Toward Understanding and Reciprocity among Indigenous and Non-Indigenous People: The Impact of the Lethbridge College Experience on Student Bias

Lethbridge College has committed to increased understanding and reciprocity among Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.  In education, implicit bias can add to this crisis if there is a lack of awareness of its influence on students. This study was designed to bring awareness to the issue of bias and measure the impact of the college experience on negative biases held by students.  It was intended to either affirm that our efforts to prepare students to be more culturally sensitive are succeeding or to identify the need for more specific intervention. Using a variety of validated instruments designed to measure explicit and implicit bias, we have shown that a Lethbridge College education does not affect the level of student bias against First Nations peoples, at least in the four programs we measured. This opens the door for futher research to identify and embed successful ways of reducing bias into the curriculum so that in the future Lethbridge College won't just offer training in cultural diversity, we will be able to say that we offer training that makes a demonstrable difference.