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Article published In: Seeking Changes in a Challenging Time: New perspectives for proficiency-oriented Chinese teaching and beyond
Edited by Yu Liu, Qiaona Yu and Yu Wu
[Chinese as a Second Language (漢語教學研究—美國中文教師學會學報) 59:2] 2024
► pp. 202–231

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Fostering language and intercultural learning through a cross-institutional community-engaged project

 | Wake Forest University
 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Published online: 25 February 2025
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https://doi.org/10.1075/csl.00052.gen
Abstract
This paper investigates the development of intercultural competence (IC) in proficiency-based Chinese as a Foreign Language classroom through a cross-institutional community-engaged project. Under the framework of NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements of IC (NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements (2017). [URL]), direct and indirect evidence from 28 learners from two universities in the U.S. revealed improvement in IC when students investigated cultural perspectives and interacted with community members and peers. Students’ positive attitudes toward this pedagogical approach, combined with language proficiency training and IC development, further affirm the effectiveness of these initiatives in promoting online cultural exchange and community-engaged learning. Additionally, students’ original degree of familiarity regarding certain cultural themes before the project emerged as a significant factor in IC development.
摘要
本文通过对北美跨校社区参与项目的研究，探讨了高校中文学习者基于语言水平的跨文化能力（IC）发展。依据NCSSFL-ACTFL跨文化能力描述标准（NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements (2017). [URL]，本文收集了美国两所大学的28名学习者的直接和间接证据。结果显示，学习者在探讨文化视角及与社区合作伙伴和同伴互动时都实现了跨文化能力的提升。此外，学生对这种将语言能力训练与跨文化能力发展相结合的教学方法持积极态度，进一步肯定了项目在促进跨文化交流和社区参与学习的有效性。与此同时，学生在项目之前对某些文化主题的初始熟悉程度也成为跨文化能力发展的一个重要因素。总的来说，本文的研究结果证明，跨机构合作学习项目在培养学习者的跨文化能力以及促进包容性的文化意识方面均有强有力的作用。
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Literature review
    • 2.1Intercultural learning in language classrooms
    • 2.2Community-engaged foreign language learning
    • 2.3Cross-institutional collaboration in language and culture learning
  • 3.Research questions
  • 4.The current project
    • 4.1Theme of the project
      • Learning materials
    • 4.2Participants’ community partners and peers
    • 4.3Project timeline and learning activities
      • Week 1–4
      • Week 5–12
      • For university A students
      • For university B students
      • Week 13–16
  • 5.Research methods
    • 5.1Participants
    • 5.2Data collection
    • 5.3Data analysis
  • 6.Findings
    • 6.1RQ1: Learners’ IC improvement when investigating intercultural perspectives
      • 6.1.1Direct evidence of IC improvement: Interacting with peers and community partners
      • 6.1.2Indirect evidence of IC improvement
    • 6.2RQ2: Students’ perceptions and attitudes toward the cross-institutional community-engaged project
  • 7.Discussion and implications
  • 8.Conclusion and limitations
  • References
References (27)
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