Developing Cultural Attitudes Through Cross-Cultural Service Learning

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the impact of an intense cultural classroom experience combined with a cross-cultural service-learning intervention experience on the cultural attitudes of teacher candidates. The research focused specifically on the study of the Lakota Native American culture currently and historically and then quantitatively measured and qualitatively described the cultural intervention and immersion of 13 teacher candidates. The research revealed a significant impact on the cultural attitudes of teacher candidates. The findings indicated that an intense cultural classroom study combined with a holistic cross-cultural community-service learning intervention and classroom field experience can help develop cultural attitudes in teacher candidates. The quantitative data indicated a significant difference from Phase 1 to Phase 2 and from Phase 1 to Phase 3. Qualitative findings indicated that participants looked deeply at themselves to understand differing worldviews, internalized the experience, and believed that the experience would impact their future teaching.