Cultural competencies in education: Results from self-assessment of high school teachers

Abstract

Introduction: Cultural competencies, as a set of values, knowledge, attitudes and skills needed for understanding and respecting culturally different individuals, and establishing positive and constructive relations with them, are considered an important aspect of the professional development of teachers in the framework of intercultural education. Aim: An insight into the level of cultural competencies of high school teachers – in the domains of cultural awareness, knowledge and skills, while looking at the influence of gender and age of respondents on the results of self-assessment. Method: The sample consisted of 254 teachers (78.7% female), aged 23 to 63 (M = 45.7; SD = 9.11), from eight Belgrade high schools. Data were collected with the Cultural Competence Self-Assessment Checklist, which consists of 36 items on a four-point Likert-type scale (α = .95), grouped into three subscales: cultural awareness (α = .77), cultural knowledge (α = .91) and cultural skills (α = .92). Results: High school teachers report a satisfactory level of cultural competence (M = 3.13; SD = .47), whereby they have the most cultural knowledge (M = 3.38; SD = .52), followed by cultural skills (M = 3.10; SD = .59) and, finally, cultural awareness (M = 2.88; SD = .49). Younger and female teachers estimate their own level of overall cultural competence higher than older (r = 0.21, p < 0.01) and male teachers (t(214) = -2.26, p < 0.05). The most significant differences, when it comes to the teacher’s gender, are recorded at the level of cultural skills (t(240) = -3.24, p < 0.01), while in relation to age, the differences are most pronounced in the domain of cultural knowledge (r = 0.23, p < 0.01). Conclusion: Although teachers rate their cultural competence at a relatively high level, there is room for improvement. It would be desirable to implement professional development programs that, through the strengthening of cultural awareness, knowledge and skills of teachers, would contribute to democratic culture, intercultural education and culturally competent practice in educational work.

Uvod: Kulturalne kompetencije, kao skup vrednosti, znanja, stavova i veština potrebnih za razumevanje i poštovanje kulturalno različitih pojedinaca, te uspostavljanje pozitivnih i konstruktivnih odnosa sa njima, smatraju se važnim aspektom profesionalnog razvoja nastavnika u okvirima interkulturalnog obrazovanja. Cilj: Uvid u nivo razvijenosti kulturalnih kompetencija nastavnika srednje škole – u domenima kulturalne svesnosti, znanja i veština, uz sagledavanje uticaja pola i starosti ispitanika na rezultate samoprocene. Metode: Uzorak je činilo 254 nastavnika (78,7% ženskog pola), starosti od 23 do 63 godine (M = 45,7; SD = 9,11), iz osam beogradskih srednjih škola. Podaci su prikupljeni Kontrolnom listom za samoprocenu kulturalne kompetencije (Cultural Competence Self-Assessment Checklist), koju čini 36 stavki na četvorostepenoj skali Likertovog tipa (α = .95), grupisanih u tri podskale: kulturalna svesnost (α = .77), kulturalno znanje (α = .91) i kulturalne veštine (α = .92). Rezultati: Nastavnici srednje škole poseduju zadovoljavajući nivo kulturalnih kompetencija (M = 3,13; SD = .47), pri čemu u najvećoj meri raspolažu kulturalnim znanjem (M = 3,38; SD = .52), zatim kulturalnim veštinama (M = 3,10; SD = .59) i, na kraju, kulturalnom svesnošću (M = 2,88; SD = .49). Mlađi i nastavnici ženskog pola procenjuju sopstveni nivo ukupnih kulturalnih kompetencija višim u odnosu na starije (r = 0,21, p < 0.01) i nastavnike muškog pola (t(214) = -2,26, p < 0,05). Najznačajnije razlike, kada je u pitanju pol nastavnika, beleže se na nivou kulturalnih veština (t(240) = -3,24, p < 0,01), dok su u odnosu na starost, razlike najizraženije u domenu kulturalnog znanja (r = 0,23, p < 0,01). Zaključak: Iako nastavnici svoje kulturalne kompetencije ocenjuju na relativno visokom nivou, prostor za njihovo unapređivanje postoji. Opravdano bi bilo implementirati programe stručnog usavršavanja koji bi, kroz jačanje kulturalne svesnosti, znanja i veština nastavnika, doprineli demokratskoj kulturi, interkulturalnom obrazovanju i kulturalno kompetentnoj praksi u obrazovnom radu.