LITERATURE REVIEW INTERCULTURAL UNDERSTANDING and COMPETENCIES

Introduction The aim of this literature review is to inform the Intercultural Understanding and Competencies Project for the Institute of Teaching and Learning at Deakin University on intercultural understanding and competencies and related paradigms. The purpose of the project is to create intercultural understanding and competency learning resources uilt on the Intercultural Understanding and Interactions Framework !outcome statement" that form the asis of e#learning modules$ e#portfolio templates and we resources at Deakin University. The literature identifies a range of terms relating to Intercultural Understanding and Competencies !IUC" such as %intercultural effectiveness& !'tone ())*$ p.++,"- %intercultural competence& !Deardorff ())*$ p.(./"- %intercultural literacy& !0eyward ())($ p.1)"- and %glo al competence& !0unter ())*$ p.(/)". It e2plores useful definitions of those terms such as that of 0eywood !())(" who states intercultural literacy as %understanding$ competencies$ attitudes$ language proficiencies$ participation and identities necessary for successful cross# cultural engagement& !0eywood ())($ p.1)". The importance of intercultural understanding and competencies is discussed in response to glo alisation and internationalisation$ and in order to identify some of the important aspects of developing and measuring intercultural understanding and competencies$ models are identified which conceptualise the development and assessment of such competencies selected from e2isting literature. 3 ta2onomy for developing and assessing intercultural competence !4reeman et al. ())5"$ as well as the 3 ility#6ased Curriculum approach at 3lverno College 7isconsin$ U'3 !3lverno College ())8"$ are specifically descri ed in order to conte2tualise them within the Institute of Teaching and Learning Intercultural Understanding and Competencies Project and generally at Deakin University.

Definitions associated wit Intercu!tura! Understandin" and Co#$etencies Due to the importance intercultural understanding and competencies have in the increasingly comple2 and technological world$ universities are facing the challenge to develop intercultural understanding and competencies in oth the formal and informal curricula. It has een argued that intercultural understanding and competencies are in part a stract concepts and need to e clearly defined in order to develop and measure their attainment. The following section identifies several of the definitions associated with Intercultural Understanding and Competencies documented in the literature. 'tudies relating to intercultural understanding and competencies have een conducted in various fields and have een defined differently according to interpretations of the researchers. There has not een agreement on how concepts associated with intercultural understanding and competencies should e defined !Deardorff ())*- 4reeman et al. ())5'tier ())*". Different terms$ such as cross#cultural competence$ glo al competence$ intercultural competence and glo al citi9enship !Deardorff ())*" are referred to in the literature. Deardorff !())*" argued that the lack of specificity in defining intercultural competence is due to the difficulty of identifying the specific components of the concepts. The term %intercultural understanding and competencies& is used in the Deakin Intercultural Understanding and Competencies Project$ however other terms used y researchers are referred to in the literature. Due to the lack of consensus on its definition$ 'tone !())*" suggested a definition of %intercultural effectiveness& !which covers a similar range of competences to intercultural understanding and competencies" that is %the a ility to interact with people from different cultures so as to optimise the pro a ility of mutually successful outcomes& !'tone ())*$ p.++,". In a study to identify the components of %intercultural competence&$ Deardorff !())*" documented an outcome# ased definition that has achieved consensus amongst most intercultural scholars in her study. Intercultural competence is defined as %the a ility to communicate effectively and appropriately in intercultural situations ased on one:s intercultural knowledge$ skills and attitudes& !Deardorff ())*$ p.(./". Deardorff !())*" also suggested that most definitions of intercultural competence have een largely derived from 7estern perspectives. 0eyward !())(" viewed %intercultural literacy& as %understandings$ competencies$ attitudes$ language proficiencies$ participation and identities necessary for successful cross#cultural engagement& !0eyward ())($ p.1)". 0eyward proposes %first it conceives of literacy as 2

including competencies$ attitudes and identities an addition to understandings$ and second$ it suggests a literacy that crosses cultural oundaries& !0eyward ())($ p.1)". 0unter !())*" stated that %glo al competence& is %having an open mind while actively seeking to understand cultural norms and e2pectations of others$ leveraging this gained knowledge to interact$ communicate and work effectively outside one:s environment& !0unter ())*$ p. (/)". 0unter !())*" also asserted that the lack of concurrence on the definition of$ or the knowledge$ skills$ attitudes and e2periences re;uired for glo al competence has led to the design and implementation of educational programs that lack a sound research foundation$ and that a working definition has to e formulated within a specific conte2t so that it can e customised according to the mission of the university. Drawn from the field of language and communication$ Crichton and 'carino !())/" reported that students: intercultural competencies %can e seen in terms of enhancing their capacities to work with their own and others: languages and cultures$ to recognise knowledge in its cultural conte2t$ to e2amine the intercultural dimension of knowledge applications$ and to communicate and interact effectively across languages and cultures& !Crichton < 'carino ())/$ p.15#()". 3ccording to them$ this definition focuses on how intercultural awareness is developed$ assessed and evaluated at sites of intercultural interaction. Interaction is identified as the language and culture vehicle for developing intercultural awareness and is the key principle in oth the practice and development of intercultural competencies. Crichton and 'carino !())/"$ Paige at al. !1555" and Liddicoat et al. !())+" !cited in Treleavan et al. ())/$ p.5" stated that %intercultural competence is a dynamic$ interactive and self#reflective learning process involving staff and students with the potential to transform values$ skills and knowledge& !Treleavan et al. ())/. p.5". 6ased on the same idea$ a more detailed definition was proposed y Paige et al. !cited in 4reeman et al. ())5" which descri ed intercultural competence as %a dynamic$ on#going$ interactive self#reflective learning process that transforms attitudes$ skills and knowledge for effective communication and interaction across cultures and conte2ts& !Paige et al. cited in 4reeman et al. ())5$ p1+". Intercultural understanding and competencies and associated definitions appear to e the a ilities to ehave and communicate effectively and appropriately in multicultural conte2ts. It is suggested developing such skills involves an on#going learning process that involves interpretation$ self#reflection and negotiation which gradually transforms one:s attitude$ knowledge and skills towards cultural differences in which language functions as the tool of interaction and communication to facilitate its development. 3

T e i#$ortance of intercu!tura! understandin" and co#$etencies 'tone !())*" outlined the importance of individuals possessing the capacity to associate with individuals from diverse cultures$ due to %the advent of more glo alised economies$ markets and international alliances- the rapid development of new information and communication technologies- vastly increased international mo ility- the growing multicultural profile of most societies across the world- and the %internationalisation& of education programs and institutions& !'tone ())*$ p.++8". In a roader social perspective$ cultural differences within a diverse multicultural community as a result of increased mo ility and migration !'hah ())." may give rise to misunderstandings or communication reakdown !'tier ())*"$ clashes !0aller$ 4isher < =app ())/" and an2iety !>iang ())*". To e effective in operating within a diverse multicultural society$ one needs to e actively involved not only in understanding$ negotiating and managing the differences in order to have a safe$ sustaina le and harmonious glo al community !0eyward ())(- 'tier ())*"$ ut to cele rate the rich diversity this rings to work and learning conte2ts. Internationalisation of education has also led to a significant increase in the importance of intercultural understanding and competencies for students and staff in the university environment. It has een suggested that international students can e2perience %learning shock& which includes socio#cultural adjustments that correspond to the stress created y adjusting to a new culture !6iggs ())+$ cited in 0aller et al. ())/". They may also have different e2pectations of teaching styles !?ingston < 4orland ()),". The increasing num ers of international students studying a road and new immigrant students have also led to growing diversity and multiculturalism of the student population !>iang ())*". This implies that intercultural understanding and competencies are also important for local students. 'ince academic staff play a significant role in designing and implementing the curriculum$ intercultural understanding and competencies and associated concepts are also important for them to e responsive to the diversity and multiculturalism of the student ody to deliver ;uality teaching and learning !6artram < 6ailey ())5- 6aumgartner < >ohnson#6ailey ()),0aller et al. ())/- >iang ())*- ?ingston < 4orland ()),". It has een reported that local and international students have different understandings and e2pectations of effective teaching practice !6artram < 6ailey ())5" and different e2pectations of learning styles !?ingston < 4orland ()),". 3dministrators and academic staff may also lack awareness of and engagement with cultural diversity !=rey ())(". They may then face challenges in managing issues arising from cultural differences in their interaction with international and new immigrant students !>iang ())*". 3s such$ it is recommended 4

that to realise the goals of internationalisation$ students and staff should %develop personal and intercultural relationships through a colla orative$ reciprocal dialogue$ where y all perceptions of difference are recognised$ included$ respected and valued& !=rey ())($ p. 1**". 'tier !())*" argues that the attention to intercultural understanding and vompetencies and related concepts has een often driven y economic motives and has also een referred as a valua le %glo al commodity&. @mphasising the need for intercultural competence among usiness students$ 4reeman et al !())5" claimed that intercultural competence skills are important graduate attri utes ecause glo al literacy is re;uired to e successful in the changing modern usiness environment. Industry e2pects its multicultural workforce to communicate across cultures and conte2ts. 0owever$ it has een argued that many graduates are still ill#prepared to face the glo al employment market and relatively few undergraduates gain international or intercultural competence in universities !0unter$ 7hite < =od ey ())*". In relation to this$ skills allied with intercultural understanding and competencies have een identified as one of the graduate capa ilities that must e demonstra le within degree outcomes !Leask ())(- Aidings et al. ()),- 'tone ())*". Mode!s for de%e!o$in" intercu!tura! understandin" and co#$etencies

'everal models representing the development of intercultural understanding and competencies and associated concepts have een conceptualised in the literature. These models reflect a range of different theoretical approaches and methodologies from oth ;ualitative and ;uantitative data !4reeman et al. ())5". They also range from simple models involving only single stakeholders to more comple2 models that incorporate multiple stakeholders$ as well as linear and iterative models !4reeman et al. ())5". 4or the purpose of the intercultural understanding and competencies project$ models that illustrate multidimensional and on#going process of development are outlined !3lverno College ())8- 6owden$ 0art$ ?ing$ Trigwell < 7atts ()))- Deardorff ())*- 4reeman et al. ())5B 0unter$ 7hite < =od ey ())*- Leask ())(- Aidings et al. ()),- 'tone ())*". These models range from very specific ones$ applica le for developing glo al competence !0unter et al. ())*"$ to more generic models applica le for developing other generic a ilities !6owden$ 0art$ ?ing$ Trigwell < 7atts ()))". 0unter$ 7hite < =od ey !())*" used the term Cglo al competence: !0unter et al. ())*$ p.(/1" and proposed a model for its development. Their working definition for glo al competence is %having an open mind while actively seeking to understand cultural norms 5

and e2pectations of others$ leveraging this gained knowledge to interact$ communicate and work effectively outside one:s environment !0unter ()).$ p.1+)#1+1$ ;uoted in 0unter et al. ())*$ p.(/)". This working definition was used as a foundation to identify knowledge$ skills and e2perience for the attainment of glo al competency. 3ccording to 0unter et al. !())*"$ the most critical step in ecoming glo ally competent is to esta lish one:s awareness. This can e achieved y first having a keen understanding of one:s own cultural norms and e2pectations. The second step is then e2ploring cultural$ social and linguistic diversity whilst having an open attitude and non#judgmental reactions towards differences or others. 0unter et al. !())*" also suggested that these two steps are not mutually#e2clusive and should e e2perienced in tandem$ eginning in middle school level. The third stage involves achieving knowledge of glo alisation and world history which can e attained within a higher educational setting and outside formal settings. Dnce all the three stages are completed$ individuals will usually attain glo al competence. They must e a le to %identify cultural differences to compete glo ally$ colla orate across cultures and effectively participate in oth social and usiness settings in other countries& !0unter et al. ())*$ p.(,+". The model of 0unter et al. !())*" descri es the knowledge$ skills$ attitudes and e2perience necessary to ecome glo ally competent. 3lthough it is represented in e2panding circles$ the progression from one stage to another implies a linear developmental process towards improved capacity to perform effectively in the glo alised world. This model contri utes to the understanding of the profile of and how to attain glo al competence. It may e useful for assisting academic staff to prepare appropriate tasks$ however$ more information on how to assess learners: achievement and the alignment process is needed. Deardorff !())*" developed a cyclical or iterative model that visualises the movement from the personal level to interpersonal level of interactions. The model was ased on a working definition of intercultural competence that is %the a ility to communicate effectively and appropriately in intercultural situations ased on one:s intercultural knowledge$ skills and attitudes& !Deardorff ())*$ p. (./" and the (( elements of intercultural competence agreed on y the international scholars and administrators in her study !3ppendi2". Deardorff !())*" visualised the development of intercultural competence as the movement from internal outcomes !characterised y the individual levels of attitudes and attri utes" to the interactive e2ternal outcomes !effective and appropriate communication and ehaviour in multicultural situations". The model also implies that it is possi le for individuals to achieve e2ternal outcomes without fully achieving the internal outcomes$ 6 ut the intercultural etween the o jectives and learning

competence will not e as effective and appropriate if the internal outcome is not achieved. It also demonstrates the ongoing process of development of intercultural competences !Deardorff ())*". The model emphasises the importance of attitudes and understanding$ knowledge and comprehension. 3ccording to Deardorff !())*"$ attitude is the most critical element ecause it is the starting point in the cycle of the model. 'pecifically$ %attitudes of openness$ respect !valuing all cultures"$ curiosity and discovery !tolerating am iguity" are viewed as fundamental to intercultural competence& !Deardorff ())*$ p. (88". 3s well as knowledge and comprehension$ skills for ac;uiring and processing knowledge a out one:s culture and others: cultures such as to listen$ o serve and evaluate$ to analyse$ interpret and relate are also considered important in developing the internal outcomes. 4ocusing on the components of intercultural competence and how to develop them$ Deardorff !())*" asserts that the model allows for the development of specific assessment indicators within a conte2t or situation$ while providing a asis for general assessment of intercultural competence. 'tone !())*" considered %intercultural effectiveness& !'tone ())*$ p.+.(" capa ilities as higher#order generic skills and highlighted the need to develop a clear and coherent conceptual framework. This framework can guide the teaching$ learning and assessment of decisions in developing educational programs that enhance international and intercultural competence. 6ased on a working definition of %intercultural effectiveness&$ that is %the a ility to interact with people from different cultures so as to optimise the pro a ility of mutually successful outcomes& !'tone ())*$ p.++,"$ 'tone !())*" proposed a model framed within eight essential elements of intercultural effectiveness which appear consistently in the literature. The elements are %generic& !'tone ())*$ p.+.("$ %perceived to learna le& !'tone ())*$ p.+.(" and %the total set must e relatively e parsimonious& !'tone ())*$

p.+.(". The eight elements include knowledge !prior learning"$ skills !o serva le ehaviour" and si2 attri utes that specifically relate to intercultural effectiveness$ namely emotional intelligence$ motivation$ openness$ resilience$ reflectiveness and sensitivity. knowledge and culture#general knowledge. ?nowledge This model descri es knowledge as declarative knowledge$ procedural knowledge$ culture#specific ecomes useful when it is transformed into ehaviour patterns or skills. The skills are the o serva le ehaviours that demonstrate whether an individual has managed to translate the internal attri utes into practice. These elements interrelate to each other and are perceived as progressive and changea le through formal learning or other e2periences.

'tone !())*" argued that the term %competence& is pro lematic

ecause the knowledge$

attitudes and skills considered essential for professional and personal performance have een increasingly associated with lower# order training rather than fostering the development of higher#order meaningful and transfera le learning. development of higher#order skill and learning process. 'tone:s !())*" model emphasises a coherent framework and that can e used to improve the process of developing intercultural effectiveness related to the design$ delivery and assessment of courses. This approach focuses on the learnt ehaviours as outcomes y o serving an individual:s actions rather than reading an individual:s report. Due to its simplistic structure$ it can also e used as framework for the development of other generic skills. 3 model developed y 6owden et al. !()))" was designed to develop graduate capa ilities for 3TE !3ustralian Technology Eetwork" universities$ in particular to identify$ develop$ practise and assess the ;ualitative differences in generic capa ilities. This model has een documented !Leask ())($ ())+" as a model to measure international perspectives as =eneric Fuality no / !relevant to cultural competence" at the University of 'outh 3ustralia. =raduate capa ilities are defined as %the ;ualities$ skills$ and understandings a university community agrees its students should develop during their time with the institution- they go eyond the disciplinary e2pertise or technical knowledge and they prepare graduates as agents for social good in an unknown future& !6owden$ 0art$ ?ing$ Trigwell < 7atts ()))$ @2ecutive 'ummary". The model is descri ed as a three#multidimensional model where the first dimension is represented y the kinds of capa ility areas$ such as communication and teamwork. The second dimension is the four hierarchical levels of outcome and the situational variation. These four levels areB 'coping level B defining the scope of the capa ility@na ling levelB developing certain skills related to the capa ilityTraining levelB ela orating or esta lishing meaning of the capa ility within a particular discipline or fieldAelating levelB developing understanding of the relation etween the meaning and conte2t !Leask ())+". 8 0owever he proposed that a competency# ased education approach is appropriate in this conte2t to foster the ecause it allows for greater levels of shared understandings$ more systematic writing or performance progress and an e2plicit teaching

The third dimension is the situational variation$ which is used to represent individual students e2perience in developing and attaining the particular generic capa ility.

6owden et al. !()))" also asserted that a distinction should e made etween the curriculum design and individual students e2perience in order to make the model more coherent. 4rom a curriculum perspective$ each level is a pre#re;uisite for the higher level outcomes. 4or the third dimension$ the situational variations$ the development of capa ilities should represented as a %spiral rather than uni#directional development& !6owden e ()))$ p.1(".

'tudents will not automatically advance through the four levels se;uentially and they may move ackwards and forwards etween levels. This implies that each outcome may e met y a particular student a num er of times$ depending on situational variations$ and students may achieve different outcomes in different situations. To challenge and assist students to progress to a higher level$ more comple2 learning tasks should e designed !Leask ())(". 'imilar to 'tone !())*"$ 6owden et al. !()))" also emphasise alignment$ and argue that assessment practices should align with courseGsu ject goals and teachingGlearning practices. Learning e2perience and assessment should also e coordinated across su jects at the course level so that the students can fully understand the relationship process and conte2t. The adoption of the model of 6owden et al. !()))" for the development of intercultural competence at the University of 'outhern 3ustralia !Uni'3" !included as one of the 3ustralian Technology Eetwork universities" has een documented !Leask ())($ ())+". The development and integration of intercultural competencies have een included in %=raduate Fualities at the University of 'outh 3ustralia& !Leask ())($ p.("$ as %to demonstrate internationa! $ers$ecti%es as a professional and as a citi9en& !Leask ())($ p.(". 7ith respect to the =raduate Fualities at the University of 'outh 3ustralia$ all of the seven ;ualities are focused on %educational outcomes$ on the student and on what the graduating student will have achieved during a program of study& !Leask ())($ p. (". It is also argued that the graduate ;ualities have een shown to provide a useful student#centred framework for planning and reviewing a course or program. 3t the University of 'outh 3ustralia$ the development of %international perspectives& !Leask ())($ p.1" is focused on the ac;uisition of skills and knowledge related to professional areas$ the development of values and cross#cultural awareness with an emphasis on the application of skills and knowledge. =eneric indicators are outlined that focus on intercultural learning throughB 9 etween

the development of understanding and valuing of one:s own and other cultures the development of knowledge and understanding the application of what they have learned to their professional practice !Leask ())(".

It was suggested that the successful development of internationalisation is dependent on the effective alignment of o jectives$ graduate ;ualities$ teaching and learning arrangements and assessment !Leask ())(". 'everal tools and resources have een designed to assist academic staff and students to achieve the o jectives. 4irst$ %the =raduate Fualities Planning =rid& !Leask ())(" is used to achieve alignment etween the graduate ;ualities o jectives$ the teaching and learning arrangements and the assessment. 'econd$ the %Internationalisation checklist& !Leask ())(" has een designed to assist mem ers of the staff to plan and coordinate the development of international perspectives within their curriculum. 4inally$ the %=raduate Fuality 3udit Tool& !Leask ())(" has een designed for ;uality assurance and improvement processes. Drawn from 6owden et als !()))" model of development of general graduate capa ilities$ the assessment tasks for the development of international perspectives !intercultural competence" are translated as shown in Ta le 1. Ta le 1B Levels of development of international perspectives Le%e! 'coping &ocus of Assess#ent tas's Ability of students to identify the range and significance of cultural and national perspectives e.g. H different cultural and national perspectives on past and current issues H the relationship etween cultural and national perspectives and attitudes$ values and actions H ways in which their own cultural and national perspectives influence their @na ling attitudes$ values and actions Extent to which students have the skills necessary for effective communication across national and cultural boundaries e.g. their ability to: H identify ways in which others: cultural and national perspectives influence their attitudes$ values and actions H understand other cultures and communicate across cultural oundaries Training Extent to which students: H understand the relationship etween cultural and national conte2ts and different approaches within their discipline area H understand international standards within their discipline area

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Aelating

Extent to which students are able to adapt their behaviour to deal with different contexts e.g. by: H using cross#cultural communication skills to negotiate outcomes within the discipline area H reflecting on the relationship etween international standards in discipline areas and their local and international conte2ts

!Leask ())+$ p./" The models outlined a ove$ seek to e2plain the types of skills and a ilities individuals need to function in culturally diverse settings and the processes they may undergo in developing the needed skills and a ilities for intercultural understanding and competencies and other associated paradigms. In developing these ;ualities$ it is proposed that the process must e intentionally and conte2tually structured !4reeman et al. ())5"- possess a coherent framework that has alignments etween the o jectives$ teaching and learning arrangements and assessment to ensure effective development- and assessment that is outcome# ased and focussed on students: a ilities. &ra#es of reference for t e Intercu!tura! Understandin" and Co#$etencies Pro(ect The CTa2onomy for IC development: !4reeman et al. ())5"$ as well as the 3 ility#6ased Curriculum and the 3ssessment#as#Learning approach adopted at 3lverno College !3lverno College ())8" outlined elow$ provide useful strategies to develop intercultural understanding and competencies project components oth within the formal and the informal curriculum and are outlined as frames of reference for the Intercultural Understanding and Competencies project. T e )Ta*ono#+ for IC de%e!o$#ent, -&ree#an et a!. /0012 The CTa2onomy for IC development: was created y 4reeman et al. !())5" specifically for an 3ustralian Learning and Teaching Council project relating to the em edding of intercultural competence in usiness faculties across four 3ustralian universities. 4reeman et al. !())5" premised that intercultural competence is essential for effective communication and interaction$ especially in usiness education. 4reeman et al. !())5" also elieved that the development of intercultural competence of individuals should learning process. e represented as a continuous cycle in which new challenges must constantly e overcome$ implying a life#long

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4or sustained development of intercultural competencies among the students and staff$ intercultural competence implementation at the four universities was framed within a systemic em edding approach !4reeman et al. ())5- Treleavan et al. ())/". This approach consists of three core components which consist of the leadership of community of practice- curriculum$ policies and procedures- and resources$ tools and data ases !Treleavan et al. ())/". 6esides the three domains which are knowledge$ attitudes and skills$ the development of intercultural competence also involves three developmental stages including raising awareness- developing understanding- and facilitating and assuring autonomy. 4ocusing on the relationship etween internationalisation and intercultural competence$

4reeman et al. !())5" proposed a multi#dimensional ta2onomy for developing intercultural competence !Aidings et al. ()),". The ta2onomy is related to 6loom:s Ta2onomy !6loom 158* cited in Aidings et al. ()),"$ 6ennet:s !155+" model of intercultural sensitivity !6ennett 155+ cited in Aidings et al. ())," and 6iggs: 'DLD ta2onomy !6iggs 1555 cited in Aidings et al. ()),". It can e used as a guideline to design teaching and learning activities aimed at curricular outcomes of development of knowledge$ attitudes and skills. ta2onomy is designed specifically for a applica le for other disciplines. The developmental stages in this intercultural competence framework suggest that development of intercultural understanding and competence is an ongoing and iterative process rather than a linear one !Aidings et al. ()),". The ta2onomy can also e used as an e2planatory device to assist educators and students in developing intercultural competence. 'pecifically$ it can e used to design learning activities to develop intercultural competence$ develop learning activities and assessment criteria that align to learning o jectives$ and monitor and assess progressive development of intercultural competence !4reeman et al. ())5$ p. (*". To em ed intercultural competence within the curriculum$ it must e clearly identified within the conte2t of learning goals so that students can focus on their attainment. This ta2onomy also supports the notion that assessment should e aligned with learning o jectives and intended outcomes so that it can provide a means for motivating students in their learning$ and monitoring of intercultural competence of oth students and staff !6iggs ())+". 3lthough this e usiness discipline$ it is also intended to

A!%erno Co!!e"e 3 A4i!it+56ased Curricu!u# and Assess#ent5as5Learnin"

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It is proposed the 3 ility#6ased Curriculum approach at 3lverno College !3lverno College ())8" will provides a e used to design e#learning modules at Deakin University that em ed rief description of the 3 ility#6ased Curriculum and 3ssessment#as#Learning intercultural understanding and competencies in the formal curriculum. The following section adopted at 3lverno College. 3lverno College is a private$ li eral arts college located in Iilwaukee$ 7isconsin$ United 'tates of 3merica$ which has a highly diverse student population !'avagian ())5- 7agner ())5" with moderate pro a ility of educational success !0akel 155/". 3ccording to 0akel !155/"$ 3lverno College develops its students: motivation and eagerness to learn on campus$ uilding on skills students possess initially. The culture of 3lverno College is y a focus on student learning$ a commitment to ;uality improvement and distinguished

colla oration within its community !7agner ())5". 3lverno College has earned oth international and national recognition for its innovative

efforts to reform general education. Drawing from its mission to promote personal and professional development of students$ 3lverno College defines its curriculum in terms of a ilities that students need for effectiveness in the worlds of work$ family and civic community !3lverno College ())8". The innovative education approach at 3lverno College is ased on its 3 ility#6ased Curriculum and 3ssessment#as#Learning approach$ initiated in 15/+. 7ithin the conte2t of the U'3$ %intercultural knowledge and actions& !33CU ())8$ p.+" have also een identified as learning outcomes that students need to master for the %new glo al century&!33C<U ())8$ ())5". These attri utes keyed to work$ life and citi9enship$ are part of the development of personal and social responsi ility under the li eral education program !33CU ())5". 'taff at 3lverno College realised that there was a gap etween the students: classroom

e2perience and real life e2perience$ and they sought for solutions that would lead to the development of effective learners !Aead ())1". The 3 ility#6ased Curriculum at 3lverno College is designed to %e2plicitly teach students to develop a ilities that facilitate the application of what they know and ena le them to reflect upon and take responsi ility for their learning& !Aead ())1$ p. ,+". 6y focusing on developing students: a ility to perform in real life$ the focus of learning is centred on the students$ whilst academic staff function as facilitators. The model outlined identifies eight road a ilities with si2 developmental levels for each of the a ilities. These levels are descri ed in ehavioural terms so that they can e taught and assessed across the curriculum !3lverno College ())8". 13

The eight a ilities serve as common outcomes in all of the college:s programs. These a ilities are translated into each faculty:s major outcomes$ which are then translated and conte2tualised to individual course outcomes. This allows for the integration of oth content knowledge and a ilities in the course sylla us outcomes. 4urther$ in integrating the a ilities to the department curriculum$ not all the a ilities are to e taught in each class$ while each faculty is not responsi le for developing every a ility !'avagian ())5". The alignment and mapping from the road outcomes to faculties: major outcomes and then to the individual course specific outcomes offer some advantages. The goals and learning outcomes shared across the faculties facilitate operational clarity in the conte2t of the college:s educational mission !0akel 155/"$ while a ilities can achieve during their course of study. It has een stated that the 3 ility#6ased Curriculum approach has helped 3lverno College staff to resolve pro lems that tend to associate with teaching and learning in higher education$ such as passive students$ overloaded classes and insufficient time to deal with workload !'avignon ())5". 3nother uni;ue approach developed in relation to the a ility# ased curriculum adopted at 3lverno College is 3ssessment#as#Learning. The 3ssessment#as#Learning approach at 3lverno College has uni;ue ;uantitative measures$ not ;ualitative ones !0akel 155/". 6ased on the developmental stages of a ilities$ students: achievements are descri ed ;ualitatively ased on the ehavioural criteria stipulated in the course outcomes. This practice tends to move away from inter#competition among students towards individual development and self# attainment. 'elf#assessment is practised and students learn how to use assessment feed ack and monitor their own development !0akel 155/". 3ssessment tasks at 3lverno College are designed and aligned to the course sylla us outcomes !0akel 155/". The alignment etween the course outcomes and assessment provides opportunities for ;uality learning !6iggs ())+". 'tudents: achievements are ased on evidence represented in oral presentations$ portfolios$ video tapes and narrative writings. 6esides faculty assessment$ peer#assessment and e2ternal assessment are implemented so that the differences in opinion can e resolved y reviewing the availa le evidence !0akel 155/". Aecently$ e#portfolios have also een introduced to the students as assessments. Intercu!tura! Understandin" and Interactions &ra#ewor' e measured consistently across the disciplines. 'tudents are well informed of the outcomes that they are e2pected to

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3n e2amination of the CTa2onomy for IC development: !4reeman et al. ())5"$ and the outlined frameworks of the 3lverno College 3 ility#6ased Curriculum and 3ssessment#as# Learning initiatives$ provide a asis for the Intercultural Understanding and Competencies Project to develop the Intercultural Understanding and Interactions Framework !outcomes statement" underpinning the resources at Deakin University. To allow fle2i ility to frame and customise intercultural understanding and competencies e# learning modules appropriately for the mission of the university within the conte2t of student and staff populations at Deakin University$ it is suggested the matri2 representation of the CTa2onomy for IC development: !4reeman et al. ())5" categorised y knowledge$ attitudes and skills across three developmental levels e com ined with the eight generic a ilities and si2 developmental levels of 3lverno College. 'ince the development of intercultural understanding and competencies is to e an on#going process of design and delivery$ the 3ssessment#as#Learning approach will allow students to have a process of self reflection a out their attainments and monitor their own progress. 3cademic staff will also process. Conc!usion In the conte2t of Deakin University:s commitment to producing graduates who are ready to contri ute to and work professionally in a glo al environment$ one of the aims of the Institute of Teaching and Learning is to design and deliver professional development resources for staff to enhance their intercultural understanding and competencies. associated definitions and paradigms related to intercultural 3 review of the and literature of intercultural understanding and competencies has identified a range of understanding competencies and e2amined the importance of the development of these in the conte2t of glo alisation and internationalisation. It suggests useful working models$ frames of reference$ and a ta2onomy in relation to intercultural understanding competencies and related concepts including the CTa2onomy for IC development: !4reeman et al. ())5"$ as well as the 3 ility#6ased Curriculum approach at 3lverno College 7isconsin$ U'3 !3lverno College ())8". These are resources from which the Intercultural Understanding and Interactions Framework !outcome statement" was developed$ forming the asis of e#learning modules$ e#portfolio templates and we resources at Deakin University. References $ J$ httpBGGwww+.interscience.wiley.comGcgi# inGfullte2tG1((*)+)/5GPD4'T3ATK. 15 e a le to assess students: progress throughout the learning asis of e#learning modules$ e#portfolio templates and we

A$$endi* Ta le ( Intercultural competence elements with ,)L to 1))L agreement among top intercultural scholars / Intercultural competence !from 1))L to ,)L agreement" among top intercultural scholars 1. 3 ility to communicate effectively and appropriately in intercultural situations ased on one:s intercultural knowledge$ skills and attitudes (. 3 ility to shift frame of reference appropriately and adapt ehavior to cultural conte2tB adapta ility$ e2panda ility$ and fle2i ility of one:s frame of referenceGfilter +. 3 ility to identify ehaviours guided y culture and engage in new ehaviours in other cultures even when ehaviours are unfamiliar give a person:s own sociali9ation .. 6ehaving appropriately and effectively in intercultural situations ased on one:s knowledge$ skills and motivation. 8. 3 ility to achieve one:s goals to some degree through constructive interaction in an intercultural conte2t. *. =ood interpersonal skills e2ercised interculturalB the sending and receiving of messages that are accurate and appropriate /. Transformational process toward enlightened glo al citi9enship that involves intercultural adroitness ! ehavioural aspect focusing on communication skills"$ intercultural awareness !cognitive aspect of understanding cultural differences" and intercultural sensitivity ! focus on positive emotion toward cultural difference" (( 'pecific elements of intercultural competence !from 1))L to ,)L agreement" 1. Understand other:s worldview (. Culture self#awareness and capacity for self#assessment +. 3dapta ility and adjustment to new cultural environment .. 'kills to listen and o serve 8. =eneral openness toward intercultural learning and the people from other cultures *. 3 ility to adapt to varying intercultural communication and learning styles 16

/. 4le2i ility ,. 'kills to analyse$ interpret and relate 5. Tolerating and engaging am iguity 1). Deep knowledge and understanding of culture !one:s own and others:" 11. Aespect for other cultures 1(. Cross#cultural empathy 1+. Understanding the value of culture diversity 1.. Understanding of the role and impact of culture and the impact of situational$ social and historical conte2ts involved 18. Cognitive fle2i ility 1*. 'ociolinguistic competence !awareness of relation etween language and meaning in societal conte2t" 1/. Iindfulness 1,. 7ithholding judgment 15. Curiosity and discovery (). Learning through interaction (1. @thnorelative view ((.Culture specific knowledge and understanding host culture:s tradition !3dapted from Deardorff ())*$ p. (.5#(8)"

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