A Quantitative Assessment of Japanese Students’ Intercultural Competence Developed Through Study Abroad Programs

Abstract

This study explores the factors of study abroad programs that contribute to cultivating intercultural competence. Through an empirically based quantitative examination of 303 Japanese study abroad students, it attempts to gain an understanding of the factors that enhance the development of intercultural competence. Considering that many previous studies worked with students in English-speaking countries, this study examines whether an investigation of Japanese students would yield similar results, given the different context. The primary findings show that program type, prior local language proficiency, and predeparture orientation are predicted to have significant impacts on intercultural competence. The findings clearly demonstrate the importance of empirically based arrangements of study abroad programs based on student and program profiles to enhance students' intercultural competence.

Possible Impact of Overseas Study on Language Ability and Motivation to Study English

“…SA experiences have also been found to have positive effects on attitudes towards the target culture and target population, which in turn affected socialization and linguistic gains (Paris, Nyaupane, & Teye, 2014;Streitwieser & Light, 2018;Watson & Wolfel, 2015;Zaykovskaya, Rawal, & De Costa, 2017). It has also been noted that the environment, program type, and predeparture orientations played significant roles in the development of intercultural competence (Hanada, 2019;Nowlan, 2020).…”

Impact of the CAMPUS Asia initiative for developing Japanese students’ attitude toward mutual understanding: A case study of the Japan–China–Korea trilateral exchange program

“…The score grew by −4.17 points. For the interpretation, Hanada (2019) mentioned that there are two growth curves of students’ perceptions of different cultures: linear curve or up-and-down curve through the analysis of Japanese students of intercultural learning. In intercultural immersion, the latter curve is likely to happen as it is mainly related to a student’s psychological changes.…”

“…Deardorff (2015b) addressed the need for intercultural intervention to lead students to have profound cultural experiences. Also, Hanada (2019), which focused on the intercultural learning of Japanese study abroad students, indicated that cultural intervention is one of the essential factors to enhance intercultural understanding. However, only 177 of the 303 students from 13 different Japanese universities collected in this study were provided with some form of intercultural intervention.…”

“…Different researchers see different components of intercultural competence developed through study abroad programs. Such components identified in recent works include a sense of self (Harper, 2018), cultural resistance (Lemmons, 2015), independence and self-confidence (Walsh and Walsh, 2018), awareness of cultural diversity (Wooldridge et al, 2018), intercultural competence (Deardorff, 2015a; Hanada, 2019), self-efficacy and cultural intelligence (Nguyen et al, 2018), contact with the host society (Matera et al, 2018), and the acculturation process (Lee and Negrelli, 2018). Although there is no authoritative academic definition of the competence for mutual understanding universally accepted in the relevant literature, it can be understood that it includes at least three essential elements: cognitive, affective, and behavioral (Bennett, 2011: 3).…”

It is not just an academic experience: preservice teachers as long-term sojourners in a study abroad program in the USA

“…In the broad literature of international programs, previous studies mostly investigated the impact of students' international experiences using large-scale quantitative surveys (e.g. Rust et al, 2013;Scally, 2015;Nguyen, 2017;Hanada, 2019;DeGraaf et al, 2013); explored the experiences of students in North American, European and Australian contexts (e.g. Cushner and Chang, 2015;Bloom and Miranda, 2015;Forsey et al, 2012;Santoro, 2014) or studied the predeparture and preparation experiences of students for studying abroad (e.g.…”