Intercultural Learning and Diversity in Higher Education; Research Topic

1. Otten, M., (2003). Intercultural Learning and Diversity in Higher Education: Journal of Studies in International Education. Vol. 7 no. 1, 12-26

Accessed from: http://jsi.sagepub.com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/content/7/1/12.short

Strengths, Contributions and Ways to Improve; Graphic Organizer

Organization: The article was coherent and the author did develop the argument. There was very little metalanguage used to anticipate and conclude. The headings and subheadings were useful in this article.

Contribution to Field: Contribution to the field was worthwhile and significant.

Literature Review: This article did not provide a literature review.

Theoretical Framework/Lens: The article clearly demonstrated coherence. The research focused on International intercultural pedagogy perspectives.

Data Collection: Data was collected from regions with an explicit diversity policy tradition in higher education: the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Analysis: The article had a profound impact on current education action research.

Findings: The findings of the article were not clear however the research does outline some assumptions about intercultural encounters and its meaning for intercultural learning.

Discussion/Conclusions: The article provides a strategy for setting up diversity activities and diversity plans aimed at intercultural learning.

Minor Editorial Comments: No editorial comments for the article.

Miscellaneous: No miscellaneous comments for the article at this time.

Intercultural Learning and Diversity in Higher Education

The article; Intercultural Learning and Diversity in Higher Education, discussed what can be understood by intercultural competence and how it relates to the quality of intercultural contacts rather than the quantity. The article also examined the concept of Internationalisation as it relates to the diversity discourse that has shaped the Anglo-American debate in the United States and Canada. The article goes on to discuss the concern for diversity and cultural pluralism in higher education in the United States. The article also goes on to discuss the need for curriculum change and teaching the influence of diversity practitioners as it relates to curriculum matters. I learned that growth of cultural pedagogy is limited because of the traditional claims of the faculties and academic departments. The author states still, more and more colleges and universities across the United States are transforming their curricula because college leaders increasingly recognize that knowledge about domestic and international diversity is essential for today’s students.

This article made me think about a component of intercultural competence I had not thought about before, international intercultural communication competence. This was a unique way of the examining the concept, as it takes the theory of intercultural communication competence and stretches beyond domestic borders. This study was significant to me as an educator and my experiences because of our ever expanding reach to foreign students. With online education being so popular, educators must know now look toward an international classroom. It is my goal to be at the forefront of academic research on intercultural communication both foreign and domestically.

I feel that the article Intercultural Learning and Diversity in Higher Education has a profound impact on current education action research. It has been cited in several other articles from various journals such as the Business and Professional Communication Quarterly article (2013); Intercultural Communication Apprehension and Emotional Intelligence in Higher Education: Preparing Business Students for Career Success. The afore mentioned article cites Otten as saying “the increasing internationalization of university campuses does not guarantee by itself that business students are receiving adequate intercultural communication instruction (Otten, 2003).” Research suggests that despite the rise internationalization, many institutions possess an achievement ethos that requires a commitment to excellence.