Intercultural Competence Development during

Short Term Study Abroad

Peter Ecke
University of Arizona
Center for Educational Resources in Culture, Language, and Literacy
eckep@email.arizona.edu
Paper presented at the Third International Conference on
Intercultural Competence, Tucson, AZ, January 28, 2012

US students studying abroad

SA has become an increasingly important component of the
language and culture curriculum at US universities.
270,604 US students studied abroad in 2009/2010.
3.9 % increase from the previous year. (cf. Open Doors
2011, annual report of IIE)
Most students abroad (56.6%) participated in short-term
programs (summer, 8 weeks or less).
Number of students in programs of less than 8 weeks has
tripled over the last decade.

The study abroad program

One-month summer study abroad program in Germany
Eligible are students with 2 semesters of college German
or equivalent
Two courses offered: GER 211 and GER 392
Four hours of language instruction, five days a week
Afternoon, day and weekend excursions
Accommodation: single room in
apartment units in student dorms
Tandem partner for additional
language practice

Participants (Summers of 2010 and 2011)

59 program participants
2-3 eliminated from analyses (incomplete data)
Undergraduate students
Different majors and minors
30 in 2nd year German, and 29 in 3rd year + German
42 female and 17 male

Issues
The relation between learning expectations and perceived
progress in language learning and intercultural competence
(ICC) development
The effectiveness of the study abroad programs with
respect to language learning and culture learning
Stability vs. change of participants perceptions of own
culture and the other culture
Stability vs. change of participants perceptions of their own
(preparedness for) intercultural competence (cultural
intelligence)

Research Questions
1) What are students goals and motives for participation in
a one-month summer study program in Germany?
2) What are their expectations with respect to (language
and) culture learning at the beginning of the program?
3) What are the perceived gains in (language and) culture
learning at the end of the program? How do these
compare with expectations at the beginning of the
program?

Research Questions
5) How do participants rate members of their own culture
and members of the other culture at the beginning of the
program compared to the end of the program?
6) How do they rate personal attributes related to their
intercultural competence (cultural intelligence) at the
beginning and at the end of the program?

Instruments: Questionnaires I
(pre-program)

Language and personal background questionnaire

including goals and motives for participation in the program
Expected gains in (a) speaking, (b) listening, (c) writing, (d)
reading, (e) cultural understanding, (f) grammar, and (g)
vocabulary
Specific expectations for culture learning
Self-assessment of traits of cultural intelligence
(based on Peterson, 2004)

Questionnaire My own and the other culture (adopted from

Picket, 1993)

Instruments: Questionnaires II
(post-program)

Perceived gains in (a) speaking, (b) listening, (c) writing, (d)

reading, (e) cultural understanding, (f) grammar, and (g)
vocabulary
Specific perceived gains for culture learning
Self-assessment of attributes of cultural intelligence
(based on Peterson, 2004, 96-97)

Questionnaire My own and the other culture

Data analysis

Comparison of mean scores of pre program and post

program assessments

Results

1. Participants goals and motives

(n = 57 participants, scale from 1 = not important to 6 = very important)
Make friends from UA
Cultural enrichment
Research
Be in contact with Germans
Get six credits
Party
Be away from home
Travel
Study German
0

Participants goals and motives

Most important motives for study abroad
Study German
Travel
Be in contact with Germans
Cultural enrichment

2a. Expected progress (pre) and perceived gains (post) in

various areas (on a scale from 1 = not at all to 6 = very much, n = 56 participants)
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Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post
Speaking

Listening

Writing

Reading

Culture

Grammar Vocabulary

2b. Perceived gains: Responses to the question: How much

did you learn? (on a scale from 1 = very little to 5 = very much)
5
4
3
2
1
0

3. Participants ratings of expected progress (pre) and

perceived gains (post) for aspects of culture learning
(on a scale from 1 = not at all to 6 = very much)

4. Adjectives that best describe people of your own and people of the
German culture (pre- and post-program ratings)
(from 1 = not at all to 4 = frequently)

4. Adjectives that best describe people of your own and people of the
German culture (pre- and post-program ratings)
(from 1 = not at all to 4 = frequently)

4. Adjectives that best describe people of your own and people of the
German culture (pre- and post-program ratings)
(from 1 = not at all to 4 = frequently)

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4. Adjectives that best describe people of your own and people of the
German culture (pre- and post-program ratings)
(from 1 = not at all to 4 = frequently)

4. Adjectives that best describe people of your own and people of the
German culture (pre- and post-program ratings)
(from 1 = not at all to 4 = frequently)

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4. Adjectives that best describe people of your own and people of the
German culture (pre- and post-program ratings)
(from 1 = not at all to 4 = frequently)

4. Adjectives that best describe people of your own and people of the
German culture (pre- and post-program ratings)
(from 1 = not at all to 4 = frequently)

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 Members of the participants own culture tend to be rated

more frequently as
emotional, lazy, arrogant, loud

Members of the target culture are more frequently rated

serious, calm, logical, efficient, competent, honest, hard-working

Ratings are similar for

Friendly, confident, generous, helpful, impatient, stubborn,
honorable, good-humored, shy, patient, thrifty

Pre-program ratings are confirmed in the post-program

ratings.
There is a slight trend to valorize the own culture in the
post-program survey.
Increased ratings for friendly, generous, good-humored.

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5. Participants self-assessment regarding traits potentially related to

cultural intelligence at the beginning (pre) and at the end (post) of the
program
Respect for others
Willingness to change yourself as you
learn and grow
Empathy
Post
Flexibility with attitudes and behavior

Pre

Ability to adapt your behavior

Tactfulness
0

Sense of humor
Open-mindedness
Appreciation of differences
See the familiar from unfamiliar vantage
points
Willingness to have own views challenged
Post
Being invigorated by differences

Pre

Deal with the stress of new situations

Creativity
Win-win attitude
Humility
0

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Participants rating of traits related to cultural intelligence at the

beginning (pre) and at the end (post) of the program (cont.)
Ability to make independent
decisions far from home
Sensitivity to nuances of differences
Extroversion

Post
Pre

Ability to trust when dealing with the

unfamiliar
Comfort with uncertainty*
0

Pre-program and post-program self-ratings of cultural

intelligence traits are very similar.
Comfort with uncertainty is the only score that shows a
significant increase.

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Discussion: 1. Goals and motives

Motives to be in contact with Germans, to travel and for
cultural enrichment are aspects that set study abroad apart
from study in the home country where native speaker
contacts and cultural experiences are rather limited.
Results appear to coincide with Allen & Herrons (2003)
findings:
Most frequently reported reasons for participating in
study abroad are integrative in nature.

Discussion: 2. Learning expectations vs. gains

Culture learning was the only area in which perceived gains
do not fall short of expectations!
Perceived progress was rated significantly lower than
expected gains for all areas except cultural understanding:
Similar discrepancy reported by Mendelson (2004) and
Badstbner & Ecke (2009)
Language myth? study abroad will ultimately and inevitably
lead to language acquisition due to the sheer number of hours
students spend simply exposed to the language. (Wilkinson, 1997)

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3. Discussion: Participants expected gains (pre) and

perceived gains (post) for aspects of culture learning
Students have high expectations re: culture learning and
ICC development.
Some expectations are met, others are not
(also individual differences).

Affective, integrative and interactive aspects seem to be

most important to participants.
Detailed surveys on culture learning may help to evaluate
program effectiveness
analyze and revise program objectives and content if necessary

4. Discussion: Participants rating of members of their

own culture and members of the other culture
Pre-program and post-program ratings are very similar.
Stereotypes are frequently reinforced/substantiated.
They mostly reflect positive views of the target culture
(idealization?)
Also, a tendency to valorize/appreciate the own culture in
the post-program survey.
No indication of less positive attitudes towards target
culture, decrease in integrative orientation, and higher
levels of anxiety (as in Coleman, 1998, Wilkinson, 2001, Wilkinson et al.,
2000)

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5. Discussion: Personal attributes related to participants'

intercultural competence (cultural intelligence)
Pre-program and post-program self-ratings of traits
potentially relevant to cultural intelligence are very similar.
Comfort with uncertainty is the only score that shows a
significant increase.
Part of the attributes in the questionnaire are stable
personality traits unlikely to change.
Some increased (albeit non-significant) values suggest a
positive impact of SA on personality development (Ability to
trust when dealing with the unfamiliar, ability to make independent decisions far
from home, extroversion, sensitivity to nuances of differences)

Implications:
Stress what a program can offer in terms of cultural
experiences, travel, and contact with members of the target
culture in addition to a rigorous program of study.
Discussion of potential and limitations of study abroad
programs with students
share and discuss motives and goals in orientation sessions
Help students form realistic expectations and set achievable
goals for study abroad (e.g. Kitsantas, 2004) to prevent feelings
of disappointment or failure.

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Implications (cont.)
Impact of a study abroad may not always be visible right
away.
Administrators and teachers need to have realistic
expectations too.
Stability (of overall positive attitudes and preconceptions
about the target culture and participants own) may be a
good thing.
Students that decide to study abroad probably show more
intercultural competence / cultural intelligence than others
who do not.

Selected references
Adams, R. (2006). Language learning strategies in the
study abroad context. In Margaret A. DuFon and Eton
Churchill (eds.) Language Learners in Study Abroad
Contexts (pp. 259-292). Clevedon (GB): Multilingual
Matters.
Allen, H., & Herron, C. (2003). A mixed-methodology
investigation of the linguistic and affective outcomes of
summer study abroad. Foreign Language Annals, 36(3),
370-385.
Badstbner, T., & Ecke, P. (2009). Students expectations,
target language use, and perceived learning progress in a
summer study abroad program in Germany. Die
Unterrichtspraxis: Teaching German, 42(1), 41-49.

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Selected references (cont.)

Coleman, J. A. (1998). Evolving intercultural perceptions
among university language learners in Europe. In M.
Byram & M. Fleming (Eds.), Language learning in
intercultural perspective: Approaches through drama and
ethnography (pp. 45-75). Cambridge: Cambridge UP.
Ginsberg, R., & Miller, L. (2000). What do they do?
Activities of students during study abroad. In R.
Lambert. (Ed.), Language Policy and Pedagogy (pp.
237-260). Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
Isabelli-Garca, C. (2006). Study abroad social networks,
motivation and attitudes: Implications for second
language acquisition. In M. A. DuFon & E. Churchill
(Eds.) Language Learners in Study Abroad Contexts
(pp. 231-258). Clevedon (GB): Multilingual Matters.

Selected references (cont.)

Kaplan, M. (1989). French in the community: A survey of
language use abroad. The French Review, 63(2), 290-301.
Kitsantas, A. (2004). Studying abroad: The role of college
students goals on the development of cross-cultural skills
and global understanding. College Student Journal, 48(2),
441-452.
Mendelson, V. G. (2004). Hindsight is 20/20: Student
perspectives of language learning and the study abroad
experience. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study
Abroad, X, 43-63.
Peterson, Brooks (2004). Cultural intelligence: A guide to
working with people from other cultures. Yarmouth, Maine:
Intercultural Press.

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Selected references (cont.)

Pickett, L. (1993). The effect of cultural distancing on
attitudes and motivation in foreign language learning. MA
thesis, University of Portsmouth.
Wilkinson, S. (1997). Separating fact from myth: A
qualitative perspective on language learning during
summer study abroad. MLA Convention, Toronto. 29.
December 1997.

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