Intercultural Learning in Higher Education

• In Event: Politics of Plurality in Lithuanian Higher Education

Abstract

Intercultural learning produces internal and external results: a person’s attitude towards a representative of the other culture changes, and a person becomes more open and tolerant to others. External changes occur when students begin to interact more easily with students from other cultures and are able to control a variety of problematic learning situations every time they experience various social interactions and are confronted with multiple learning situations. A student’s ability to successfully adapt, communicate, and collaborate in an intercultural environment demonstrates his/her interculturalism. At a scientific level, intercultural learning should be explored in order to uncover the influence of cultural identity, i.e., intercultural learning should be seen in a local context. It is important to note that strong cultural identity can both promote and hinder intercultural learning.
Research question: How does the process of intercultural learning in higher education? Research object of the paper is the process of intercultural learning.
The research strategy chosen in this study is constructivist grounded theory proposed by Charmaz (2006, 2008, 2012). GT is an inductive method that seeks to form theory by applying the systematic collection, synthesis, analysis, and conceptualisation of data. Thus, on the basis of GT, the author has developed a theory that can be applied to the specific context of the activity.

Short Bio

Vaida Jurgile, PhD, Associate Professor, Vytautas Magnus University, Education Academy, Lithuania
Vilma Zydziunaite, PhD, Professor, Vytautas Magnus University, Education Academy, Lithuania

Authors

• Vaida Jurgilė, Vytautas Magnus University

• Vilma Žydžiūnaitė, Vytautas Magnus University