Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Cultural competency, in increasingly globalized and cosmopolitan societies, is key to allied health graduate employability. Internationalization at Home initiatives that use virtual technologies have potential to facilitate transformative intercultural learning experiences and build cultural competency. The purpose of this study was to trial a virtual intercultural learning activity with Australian and Hong Kong undergraduate occupational therapy and oral health students to explore cultural competency learning. We utilized a mixed methods study design with quantitative pre- and postsurveys and qualitative group interviews. Study findings illustrate how the activity enabled students to practice and learn intercultural communication skills, gain greater awareness and appreciation for diversity at home and abroad, and engage in global citizenship learning. Educators are encouraged to utilize virtual learning spaces for creating meaningful and transformative cultural learning experiences that enhance graduate intercultural capabilities.

Keywords

internationalization of higher education internationalization of teaching learning and research internationalization of the curriculum intercultural learning employability

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Altbach

P. G.

Knight

(2007). The internationalization of higher education: Motivations and realities. Journal of Studies in International Education, 11, 290-305.

Altbach

P. G.

Teichler

(2001). Internationalization and exchanges in a globalized university. Journal of Studies in International Education, 5, 5-25.

Beagan

B. L.

(2015). Approaches to culture and diversity: A critical synthesis of occupational therapy literature. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 82, 272-282.

Chen

G.-M.

Starosta

W. J.

(2000). The development and validation of the Intercultural Sensitivity Scale. Human Communication, 3, 1-15.

Chui

W. H.

Leung

E. W. Y.

(2014). Youth in a global world: Attitudes towards globalization and global citizenship among university students in Hong Kong. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 34, 107-124.

Creswell

J. W.

(2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage.

Daly

Barker

. (2010). Australian universities’ strategic goals of student exchange and participation rates in outbound exchange programmes. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 32, 333-342.

Darby

D. L.

Knievel

R. J. M.

(2014). Cultural competence. In Darby

M. L.

Walsh

(Eds.), Dental hygiene: Theory and practice (4th edition) (pp. 67-78). London, England: Elsevier Health Sciences.

Deardorff

D. K.

(2006). Identification and assessment of intercultural competence as a student outcome of internationalization. Journal of Studies in International Education, 10, 241-266.

10.

Graneheim

U. H.

Lundman

(2004). Qualitative content analysis in nursing research: Concepts, procedures and measures to achieve trustworthiness. Nurse Education Today, 24, 105-112.

11.

Gudykunst

W. B.

(1993). Toward a theory of effective interpersonal and intergroup communication: An anxiety/uncertainty management (AUM) perspective. In Wiseman

R. L.

Koester

(Eds.), Intercultural communication competence (pp. 33-71). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

12.

Hanson

(2010). Global citizenship, global health, and the internationalization of curriculum. Journal of Studies in International Education, 14, 70-88.

13.

Harrison

(2015). Practice, problems and power in “internationalisation at home”: Critical reflections on recent research evidence. Teaching in Higher Education, 20, 412-430.

14.

Herbers

M. S.

Mullins Nelson

(2009). Using the disorienting dilemma to promote transformative learning. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, 20, 5-34.

15.

Hsieh

H.-F.

Shannon

S. E.

(2005). Three approaches to qualitative content analysis. Qualitative Health Research, 15, 1277-1288.

16.

Ivankova

N. V.

Creswell

J. W.

Stick

S. L.

(2006). Using mixed-methods sequential explanatory design: From theory to practice. Field Methods, 18, 3-20.

17.

Knight

(2004). Internationalization remodeled: Definition, approaches, and rationales. Journal of Studies in International Education, 8, 5-31.

18.

Knight

(2015). International universities: Misunderstandings and emerging models? Journal of Studies in International Education, 19, 107-121.

19.

Leask

(2004). Internationalisation outcomes for all students using Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Journal of Studies in International Education, 8, 336-351.

20.

Leask

(2009). Using formal and informal curricula to improve interactions between home and international students. Journal of Studies in International Education, 13, 205-221.

21.

Lilley

Barker

Harris

(2015). Exploring the process of global citizen learning and the student mind-set. Journal of Studies in International Education, 19, 225-245.

22.

Lilley

Barker

Harris

(2016). The global citizen conceptualized: Accommodating ambiguity. Journal of Studies in International Education, 21(1), 6-21.

23.

Mezirow

(2000). Learning as transformation: Critical perspectives on a theory in progress. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

24.

Morais

D. B.

Ogden

A. C.

(2011). Initial development and validation of the Global Citizenship Scale. Journal of Studies in International Education, 15, 445-466.

25.

Rizvi

(2009). Towards cosmopolitan learning [Article]. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 30, 253-268.

26.

Robson

(2011). Internationalization: A transformative agenda for higher education? Teachers and Teaching, 17, 619-630.

27.

Simm

Marvell

(2017). Creating global students: Opportunities, challenges and experiences of internationalizing the geography curriculum in higher education. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 41, 467-474.

28.

Soria

K. M.

Troisi

(2013). Internationalization at home alternatives to study abroad. Journal of Studies in International Education, 18, 261-280.

29.

United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization. (2014). Global citizenship education: Preparing learners for the challenges of the 21st century. Paris, France: UNESCO.

30.

Wynveen

C. J.

Kyle

G. T.

Tarrant

M. A.

(2012). Study abroad experiences and global citizenship: Fostering proenvironmental behavior. Journal of Studies in International Education, 16, 334-352.

31.

Yashima

(2010). The effects of international volunteer work experiences on intercultural competence of Japanese youth. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 34, 268-282.

32.

Zembylas

(2015). “Pedagogy of discomfort” and its ethical implications: The tensions of ethical violence in social justice education. Ethics and Education, 10, 163-174.

Supplementary Material

Please find the following supplemental material available below.

For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.

For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.

0.00 MB

0.02 MB

Trialing Virtual Intercultural Learning With Australian and Hong Kong Allied Health Students to Improve Cultural Competency

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References

Supplementary Material