Intercultural Communication and Education - Essay Example

Intercultural Communication Introduction The Importance of Intercultural Communication in International Education. (Hinchcliff-Pelias, M. & Greer, N.S. 2004, ' The Importance of Intercultural Communication in International Education', International Education, Spring 2004, vol. 33, no. 2, PP. 5-18. Academic Research Library) International education is important as it enlightens perspectives and understanding of culture, history and language of other people's nations. Intercultural communication is a critical aspect for successful international educational programmes. International students are an increasingly significant presence in our educational programs, and thus it is important to understand how they make the transition from their culture education to new constructs for learning, socializing and communicating. Hence, we need to enhance our understanding of the difficulties faced by international students and construct learning environments that facilitates intercultural communication among international students and host students. In order to critically evaluate the article, it is essential to read it through carefully made make important points as for the consistency and structure, also to discuss in details the parts that were included in the article, review the literature concerning intercultural communication of international students and the difficulties they face while studying internationally and the reason they limit their interaction with students who are culturally different, discuss findings and design of research, consider views of other authors and make sure the article corresponds to other recent research. Finally, come up with conclusion about article's credibility and views on how the article might be improved. 2. Procedure When looking for books, articles, journals in the libraries (both university library and online libraries) and searching the world wide web the following keywords were used: intercultural communication; ethnic students; international education; language barriers; cross-cultural education. Information searched in Southern Cross library was based on educational databases: A+ Education (Informit); Australian Public Affairs (Informit) and Educational Research These (Beta), electronic Journals: Proquest 5000, and electronic books ebray, following some references from these searches: a. Kijima, M, 'Schooling, multiculturalism and culture identity', International Education Journal, ERC2004 Special Issue, 2005, vol 5, no.5, PP.12-136 b. Doria, C, 'The truth about being an international student', Globally United, 2005 c. Dalglish C, Chan A, 'Expectations and reality: international student reflections on studying in Australia', Opportunities in a challenging environment, the Australian International Education Conference 2005'. d. Asmar C, June 2005, 'Internationalising students: reassessing diasporic and local students difference' Studies in Higher Education, v.30 n.3 p.291-309 e. Prescott A, Hellsten M, 2005 'Hanging together even with non-native speakers : the international student transition experience' 'Internationalizing higher education : critical explorations of pedagogy and policy' edited by P Ninnes and M Hellsten, pages 75-95. Hong Kong : Comparative Education Research Centre, University of Hong Kong p 75-95 f. McNamara D & Harris R 'Overseas Students in Higher education: Issues in Teaching and Learning, Routledge, 1997 3. Findings The following books and journals will be used to critically evaluate the article: a. Dalgish C, Chan A, 2005, 'Expectations and reality: international student reflections on studying in Australia', Opportunities in a challenging environment, The Australian International Education Conference, Education Australia. This item can be found in Southern Cross University library/ library database/A+ Education. This paper will be useful in assessing the article as it explores international students expectations, and difficulties faced studying overseas. b. Tomich PC, McWhiter JJ & Darcy MJA, 'Personality and International Students' Adaptation Experience' International Education, vol. 33, n.1, P22, Fall 2003, Academic Research Library. This article can be found in Southern Cross University Library/Electronic and print journals/International Education/Proquest 5000 ISN 0016005429. This article will provide further details about the attitude and personalities of international students and the adaptation factors for they face while studying overseas, which is critical to their intercultural interaction. c. Samovar, L., & Porter, R. (2004). Communication between cultures (5th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. This recent research in the field of intercultural communication is a review on the communication processes in different cultures that may be helpful when researching specific country's traditions in communication. d. Greenholz, J. (2003). Socratic teachers and Confucian learners: Examining the benefits and pitfalls of a year abroad. Language and Intercultural Communication, 3(2), 122-130. This article takes a critical examination of students going abroad for one year to take benefit of exchange program. e. Gueldenzoph, L., & May, G. (2002). Collaborative peer evaluation: Best practices for group member assessments. Business Communication Quarterly, 65(1), 9-20. Current study provides few methods that can be used to better assess international students' performance. f. Collier, M., & Thomas, M. (2005). Cultural identity: An interpretive perspective. In Y. Kim & W. Gudykunst (Eds.), Theories in intercultural communication (pp. 99-120). Newbury Park, CA: Sage. This paper emphasizes the importance of keeping cultural identity when going to another country. It will be helpful in assessment the article as it will add to factors of effective communication in international community. g. Cortazzi, M., & Jin, L. (2004). Communication for learning across cultures. In D. McNamara & R. Harris (Eds.), Overseas students in higher education (pp. 79-90). London: Routledge. This is a general review that provides basic terms and notions of the topic. It can be helpful in comparison the terms of two cultures and better understanding them. 4. Discussion a. When comparing materials found on the Internet and in the library it should be noted that there is a difference in terms of the novelty of information. Most of articles that I found via Internet are recent and provide the latest research on the topic. There are, certainly, articles issued in 80th and 90th, however, when surfing through different search systems (such as google.com, questia.com), the system provided me with the latest information which is good for assessment of the study. The articles that I found in the library are also issued recently, however, those are not very specific and can not be that much helpful to make a decent assessment. For instance, the article 'Expectations and reality: international student reflections on studying in Australia' by Dalgish and Chan, a research of 2005 year, is a recent article but it provides specific analysis of students' communication in a particular country. The article that is being assessed is about general issues of the importance of international communication. b. The findings of the literature that are presented in the third part of this report are of great help to the assessment of the topic of intercultural communication. Both materials found in the library and via Internet in online libraries are addining significant information that broads the terms and understanding. Starting from general information on the topic (Tomich, McWhiter & Darcy, 2003), going through details of different cultural identity (Collier, Thomas, 2005) and specifying with the approach to particular cultural communication (Dalgish, Chan, 2005), the findings provide a relative easiness to assessing the article on the subject of intercultural communication. c. Paper that were found via the library as well as on the WWW are of recent issues and are decent research papers of either professors or PHD students from prestigious universities. The findings are also credible as they correspond to the topic of the importance of intercultural communication presented for a research. For example, the rticle "Communication for learning across cultures" by Cortazzi, & Jin that provides general review of the topic and can be helpful in better understanding the basic terms and notions presented in literature review. 5. Recommendations (500 words) Essay plan for the topic This should include, Introduction, Body and conclusion and address: a. When addressing the topic of difficulties that students face when interacting with foreign communities, I intend to describe peculiarities of both educational systems (native education system of a foreign student and the one he or she came for studies), then make suggestions about problems in communicating that may arise. For instance, significant changes will likely to take place for a Japanese student coming to study in US while it may be not a big problem for a UK student to go to study in one of US universities. Then I will review the factors that influence to limitations of communication (such as language barrier, cultural differences, feeling the "stranger" in a new country). All through the discussion I will define the terms relevant to the topic so that the reader could better understand the research. I will also provide positive effects of studying abroad and how international education when facilitation the process of international communication can enhance the career and personal growth of the student. b. Introduction Introduction would include bsic points of reserch nd the resons why it ctully ws nticipted. Here I will present the short description of the study, including structurl nlysis of introduction, discussion nd findings. I will introduce the issue of intercultural communication and provide the thesis of the paper which is the difficulties that students face in communication during international education. In the introduction part I will probably use the references of Doria (2005) and Greenholz (2003). Body The min prt of the pper, tht discusses the topic of interculturl differences in foreign students' communiction, is recommended to strt from the discussion of differences in lerning nd interculturl communiction styles previously reserched by number of uthors. The ssumptions tht underpin the study re needed to be included (for instnce, tht the group tht is being reserched is not culturlly homogenous, but tht every student hs unique culturl fctors intrinsic to him or her). It is needed to emphsize eductionl trditions of international schools where internation students come from nd how they influence the nture of interpersonl communiction in the clssroom. fter literture review the reserch design is plnned to be included. Here the key questions tht re being serch for re indicted, the wys of gthering informtion re being outlined (these would bsiclly be observtions, interviews, nd informl meetings), the support literture is being referenced throughout the design. Upon presenting the reserch design, the findings nd discussion section would follow the body section of the study. It is n importnt prt of the pper s it presents the results of the investigtion conducted. In order to cover full description of the study bout interculturl communiction between the students of home country nd those rriving for studies, it is needed to reserch the chnged tht took plce from the very beginning of them tking prt in the eductionl process. Therefore, it is needed to provide detailed answers on the questions given in the previous parts of the paper. Consequent answers to the three questions that were provided would organize the paper effectively. This part of the essay will include most of the references found in the library and via the Internet. Conclusion nd summries This finl prt of the pper will shortly outline the reserch conducted nd ddress further reserch in this field of investigtion. b. This section will not include any references but the summary of the article and suggestions for further research will be presented. 6. Cover letter. Present report presents the discussion of the importance of intercultural communication in international education providing the answers to basic questions that international students face when coming to study abroad. It emphasizes the reasons of why actually the students go to study abroad if they face numerous problems in getting involved in international community. From the standpoint of intercultural communication educators, the author of the article provides the idea of isolation of international students form their host national counterparts and other international students philosophically and pedagogically untenable. The report is well-organized and consequent. It first introduces the notion and importance of international education provided that it is needed to come over the difficulties in international communication as in the end it will be reflect on students personal growth and self-confidence and ultimately promote them in their major. Then the research goes on discussing the literature on the issue while looking at both side of intercultural education - the negative and the positive one. Before providing methodology of the study, the article states three main questions that are aimed to be discussed in the study. These are the questions of how international students characterize their reluctance to engage in intercultural communication interactions, what barriers international students perceive for effective intercultural communication interactions and what international students believe might be done to facilitate effective intercultural communication interactions. Then the research design is presented: the ways of gathering information on the actual study are provided, quantitative and qualitative description of participants is provided leaving out those who may not be effective for research, methodology and problems in research are included. Afterwards the discussion of results and recommendations for further research conclude the article. Read More