The Effects of the Japan Bridge Project on Third Graders' Cultural Sensitivity
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James MaKinster [1] ; Lindsay Meyer [1] ; Lilian Sherman [1]
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[1] Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
City of Geneva, Estados Unidos
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- Localización: Theory and research in social education, ISSN 0093-3104, Vol. 34, Nº 3, 2006, págs. 347-369
- Idioma: inglés
- Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
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Resumen
This study examines the effects of the Japan BRIDGE Project, a global education program, on its third grade participants. Characterization of lessons and analysis of student interviews were used to investigate the nature of the curriculum and whether or not student participants were more culturally sensitive due to participation. Results indicate that Japan BRIDGE Project participants did become more open-minded to Japan and Japanese culture, but also became less open-minded to people from other cultures.
Student participants did not demonstrate significant increases in empathy, non-ethnocentrism, or resistance to stereotyping; however, several factors are proposed to explain these findings. This study has implications for how global education programs can be designed to foster all of the dimensions of cultural sensitivity at the elementary level.
