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Transformative Learning and the Development of Young Peoples' Intercultural Competencies

Received: 10 October 2024     Accepted: 20 November 2024     Published: 25 December 2024
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Abstract

We evaluated the effects of transformative learning and intercultural shared experiences with Russian university students. Specifically, we studied their perspectives and attitudes toward others (those with different ethnic backgrounds, world views, and attitudes) for an intervention group of 47 students and a comparison group of 51 students. Methods: Ten intercultural seminars were conducted over six years in this mixed methods study; participation in the seminars was the independent variable. The same pre-/post- self-assessment questionnaire was analyzed to measure perceptions of the students participating and not participating. Students in the comparison groups received neither instruction, intervention, nor interaction. Test scores were the dependent variable. Qualitative data were collected as ethnographic action data for the emergence of themes, patterns, and corroboration. Findings: The seminars resulted in statistically significant differences in perceptions of others among and between intervention and comparison groups. Intervention group members showed measurable growth of intercultural competencies and positive perceptions of others as indicated by quantitative data, discussions, and interviews. Qualitative data provided explanation and elaborative meaning for the quantitative data. Conclusions: This study supports the hypothesis that student informants participating in transformative learning and language and culture seminars experience increases in their development of intercultural competencies. Qualitative and quantitative data support the proposed theory. True education, whatever that may be, will have the greatest tendency to civilize and humanize people in their relations to one another. Plato

Published in International Journal of Education, Culture and Society (Volume 9, Issue 6)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijecs.20240906.18
Page(s) 338-361
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Key Terms Are, Intercultural Competencies, Transformative Learning, Others, Mixed Methods, Intervention Group, Comparison Group

References
[1] Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Fellowship Program, 2005.
[2] Bennett, J. (2009). Cultivating intercultural competence: A process perspective. In D. Deardorff (Ed.) The Sage handbook of intercultural competence (pp. 121–140). Sage Publications.
[3] Bennett, J. M., & Salonen, R. (2007). Intercultural communication and the new American campus. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 39(2), 46–50.
[4] Bruner, J. (1996). The culture of education. Harvard University Press.
[5] Bryman, A. (1988). Quantity and quality in social research. London, UK: Routledge.
[6] Clark, T., Foster, L, Sloan, L., & Bryman, A. (2021). Bryman’s social science methods. Oxford University Press.
[7] Creswell, J., & Plano Clark, V. (2018). Designing and conducting mixed methods research. Sage Publishing.
[8] Deardorff, D. (2006). Identification and assessment of intercultural competence as a student outcome of internationalization. Journal of Studies in International Education,10(3), 241-266.
[9] Dolan, S., & Kawamura, K. (2015). Cross cultural competence: A field guide for developing global leaders and managers. Bingley, Wales: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
[10] Godkin, M., & Sauvageau, J. (2003). The effect of medical students’ international experiences on attitudes toward serving underserved multicultural populations. Family Medicine, 35(4), 273–278.
[11] Hammer, M. R., Bennett, M. J., & Wiseman, R. (2003). The Intercultural Development Inventory: A Measure of Intercultural Sensitivity. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 27, 421–443.
[12] Hunter, A. (2008). “Transformative Learning in International Education.” In V. Savicki (Ed.), Developing intercultural competence and transformation: Theory, research, and application in International Education. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing.
[13] Johnson, R., & Onwuegbuzie, A. (2004). Mixed methods research: A research paradigm whose time has come. Educational Researcher, 33(7), 14–26.
[14] Lindsey, R. B., Nuri-Robins, K., & Terrell, R. D. (2009). Cultural proficiency: A manual for school leaders (3rd ed.). Corwin.
[15] Ormrod, J. (2004). Human learning (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. In V. Savicki, (Ed.), Developing intercultural competence and transformation: Theory, research, and application in international education. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing.
[16] Sahlberg, P., Hasak, J., Rodriguez, V., and Associates. (2017). Hard questions on global education change: Policies, practices, and the future of education. New York: Teachers College Press, Columbia University.
[17] Savicki, V. (Ed.). (2008). Developing intercultural competence and transformation: Theory, research, and application in international education. Stylus Publishing.
[18] Spitzberg, B., & Changnon, G. (2009). Conceptualizing intercultural competence. In D. K. Deardorff (Ed.), The SAGE handbook of intercultural competence (pp. 2–52). Sage Publications.
[19] Stewart, T. (2022). The impact of transformative learning on the development of young people's intercultural competencies. (Doctoral dissertation, University of Lapland, 2022). Stewart & University of Lapland. Taittolab Print One. Retrieved from
[20] Vogt, W., & Johnson, R. (2011) Dictionary of statistics & methodology: A nontechnical guide for the social sciences (4th ed.). Sage Publications.
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  • APA Style

    Stewart, T., Seauve, H. (2024). Transformative Learning and the Development of Young Peoples' Intercultural Competencies. International Journal of Education, Culture and Society, 9(6), 338-361. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijecs.20240906.18

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    ACS Style

    Stewart, T.; Seauve, H. Transformative Learning and the Development of Young Peoples' Intercultural Competencies. Int. J. Educ. Cult. Soc. 2024, 9(6), 338-361. doi: 10.11648/j.ijecs.20240906.18

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    AMA Style

    Stewart T, Seauve H. Transformative Learning and the Development of Young Peoples' Intercultural Competencies. Int J Educ Cult Soc. 2024;9(6):338-361. doi: 10.11648/j.ijecs.20240906.18

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijecs.20240906.18,
      author = {Tomm Stewart and Hillamaria Seauve},
      title = {Transformative Learning and the Development of Young Peoples' Intercultural Competencies
    },
      journal = {International Journal of Education, Culture and Society},
      volume = {9},
      number = {6},
      pages = {338-361},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijecs.20240906.18},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijecs.20240906.18},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijecs.20240906.18},
      abstract = {We evaluated the effects of transformative learning and intercultural shared experiences with Russian university students. Specifically, we studied their perspectives and attitudes toward others (those with different ethnic backgrounds, world views, and attitudes) for an intervention group of 47 students and a comparison group of 51 students. Methods: Ten intercultural seminars were conducted over six years in this mixed methods study; participation in the seminars was the independent variable. The same pre-/post- self-assessment questionnaire was analyzed to measure perceptions of the students participating and not participating. Students in the comparison groups received neither instruction, intervention, nor interaction. Test scores were the dependent variable. Qualitative data were collected as ethnographic action data for the emergence of themes, patterns, and corroboration. Findings: The seminars resulted in statistically significant differences in perceptions of others among and between intervention and comparison groups. Intervention group members showed measurable growth of intercultural competencies and positive perceptions of others as indicated by quantitative data, discussions, and interviews. Qualitative data provided explanation and elaborative meaning for the quantitative data. Conclusions: This study supports the hypothesis that student informants participating in transformative learning and language and culture seminars experience increases in their development of intercultural competencies. Qualitative and quantitative data support the proposed theory. True education, whatever that may be, will have the greatest tendency to civilize and humanize people in their relations to one another. Plato
    },
     year = {2024}
    }
    

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    AU  - Hillamaria Seauve
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    JF  - International Journal of Education, Culture and Society
    JO  - International Journal of Education, Culture and Society
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    AB  - We evaluated the effects of transformative learning and intercultural shared experiences with Russian university students. Specifically, we studied their perspectives and attitudes toward others (those with different ethnic backgrounds, world views, and attitudes) for an intervention group of 47 students and a comparison group of 51 students. Methods: Ten intercultural seminars were conducted over six years in this mixed methods study; participation in the seminars was the independent variable. The same pre-/post- self-assessment questionnaire was analyzed to measure perceptions of the students participating and not participating. Students in the comparison groups received neither instruction, intervention, nor interaction. Test scores were the dependent variable. Qualitative data were collected as ethnographic action data for the emergence of themes, patterns, and corroboration. Findings: The seminars resulted in statistically significant differences in perceptions of others among and between intervention and comparison groups. Intervention group members showed measurable growth of intercultural competencies and positive perceptions of others as indicated by quantitative data, discussions, and interviews. Qualitative data provided explanation and elaborative meaning for the quantitative data. Conclusions: This study supports the hypothesis that student informants participating in transformative learning and language and culture seminars experience increases in their development of intercultural competencies. Qualitative and quantitative data support the proposed theory. True education, whatever that may be, will have the greatest tendency to civilize and humanize people in their relations to one another. Plato
    
    VL  - 9
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Author Information
  • Faculty of Education, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland; Department of Linguistics, Shuya Pedagogical University, Shuya, Russia

  • Faculty of Education, Oulu University, Oulu, Finland; Department of Linguistics, Shuya Pedagogical University, Shuya, Russia

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