Student views on global education: case study at a Native American institution

Purpose The purpose of this study is to better understand the global mindset of freshman students at a Native American institution. US higher education is currently experiencing a cultural shift regarding diversity initiatives. This study should be relevant to any minority serving institution that strives to communicate diversity efforts through curricular decisions and pedagogies. Design/methodology/approach IRB approval was obtained in 2021 for this qualitative case study. The data were collected through a class management system Canvas from freshman students for three years in a 1-credit international business course. The number of participants is 79 and an external audit was conducted to verify the accuracy of the data and analysis. Findings Initially, more than half of the participants heavily depended on passive learning and overrated their global knowledge. At the course conclusion, students had broadened their horizons through a shift from single-mindedness to a pluralistic view and acknowledged the power of taking international classes and the value of using objective analytical tools. Additionally, students voiced a message to higher education that global education should be required for all freshman students. Research limitations/implications Due to the uniqueness of this case study, the findings cannot be generalized, however, they may be especially applicable to minority serving institutions in higher education. Originality/value While scholars have provided their perspectives about the importance of global education, there was very little research addressing global knowledge from student perspectives which could influence future institutional diversity communication.