Effectiveness of a taekwondo course on multiculturalism among African-American college students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of learning Taekwondo on awareness of and attitudes toward multiculturalism of African-American college students at a historically black university (HBU), who completed a survey on culture-related physical activity participation. Repeated measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), 2 (time period: pre and post) X 2 (diversity-related content exposure: Taekwondo and basketball classes) was conducted in order to assess the students’ attitudes toward cultural diversity. It was found that Taekwondo participation can increase students’ appreciation, valuing and implementation of cultural pluralism. These results suggest that culture-related physical activity participation can offer rich opportunities for participants to gain cultural knowledge and embrace cultural differences and similarities. The study adds to  literature on cultural diversity among HBU students by showing that a culture-related physical activity course had a positive impact on their  attitudes toward cultural diversity. These findings emphasise the value of culture-related activities and programmes as a way of promoting  multicultural awareness and participation among students.

Keywords: African-American; Culture; Physical activity; Taekwondo.