Deepening Study Abroad Students’
Intercultural Competence Through
Reflection
Matthew Goode, Ph.D.
Center for Teaching Excellence
Boston College
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Intercultural Competence
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Intercultural Competence Models
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Mitch Hammer and Milton Bennett’s
“Intercultural Development Continuum,”
foundation of Intercultural Development
Inventory (1986, 1993, 2012)
Darla Deardorff’s “Process Model of
Intercultural Competence” (2008)
Michael Paige’s “Dimensions of
Intercultural Learning” (2006)
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Intercultural Competence Definition
“...[T]he capability to shift cultural
perspective and appropriately adapt
behavior to cultural differences and
commonalities.”
(https://idiinventory.com/products/theintercultural-development-inventory-idi/)
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Intercultural Development Continuum
Source: IDI, LLC
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Role of Reflection
“…Unexamined cultural experiences do
not facilitate intercultural competence
development. Rather, experience plus
cultural reflection result in greater
cultural insights and increase students’
intercultural competence.”
--Hammer, 2012, p. 131
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Reflective Learning
“…[T]he intention to learn as a result of
reflection.”
--Moon, 2004, p. 80
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Reflective Learning, cont.
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Personal & interpersonal
Learning about self & others
Critical incidents
Learning goals for students
Clear expectations of students
Cultural differences & similarities
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Reflective Learning Strategies
1.
2.
3.
4.
Journaling
Blogging
Primary Research
Peer Reflection
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Journaling
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Personal reflection on cultural differences
and similarities
Exploring critical incidents
Learning about student’s own culture and
host culture
A journal is a student’s own space
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Rubric Example
Performance level
ANALYTIC CATEGORIES
Definition
Global
Mindedness
Awareness of world
affairs
CrossCultural
Learning
Empathy for others
from diverse
backgrounds
Ability to understand
and articulate different
viewpoints
The student uses affairs
involving her host country as a
resource for her personal
reflection/understanding
The student is able to relate
differences in background and
culture to views of the world
The student relates her
knowledge of local culture to
her culture
Tolerance for
ambiguity
Ability to act in
accordance with the
local culture
Academic
enrichment
Ability to understand
structure and function
in other academic
systems
Advanced (4)
The student is able to interpret
the same fact under the
cultural frameworks of her host
country and her own
The student gives examples of
being able to act in
accordance to her host
country's cultural norms
The student gives examples of
being able to adapt to the
academic system of her host
country
Source: Nick Gozik, Boston College
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Competent
(3)
Developing
(2)
Needs
Development
(1)
Blogging
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Can be used as an online journal
Wide range of platforms
Getting feedback from others on your posts
Students’ general use of social media
Reminder regarding public nature of
blogs
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Blog Example
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Blog Examples
Georgetown University’s Junior Year
Abroad Network
 Example blog
 University of Minnesota’s Global Change
in Thailand Video Blogs
 Example blog
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Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Primary Research
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Identifying a cultural difference
Underlying cultural values
Primary and secondary sources
Conducting interviews in that cultural
context
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Peer Reflection
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Assign the students to groups
Meet on a regular basis
Provide some suggested questions for
each meeting
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Examples of ‘Prompts’
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Pre-Departure: What do you anticipate being
the biggest difference between the United States
and the culture of your host country?
 In-Country: What is it like to be a university
student in your host country? How is this
different from or similar to what it’s like to be a
student in the U.S.?
 Re-Entry: What new interests might you pursue
now that you have studied abroad? How can
you find ways to pursue these areas of interest?
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Cultural Mentoring
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Rooted in self-awareness on the part of
instructors and staff
Demonstrating intercultural effectiveness
for students
Providing support for, and challenging,
students
Making space for intentional reflection
before, during, and after the program
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Group Activity
Small-Group Activity
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Example of Student Reflection
“I wish Germany was more like the U.S.,
because people are so much friendlier
at home.”
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Intercultural Development Continuum
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Example of Student Reflection
“I’ve observed that greeting others with
a hug is not very common in China,
even with people you’ve known for an
extended period of time, so I’ve learned
to hold back on hugging people here.”
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Intercultural Development Continuum
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Example of Student Reflection
“My host family in Mexico is just like
my family at home. We all share the
same basic values.”
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Intercultural Development Continuum
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Example of Student Reflection
“It seems like the main difference in
Japan is the food!”
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Intercultural Development Continuum
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Example of Student Reflection
“I think it’s interesting that people in
Austria can be quite direct in their
communication style, while I tend to be
an indirect communicator.”
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Intercultural Development Continuum
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Example of Student Reflection
“Why can’t people at home be more
open-minded, like they are in Norway?”
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Intercultural Development Continuum
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Resources
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Building Cultural Competence: Innovative
Activities and Models, Berardo and
Deardorff (2012)
Maximizing Study Abroad student and
instructional guides (2006, 2009)
(www.carla.umn.edu/maxsa)
What’s Up with Culture? (online resource)
(www2.pacific.edu/sis/culture)
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Discussion
Which reflective learning strategies
have worked for your study abroad
students?
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
Questions?
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016
References
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Deardorff, D. K. (2008). Intercultural competence: A definition, model, and implications for
education abroad. In V. Savicki (Ed.), Developing intercultural competence and
transformation: Theory, research, and application in international education (pp. 32-52).
Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing LLC.
Hammer, M. R. (2012). The Intercultural Development Inventory: A new frontier in assessment
and development of intercultural competence. In M. Vande Berg, R. M. Paige, & K. H. Lou
(Eds.), Student learning abroad: What our students are learning, what they’re not, and what
we can do about it (pp. 115-136). Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing, LLC.
Moon, J. A. (2004). A handbook of reflective and experiential learning: Theory and practice.
London: RoutledgeFalmer.
Paige, R. M. (2006). Dimensions of intercultural learning. In Paige, R. M., Cohen, A. D.,
Kappler, B., Chi, J. C., & Lassegard, J. P., Maximizing study abroad: A students’ guide to
strategies for language and culture learning and use, 2nd edition, pp. 40-41. Minneapolis, MN:
Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition, University of Minnesota.
Paige, R. M., & Goode, M. L. (2009). Intercultural competence in international education
administration: Cultural mentoring: International education professionals and the development
of intercultural competence. In D. Deardorff (Ed.), The SAGE handbook of intercultural
competence (pp. 333-349). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publishing, Inc.
Matthew Goode, Feb. 2016