| As our world becomes increasingly diverse, the study of intercultural sensitivity and how it can be fostered within educational settings is becoming increasingly important. The music classroom may provide a unique environment where higher levels of intercultural sensitivity can be developed. The purpose of this study was to explore levels of early adolescent intercultural sensitivity within the context of multicultural music education. Intercultural sensitivity was conceptualized through Bennett's Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS). This constructivist framework describes the stages people go through as they experience intercultural worldview changes and begin to experience diversity in more complex ways. A multi-phase mixed methods design, consisting of three distinct phases, was utilized to answer seven research questions. The adapted ISI (AISI) was used to measure levels of intercultural sensitivity within a sample 162 4th--8th grade participants in Wyoming before and after the implementation of a new multicultural music curriculum based on the music of the Fon people in Southern Benin. Additional qualitative data were collected in the form of student interviews and written responses in order to incorporate the views and understandings of individual participants. The comparison of quantitative and qualitative data allowed for a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of intercultural sensitivity in early adolescence to be achieved. Many student participants indicated high levels of agreement with acceptance statements on both the AISI pre and posttest. However, this acceptance of cultural difference was determined to be largely hypothetical, due to the participants' perceived isolation from diversity. A significant difference between overall AISI pre and posttest scores was also identified, with students demonstrating significantly higher levels of intercultural sensitivity after the multicultural music curriculum intervention. These findings indicate intercultural sensitivity can be improved during early adolescence. Increased exposure to cultural diversity, through multicultural music education, may help to facilitate this growth. Future music education researchers should continue to explore the ways in which in-depth experiences with music from many diverse cultural settings can benefit students of all ages. |
