Understanding Faculty Members' Intercultural Competence in Teaching International Students From Students' Perspective

• In Event: The Global Pandemic and Faculty Pedagogy

Abstract

This paper focused on analyzing international students’ (ISs) learning experience in the U.S. and faculty members’ intercultural competence (IC) in teaching ISs. The research was designed to answer the following questions: (a) What are barriers for ISs to study in the US? (b) How do ISs perceive their faculty members’ IC on multiple levels? To answer the questions, the author interviewed six ISs from various countries and majors. The results show that the most significant barriers for the participating ISs are cultural barriers. Although most faculty members maintain overall positive attitudes toward teaching ISs and acknowledge ISs’ diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, the participants still expressed some problems and concerns based on their own experience.

Author

• Xiaowen Chen, George Mason University