Theoretical and practical considerations in the design of an intercultural communication course

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-191
Author(s):  
Teresa Yi-jung Hsieh
Keyword(s):  
Collaborative Learning ◽  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Communication Course ◽  
Teaching Activities ◽  
Backward Design ◽  
Constructive Alignment ◽  
Active And Collaborative Learning

Abstract The aim of this article is to highlight theoretical and practical considerations in design of an intercultural communication course. The first part of the article considers intercultural competence, and uses Bourdieu’s notions of education to frame the design of an intercultural communication course. This is followed by discussion of general principles of intercultural course design; the concepts of backward design and constructive alignment as they relate to an intercultural communication course; and finally, the importance of including active and collaborative learning/teaching activities within course design. The remainder of the article draws on a case study of an existing Australian undergraduate course in intercultural communication to highlight how this course may be redesigned in line with the pedagogical principles discussed in the first part of the article.

scholarly journals Case Study: Partnering Intercultural Communication Students with Campus Co-Cultural Student Groups to Develop Intercultural Competence, Allyship, and Curiosity

2022 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Kuehl
Keyword(s):  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Culturally Diverse ◽  
Public University ◽  
Rural Land ◽  
Student Groups ◽  
Communication Course ◽  
University Settings ◽  
Diverse Groups

The question I analyze in this case study is how might one use civic engagement to foster campus/community relationships in this polarized era? I describe a teaching challenge in intercultural communication. Students have consistently reported that they arrive to this university from rural, majority-White communities where they have not experienced opportunities to communicate with culturally diverse groups. To address this challenge, I developed a semester-long assignment that provides a structured partnership between students in my Intercultural Communication course and campus co-cultural student groups. To assess this assignment’s benefit to the pedagogy surrounding polarization across cultural differences, I qualitatively analyzed themes in students’ reflection papers (N = 128 papers) from the last five sections of the course (2016–2020). Students addressed how these partnerships helped them develop (1) intercultural competence, (2) acceptance or appreciation through allyship, and (3) curiosity about other cultures. I conclude with implications, including how colleagues might use this assignment in other rural, land-grant public university settings.

scholarly journals Intercultural competence of university teachers: a challenge of internationalization

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Zelenková ◽  
Dana Hanesová
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
English Language ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Medium Study ◽  
University Teachers ◽  
Significant Deficit ◽  
Intercultural Mediators

Abstract The aim of the authors is to respond to the growing demands on the intercultural competence of university teachers due to intensified internationalization pressures on higher education, especially due to the growing number of students and teachers’ international exchanges. They report on an intercultural course design responding to this need, presenting a case study from Slovakia. First, they define the need of intercultural competence of university teachers, especially those teaching in English-medium study programmes. Then they share a) findings from a needs analysis preceding the design of a new curriculum for an intercultural competence course (ICC) at Matej Bel University (MBU) with three aims (development of linguistic, cultural and pedagogic competences); and b) results from action research during piloting the ICC course. A comparison of 2011 and 2018 surveys pointed to the growing dominance of the English language, including an increasing command of English by MBU teachers. The ICC curriculum, tailored to the pre-identified teachers’ needs, proved to be a feasible way of facilitating their intercultural competence. Its implementation revealed persistent prejudices and difficulties associated with overcoming them. It also confirmed a significant deficit in preparing university teachers for their role as intercultural mediators in English-medium courses.

scholarly journals Developing Students’ Intercultural Competence among Moroccan EFL students: Focus on raising their Cross-cultural Awareness

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 43-56
Author(s):  
Driss Benattabou
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Communication Course ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Deep Culture ◽  
Efl Students

         The goal of this paper is to consider alternative ways to incorporate an intercultural communication course as an integral part of the curriculum designed for Moroccan learners of EFL. Some aspects of what comes to be dubbed as ‘deep culture’ should find room in the contents of the EFL course so as to alert Moroccan learners about the potential intercultural barriers they are far more likely to face. It is proposed that for an effective intercultural communication to take place, the English course should help foreign language learners explicitly understand what target linguistic forms might be and how their meanings may differ across cultures. The analysis of some instances of intercultural misunderstandings may surely give more credence to the vital importance of implementing a multicultural approach to education. This paper offers some teaching strategies to assist Moroccan learners of EFL overcome these intercultural barriers.

scholarly journals Valorizzare la diversità linguistica e culturale

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daria Coppola ◽  
Raffaella Moretti
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
European Union ◽  
Cultural Diversity ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Experimental Sample ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Fundamental Value

Linguistic and cultural diversity has always been a fundamental value of the European Union. However, today, due to the current profound crisis, it is in danger of being perceived rather as an obstacle to cooperation. The aim of this paper is to take advantage of the diversity that characterises multiethnic classes, promoting plurilingualism and a dialogical approach to language learning-teaching and to intercultural communication. In a case study, the validity of plurilingualism and of cooperative methodologies, also in language testing, is confirmed by the results relating to the linguistic and intercultural competence of an experimental sample of middle school pupils.

scholarly journals INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION OF A MULTICULTURAL FAMILY IN BURU REGENCY

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 8
Author(s):  
Saidna Zulfiqar Bin-Tahir ◽  
Riki Bugis ◽  
Riany Tasiana
Keyword(s):  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Communication Model ◽  
Environment Interaction ◽  
Intercultural Communication Competence ◽  
Field Notes ◽  
Data Collection Technique ◽  
Multicultural Family

This study aimed at; 1) exploring the process of intercultural communication in a multiculturalism family in Namlea; 2) investigating the functions of intercultural communication in a multiculturalism family; 3) knowing the multiculturalism family developing their intercultural competence. This research applied the qualitative research using a case study design. The informant of the research consisted of a multiculturalism family in Jikubesar of Buru Regency, Maluku. The data collection technique employed the observation, interview, field notes, and documentation. The technique of data analysis was data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The results show that the adjusting and understanding others culture were the key of the success of the intercultural process in a multicultural family through some functions and strategies in developing the intercultural communication competence. The results of the study contributed to develop the communication model in the multicultural society such in the environment interaction. It also could be adapted as a strategy or model of teaching and learning a language in the multicultural classroom.Keywords: Intercultural communication, multicultural competence

scholarly journals Teaching Pragmatics and Intercultural Communication Online

2014 ◽  
Vol 30 (7) ◽  
pp. 98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin Waugh
Keyword(s):  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Culturally Diverse ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Soft Skills ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Instructional Designers

English in the Workplace (EWP) programs are increasingly surfacing across Can- ada to assist internationally educated professionals (IEPs) with the challenges of integrating into the Canadian workplace. One critical topic of these courses is targeted pragmatics (soft skills) instruction. By learning these skills, IEPs gain valuable tools for communicating effectively and appropriately with their Cana- dian-born colleagues and leaders. The workplace is also becoming increasingly culturally diverse, broadening the required skillsets of IEPs to include intercultural competence—the ability to adapt both cognitively and behaviourally across cultures to achieve communicative goals (Bennett, 1993). As an EWP instructor in a medium-sized institution in Alberta, I worked on the redesign of an EWP course with both pragmatics and intercultural components to be offered online. The course results showed learner development in both pragmatics and intercul- tural competence. In this article, I outline the theory that informed the course design, content, and assessment tools; discuss results of a sample of learners from four pilot offerings; and provide considerations for instructors and instructional designers tasked with the development of online courses of this nature.

scholarly journals Introduction of Intercultural Communication Studies into the Curriculum of Pedagogical University

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 448-467
Author(s):  
Liudmyla Havrilova ◽  
Olena Beskorsa ◽  
Olena Ishutina ◽  
Halyna Kapnina ◽  
Yana Topolnyk
Keyword(s):  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Communication Competence ◽  
Communication Studies ◽  
Future Teachers ◽  
Communication Course ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Intercultural Communication Competence ◽  
Interpretive Methods

The article presents the results of the performed research of implementing the intercultural communication studies into the future teachers’ professional training. The relevance of the research is proved by the strong need to prepare today’s youth for reaching mutual understanding and avoiding barriers in communication. The purpose of the research is to substantiate the need of introducing the intercultural communication studies into the curriculum of future teachers training for enhancing their intercultural communication competence. The analysis of the structure of the intercultural communication competence is carried out, based on which the content of the intercultural communication course is developed. The research includes three stages. The methods which are applied in the research are theoretical methods for analysing the literature, modelling for substantiating the course content, and interpretive methods for assessing the research results. The article covers the main topics of the course, aimed at gaining culture knowledge and developing intercultural skills, behaviour abilities and attitude. To enhance future teachers’ intercultural competence, two methodological approaches are used: social scientific approach and interpretive methods. The effectiveness of the course is proved through measuring the level of language skills, assessed by Standardised test Cambridge English First, and behaviour abilities, assessed by a number of direct and indirect methods.

Course Internationalization Through Virtual Exchange: Students’ Reflections About “Seeing the World Through the Lens That is Soccer”

2021 ◽  
pp. 107769582110140
Author(s):  
Roxane Coche
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Short Paper ◽  
Exchange Students ◽  
Communication Course ◽  
Promising Trend ◽  
The World ◽  
Digital Skills

Virtual exchange (VE) is an emergent but promising trend in course internationalization, which consists of using technology to interact and work with another class located in another city/country to develop digital skills and intercultural competence. After a VE project was implemented in a sports-related communication course, students reflected on their experience in a short paper or a video. This case study is a qualitative analysis of these 17 reflections. Despite some complications, students indicated they learned much about cultural differences and would be keen to repeat the VE experience.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document