WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM STUDENTS’ WRITTEN REFLECTIONS IN AN INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION THEORETICAL COURSE?
Main Article Content
Abstract
The implementation of intercultural communication (IC) courses has been excitedly scrutinized particularly in multicultural education and training environments. However, little has been talked about such courses as a compulsory theoretical subject at tertiary institutions, especially where communicating across cultures is not a mandatory daily practice. Inspired by the researched merits of reflective thinking, this paper investigates what a lecturer of such a course can learn from her students' assigned written reflections. The analysis, both quantitative and qualitative, of the reflections of eight classes of third year students at a language education university in Hanoi throughout an IC theoretical course has revealed informative implications with respect to: (1) the students' interest and critical thinking in particular issues and/or frameworks in IC; (2) the students' self-regulation in studying such a theoretical subject; (3) the students' reflection levels and their conceptualization of the knowledge and their own learning. This analysis also attempts to discover the effectiveness of reflective writing in an IC theoretical course at the investigated institution, thereby proposing some recommendations to the reflection pedagogy currently employed at the university.
Article Details
Keywords
reflective thinking, reflective writing, self-regulated learning, intercultural communication, theoretical courses
References
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Burdina, S. (2013). Motivating students to study a theoretical course through reflective writing. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 93, 2180-2185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.10.184
Burner, T. (2014). The potential formative benefits of portfolio assessment in second and foreign language writing contexts: A review of the literature. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 43, 139-149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2014.03.002
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Donohoe, A. (2015). Reflective writing: Articulating an alternative pedagogy. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 186, 800-804. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.04.091
Gray, J. S., Connolly, J. P., & Brown, M. A. (2019). Measuring intercultural knowledge and competence in college essays: Does a performance-based rubric have construct validity? Studies in Educational Evaluation, 62, 142-148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2019.05.007
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Jacobs, G., & Murray, M. (2010). Developing critical understanding by teaching action research to undergraduate psychology students. Educational
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Knoch, U., & Sitajalabhorn, W. (2013). A closer look at integrated writing tasks: Towards a more focussed definition for assessment purposes. Assessing Writing, 18(4), 300-308. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asw.2013.09.003
Koester, J., & Lustig, M. W. (2015). Intercultural communication competence: Theory, measurement, and application. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 48, 20-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2015.03.006
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Lieberman, D. A., & Gamst, G. (2015). Intercultural communication competence revisited: Linking the intercultural and multicultural fields. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 48, 17-19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2015.03.007
Mezirow, J. (1997). Transformative learning: Theory to practice. New Directions for Adult & Continuing Education, 74, 5-12.
Peng, R.-Z., & Wu, W.-P. (2016). Measuring intercultural contact and its effects on intercultural competence: A structural equation modeling approach. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 53, 16-27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2016.05.003
Peng, R.-Z., & Wu, W.-P. (2019). Measuring communication patterns and intercultural transformation of international students in cross-cultural adaptation. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 70, 78-88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2019.03.004
Romova, Z., & Andrew, M. (2011). Teaching and assessing academic writing via the portfolio: Benefits for learners of English as an additional language. Assessing Writing, 16(2), 111-122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asw.2011.02.005
Rushton, D., & Duggan, C. (2013). Impact of culture on reflective writing in masters level students. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 93, 956-963. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.09.310
Şahin, G. G., & Óvez, F. T. D. (2012). An investigation of prospective teachers’ reflective thinking tendency. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 55, 568-574. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.09.538
Tuncer, M., & Ozeren, E. (2012). Prospective teacher's evaluations in terms of using reflective thinking skills to solve problems. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 51, 666-671. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.08.221
Valeev, A. A., & Kondrat’eva, I. G. (2015). Axiological approach to the development of students’ intercultural competences by foreign language means. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 191, 361-365. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.04.377
Van Manen, M. (1977). Linking ways of knowing with ways of being practical. Curriculum Inquiry, 6, 205-228.
Vassilaki, E. (2017). Reflective writing, reflecting on identities: The construction of writer identity in student teachers’ reflections. Linguistics and Education, 42, 43-52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.linged.2017.08.001
Yastibas, A. E., & Yastibas, G. C. (2015). The use of e-portfolio-based assessment to develop students’ self-regulated learning in English language teaching. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 176, 3-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.01.437
YuekMing, H., & Manaf, L. A. (2014). Assessing learning outcomes through students’ reflective thinking. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 152, 973-977. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.09.352
Zhang, X., & Zhou, M. (2019). Interventions to promote learners’ intercultural competence: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 71, 31-47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2019.04.006
Zimmerman, B. J. (2000). Attaining self-regulation: A social cognitive perspective. In M. Boekaerts, P. R. Pintrich, & M. Zeidner (Eds.), Handbook of self-regulation (pp. 13-39). Academic Press.
Alexiou, A., & Paraskeva, F. (2010). Enhancing self-regulated learning skills through the implementation of an e-portfolio tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2(2), 3048-3054. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.03.463
Allan, E. G., & Driscoll, D. L. (2014). The three-fold benefit of reflective writing: Improving program assessment, student learning, and faculty professional development. Assessing Writing, 21, 37-55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asw.2014.03.001
Andrusyszyn, M., & Davie L. (1997), Facilitating reflection through interactive journal writing in an online graduate course: A qualitative study. Journal of Distance Education, 12(1/2), 103-126. http://cade.athabascau.ca/vol12.1/andrusyszyndavie.html
Bazgan, M., & Norel, M. (2013). Explicit and implicit assessment of intercultural competence. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 76, 95-99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.04.080
Burdina, S. (2013). Motivating students to study a theoretical course through reflective writing. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 93, 2180-2185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.10.184
Burner, T. (2014). The potential formative benefits of portfolio assessment in second and foreign language writing contexts: A review of the literature. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 43, 139-149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2014.03.002
Cargas, S., Williams, S., & Rosenberg, M. (2017). An approach to teaching critical thinking across disciplines using performance tasks with a common rubric. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 26, 24-37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2017.05.005
Carter, A. G., Creedy, D. K., & Sidebotham, M. (2017). Critical thinking evaluation in reflective writing: Development and testing of Carter Assessment of Critical Thinking in Midwifery (Reflection). Midwifery, 54, 73-80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2017.08.003
Dalib, S., Harun, M., & Yusoff, N. (2014). Reconceptualizing intercultural competence: A phenomenological investigation of students’ intercultural experiences. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 155, 130-135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.10.268
Dănescu, E. (2015). Intercultural education from the perspective of training didactic competences. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 180, 537-542. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.02.156
Donohoe, A. (2015). Reflective writing: Articulating an alternative pedagogy. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 186, 800-804. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.04.091
Gray, J. S., Connolly, J. P., & Brown, M. A. (2019). Measuring intercultural knowledge and competence in college essays: Does a performance-based rubric have construct validity? Studies in Educational Evaluation, 62, 142-148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2019.05.007
Hargreaves, E. (2013). Inquiring into children's experiences of teacher feedback: Reconceptualising assessment for learning. Oxford Review of Education, 39(2),
229-246. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2013.787922
Henderson, K., Napan, K., & Monteiro, S. (2004). Encouraging reflective learning: An online challenge. In R. Atkinson, C. McBeath, D. Jonas-Dwyer & Philips (Eds.), Beyond the comfort zone: Proceedings of the 21st ASCILITE Conference (pp. 357-364). ASCILITE. http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/perth04/procs/henderson.html
Holmes, P., & O’Neill, G. (2012). Developing and evaluating intercultural competence: Ethnographies of intercultural encounters. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 36(5), 707-718. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2012.04.010
Ihtiyar, A., & Ahmad, F. S. (2014). Intercultural communication competence as a key activator of purchase intention. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 150, 590-599. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.09.078
Jacobs, G., & Murray, M. (2010). Developing critical understanding by teaching action research to undergraduate psychology students. Educational
Action Research, 18(3), 319-335.
Knoch, U., & Sitajalabhorn, W. (2013). A closer look at integrated writing tasks: Towards a more focussed definition for assessment purposes. Assessing Writing, 18(4), 300-308. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asw.2013.09.003
Koester, J., & Lustig, M. W. (2015). Intercultural communication competence: Theory, measurement, and application. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 48, 20-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2015.03.006
LaBoskey, V. (1993). A conceptual framework for reflection in preservice teacher education. In J. Calderhead & P. Gates (Eds.), Conceptualising reflection in teacher development. The Falmer Press.
Lieberman, D. A., & Gamst, G. (2015). Intercultural communication competence revisited: Linking the intercultural and multicultural fields. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 48, 17-19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2015.03.007
Mezirow, J. (1997). Transformative learning: Theory to practice. New Directions for Adult & Continuing Education, 74, 5-12.
Peng, R.-Z., & Wu, W.-P. (2016). Measuring intercultural contact and its effects on intercultural competence: A structural equation modeling approach. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 53, 16-27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2016.05.003
Peng, R.-Z., & Wu, W.-P. (2019). Measuring communication patterns and intercultural transformation of international students in cross-cultural adaptation. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 70, 78-88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2019.03.004
Romova, Z., & Andrew, M. (2011). Teaching and assessing academic writing via the portfolio: Benefits for learners of English as an additional language. Assessing Writing, 16(2), 111-122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asw.2011.02.005
Rushton, D., & Duggan, C. (2013). Impact of culture on reflective writing in masters level students. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 93, 956-963. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.09.310
Şahin, G. G., & Óvez, F. T. D. (2012). An investigation of prospective teachers’ reflective thinking tendency. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 55, 568-574. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.09.538
Tuncer, M., & Ozeren, E. (2012). Prospective teacher's evaluations in terms of using reflective thinking skills to solve problems. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 51, 666-671. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.08.221
Valeev, A. A., & Kondrat’eva, I. G. (2015). Axiological approach to the development of students’ intercultural competences by foreign language means. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 191, 361-365. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.04.377
Van Manen, M. (1977). Linking ways of knowing with ways of being practical. Curriculum Inquiry, 6, 205-228.
Vassilaki, E. (2017). Reflective writing, reflecting on identities: The construction of writer identity in student teachers’ reflections. Linguistics and Education, 42, 43-52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.linged.2017.08.001
Yastibas, A. E., & Yastibas, G. C. (2015). The use of e-portfolio-based assessment to develop students’ self-regulated learning in English language teaching. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 176, 3-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.01.437
YuekMing, H., & Manaf, L. A. (2014). Assessing learning outcomes through students’ reflective thinking. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 152, 973-977. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.09.352
Zhang, X., & Zhou, M. (2019). Interventions to promote learners’ intercultural competence: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 71, 31-47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2019.04.006
Zimmerman, B. J. (2000). Attaining self-regulation: A social cognitive perspective. In M. Boekaerts, P. R. Pintrich, & M. Zeidner (Eds.), Handbook of self-regulation (pp. 13-39). Academic Press.