Comparing Chinese undergraduate students’ level of intercultural communication competence: does studying in the USA make a difference?

This article presents the results of a study conducted in order to determine whether Chinese students who study in the USA for a portion of their internationalised undergraduate degree programme report differences in intercultural communication competence (ICC) compared to their classmates who remain in China. The results showed no significant differences in reported intercultural communication competence between students studying in Beijing and those studying in Denver. Frequency of multicultural group work was not associated with higher intercultural communication competence for students in Beijing, but it was positively associated with higher intercultural communication competence for students in Denver. The strongest relationship observed in the data was between intercultural communication competence and reciprocity, that is, the equal exchange of information and ideas among students. These results have implications for alternatives to study abroad, as well as classroom interventions designed to improve students’ intercultural communication competence.     

Gender and intercultural competence: analysis of intercultural competence among upper secondary school students in Denmark and Norway

Abstract

The pluralisation of European societies has produced national and cultural diversification, increasing the need for communication and understanding to support recognition, equality, justice, self-determination and identification with others. This paper responds to the social and political challenges accompanying immigration by focusing on gender differences in intercultural competence among a selection of Danish and Norwegian secondary school students. Data came from questionnaires given to 895 students from four schools—two Danish and two Norwegian. One major finding was gender differences in intercultural competence, which is discussed using inclusive citizenship theory, gender socialization theory and feminist standpoint theory. For the control variables, cultural capital theory and intergroup contact theory were used to analyse students’ experiences of school diversity and their intercultural competence. School diversity contributed moderately to greater intercultural competence while moderate differences arose between national samples. Finally, teaching implications are discussed.     

Letting the village be the teacher: a look at community-based learning in Northern Thailand

ABSTRACT

Higher education in the U.S. sees global learning as critical to student development. Over the last seventy years, study abroad has emerged as the method of choice for teaching global knowledge and intercultural competence. In this context, community-based global learning programs are a type of program where students live in communities to learn directly from people and place. Looking at a field studies program in Northern Thailand, this paper explores the educational mobility of study abroad and impact on host communities. It shares findings on the experiences of two communities who have hosted study abroad students for almost twenty years. Best practices and recommendations for faculty and institutions running community-based global learning programs are shared, including the centrality of community voice in curriculum, benefits of applying a range of pedagogical methods on course, the critical nature of adequately preparing students for cultural immersion, and compensating communities justly for their work.     

通过文化移情提高学生的跨文化交际能力

跨文化交际能力是来自不同文化背景的人们间成功交流的关键因素。随着世界经济文化全球化进程的进一步发展,提高跨文化交际能力在语言教学中显得尤为重要。研究表明,文化移情是提高跨文化交际能力的有效途径之一。     

Higher education students’ experiences of a short-term international programme: Exploring cultural competency and professional development

Background: Globalisation trends such as increased migration to and within European countries have led to even greater cultural diversity in European societies. Cultural diversity increases the demand of cultural competency amongst professionals entering their work field. In particular, healthcare professionals need knowledge and skills to equip them to work with clients from different cultural backgrounds. Within higher education (HE), the professional development of cultural competency should ideally feature in undergraduate education and is often promoted as a by-product of a study abroad period. However, recognising that logistical and financial barriers often exist for extended study abroad, one alternative approach could be participation, at home or abroad, in a short-term international programme set within students’ own HE institutions.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore HE students’ experiences of participating in international ‘short-term mobility week’ programmes at three European universities.

Methods: Each university involved in the research offered short-term programmes for healthcare professions students at their own institution, where both local students and students from abroad could participate. Participants were healthcare students in the programme at one of the three universities. Data were collected through focus group interviews (4–8 students per group; n = 25). The data were transcribed and then analysed qualitatively, using a content comparison method.

Results: The analysis identified six categories, which reflected students’ journeys within the short-term international experiences.

Conclusions: The analysis suggested that, for these students, engagement in a short-term mobility week programme provided valuable opportunities for encounters with others, which contributed to personal and professional development, greater confidence in the students’ own professional identities, as well as an increasing sense of cultural awareness.     

从英汉颜色词的意蕴观英语教学的文化导向

本文从英汉颜色词所折射的文化意义切入,指出文化对各自词汇意义的制约与影响,借此强调语言习得与文化习得的不可分割性,倡导英语教学中的文化导向,培养学生英语习得过程中对文化差异的敏感性,以期提高学生的语用能力和跨文化交际能力。     

高职院校培养学生跨文化交际能力的探索与实践--以影片《推手》的跨文化教学为例

随着世界全球化进程的飞速发展,社会对跨文化交际能力强的人才需求不断增长。培养学生自觉的跨文化意识、提高学生的跨文化交际能力已成为高职高专教育的培养目标之一。电影作为独特的文化载体,自身承载着丰富的语言和文化信息,能带给观看者经久不忘的文化体验。因此,在外语教学过程中,教师将电影纳入外语教学体系,运用文化体验和体验式学习的理论成果,通过有效的教学设计,可以使电影教学成为培养和提高学生跨文化交际能力的有效途径,从而达到外语教学的最终目标。     

Impacts of perceived country image,institution image and self-image on students’ intention to study abroad: a study in Hanoi,Vietnam

ABSTRACT

This study examined high school students’ evaluations of a country image, institution image and self-image with regards to their intention to attend a foreign university. Using data gathered from students in Hanoi (n?=?403), this study found that the students have more positive perceptions of the host country, the host institution and their desired self-image if they choose to study abroad as compared to those of their home country (Vietnam). In addition, the perceived image of the host country and host institution can generate a significant impact on the formation of the students’ desired self-image. However, the most important antecedent of the students’ intention is the discrepancy between the perceived image of the host country and the perceived image of the home country. Based on these findings, implications for foreign institutions and home institutions in recruiting and retaining students are discussed.     

Intercultural Competence: Physical Education Teacher Education Recommendations

ABSTRACT 

The increasing diversity of the K-12 student population presents challenges and opportunities for growth in the physical education profession. To address the cultural gap in today’s classroom, many people highlight the need to improve the intercultural competence of teachers. The focus of this article is to summarize the shifting demographics of American society, its impact on K-12 education, and how one California physical education teacher education (PETE) program is preparing pre-service teachers for the multicultural classroom. The article also outlines recommendations for PETE programs to address intercultural competence.     

Fostering students’ moderation competence: the interplay between social relatedness and perceived competence*

Using a longitudinal design, the present study examined whether two teaching concepts that varied in their capacity to foster students’ self-determination affected students’ sense of social relatedness and their perceived moderation competence, as well as the interplay between these two components and the students’ performance during a moderation exam. We conducted a quasi-experimental field study with university students (N?=?160), who were evenly distributed between an experimental (EG) and a control group (CG). The results of multi-group path analysis suggest that simultaneously fostering autonomy, competence, and relatedness (EG), in comparison to providing autonomy and competence support only (CG), leads to a stronger link between perceived competence and social relatedness. If students experience moderation competence, they in turn feel socially related to their teacher, which leads to an even higher competence perception thereafter. The crucial role of teachers’ behaviour, in particular relatedness support, in learning development is discussed.     

The Development of Teachers’ Intercultural Competence Using a Change Laboratory Method

Immigration is an integral phenomenon of our globalising world. The increasing flow of people creates new challenges for educational institutions and workplaces. The purpose of this article is to address challenges that vocational teachers face with diversity at colleges and workplaces. Two research questions are addressed: how do teachers prepare immigrant students for working life? What challenges related to intercultural competence do teachers preparing immigrant students for working life face? The theoretical background lies in cultural–historical activity theory, developmental work research and in the concept of intercultural competence. The change laboratory method used in study is a formative intervention method evolved within developmental work research. The data comprised two change laboratories organised at the same vocational college in 2001 and 2011. The results showed that teachers’ work with multicultural students and groups can be developed by following five perspectives: preparation, reflection, contribution, guidance and responding. Intercultural competence is constructed contextually and is intertwined with activities such as teaching, facilitating students’ learning and cooperating with workplaces. The participants of the change laboratories experienced it as a good instrument for their intercultural work. Based on the results, some implications are suggested.     

Intercultural competence and student engagement of U.S. community college Students: a mixed method study

In a culturally diverse society, United States community colleges are ideally positioned to develop intercultural competence in students. This mixed method study focused on the relationship between student engagement, as measured by the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) (2005), and intercultural competence, as assessed by the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) (Bennett & Hammer, 1998). Student scores from the IDI were correlated with five benchmark measures of the CCSSE. Four of the five CCSSE benchmarks were significantly correlated with IDI scores. Then, students scoring in the highest and lowest quartiles on the IDI participated in focus groups to explore their perceptions of intercultural competence. Analysis revealed implications for community college leaders that include the value of using instruments like the CSSE and IDI to assess students’ intercultural competence. Practical implications also included the importance of collaborative classroom activities and exposure to racially and ethnically diverse faculty and students, as well as college-sponsored community service, cultural events, and study-abroad opportunities     

从接触假设视角研究高职师生跨文化交际能力的培养

跨文化交际能力的培养作为英语教学的一个重要内容已经得到国内英语教师的广泛认可,有关此能力培养的研究和探讨层出不穷,该文作者基于对Thomas K.Nakayama的接触假设理论的研究,从高职院校英语教师的角度,尝试提出了高职院校英语教师跨文化交际能力的培养,尤其是关于文化投射的阐述,以此提高教师克服师生间刻板印象的能力,避免由教师自身原因造成的矛盾和障碍。在最后作者介绍了针对学生的跨文化交际培训的几种模式,拓宽学生的视野,进一步理解文化对其交际的影响,提供识别和欣赏文化的相似性和差异性的能力。     

海外游学期间留学生跨文化敏感度培养研究——以美国A大学上海中心为例

通过对上海中心2009年春季游学项目中开展的课堂教学与文化体验活动对于提高留学生跨文化敏感度的实证研究得出,有些留学生对文化差异的认识存在分歧,也有部分留学生对深层次的文化差异趋向认同;留学生在一定程度上有选择性地、有针对性地参加汉语文化体验活动有助于提高其跨文化敏感度;文化体验活动设计要注重培养留学生的交际信心,形成用汉语进行传递信息和交流情感的学习动机,进而提高其跨文化交际能力。     

“Floating elites”: interpreting mainland Chinese undergraduates’ graduation plans in Hong Kong

Cross-border student migration has significant implications for host communities in terms of academic, financial and social consequences. In light of Hong Kong’s thirst for human resources, this paper reports on a study that interpreted the graduation plans of a group of “elite” mainland Chinese undergraduates in a publicly funded university. To fully appreciate the complexity of the participants’ graduation plans, the study examined their perceived behavioural control, attitudes towards the students remaining in Hong Kong upon graduation and subjective norms as mediated by socio-contextual conditions. The analysis revealed the participants’ ambivalent attitudes towards Hong Kong in their careers and life pursuits beyond graduation; most of them regarded it as a transition point rather than a destination for their adventures. These findings suggest that the participants had developed intercultural personhoods and regarded educational efforts as a means to acquire cultural capital for their transnational aspirations. They highlight the necessity for institutions and governments to foster and sustain close ties between cross-border students, as represented by the participants of this study, and local students. These efforts will not only develop local students’ intercultural competence but they also help these globally mobile students acquire social capital locally, which facilitates their smooth integration into host communities and encourages them contribute to the communities as part of their globally expanding social networks.     

泛在学习环境下跨文化交际能力的培养策略

跨文化交际能力的培养是英语教学改革的方向。项目组将原有的Moodle网络学习平台的基础上进行移动化改造,增设文化教学动态管理模块,构建职业英语跨文化交际泛在学习环境。以系统而丰富的文化资源的输入,培养学生对英语语言及文化的认知能力;通过教学引导、激发学生非言语交际意识,提高学生的跨文化交际敏感度;采用综合文化教学法,提高学生的跨文化交际宽容度;运用英语在线互动功能,提高学生的跨文化教学灵活度。     

Internationalisation and the development of students’ intercultural competence

Universities’ internationalisation rhetoric suggests that students studying on internationally diverse campuses will automatically engage positively with one another and develop intercultural competence. This study examined the extent to which a cohort of first year UK and non-UK students studying on an internationally diverse campus developed intercultural competence. The Intercultural Development Inventory® (IDI®) and a locally designed survey were used to assess students’ intercultural competence and to explore their intercultural experiences over seven months. Students began almost exclusively in lower (ethnocentric) stages of intercultural development and most showed little progress despite reporting relatively high levels of intercultural contact, friends from other cultures and positive experiences. Findings suggest that even positive intercultural experiences do not necessarily lead to the development of intercultural competence and that university policy and practice may need to be enhanced if producing graduates with higher levels of intercultural competence is to become a realised outcome of internationalisation.     

Assessing students’ intercultural competence: Construction and psychometric evaluation of a brief measure

Intercultural competence has been placed increasing attention in globalized educational systems. The study presents a series of qualitative and quantitative investigations to construct and validate scores on a brief self-report measure assessing intercultural competence of university students. Following a comprehensive literature search and qualitative expert reviews in the scale construction process, 50 potential items were classified based on the attitudinal, cognitive, and behavioral intercultural competence framework. In the psychometric evaluation process, a unidimensional structure was obtained to represent the 50 items. Item response theory analysis was performed to yield a brief measure of five content-specific items measuring intercultural competence, capturing cross-cultural self-efficacy, cultural knowledge application, perspective taking/suspending judgment, and behavioral regulation in intercultural situations. Not just contributing to measurement advancement, but the newly developed and validated instrument holds promise for guiding the design of intercultural competence educational programs and assessing students’ intercultural competence performances/gains.