The College of Education

Announces the Final Examination of

Jonathan Parker Jones

for the degree of

Doctor of Education

October 2, 2015 at 1:00 pm

301 Browning Hall, University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

Bachelor of Sciences, Physical Education, Mississippi State University

Master of Sciences, Physical Education, Mississippi State University

Advisory Committee

Jeff Wilson, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Leadership, Committee chair

Mitsunori Misawa, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Leadership

Lamont Simmons, Ed.D, Assistant Professor, Social Work

Colton Cockrum, Ed.D., Director QEP, Academic Coach Support Services, Undergraduate Programs

Major Field of Study

Higher and Adult Education

Period of Preparation: 2011-2015

Comprehensive Examination Passed: November, 2013

UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION USING EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING TECHNIQUES TO FOSTER CULTURAL COMPETENCY OF MEDICAL SCHOOL STUDENTS: A QUALITATIVE CASE STUDY AT A MEDICAL SCHOOL

Abstract

Cultural competencies of current medical school students were examined by studying part of the multicultural curriculum at a southeastern United States health science center. This study was a qualitative case study that focused on the impact of a multicultural education training exercise, BaFa’ BaFa,’ on first-year medical students. This exercise took place during orientation of the student’s first year. The theoretical framework for this study was part of Kolb’s model of experiential learning, specifically the active experimentation aspect. There were two research questions that guided this study: (1) How does BaFa’ BaFa’ impact cultural competency on current medical students at a southeastern health science center?: (2): How does the experiential learning aspect of BaFa’ BaFa’ impact current medical students? It was found that there were varying opinions regarding the overall impact of the training, as well as when the training should be administered during medical school, if at all. However, it was also found that the participants experienced an uncomfortable feeling while performing the training, had little time to utilize anything that they might have learned from the training, and that the experiential learning aspect of the training had an impact on their learning. Although the BaFa’ BaFa’ training itself had little impact on the cultural competencies of the medical students studied, the experiential learning aspect of the training had a substantial impact on the students.

Keywords: multicultural education, diversity, cultural simulation training, experiential learning, cultural competency, medical education