Development Of Intercultural Competence Research Articles

Intercultural learning in the classroom: Facilitators and challenges of the learning process

Higher education institutions have the potential to significantly contribute to students’ intercultural competence development through internationalization at home. However, the intercultural competence literature lacks empirical research on how students learn and the process of intercultural learning. This study investigates in-depth learning experiences in a six-week cross-cultural management course at a Dutch research university in which a blended learning tool was incorporated to enhance students’ intercultural competence. Thematic analysis of the data from qualitative semi-structured interviews resulted in an inductive explanatory model. This shows that facilitating factors for learning were teaching tools, intercultural contact (teamwork, multicultural classroom, cultural informants), motivational factors and intercultural experiences. Learning happened through experience, reflection, abstract conceptualization and experimentation. Learning dilemmas occurred around adaptation and stereotyping/generalizing. Pivotal for intercultural learning is dissonance: this needs to be sufficient to stimulate learning, but may also lead to learning dilemmas. The study concludes with recommendations for intercultural course design.

The Development and Validation of an Intercultural Nursing Educator Profile Using the Delphi Method.

Educators require focused training to foster the development of intercultural competence in nurses. Training programs for educators need to be based on a comprehensive profile with a focus on intercultural learning. This study aims to define and validate a profile of the Intercultural Nursing Educator (INE). The Delphi method was used with an iterative, multi-stage process to transform opinions into group consensus. A total of 46 European, African, and American experts from the nursing and intercultural field participated. Inclusion criteria required English at a level of B2, expertise in the field of intercultural competence, experience in teaching intercultural competence in the nursing context, and publications focused on intercultural topics. The INE profile was developed and all 126 competencies were validated. The profile is freely available on the project website and provides the basis for curricula, training programs and assessment of the required competences.

Toward a Mid-Range Design Theory for Developing Pedagogically Effective Serious Games

ABSTRACT Serious games (SGs) represent promising digital learning tools. However, SG design frameworks frequently lack a comprehensive integration of pedagogical considerations, which might explain the observed variance in SG effectiveness. To address this research gap, we use a design science research approach to develop a mid-range design theory that translates pedagogy into SG design. We exemplify and empirically evaluate the application of our design theory with an SG designed for intercultural competency development with good results.

Intercultural Competence in EFL Learning: Implications for Sustainable Development

In today's globalized world, the development of intercultural competence is essential for the learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). This paper aims to investigate the significance of intercultural competence in relation to sustainable development and explore the challenges faced by EFL learners in acquiring this essential skill in the Egyptian and Saudi universities. The study is based on the premise that improving intercultural competence among EFL learners can significantly contribute to sustainable development. Intercultural competence fosters mutual understanding, tolerance, and respect for cultural diversity, laying the foundation for harmonious and productive global interactions. To improve intercultural competence in EFL learners in the Egyptian and Saudi universities, the study conducted an interview survey with 30 faculty members, English department heads, program designers, and stakeholders. Results emphasize the importance of incorporating authentic intercultural experiences into EFL curricula and providing learners with practical opportunities to develop their intercultural competence. The study highlights the necessity of integrating intercultural competence into EFL materials to equip EFL learners with the requirements of sustainable development and better addressing the globalization challenges. Educators, program designers, policymakers, and researchers are finally recommended to promote intercultural understanding and sustainable development through EFL education.

Beyond borders: exploring the impact of augmented reality on intercultural competence and L2 learning motivation in EFL learners.

This mixed-methods study investigates the impact of augmented reality (AR) on the development of intercultural competence and L2 (second language) learning motivation among Chinese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. The research comprised forty-eight intermediate-level learners who were randomly assigned to either an experimental group, receiving AR-based language instruction, or a control group, receiving traditional instruction. Both groups underwent pre- and post-tests to assess their intercultural competence and L2 learning motivation. The experimental group engaged with an AR application, which exposed learners to a variety of cultural scenarios, customs, and norms. The results indicate that the experimental group, exposed to AR-based instruction, demonstrated significantly higher levels of intercultural competence and L2 learning motivation in comparison to the control group. Qualitative data analysis further elucidated that AR-based instruction enhanced learners' engagement, motivation, and deepened their cultural understanding. This study highlights the potential of augmented reality as a powerful tool for fostering the development of intercultural competence and L2 learning motivation within the EFL context, suggesting promising opportunities for innovative pedagogical approaches in language education.

Intercultural competence in the training and daily professional lives of police officers

This article explains the role of intercultural competence in the training and daily professional lives of police officers,and proposes ways to improve the acquisition of this competence. The goal is to describe intercultural competence,highlighting its importance and the possibilities for its acquisition in the training and professional everyday lives ofpolice officers. The article uses general scientific methods – analysis of scientific literature and documents, as well asthe induction–deduction method, drawing conclusions and making proposals, and (grammatical, historical, systemic,teleological) methods of interpretation of legal regulations, analysing applicable legislation and policy planning docu-ments. The study concludes that the daily work of the police in today’s environment requires good management andcultural awareness in dealing with residents, with the consequent development of intercultural competence amongpolice officers as a prerequisite for successful performance and cooperation with different communities in a multicul-tural society. The acquisition and development of intercultural competence should be included in police training pro-grammes, complementing professional standards as appropriate, and in professional development activities for policeofficers. At the same time, the structural changes in the State Police should be addressed, with responsible officersbeing identified to deal with culturally diverse populations, and professional models for police dealing with culturallydiverse populations should be developed.

Consideration of the national communicative behavior features in the public food service when teaching Russian to Chinese students

The article is devoted to the relationship between the linguistic and cultural aspects of communicative behavior and their consideration in the content of teaching Russian as a foreign language. The object of our study is the norms and traditions of everyday behavior of Russian and Chinese culture representatives in the field of public food service. The purpose of the study is to compare Russian and Chinese traditions of communicative behavior in the gastronomic field, to determine the level of ethnocultural and linguistic knowledge of international students in this study area, to identify the relationship between their level of knowledge and the development of the students’ intercultural communicative competence, which is an integral characteristic of the personality. We aim to substantiate the need to take into account the features of the national communicative behavior in the field of public food service in the content of teaching the Russian language to Chinese students. The study was conducted using the methods of the analysis of scientific and educational literature on the research problem, the survey of 962 students from higher educational institutions of China, mathematical processing of the obtained data and a comparative analysis. Quantitative and substantive processing of the survey data showed considerable differences in the norms and traditions of Russian and Chinese culture representatives in this study area, a low level of students’ ethnocultural knowledge, a high level of students’ lexical knowledge in the field of public food service and cultural barriers affecting the level of Chinese students’ intercultural communicative competence development. The article comes to the conclusion about the need to take into account the communicative-behavioral aspect of everyday life culture and the norms and traditions of Russian and Chinese cultures in the field of public food service in teaching Russian as a foreign language. Research prospects are connected with the development of the educational interactive platform “Gastronomic trip through time”.

The Role of Online Learning Environments in the Enhancement of Language Learners’ Intercultural Competence: A Scoping Review of Studies Published between 2015 and 2022

Developing intercultural competence (IC) through foreign language is believed to lead to rejecting prejudices and stereotypes and fostering bilingualism and biculturalism. Despite the growth of publications on technologies and IC, a significant gap exists between what is known (evidence) and what is done (practice) at the levels of decision making and course design. This scoping review, guided by the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines, is conducted to systematically map peer-reviewed literature, taking a longitudinal perspective to update the existing reviews, identify knowledge gaps, and provide a new conclusion to the topic investigated. A transparent, replicable review protocol was designed a priori. A formal Advisory Group was established to incorporate various perspectives and ensure the applicability of the review findings. The main findings suggest that the concept of IC is not uniformly defined across the studies examined, and the development and dynamic nature of the concept is not captured. Numerous studies rely on chosen aspects of the construct only. Still, most of them report largely positive findings concerning the development of IC in FL online learning environments. It is possible that this high number of positive findings includes some cases of type II error or false positives.

Facilitating information literacy and intercultural competence development through the VR Tour production learning activity

Facilitating information literacy and intercultural competence development through the VR Tour production learning activity

Pedagogical system of developing intercultural competence of students participating in international academic mobility

The article discusses the impact of international academic mobility on the development of intercultural competence of students. The author states that in itself the movement of a student abroad for the purpose of obtaining education (or its separate stage) at a foreign university does not always lead to an increase in the level of intercultural competence of students, requiring specially organized activities to develop this competence and the use of special teaching technologies. Taking into account this circumstance, the author has developed and tested a pedagogical system for the development of intercultural competence of students participating in international academic mobility programs. The experimental data presented in the article prove that as a result of experimental learning, the ‘knowledge’ and ‘skills’ components of intercultural competence develop especially intensively

Cultivation of Students’ Intercultural Communication Competence Based on Situational Teaching Method in the Context of Key Competence

At the beginning of the 21st century, the European Union, in response to the wave of globalisation and the challenges of a knowledge-based economy, has vigorously promoted a lifelong learning strategy in the field of education and training, and has proposed key competence. The importance of intercultural communication has become increasingly evident in the process of globalization. English language teaching plays an important role in facilitating students’ intercultural communication skills. In English classroom teaching, we should not only attach significance to the language knowledge, but also integrate cultural concepts into English teaching and learning, so that students can perceive and experience the differences between Chinese and Western cultural practices. Situational teaching method is a lively and interesting method that integrates knowledge with context and can provide methodological guidance and implications for the cultivation of intercultural communication competence of high school students. This paper attempts to combine situational teaching method and intercultural communication skills development, and to investigate the effect of situational teaching method on the development of intercultural communication skills of high school students, so as to provide an effective method for the development of intercultural communication competence of high school students.

Factors affecting university students’ intention to use mobile apps for intercultural competence development: A mixed-method approach

Factors affecting university students’ intention to use mobile apps for intercultural competence development: A mixed-method approach

A New Intercultural Model for Teaching Russian as a Foreign Language at European Level

This paper presents a new experimental intercultural theoretical and operative model for RFL (Russian as a Foreign Language) teaching at European level: the RETEACH model. As a descriptive–normative didactic model, RETEACH builds on the intercultural approach, seeking to foster the development of intercultural communicative competence (ICC) among students. RETEACH promotes respect, understanding, and solidarity among individuals and encourages critical awareness of various issues, such as multiple identities, fuzzy cultural borders, power-related intercultural dynamics, and avoidance of stereotyped representations. The model is grounded in three specific concepts and areas within the foreign language and RFL fields: 1) the use of authentic texts, 2) the role of literature, and 3) textbook theory. The model was tested through two case studies, which investigated the place of culture in RFL classes in Lithuania and Italy (Case Study 1) and in RFL textbooks employed in Italy (Case Study 2). Three different research methods were employed: action research, classroom observation, and comparative content analysis. The findings indicate that the proposed model can boost the development of ICC in RFL learners, thus addressing some general issues with RFL teaching in the European context. There are several theoretical and practical implications of the RETEACH model: 1) combining RFL theory and practice, 2) improving the intercultural approach due to the use of authentic materials, 3) enabling the use of Russian literature to develop ICC, and 4) promoting a complex and critical image of Russia.

Content and language integrated learning: enhancing language acquisition and content understanding

Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) is an educational approach that integrates the teaching of content subjects with the learning of a foreign or second language. This article explores the concept of CLIL, its benefits, and provides evidence-based citations to support its effectiveness in language acquisition and content understanding. The benefits of CLIL include enhanced language acquisition, improved content understanding, increased motivation and engagement, and the development of cultural and intercultural competence. Research has shown that CLIL students demonstrate improved language proficiency in all language skills, including listening, speaking, reading, and writing. CLIL also facilitates a deeper understanding of academic content by allowing students to explore complex topics using authentic language. Furthermore, CLIL programs promote active learning and intrinsic motivation, as students perceive the relevance and utility of the language being learned. The integration of language learning with content subjects creates opportunities for cultural and intercultural competence development, as students are exposed to diverse perspectives and collaborate with individuals from different linguistic backgrounds. Multiple studies have provided evidence supporting the effectiveness of CLIL. Research has consistently shown that CLIL programs result in significant improvements in language proficiency, both in receptive and productive skills. Additionally, CLIL students have demonstrated higher levels of motivation and engagement compared to those in traditional language learning settings. The findings from these studies highlight the positive impact of CLIL on language acquisition and content understanding. As the demand for multilingual individuals continues to grow in our interconnected world, CLIL stands as a valuable educational approach that equips learners with language skills and subject knowledge simultaneously. This article serves as a comprehensive overview of CLIL, providing educators, researchers, and policymakers with insights into the benefits and evidence supporting the implementation of CLIL programs in educational settings.

Immersive Intercultural Learning Experiences in High School: Reflections From Independent School Alumni

Many educators are considering ways to increase student intercultural competence and support student identity development as they seek to create more inclusive and equitable schools and contribute to more just societies. This study provides analysis of one type of learning experience intentionally designed around intercultural engagement—independent high school programs that immerse students in international contexts for short-term learning experiences. This mixed-method study included 191 young alumni from six different independent schools in North America and focused on better understanding how these learning experiences have lived with their participants over time. Due in part to adolescent neuroplasticity, the study demonstrates that intercultural experiences that immerse students in relational learning beyond their home culture can influence them over time, including in their intercultural and identity development. The study specifically demonstrates that participants self-report continued influence of the program on their intercultural communication and perspective-taking skills and behavior frequency. The study identified two areas of limitations, namely that participants reported a conflicted or negative response to community service-focused programs over time and that participants with a transnational identity reported limited influence. These limitations and the participant reflections on the importance of relational learning suggest a dialectic approach as an effective way to reach the full potential of immersive learning for adolescents. Educators who strive to teach essential intercultural competencies that support school or districtwide efforts to create more inclusive and equitable school cultures might gain insights from this study's findings on the power of relational intercultural engagement for student learning.

Investigating the Development of Intercultural Competence Through Humor as a Social Practice

Investigating the Development of Intercultural Competence Through Humor as a Social Practice

The Interaction between Language Skills and Cross-Cultural Competences in Bilingual Programs

Language and culture are intrinsically intertwined, and culture should not be considered as an expendable fifth skill in language teaching. Bilingual programs are expected to be a key element to enhance culture learning and to develop intercultural competence due to the extensive use of the L2. This study aimed at exploring the effects of bilingual programs for the development of the formerly mentioned skills in language learners. It also sought to contrast students’ insights with teachers’ perceptions on the implementation of bilingual programs and their effects on students’ language and culture learning. The sample consisted of 136 students and 35 Spanish teachers. The results should be carefully interpreted as they showed that there is no significant difference between the perception of bilingual and non-bilingual students in their development of intercultural competence and culture learning. Additionally, content teachers usually adhere to narratives of resistance towards CLIL programs. We concluded that the current implementation of bilingual programs should be specifically addressed. In this regard, it is important to focus on teacher training and to foster exchange programs for teachers and students. Moreover, addressing the availability of human and material resources is essential.

It's Never Too Soon! Comparing Intercultural Learning Outcomes of Undergraduate Students via Face-to-Face and Online Teaching Modalities

Purpose: Providing culturally responsive care for a diverse patient population is critical for future speech-language pathologists and audiologists. Prior studies have shown gains in intercultural competence (ICC) from study abroad programs, face-to-face classes, and online courses; however, limited studies have investigated differences between face-to-face and online modes of delivery in speech-language pathology and audiology. The purpose of this study was (a) to evaluate whether there are quantitative differences in development of ICC in a direct comparison of a face-to-face and 100% asynchronous online introductory in communication disorders, and (b) to describe participants learning through the structural intercultural learning activities embedded into the course using a qualitative approach. Method: The study used a mixed-methods approach collecting both quantitative (Intercultural Development Inventory) and qualitative (final reflection papers) data. Data analysis included t tests and clustering analysis of quantitative data and scoring and thematic analysis of qualitative data. Results: Results demonstrated statistically significant increases in IDI scores for participants in both the online and face-to-face classes. Qualitative analysis indicated that all participants, regardless of change in score, demonstrated growth in ICC as seen in their comments. Conclusions: Overall, structured intercultural learning activities embedded within a course can be an effective means of facilitating intercultural growth in undergraduate participants in both face-to-face and online instructional modalities. Additionally, participants whose quantitative scores declined had similar qualitative comments suggesting intercultural growth in all participants independent of changes in quantitative scores.

Lexical Competence Formative Control in Development of Intercultural Foreign Language Communicative Competence of Prospective German Language Teachers

Introduction. The article examines the formative control of lexical competence in the conditions of the formation of intercultural communication in the German language. Attention is focused on the interrelation of control objects with the educational program of specialty 014 “Secondary education.” Purpose. The paper shows successful mastery of the lexical aspect; it depends on certain linguistic strategies, expressed through techniques, methods, and means of their implementation. The objects of lexical competence control are described and examples of types of exercises for their implementation are given. Methods. The professional competencies of the educational program have been analyzed and knowledge, skills, and abilities were singled out as objects of lexical competence control in the German language. The professional literature on the issue of control/self-control, and evaluation/self-evaluation in the process of formation of foreign language skills and abilities have been analyzed. Results. The importance of the linguistic base for the development of intercultural foreign language communicative competence of prospective German language teachers is noted. Improving lexical skills and abilities through using a variety of lexical and phraseological units optimizes the acquisition of cultural knowledge about the countries and languages being studied. With the help of the lexical aspect, it is possible to form a linguistic picture of the world, to reproduce the value orientations of the peoples whose language has become the subject of study. Conclusion. Thus, examples of communicative productive exercises using the method of problem-based learning and a cultural assimilator for lexical competence formative control are given. The course of exercises is described, and attention is also focused on their content, the intercultural aspect of which determines the national-cultural characteristics of the German language.

GLOBAL E-LEARNING AND EXPERIENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROGRAMS AND STUDENTS

Electronic learning (e-learning), pedagogy using online technology without physical proximity among the people involved, accelerated due to the recent pandemic and continues its metamorphosis in our endemic world. This new world creates new opportunities to apply e-learning in global contexts, by itself or blended with traditional methods as conditions warrant. Four iterations of a model are described and discussed in terms of adaptability, student satisfaction variables, development of intercultural competence, and global identity. The newest iteration combines previous iterations' e-learning and experiential learning opportunities with participants' occupational and program-specific experiences. The authors include testable outcomes and future possibilities.