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This article presents the findings of a Qualitative Case Study investigation that piloted the Doppelganger Change Effect (DICE) conceptual theory of cultural preparedness. It begins with a detailed description of the DICE principles, followed by the sharing of the pilot study’s findings. The premise of DICE emanates from the changing dynamics of our classroom in today’s global educational landscape. Our student populations’ diversity is now representative of a wider range of international cultural backgrounds, including students from China, India, South Korea, and Middle East, who constitute over 70% of international students in the United States (Brophy, 2020). This nouveau population also contributes to the overall societal, academic and financial growth in the US, such as adding “$44.7 billion to the U.S. economy during 2018” ((Reuters, 2020, paragraph 5), creating the need for more targeted support for them (Liou & Liang, 2020). In addition to such desirable opportunities, this changing dynamic also presents fresh challenges of educator’s unpreparedness to identify with the unique cultural identities of international students, generating a cultural dissonance. Global cultural awareness is key to educational equity, teaching accountability and excellence arising from self-awareness (Danielewicz, 2014; Gay & Kirkland, 2003). However, there is a gap in the literature regarding educators’ self-awareness and self-concepts of their global empathy skills and abilities, generating a need for teacher training in empathy and positivity. (Stojiljković et al, 2014,).
DICE is inspired by an extensive review of the literature and a pilot application using Case Study Research method and elucidates a process of fostering global cultural empathy and preparedness of educators by linking such preparedness to evaluating negative attitudinal influences that may block people from changing their thinking. This is a valid linkage given the influence culture has on attitudes and vice versa and is true in the context of developing global empathy (Bachen et al, 2012; Reysen, 2012). This study answers the following research question:
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How do analyzing factors of fear, resistance and apathy contribute to the revelations and resolutions of any identity crises issues that may originate from cross cultural interactions?
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Can analyzing factors of fear, resistance, and apathy in the context of cultural attitude and change generate curriculum redesign ideas?