Enhancing students’ intercultural competences through international higher education requires a thorough understanding of the way in which these competences develop over time, how they relate to ...outcomes, and which factors predict their growth. To answer these questions, a three-wave longitudinal study was conducted among a sample of first-year students in an international university program (
n
= 425). Intercultural competences were operationalized through the five dimensions of the Multicultural Personality Questionnaire (MPQ): Cultural Empathy, Openmindedness, Flexibility, Social Initiative and Emotional Stability. We examined development of these traits across one year, as well as their relationship with stress, life satisfaction, and academic performance (GPA). Cultural background (local vs. international student) and prior international experience (yes/no) were included as predictors. Results show that MPQ scores at the beginning of the year negatively relate to change across semester 1, which in turn is negatively related to change across semester 2. These findings suggest the presence of ceiling effects in MPQ development. In semester 1, emotional stability acts as a buffer against stress. In semester 2, stress is lower among students with higher scores on cultural empathy, and lower scores on flexibility. Cultural empathy and social initiative relate positively to academic performance. No significant main effects were found for cultural background, or prior international experience. However, these predictors interact on openmindedness and social initiative: local students with no prior international experience show a significant increase in these dimensions across the first semester, whereas the others do not.
This research aimed to find out the impacts of the “Communicating” Workshop on the dimensions of consciousness, ability, and sensitivity of the intercultural competences of the teaching staff of a ...professional academic area of a private university in Lima - 2018, in order to develop their intercultural competences contributing to teacher training, in such a way that the teaching to be developed for the student body achieves the educational quality objectives. The methodology was based on the positivist model, with a quantitative approach, of the applied type, with an experimental-quasi-experimental design. He used the survey technique and the questionnaire instrument. A non-probability sample made up of 40 university teachers was considered as a sample. Processing the information with the support of descriptive and inferential statistics in order to establish how the data does or does not meet the research objectives. The application of the aforementioned Workshop caused positive impacts on intercultural competences in the three dimensions studied, since the statistical results show that the differences in scores between pretest and posttest are significant, proving Jandt’s Theory (1995) in the sense that These competencies are learned and developed, including the intercultural sensitivity of the university teacher.
O objetivo da pesquisa foi descobrir o impacto da Oficina “Comunicando-nos” nas dimensões de consciência, habilidade e sensibilidade das competências interculturais de docentes de uma área acadêmica profissional de uma universidade privada de Lima - 2018, a fim de desenvolver suas competências interculturais, contribuindo a formação de professores, de forma que o ensino a ser desenvolvido para estudantes atinja os objetivos de qualidade educacional. A metodologia foi baseada no modelo positivista, com abordagem quantitativa, do tipo aplicado, com delineamento experimental quase-experimental. Foi utilizada a técnica de perguntas e o instrumento do questionário. Como amostra não probabilística participaram 40 professores universitários. As informações foram processadas com o apoio de estatística descritiva e inferencial, a fim de estabelecer como os dados atendem ou não aos objetivos da pesquisa. A aplicação da oficina mencionada causou impactos positivos nas competências interculturais nas três dimensões estudadas, uma vez que os resultados estatísticos mostram que as diferenças nas pontuações entre pré-teste e pós-teste são significativas, comprovando a Teoria de Jandt (1995) no sentido de que essas competências são aprendidas e desenvolvidas, incluindo a sensibilidade intercultural de professores universitário.
La investigación tuvo por objetivo, conocer el impacto del taller “Comunicándonos” sobre las dimensiones de conciencia, habilidad y sensibilidad de las competencias interculturales del personal docente de un área académica profesional de una universidad privada de Lima - 2018, con la finalidad de desarrollar sus competencias interculturales contribuyendo en la formación docente, de tal forma que la enseñanza a desarrollar para el estudiantado logre los objetivos de calidad educativa. La metodología estuvo basada en el modelo positivista, de enfoque cuantitativo, de tipo aplicada, de diseño experimental-cuasi experimental. Utilizó la técnica de la encuesta y el instrumento del cuestionario. Se consideró como muestra a una no probabilística conformada por 40 docentes de universidad. Se procesó la información con apoyo de la estadística descriptiva e inferencial, con el fin de establecer cómo los datos cumplen, o no, con los objetivos de la investigación. La aplicación del referido taller causó impactos positivos en las competencias interculturales en las tres dimensiones materia de estudio, ya que los resultados estadísticos muestran que las diferencias de puntajes entre pretest y postest son significativos, comprobándose la teoría de Jandt (1995), en el sentido de que estas competencias se aprenden y desarrollan, entre ellas la sensibilidad intercultural del personal docente universitario.
Positive diversity beliefs are known to increase the effectiveness of diverse groups in organizations and society. Early cross-cultural experiences might facilitate developing these diversity ...beliefs. This study examined the relationship between being a third-culture kid (TCK) and one’s diversity beliefs, and the possible mediation of this relationship by intercultural competences.
Data came from 1454 respondents, 17–19 years of age, who filled out the Intercultural Readiness Check (IRC) between 2011 and 2016 (49.1 % female, 50.9 % male). 65.0 % of the respondents had specified their nationality as Dutch, and 35.0 % had indicated a different nationality. 550 respondents (37.8 %) had spent one or more years abroad and were thus classified as TCKs. Their diversity beliefs were compared to 904 respondents (62.2 %) who had never lived abroad, and who therefore were classified as non-TCKs.
A mediated regression analysis showed that TCKs had higher positive diversity beliefs than non-TCKs, and that this relationship was mediated by the degree to which they had developed specific intercultural competences, being intercultural sensitivity and building commitment. These findings show that early cross-cultural life experiences help individuals to develop intercultural competences and positive diversity beliefs. Equipped with these competences and beliefs, TCKs can add value to organizations and society.
The present time of globalization, interdependence and multicultural societies has brought about both opportunities and crisis that concern all fields involved with social welfare, especially ...education (Portera, 2020, 2006). Within the school environment, there is a growing need for intercultural education and competences at the cognitive, emotional and relational levels, which will endow teachers and students with the abilities to operate in linguistically and culturally complex contexts (UNESCO, 2015; Portera, 2013; Deardorff, 2009). However, the concepts of ‘Intercultural Education’ and ‘Intercultural Competences’ are often misunderstood and require more precise definition. The authors review the scientific literature on the aforementioned concepts and then report the results of a study carried out by the Centre for Intercultural Study at the University of Verona (Italy) which examines how teachers who work in different types of schools define and apply the concept of ‘intercultural competences’ in their praxis. The study uses a qualitative research methodology that includes a process of ‘triangulation’. Specifically, a series of semi-structured interviews, focus groups and participant observations were conducted in order to explore teachers’ intercultural competences, especially through the analysis of critical incidents. After discussing the results, the authors outline impplications for teacher education and school praxis in intercultural perspective.
The concept of cultural intelligence is relatively new but it offers valuable benefits for the foreign language education of future managers. The study defines the terms culture and cultural ...intelligence in order to create a context for the interpretation of the results of a questionnaire survey distributed among the students of Management in the first year of master’s studies at the Faculty of Management and Business of the University of Prešov in Prešov who attended the course Applied foreign language for managers 2 (English). The questionnaire survey was aimed at expressing students’ own opinion on the importance of knowing the cultural specificities of English-speaking countries for learning English, demonstrating the knowledge of the concepts of intercultural communication and cultural intelligence, and assessing their own intercultural competences. The results of the survey show that emphasizing the intercultural aspect of English language teaching increased students’ awareness of the importance of culture and their knowledge of selected concepts, however, their assessment of their own intercultural competences worsened.
Objectives The study was undertaken in an attempt to prove the relationship between the level of acquiring the most important intercultural competences and the education of the persons examined. ...Material and methods A group of 123 Poles working in South West England was examined for that purpose. The study was conducted using the survey method with the questionnaire technique and a self-constructed research tool. Results Research has shown that the level of acquisition of the analysed specific and key intercultural competences depends on the level of education of the surveyed Poles on labour emigration in England. The highest, good level of acquisition of the analysed competences, was demonstrated by those with higher and secondary education. The lowest by those with basic education. Conclusions There is a need for intercultural education of all participants involved in the educational process, regardless of his/her level (higher, average, professional). The programs of all subjects should include the effects of education in the field of soft skills, i.e. social, intercultural. As the research shows, the vast majority of competences determining the achievement of above-average work performance are just of a similar nature to such competences. Such content can be introduced within a stand-alone subject or over the course of realizing other subjects.
El siglo XXI requiere de profesionales con competencias interculturales que puedan desempeñarse de forma eficiente y eficaz, en un entorno cada vez más interconectado por las tecnologías de la ...información y la comunicación y los procesos de globalización. La internacionalización ha sido una de las estrategias más utilizadas por las instituciones de educación superior, con el propósito de promover el desarrollo de destrezas y habilidades interculturales en la población estudiantil y docente. En este trabajo se analizan algunas de las acciones y políticas implementadas en la Universidad de Costa Rica con el objetivo de promover la excelencia académica a través de la internacionalización.Si bien, estas competencias se encuentran integradas de forma tácita en muchos de los planes de estudio de la Universidad de Costa Rica. En el contexto actual resulta necesario examinar y reflexionar cómo que se plasman en las políticas y planes de estudio de la institución.
This article presents the process of implementing Social Theater as a participatory methodology for the development of intercultural competences in the University. We present the results of the ...evaluation carried out through the questionnaire and the discussion group, in order to determine if the proposed objectives have been achieved. The results show that Social Theater foment intercultural competences, develops in students a critical attitude to social inequalities, favors empathy, sensitivity, active listening, verbal and non-verbal communication, and at the same time creates social conscience in the actors and actresses as in the spectators. It is important to carry out teaching methodologies that foment creativity and convert students to agents of change, and Social Theater is a pedagogical tool that favors social participation based on experiences lived by students in first person.
El presente artículo recoge el proceso de implementación del Teatro Social como metodología participativa para el desarrollo de competencias interculturales en el ámbito universitario. A su vez, presentamos los resultados de la evaluación llevada a cabo a través del cuestionario y del grupo de discusión, para determinar si se han alcanzado los objetivos propuestos. Los resultados nos muestran que el Teatro Social fomenta las competencias interculturales, desarrolla en el alumnado una actitud crítica ante las desigualdades sociales, favorece la empatía, la sensibilidad, la escucha activa, la comunicación verbal y no verbal, y a la vez crea conciencia social tanto en los/as actores/actrices como en los/as espectadores/as. Es importante llevar a cabo metodologías docentes que fomenten la creatividad y conviertan al alumnado en agentes de cambio, y el Teatro Social es una herramienta pedagógica que favorece la participación social a partir de experiencias vividas por el alumnado en primera persona.
Intercultural competences are highly valued in international business (IB) as antecedents to building trust, whereas a lack of them and problems concerning cultural sensitivity have been identified ...as major reasons for failure. And yet, there is very little research on trust building and interaction on the level of the individual, particularly from the viewpoint of interaction dynamics and the individual's behavioral schemes. This paper approaches the rudiments that regulate individuals' behavior in dyadic IB encounters from a psychological perspective. It integrates Grawe's consistency theory from psychology into intercultural competence literature and analyzes interaction dynamics. As a result, it proposes a conceptual model introducing novel forces for behavior and motivation in IB encounters. The model comprises four forces that are based on the basic needs that regulate interaction towards proximity or avoidance behavior. Based on the model, we present propositions linking consistency, motivational schemes, and encounter outcomes.
•We examine international business encounter behavior and schemes from a psychological perspective.•We introduce a model on intercultural encounter dynamics and inherent regulating forces driving individual-level consistency.•High consistency level increases proximity behavior and thus facilitates trust creation and success.•Low consistency level increases avoidance behavior and facilitates failure as it does not facilitate trust creation.•Intercultural competences and learning assist in increasing consistency.
El presente artículo plantea el desarrollo de competencias interculturales, a través de la Educación Artística, para el fortalecimiento de capacidades y actitudes que tiendan a una mayor valoración y ...promoción de la diversidad cultural en la educación básica chilena. La UNESCO recomienda fomentar una educación basada en competencias interculturales transversales, mediante la experiencia estética y expresión artística, potenciando el diálogo, la reflexión, la sensibilidad y la empatía hacia la diversidad cultural, étnica y sexual que compone la sociedad actual. La visión de la UNESCO es relevante en países como Chile que presentan un sistema educativo con profundas desigualdades sociales y negativos índices de discriminación hacia la diversidad cultural, étnica y de minorías sexuales. Consideramos fundamental potenciar el rol que puede cumplir la Educación Artística para contrarrestar la desigualdad, discriminación y exclusión social desde una perspectiva crítica, divergente y creativa. Se proponen algunas recomendaciones sobre el uso de lenguajes artísticos basados en el arte contemporáneo para construir relaciones intergrupales más armónicas entre las y los estudiantes, fortaleciendo el diálogo, una sensibilización hacia la diversidad y una mayor empatía hacia la diferencia.
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