| As students prepare to enter into what has now become a global workforce, the ability to communicate in an interculturally appropriate manner could make the difference between whether or not the student is hired by a prospective employer. This quantitative study examines the effects of an intercultural communication course in a public university system. As effectiveness was evaluated, it is within this context that the study takes place, with Bennett's developmental model of intercultural sensitivity (DMIS) serving as its theoretical foundation, both for the construction of the course and for the Intercultural Effectiveness Scale (IES) used to assess intercultural communication effectiveness and sensitivity. In employing the Intercultural Effectiveness Scale (IES) in five postsecondary, four-year institutions, a total of 585 students consented to participate in the study; out of this total, 92 students responded and subsequently completed the study. In evaluating the results from each of the respective constructs and sub-constructs of those students who took the Intercultural Communication course that was designed in accordance with the Bennett model, versus those who did not take the course, respondents represented no statistically significant differences in composite scores between students who completed the Intercultural Communication course and those who did not take the course. In evaluating the results from each of the respective constructs and sub-constructs of those students who took the intercultural communication course as an elective versus those students who took the intercultural communication course as a requirement, the results appear to indicate no statistically significant differences in each of the construct and sub-construct categories. With an abundantly diverse student populace, the outcome appears to emphasize the necessity for more substantial instruction in the area of intercultural communications. |
