Running Head: PRETEST REFLECTION

Pretest Reflection Essay

Destiney Pattillo
Georgia State University

PRETEST REFLECTION

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Abstract

On August 25, 2015 two pretests were taken that focused on cultural awareness and cultural
diversity. The purpose of these pretests was to grade the students on these topics, and to show
specifically where improvements need to be made over the course of the class. The scores from
each question were added together which gave a raw score for both pretest one and pretest two.
The raw scores placed the student in a range which also granted them a skill level. The levels
ranged from level one to level four, with level four being the highest achievement. The purpose
of this experiment was to educate us on our skills, and to show areas that have room for
improvement. The scores found were shocking, and sparked thoughts on why experience in
certain areas was lacking. The pretests proved that where we live, how we are raised and cultural
influence as a whole affect our level of awareness, and competence to other groups of people.

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Introduction

Two pretests were taken on August 25, 2015. These tests showed students the level of
cultural awareness and competency that they fell into depending on the scores calculated after
each test. Social work majors have huge social responsibilities once in their career path, which
makes pretests such as this eye opening, and motivating. The two tests scores were calculated by
adding up the scores from each question to calculate a raw score for each test. The raw scores
also placed the individual into a skill level which reflected how educated they were on these
specific topics. The raw score calculated for test one was 97, which fell into level three out of
four. The raw score found for test two was 196, which represented level two out of four.
These scores reflect a lack of knowledge, and experience on cultural diversity. The tests
held questions representing many different culture groups, which showed that as a social work
student the awareness factor must improve to be successful in the program long term. The scores
were very surprising, and influenced deep thought as to why the scores were so low, and also on
how to improve them for future classes, and work experiences.

Surprises
The biggest surprise found from taking the two pretests was the reality of seeing how
unaware and uneducated the individual was on cultural diversity. Being a social work major,
interning, and also reading books on these topics it was surprising how behind the students
scores were. It was also surprising that many of the questions asked were topics that have never
been discussed in previous classes. It was very interesting that the groups that were represented
by the lowest scores were groups that the individual had never experienced, or been exposed to
personally. For example, the scores surrounding the LBGTQIA community were high, while the
scores representing the older population were very low. This trend represents the amount of
exposure the individual has had throughout life with members of the LBGTQIA community. The
fact that the test scores were very low in the Native American section was very surprising also,
due to the fact that this group is supposed to be taught in depth in school history classes. Also the
questions found in the Latino section were surprising because they reflected many different
cultures, not just the popular groups the student had been exposed to in everyday life.
The fact that the scores fell under level three and level two was surprising just due to the
fact that social injustice is such a passion and interest of the individual. It was made clear that
even with an interest in social justice and different cultures; the individual is very uneducated on
the facts surrounding different groups in society. Another surprise noticed while taking the two
tests was the vocabulary used in the questions. Many of the questions used terms that were
familiar, but the student lacked the knowledge of the true meaning.

Feelings
After finishing the pretests the main feeling the individual noticed was shock. It was
baffling to see how far there was to go in the cultural diversity class, but the student was eager to
begin learning. It was alarming because it was apparent that based on the students personal

PRETEST REFLECTION

raising she was unaware of the bigger picture and was unware of other groups in society.
Majority of the frustration was felt while taking test two for numerous reasons. One of those
reasons was that a lot of negativity and mistreatment of groups was brought to the students
attention. Of course being a social work major she was aware of social injustice, but the specifics
were laid out on paper, which was overwhelming. Also a confused feeling was felt while taking
the second pretest because the vocabulary and certain questions were on topics that had never
been learned prior. A feeling of relief was also felt after seeing the areas of weakness because
these tests laid out what areas the student needs to study and focus on, which is a huge help for
future classes.
Life Events
The major life factor that played into these test scores was a lack of exposure. The fact
that not many cultures are represented in middle class suburbia plays a role in the lack of
awareness many people have for differing cultures. This was made apparent when comparing the
test scores for each section. The student has had personal relationships with people of the
LBGTQIA community, which expanded her knowledge on the topic through personal experience
and conversation. It is very easy to have tunnel vision when growing up in society, this occurs
when you focus on what it is around you, and learn that to be the way of life. This situation is
natural, but it makes a person unaware of other cultures that are different, and also hides them
from the struggles other groups are facing. Also the education system played a role in the lack of
cultural awareness the student has at this point in life. This occurs because while studying
specific cultural groups such as the Native American group, information is purposefully left out
of the lesson. It is apparent after taking these tests that this group was briefly touched on, and
that the many issues the population is still facing today was treated as an unimportant or
inappropriate topic for class.

Willingness to Improve
The most promising strategy in regards to improving these scores is focus, more
specifically a focus on groups the student has never been exposed to. It is apparent that this class
needs to be taken seriously, and that there is plenty to learn from this subject. Reading up on the
groups that the student scored low on, like the older population and the Latino groups, would
help prepare her for situations in the field one day. These scores made it clear where the areas of
weakness are, which will help guide the individual on what areas to study.

Conclusion
The fact that the tests will be re taken to see improvements at the end of the semester is
very motivating. Cultural awareness is a factor that plays into how well rounded a social worker
is. The fact that social workers will work with many different people, from many different walks
of life is proof that these trends and facts have to be learned, and respected. The student is
looking forward to seeing how the scores improve after focusing on the areas of weakness, and
also taking the cultural diversity course.

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References

Lum, D. (2011). Culturally Competent Practice. Belmont Ca: Cengage Learning .