Transformative Learning and the Development of Young Peoples' Intercultural Competencies

We evaluated the effects of transformative learning and intercultural shared experiences with Russian university students. Specifically, we studied their perspectives and attitudes toward others (those with different ethnic backgrounds, world views, and attitudes) for an intervention group of 47 students and a comparison group of 51 students. Methods: Ten intercultural seminars were conducted over six years in this mixed methods study; participation in the seminars was the independent variable. The same pre-/post- self-assessment questionnaire was analyzed to measure perceptions of the students participating and not participating. Students in the comparison groups received neither instruction, intervention, nor interaction. Test scores were the dependent variable. Qualitative data were collected as ethnographic action data for the emergence of themes, patterns, and corroboration. Findings: The seminars resulted in statistically significant differences in perceptions of others among and between intervention and comparison groups. Intervention group members showed measurable growth of intercultural competencies and positive perceptions of others as indicated by quantitative data, discussions, and interviews. Qualitative data provided explanation and elaborative meaning for the quantitative data. Conclusions: This study supports the hypothesis that student informants participating in transformative learning and language and culture seminars experience increases in their development of intercultural competencies. Qualitative and quantitative data support the proposed theory. <i>True education, whatever that may be, will have the greatest tendency to civilize and humanize people in their relations to one another. Plato</i>