Chapter 11. Assessing Intercultural Competence in Study Abroad Students

AbstractUniversities have been promoting study abroad programmes for a long time to improve intercultural competence. However, the mere exposure to cultural differences while studying abroad does not ensure intercultural competence, unless study abroad students’ reflective processes are explicitly targeted. The article presents the results of a short intervention grounded in the problem-based approach aimed at improving intercultural competence in study abroad students. Students were assigned to three conditions: a video-log condition (in which they have to narrate a critical incident occurred to them), a reflection-induced video-logs (in which they were prompted to reflect on the video-logs produced), and an active control condition. The reflection-induced video-log intervention improved students’ perceived proficiency in Italian and perceived opportunities for cultural reflection, but it did not contribute to improve students’ applicable and conceptual knowledge of intercultural competence.

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Using a PRISM for Reflecting: Providing Tools for Study Abroad Students to Increase their Intercultural Competency

Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad ◽

10.36366/frontiers.v29i2.390 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 29 (2) ◽

pp. 18-34 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Tracy Rundstrom Williams

Keyword(s):

Study Abroad ◽

Student Learning ◽

Intercultural Competence ◽

Reflective Writing ◽

Know How ◽

Intercultural Competency ◽

Study Abroad Students

Numerous studies have shown that simply being in another culture does not guarantee the development of intercultural competence. Students need guidance to seek out opportunities to engage and to make sense of those experiences. Reflection has become a popular methodology to assist students with this. Unfortunately, students often do not know how to do reflective writing or do not have cultural incidents to write about. This research examines one approach to guiding reflection: the use of prompt questions to elicit thoughtful responses and the integration of readings to provide context and grounding. This study demonstrates that reflective writing can be an effective tool for intervening in student learning abroad if done with structure and intentionality.

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The implementation of an intercultural competence syllabus to prepare study-abroad students for global communication

Educational Studies ◽

10.1080/03055698.2016.1195720 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 42 (4) ◽

pp. 378-393 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Faruk Kural ◽

Yasemin Bayyurt

Keyword(s):

Study Abroad ◽

Intercultural Competence ◽

Global Communication ◽

Study Abroad Students

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Assessing study abroad students’ intercultural sensitivity with narratives

European Journal of Psychology of Education ◽

10.1007/s10212-019-00417-9 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 34 (4) ◽

pp. 873-894 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Christian Tarchi ◽

Alessio Surian ◽

Colette Daiute

Keyword(s):

Study Abroad ◽

Intercultural Sensitivity ◽

Study Abroad Students

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Without Crossing a Border: Exploring the Impact of Shifting Study Abroad Online on Students’ Learning and Intercultural Competence Development during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Online Learning ◽

10.24059/olj.v25i1.2471 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Yingjie Liu ◽

Thomas Shirley

Keyword(s):

Study Abroad ◽

Intercultural Competence ◽

Cultural Exchange ◽

Competence Development ◽

Study Abroad Programs ◽

Online Study ◽

Curriculum Redesign ◽

Online Format ◽

The Impact

While all higher education was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, study abroad programs were uniquely challenged by the associated restrictions and limitations. This case study integrates a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) pedagogy approach and virtual reality (VR) technologies into the curriculum redesign process to transform a business study abroad course into an online format. Using VR technology, U.S. students and their international partners in Germany, Brazil, and India created and shared cultural exchange virtual tours. The redesigned online study abroad course engaged students in active learning activities and cultivated students’ intercultural competence development.

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Promoting international learning outcomes during a study abroad: the moderating role of internationalisation at home

International Journal of Educational Management ◽

10.1108/ijem-01-2020-0011 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Joris Boonen ◽

Ankie Hoefnagels ◽

Mark Pluymaekers ◽

Armand Odekerken

Keyword(s):

Study Abroad ◽

Learning Outcomes ◽

Intercultural Competence ◽

Competence Development ◽

Content Type ◽

Home Institution ◽

Internationalisation At Home ◽

International Learning ◽

At Home

PurposeThe authors examine the role of internationalisation at-home activities and an international classroom at a home institution to promote intercultural competence development during a study abroad.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use large scale longitudinal data from the global mind monitor (GMM) (2018–2020) to examine change over time in both multicultural personality (MPQ) and cultural knowledge (CQ) among students in Dutch higher education institutions. The authors analyse the moderating effect of the preparation in the home institution by looking at the added value of both intercultural communication courses and international classroom setting for intercultural competence development during a study abroad.FindingsThe results show that particularly courses on intercultural communication significantly promote intercultural competence development during a stay abroad. Frequent interactions with international staff also seem to be beneficial for this development.Research limitations/implicationsThis study was conducted in the Netherlands, in one of the most internationalised educational systems in the world. Therefore, it is difficult to generalise these findings to other contexts before any further empirical research is conducted.Practical implicationsBased on the findings, the authors formulate practical advice for higher education institutions that aim to get the most out of the international learning outcomes of a study abroad.Originality/valueThis paper is the first to assess the moderating effect of preparatory internationalisation at home initiatives on the intercultural learning effects of international experiences later on in a study program. Other studies have proposed that these effects will exist but have not tested them empirically with longitudinal data.

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Innovations in Integrating Language Assistants: Inter-Collaborative Learning

Journal of language and Education ◽

10.17323/2411-7390-2018-4-4-54-62 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4 (4) ◽

pp. 54-62

Author(s):

Fumie Kato

Keyword(s):

Study Abroad ◽

Language Learners ◽

Native Speakers ◽

The United States ◽

Japanese Language ◽

Japanese Study ◽

Language Classes ◽

One Year ◽

Study Abroad Program ◽

Study Abroad Students

A language assistant (LA) program was introduced into a university-level Japanese program. The LAs in this program consisted of Japanese study abroad students, that is English as a second language students, coming to study from Japanese universities for either one semester or one academic year, as well as American learners returning from a one-year academic study abroad program in Japan. In the southeastern region of the United States, the Japanese language is not yet considered a major foreign language, thus few opportunities exist for American learners to connect with native speakers of Japanese. The LA program endeavors to ease this limitation. It has been extremely beneficial for our American learners to have opportunities to communicate regularly with Japanese study abroad students in the classrooms. Furthermore, it was found tremendously valuable for Japanese study abroad students and greatly helpful for the instructors as well. This paper describes the procedures and examines the effectiveness of introducing an LA program into Japanese language classes. To analyze the program, questionnaires were distributed to LAs (N=20); five department instructors wrote comments concerning the program; and five Japanese language learners submitted reflection papers. Analyses of the qualitative data indicate that the LA program has many advantages for everyone participating.

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Intercultural competence development during study abroad

10.33612/diss.119789093 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Marcel van der Poel

Keyword(s):

Study Abroad ◽

Intercultural Competence ◽

Competence Development

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Talking with ‘Others’: Experiences and perspective transformation in a short-term study abroad program

Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad ◽

10.36366/frontiers.v33i2.484 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 33 (2) ◽

pp. 35-60

Author(s):

Emmanuelle S. Chiocca

Keyword(s):

Study Abroad ◽

Transformative Learning ◽

Intercultural Competence ◽

Classroom Culture ◽

Student Experiences ◽

Short Term ◽

Study Abroad Programs ◽

Term Study ◽

Multiple Data ◽

Short Term Study

With the growth of short-term study abroad programs comes the need to develop impactful curricula and to provide supportive environments for deep learning abroad that is more than “upgraded” tourism but rather focused on educational outcomes. This qualitative case study investigates the experiences of five study abroad participants in Israel. Drawing from multiple data sources within an interpretive framework, the purpose of this study is to understand student experiences abroad. Data was analyzed inductively and thematically. Findings suggest that the holistic experience was anchored by (1) directed and diverse conversations, (2) hermeneutical reflections, (3) emotional disequilibrium, (4) intercultural competence development, and (5) student engagement in a classroom culture, which acted together as a gestalt. Results highlight the importance of dialogue, both with locals and within the classroom community, for transformative learning. These findings encourage international educators to provide instructional frames that encourage students to engage with local communities in critical ways.

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