Intercultural Sensitivity of Educational Management Students as the Future’s Educational Leaders in Indonesia

Abstract

Multicultural education of Indonesia calls for future’s educational leaders with a high level of intercultural sensitivity (IS). Hence, this mixed-method study investigated the IS of 784 educational management students from 10 universities in Indonesia, and their representatives’ IS factors. They were recruited as the samples because their background knowledge supports their profiles as the future’s educational leaders. The first objective was pursued by conducting a quantitative survey, and the second objective was pursued by undertaking an instrumental case study. This study revealed that the educational management students had a high level of IS as demonstrated by high values of all IS domains. Their high IS level was influenced by three factors which entailed experiences of living with diversity, noticing the multiculturalism of Indonesia, and accepting differences. At the end of discussion and conclusion sections, implications and suggestions for future’s studies are given.

Keywords

• educational leaders
• intercultural competence
• intercultural sensitivity
• multicultural education