Assessment Of Intercultural Competence Research Articles

Assessing Intercultural Competence in Pakistani Students: An Analysis of O-Level English Language Examination

This paper explores the intercultural competence of Pakistani students who appear in Cambridge O-Level English language examination conducted in Pakistan by British council twice a year. English language is a core subject and is coded with 1123 for Cambridge International Examination (CIE). For this subject, two papers are taken i.e. paper-I was about reading comprehension and paper-II was about writing a composition. To analyze the extent to which intercultural competence assesses alongside linguistic competence amongst students through exam papers, forty-four exam papers (2013-2023) are analyzed by using Byram’s (1993) checklist that constitutes eight categories of intercultural competence. Fairclough’s (2003) model of discourse analysis has been used as a theoretical framework. For analytical framework, topics, themes, and the content of both the papers are thoroughly read and then are put under the eight categories of assessing intercultural competence proposed by Byram (1993). The findings of one-sample t-test indicate that the categories of Byram’s checklist have negative effect on the content of the papers of O-Level. The results clearly display the absence of assessment of intercultural competence of students because less content on local culture was given in the exam papers.

An Investigation of the Intercultural Communicative Competence of Students from Sino-foreign Joint Education Program in HBUT

This study employed a questionnaire survey to assess the intercultural communicative competence (ICC) of 113 students enrolled in the Sino-foreign Joint Education Program at Hubei University of Technology. The Assessment of Intercultural Competence of Chinese College Students (AIC-CCS) was utilized to investigate their ICC. The findings indicate that the participants’ overall ICC reached an intermediate level. Notably, proficiency in knowledge pertaining to domestic culture is the highest, while competence in understanding foreign culture is comparatively lower. The study identifies varying degrees of influence among the six dimensions of ICC, with knowledge related to foreign culture and intercultural communicative skills demonstrating a more pronounced positive impact on overall ICC levels. Furthermore, students who participated in intercultural courses exhibited significantly higher ICC compared with their counterparts who did not partake in such courses.

A Study on the Enhancement of English Proficiency of Contemporary College Students by Intercultural Communication in the Background of the Internet

Abstract The process of English learning is closely related to the process of intercultural communication. This paper addresses the problem of quantifying the intercultural communication ability of college students, designs the dimensions of intercultural competence, establishes the factor indicators of intercultural competence, and constructs a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method for the assessment of intercultural competence. A regression model is created to investigate the correlation between achievement and English proficiency. The nonparametric model of principal component analysis is used to optimize the problem of the stratification effect of general local linear regression, and the principal component-based local linear regression method (PC-LLR) is proposed. The second-year undergraduate students of different majors in X university were selected as the research subjects, and an overall assessment of intercultural communication competence was made to explore the differences among different student groups. Based on the correlation analysis between intercultural competence and English proficiency, PC-LLR regression analysis was launched. The Beta value interval of the regression was [0.0535, 5.0292], all of which were positive, and the four variables of knowledge, attitude, skill, and awareness had a positive predictive effect on the dependent variable. Intercultural knowledge has a relatively high Beta value, which makes it a strong predictor of English proficiency.

ELT Scholars’ Attitudes towards Inclusion of Intercultural Competence Assessment in Language Proficiency Tests

Intercultural Competence Assessment (ICA) has recently become a central issue in applied linguistics in general, and language testing and assessment in particular. The present paper aims to investigate the difference between native and non-native assessment experts’ beliefs about incorporating ICA in the Language Proficiency Assessment (LPA). Basic qualitative research design was employed and questions were emailed to 97 native and non-native language testing and assessment experts of whom 32 participants returned their responses (response rate = 33%). Moreover, 10 of the experts were interviewed to triangulate the data. The data were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. The results demonstrated that there were no significant differences between native experts and non-native experts’ attitudes towards whether ICA should be included in the LPA. Despite this finding, some native speaker experts strongly disagreed with the notion while some other non-native scholars supported it. This study may be helpful to Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) assessment experts who argue for the inclusion of ICA in the LPA, believing that such an inclusion would benefit not only second language proficiency assessment but also efforts in designing more effective instructional syllabuses.

Intercultural education in understudied contexts: lessons learned to rethink the conceptualization and assessment of intercultural competence

ABSTRACT Extensive research has been done to identify the conceptual components of intercultural competence (IC), which resulted in a plethora of models and a wide array of differently defined constructs that are in use today to develop and assess IC. However, the majority of IC research comes from relatively similar contexts that are westernised, high on the diversity scale, and employ modern educational practices. This research study set out to investigate an understudied context that is non-western, low on the diversity scale, and retains a traditional educational system based on textbook memorisation. The aim was to examine whether such context would yield IC components similar to or different from those existing in established models. Primary data collected from 32 students, in a Palestinian high school, was analyzed, revealing 14 IC components, which, by comparison to secondary data from literature, were relatively similar to components in established IC models, yet with subtle differences. The three-phase deductive-then-inductive content analysis approach implemented in this study provided us with evidence to support arguments against the one-model approach for IC development and assessment and voice out the need for a more realistic and ethical approach that takes the different sociocultural, geopolitical, and educational contexts into account.

MOBA Games in EFL Educational Settings For Intercultural Language Teaching

This paper unveils the relative merits of multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games in EFL educational settings for educational purposes, particularly rechecking the influence of League of Legends (LoL) on the EFL learners’ ICC. We have used Byram’s (1997) Model as a framework of assessment for thematic analysis, and both the Cultural Intelligence Scale (CQS), modified by Gozzoli and Gazzaroli (2018) and the Assessment of Intercultural Competence of Chinese College Students (AIC-CCS) by Wu et al. (2013) to ensure a consistent questionnaire. Our participants were 75 Algerian EFL learners (Males=86,7%, Females= 13,3%) from different educational levels, aged 20.08 (SD= 2.99). The results indicate a need to design a more convenient MOBA game as a replace for LoL, as well as adopting a flexible assessment continuous guidance to ensure appropriate ICC instruction.

Towards multilingual turn in language classes: plurilingual awareness as an indicator of intercultural communicative competence

ABSTRACT Multilingualism research has predominantly focused on describing the various factors behind multilingual individuals’ beliefs and practices in language learning and teaching. However, language and culture are intrinsically related and how intercultural communicative competence can contribute to this alliance remains relatively unknown. To address this research gap, the current study examined the relationship between plurilingual awareness and intercultural communicative competence together with their experiences in language classrooms. The study was based on Douglas Fir Group’s (2016. A transdisciplinary framework for SLA in a multilingual world. Modern Language Journal, 100(Supplement 2016), 19–47. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12301) framework and Deardorff’s (2006. Identification and assessment of intercultural competence as a student outcome of internationalization. Journal of Studies in International Education, 10(3), 241–266) process orientation model, with 265 EFL teacher (pre-service and in-service) participants. In this mixed-method study, data were analysed using several multiple regressions and thematic analyses. Findings indicate that plurilingual awareness is a significant predictor of the relationship between language and culture, and individuals with higher plurilingual awareness have higher intercultural communicative competence. Classroom practices yielded complementary results manifested through a) translanguaging as a motivational practice, b) coping with intercultural tensions, and c) technology in multilingual classrooms. This study has several implications for the multilingual turn in language learning and teaching.

Negotiating pre-service EFL teachers’ identity orientations through telecollaboration

ABSTRACT Purpose Telecollaboration has become a dynamic subfield of CALL studies with the increasing availability of multimodal platforms in language learning and teaching. Although current studies mostly have focused on bilingual and bicultural exchanges, affordances of multi-faceted teacher identity have not received considerable attention. To address this gap, 57 teacher candidates took part in an eight-week telecollaboration project with four instructors from European universities. Method Drawing on [Deardorff, D. K. 2006. “Identification and Assessment of Intercultural Competence as a Student Outcome of Internationalization.” Journal of Studies in International Education 10 (3): 241–266.] process orientation and [Bennett, M. J. 1993. “Towards Eethnorelativism: A Developmental Model of Iintercultural Sensitivity.” In Education for the Intercultural Experience, edited by R. Michael Paige, 21–71. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press] developmental models, teacher candidates’ identity negotiations were analysed through the data generated on (a)synchronous modes. Findings and Originality Findings suggest that dynamics resulting from multicultural and multilingual identity contribute to higher intercultural communicative competence, and teacher candidates’ intercultural development is manifested through their (a) intercultural adjustment, (b) culture-specific identity orientations, (c) gender socialisation and (d) culture and technology interplay. This study provides several implications for EFL practitioners to foster intercultural communicative competence in language classes and utilise telecollaboration as a valuable asset with concrete outcomes for upcoming studies.

Problematizing Language Testing and Assessment Syllabi through Intercultural Competence Assessment Perspective in an EFL Context

Problematizing Language Testing and Assessment Syllabi through Intercultural Competence Assessment Perspective in an EFL Context

Reply to Hammer, M.R. A Response to Punti and Dingel’s Critique of the Validity of the Intercultural Development Inventory for BIPOC Students. Comment on “Punti, G.; Dingel, M. Rethinking Race, Ethnicity, and the Assessment of Intercultural Competence in Higher Education. Educ. Sci. 2021, 11, 110”

Hammer claims that the IDI has been validated for BIPOC in the US, but after careful re-examination of the data we presented, we reiterate that there is no evidence of this validation. The studies provided by Hammer reveal how the development of the IDI instrument and its validation focused on international cultural experiences not on cultural diversity within the US. There was no validity testing done on a racially diverse sample of U.S. Americans, and our qualitative data questions the validity for BIPOC individuals from the US.

A Response to Punti and Dingel’s Critique of the Validity of the Intercultural Development Inventory for BIPOC Students. Comment on Punti, G.; Dingel, M. Rethinking Race, Ethnicity, and the Assessment of Intercultural Competence in Higher Education. Educ. Sci. 2021, 11, 110

Addressing social inequity and increasing intercultural competence is a critical challenge in the 21st century. This work should be informed by rigorous, scientifically grounded research, accurate interpretations of that research, and the implementation of policies and training that are based upon the integrity of such research efforts. The Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), because of its psychometric integrity, is one such assessment tool that is used to pursue these challenges in higher education. The psychometric integrity of the IDI is unequivocally situated within the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing 2014. American Educational Research Association [AERA], American Psychological Association [APA], and the National Council on Measurement in Education [NCME]). Punti and Dingel assert that the IDI is not valid specifically for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) university students because it does not take into account the experience of being a minority/ethnic group member vis-à-vis racism and inequality. It is troubling that Punti and Dingel’s critique (1) is based on their use of an interview methodology that does not comport with the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing and (2) ignores the scientific evidence supporting the cross-cultural validity of the IDI with BIPOC.

Intercultural learning through Chinese-American telecollaboration: results of a song sharing project

This study reports on the results of a semester-long Chinese-American telecollaborative exchange via WeChat, in which students from China and the U.S. shared thematically similar songs in their respective languages and discussed relevant cultural topics that were suggested by the students. Various types of qualitative data collected from the exchange (i.e. WeChat group discussion transcripts, videoconferencing audio recordings, final reflection journals, and end-of-semester interviews) showed that the students participated actively in the program and were able to engage in in-depth conversations on various topics with their partners through WeChat group discussion and one-on-one videoconferencing. Many students attributed their positive experience to the intrinsic ability of music to engage college students. In order to evaluate the students’ intercultural learning, Byram’s intercultural competence assessment model was adopted to guide the data analysis. Results showed that the students demonstrated evidence of developing four types of intercultural competences during the exchange: interest in knowing other people’s way of life and introducing one’s own culture to others, knowledge about one’s own and others’ culture for intercultural communication, ability to change perspective, and knowledge about the intercultural communication process, with particularly overwhelming evidence indicating the prominence of the first two types.

Teaching Korean as a Foreign Language: Theories and Practices

Teaching Korean as a Foreign Language: Theories and Practices

Rethinking Race, Ethnicity, and the Assessment of Intercultural Competence in Higher Education

This qualitative study aims to explore the limitations of using a cultural assessment tool in higher education with the goal of preparing students to thrive in a highly demanding, diverse, and global community. Colleges and universities are potentially important sites of cross-cultural and cross-racial engagement and socialization, and cultural competence is arguably one of the critical skills that many higher education institutions are embracing to prepare students for our diverse, but increasingly polarized, global society. In particular, this study discusses the use of the intercultural development inventory (IDI), a cultural assessment tool that has not been validated in the U.S. for racial, ethnic, or social class differences, and which leaves out the role of structural inequalities in intercultural relationships. Findings reveal that interview data from black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) did not align with their IDI results and that the tool dismisses the complex experiences of BIPOC students. These findings jeopardize the tool’s purpose and validity. Finally, this study reveals the importance of educating students about structural competence to improve empathy and understanding of a diverse student body.

Constructing the Learning Outcomes with Intercultural Assessment: A 3-Year Study of a Graduate Study Abroad and Glocal Experience Programs

Constructing the learning outcomes and designing the optimal learning environment are valuable practices in teaching and learning endeavors. Doing so for intercultural learning requires a deft balance of learner inputs and instructional acumen. Assessment of intercultural competence is an essential component since it offers learners and instructors insights on where students are, where they wish to grow, and the success of treatment outcomes. In this study of practice, we examine three years of pre-post mixed-method intercultural assessment data, along with teaching and learning practices and outcomes, to gain insights into how this work of instructional design for intercultural competence can succeed. We also provide suggestions for improvements. The learners were 203 MBA students from the U.S. Pacific Northwest who were enrolled in either a short-term study abroad program or a “glocal” learning experience course. Learners were assessed using the Inter cultural Effectiveness Scale (IES) and the AAC&U VALUE Rubric on Intercultural Knowledge and Competency (IKAC). Results support the criticality of intentional instructional course design based on intercultural assessment data for improved intercultural competency development.

International service-learning and intercultural competence of U.S. music therapists: Initial survey findings

ABSTRACT Introduction: Research in education and the health sciences indicated that international service-learning (ISL) has positive impacts on participants’ intercultural competence, although little information exists in the music therapy profession. This study examined the characteristics of ISL within the context of music therapy and investigated its relationship with intercultural competence in U.S. music therapists. Method: A total of 621 board certified music therapists participated in the study. The researcher-designed cross-sectional survey consisted of checklists, Likert scales, one standardized self-report measure – the Assessment of Intercultural Competence, a culture-related music therapy competence checklist, and demographic information. Results: Results of the study confirmed anecdotal evidence that music therapists and music therapy students are engaging in a variety of ISL programs. Furthermore, the results suggested possible enhancement in intercultural competence, but not necessarily intercultural competence in music therapy. Discussion: Several recommendations include theoretical and conceptual clarification of intercultural competence in music therapy professional practice, as well as cost-benefit considerations for participating in ISL.

The Assessment of Intercultural Competence in Iranian EFL and Non-EFL Leaners: Knowledge, skill, awareness, and attitude

The globalized era together with demographic, geographical, and structural changes to English has reshaped the landscape of English language teaching (ELT) and emphasized the importance of preparin...

The Effect of Thai Majors’ Overseas Study on Intercultural Competence: A Case Study of Thai Majors of Yunnan Agricultural University

This study adopted both intercultural competence assessment and interview to analyze the effect of the “overseas study” learning mode on cultivating and improving students’ intercultural competence. The factors that influenced the development of college students’ intercultural competence were summarized. The study revealed that there were differences in the dimensions of native and Thai cultural knowledge, intercultural skills and awareness. It also demonstrated that gender, language capability and culture knowledge were responsible for the discrepancy. The study recommended that it is inevitable to strengthen culture comparison in overseas learning and strengthen female’s intercultural competence.

Awareness in the development of intercultural competences and existing Relationships between attitudes, skills and knowledge

This research aims to examine how the exchangeists' perceptions about their abilities, knowledge and attitudes influence their awareness. In view of this, the theoretical methodological basis of Fantini (2007) is used, guided by his model of Intercultural Competence Assessment (ACI). To this end, the German and Spanish students who took part in an exchange program at the Federal University of Ceará (UFC) between 2008 and 2015 were chosen to measure their developed intercultural competences. It was obtained a sample of 159 foreign students, who exchanged in the UFC. For the treatment of the data, in addition to the descriptive and inferential statistics, the multivariate analysis of the data is used. Thus, the results show that Knowledge positively influences the students' awareness at the beginning and end of the exchange, while the Skills will negatively influence the awareness at the end of the exchange. The Attitudes component that at the beginning of the exchange influenced negatively the students' awareness at the end of the exchange began to influence positively.

The Relationship Between Intercultural Interactions At University And The Creativity Of Russian Students: The Role Of Intercultural Competence

This research studies the relationship between home country intercultural experience, intercultural and creativity among Russian students. We assume that students from culturally heterogeneous groups or/and students having a course dedicated to intercultural issues are more creative, as cultural diversity and cultural learning are associated with a higher level of intercultural competence, and intercultural may be positively related to creativity. The sample of the first study included 72 students and the sample of the second study included 272 students of HSE University. Creativity was measured by the indicators of creative thinking (fluency, flexibility, and originality) via Many instances game from the creativity test battery of Runco; intercultural was measured using Assessment of intercultural competence of Fantini & Tirmizi. Home country intercultural experience was operationalized via the presence of students from other countries in the study groups and via the inclusion of a Cross-Cultural Psychology course in the students’ curriculum. The results of the first study show that cultural learning in the home country institution leads to higher levels of creativity, while the cultural heterogeneity of the groups is associated with an increase in creativity only when cultural learning was applied. The results of the second study show such components of intercultural as attitudes and the adaptability of behavior play an important role in the creativity of Russian students: attitudes are positively and the adaptability of behavior is negatively related to creativity.