The impact of targeted educational activities on the intercultural communicative competence of study abroad students in higher education

Tarabusi, Laura

Abstract

This study explored the impact of targeted educational activities on the development of the Intercultural Communicative Competence of study abroad students at tertiary level. Specifically, the learning activities were integrated into Italian L2 courses for Erasmus students at the host institution, level B1/B2 of the CEFR.
This work took as its basis Byram’s model of Intercultural Communicative Competence (1997) along with its Intercultural Competence Assessment tool (INCA Project, 2004) suitably adapted. The learning activities used the model of dimensions of national cultures (Hofstede et al., 2010) as an objective tool to compare cultures during the study abroad experience, which became a fundamental part of the learning process.
Data was collected through a quasi-experimental investigation with a convenience sample of 58 participants, divided into control and experimental groups, who took both pre- and post- tests.
Data analysis showed a significant increase in the ICC of the experimental group, and confirmed the need to take specific initiatives to foster ICC.
The results of this study endorse the need to integrate targeted educational activities aimed at the development of ICC into foreign /second language courses and to foster the use of the model of dimensions of national cultures as an objective tool to compare cultures.
In particular, the learning activities based on the sequence awareness (of cultural and individual values) – knowledge (of cultures) – skills (based on awareness and knowledge plus practice) proved to be effective.
This study includes recommendations for teacher training and also suggestions for further research on intercultural competence assessment tools.

Citation

Tarabusi, L. The impact of targeted educational activities on the intercultural communicative competence of study abroad students in higher education. (Thesis). University of Hull. https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4222982

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Mar 11, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 23, 2023
• Keywords: Education
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4222982
• Additional Information: Department of Education Studies, The University of Hull
• Award Date: May 1, 2020