas are most important to you?