Exploring and Assessing Intercultural Competence - Center for ...

Exploring and Assessing Intercultural Competence
Proficiency Scale (developed by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language) is
employed to help ascertain how language correlates with and affects ICC development.
The perspectives just cited directly influence our approach to assessment. It is clear that of the
various intercultural assessment tools collected and examined, none is based on as broad a
conceptualization as presented here. Each tool reflects a slightly differing (and usually more
limited) concept, some stressing global knowledge, sensitivity, or skills, with differing purposes
in mind, and for use with varied populations. The original Assessment of Intercultural
Competence (AIC) instrument (on which the survey questionnaire was based) reflects all of the
components mentioned in the concept above. Moreover, this expanded concept had already been
widely disseminated and widely accepted at national and international conferences including
NAFTA in 2001, where our invited paper was adopted by hundreds of participating universities,
and at another conference sponsored by the Stanley Foundation in 2002 for community colleges
nationwide, where it was again adopted and formed part of the conference report (cf. Appendix I:
ICC Bibliography).
The fields of service, cross-cultural education, intercultural communication, assessment
(especially, “outcomes assessment”), and research (utilizing varied modes) have produced much
relevant information over the past 25 years (cf. Appendix I: ICC Bibliography). A Canadian
study by Daniel Kealey, for example, was especially helpful despite a narrow focus on the
performance and effects on Canadian technical advisors in intercultural situations. Many other
researchers have also investigated study abroad programs and a few have addressed service
projects, the area most closely related to this project. While useful insights were drawn from these
and other studies, the current project remains distinctive because of its broad and inclusive
characterization of intercultural competence.
Finally, most research on intercultural outcomes to date has been conducted in English, about
North Americans, and reflects a distinctly North American perspective. In contrast, this project
looks at multiple nationalities, using multiple languages, and employs both quantitative and
qualitative data.
To summarize, the assumptions and frameworks guiding this project in its design and
implementation were:
- the Federation EIL’s vision and mission,
- a broad construct of the components of intercultural communicative competence,
based on the literature review and our own experience,
- and an assumption that FEIL staff share a desire to improve the quality of their
programs and to enhance the positive impact of programs on participants.
And the project plan incorporates:
- quantitative and qualitative research data
- research assistants contracted locally in the three MOs involved, competent to translate
and implement the plan in local languages: German, British English, Spanish
- research assistants able to compile and summarize data in country reports
- a local research assistant in Vermont to assist in data tabulation
- and finally, compilations of individual MO findings collected into a final composite
reports that permit analysis by sub-groups and globally as well.
3. Project Design
Center for Social Development
Washington University in St. Louis
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