TITLE:
Raising Undergraduate Students’ Level of Academic Readiness through Teaching Intercultural Communication
AUTHORS:
Iman Naser El-Deen Ahmed
KEYWORDS:
Communication, Intercultural Communication, Cross-Cultural Communication, Culture, Learning, Interaction
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Journalism and Communication,
Vol.10 No.2,
June
16,
2022
ABSTRACT: In this qualitative action research study, the
purpose was to explore if the integration of an intercultural communication
(ICC) module into an undergraduate Englishcourse in
Kuwait could improve the preparation of students for their future studies and
jobs. The study focused on the insufficient acceptance of cultural
diversity and its influence on university students. Data were collected using
semi-structured interviews, and field notes, where content and thematic analysis was conducted. Four themes were
yielded: 1) pre-intervention: culture and ICC as interpersonal conflict
without holistic contextualization; 2) post-intervention: enhanced
perspective-taking and attitude; 3) post-intervention:
better engagement with cultural out-groups; and 4) increased
inquisitiveness about other cultures.