Promoting meaningful encounters as a way to enhance intercultural competences

Abstract

This article presents a pedagogical experience in which a course aiming at the development of intercultural competences was taught to university-level students in a Colombian higher education institution. Topics such as minority groups, national identity, and racism were included in the course syllabus in order to raise students’ awareness regarding the importance of interculturality. Data were collected from students’ individual and group posts to the virtual forums proposed every week. In addition, survey responses contributed to determining the influence of the course on the development of intercultural competences. Findings suggest that interacting with individuals coming from various cultural backgrounds increases one’s awareness and appreciation of difference as a valuable and particular asset of human nature.

Keywords

• intercultural competences
• skills
• cultural backgrounds
• virtual forums