Diversity Climate Assessment of the Communication Studies Department

This study is a mixed-method assessment combining survey questionnaire, textual analysis, and qualitative interviews in assessing and understanding student experiences in the Department of Communication Studies at Western Washington University. The purpose of the study is twofold: (a) to examine students’ perception of the diversity climate in communication classes and the department in general; and (b) to understand communication patterns that silence marginalized voices in the classroom. Survey questionnaires are administered to measure student perceptions of classroom climate pertaining to cultural diversity issues. Textual analysis is conducted on communication syllabi (N = 60) to identify key terms associated with diversity. Student narratives collected through face-to-face interviews are explored in order to understand their experiences related to diversity issues in communication classes and in the department at large. The participants consist of enrolled WWU undergraduate students who have taken at least four communication classes and been attending the classes in the past two academic quarters. These selection criteria are imposed to ensure that the participants are familiar with the recent department climate and classroom culture. Through the assessment data, I seek to better understand student learning and to address diversity-related issues in curriculum design and instruction. More importantly, the dissemination of the knowledge gained through this scholarship can also be used to encourage genuine and meaningful interracial dialogue in higher education. Quantitative Methodology I am currently in the process of distributing survey questionnaire to WWU communications students. The use of survey research allows participants to self-report their perception and experiences with confidentiality (Beltrán, 2011). Since we seek to quantify the data, the use of survey questionnaire permits the use of display and inferential statistics in the report. Items used in the survey questionnaire are adapted from the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) survey, administered in many colleges nationwide. The measurements have high reliability that ranges from . 71 to . 94 in the subscales (Hurtado, Alvarado, & Guillermo-Wann, 2015; Hurtado & Carter, 1997; Johnston & Yeung, 2014; Locks, Hurtado, Bowman, & Oseguera, 2008). I chose subscales that best fit the purpose of this study: the Learning Environments Survey, the Classroom Climate Module, and the Intergroup Module. Although campus climate assessment data are available at WWU, the data are not specific to students who take communication courses. Therefore, I have collected data that will specifically serve the purpose of this study and the department. In addition to the survey, I performed a quantitative textual analysis of 60 communication studies syllabi from Winter 2016 to Winter 2018 quarters. The analysis includes the identification of key terms associated with diversity (see Findings for the 30 key terms used). Thus far, I have conducted semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with 13 participants. Qualitative interview is suitable for this study, since it allows indepth investigation of the students’ experiences in the classroom. My own status as an undergraduate student permits interaction with fellow undergraduates in “a relationship in which there is mutual influence, yet in which individuality needs to be recognized” (Rubin & Rubin, 2005, p. 33). The interview protocol is designed using Spradley’s (1979) techniques to infer cultural knowledge from symbols used in participant discourse (also see Ashcraft & Kedrowicz, 2010; Schall, 1983; Schmidt, 1998). During interviews, I asked participants generic grand-tour questions surveying their descriptions of classroom experience. Interview questions used in Brunner (2006) and Halualani (2010) were partially modified and incorporated; the questions focus on the undergraduate students’ perception of diversity on college campuses. Follow-up questions (i.e., probes) for soliciting clarifications and examples were also typical in interview protocol. Qualitative Methodology Background