South Island Education Committee
December 6, 2017

Diversity Change Curve

Use the button below to indicate where you and your organization is at on the Diversity Change Curve: 

Perspectives on the Culture at Work

Use the button below to complete the survey around Perspectives on the Culture at Work, or what is commonly known as "fit".

Diversity Change Curve (Bennett Scale)

The Bennett scale, also called the Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS), was developed by Dr. Milton Bennett. The framework describes the different ways in which people can react to cultural differences. For more information, please visit the following link: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bennett_scale

Use the button below to indicate what stage you are at along the Bennett Scale: 

Intercultural Case Scenarios

Please use the following scenarios to practice ODIS. Imagine you are either an observer in the scenario, possible a colleague. 

Scenario 1
During an intake interview with an Aboriginal client, a health care provider begins asking questions to gather information for a file.  They get no response.  They move to the next question and again there is no response.  This is repeated several times before the health care provider writes “non-compliant” on the chart and moves on to the next person.

Scenario 2
A young man with a spinal cord injury is in rehabilitation to gain skills in order to move back into the community. Although he has been assessed as having the potential to be functionally independent, the health professionals working with him are becoming increasingly frustrated at his apparent disinterest in learning basic skills that could facilitate his independence at home. When asked about this, he says it is unnecessary, as his wife and daughter will take care of him when he is home.

Scenario 3
A nursing student of Indian-descent was asked to meet with her clinical practice teacher, to discuss her preparation for clinical practice. At their meeting, the teacher asks the student to do “something different” with her nursing uniforms, claiming that she smelled like curry.

Scenario 4
A female client of Asian descent comes to a coaching appointment and nods her head with everything that's said. She does not engage in a productive discussion, nor (attempts to) drive the conversation as per her needs/concerns. When repeatedly asked to share her comments, concerns and opinions – she does not engage with eye contact, keeps looking down, nods in agreement, and states that it's all okay and understands what is agreed upon.  

Scenario 5
A male client of South American-descent comes for career advice. When discussing strategies for networking or setting up informational interviews, the client is shown how to approach people over Linkedin and Twitter, and is provided a few examples, including giving a compliment on one’s career path, mentioning mutual connections, and an open invitation for a chat over coffee. The client becomes very uncomfortable and looks away. When asked what's wrong, the client tries to change the topic and seems in disbelief. After insisting a couple of times, the client opens up and points to the screen and asks, “Can I really send this message to that woman? How can I approach a woman I do not know, and invite her to connect and for a coffee chat? How's that going to be perceived?”

Scenario 6
An upset parent of a Grade-12 student calls her child’s school, saying that she wants to speak with someone about her son’s recent report card.  The mother says that her son has been a very involved student and is strong academically but his grades do not reflect his ability.  She said she is upset because he is about to graduate and this will make it harder for him to get into a good university. She complains that their school is admitting too many newcomer foreign students and has learned some students are given more time to write their exams, and in some cases, even given space to write their exams in a separate room. She exclaims that foreign students are unfairly pushing the academic levels too high, and that that some students are getting unfair levels of support.

What? So what? Now what? 

Use the following form to reflect on the learning today. Let us know what rocked, will stick with you, and will leave with you: