Intercultural sensitivity development among university students engaged in Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL)

Abstract

This study evaluated changes in the intercultural sensitivity levels of South African university students pre- and post-engagement in a six-week collaborative online international learning (COIL) project with students from a Méxican university. Collaborative online international learning is an educational pedagogy that enables students located across the globe to work together on learning activities through the use of digital technologies. This research paper addresses the paucity of empirical studies focused on the development of intercultural sensitivity among South African tertiary students, specifically in the context of online (virtual) collaboration. The research aimed to explore whether engagement in a COIL project can enhance intercultural sensitivity. Using a small-scale quantitative pre- and post-survey design (n=12), the study adopted Chen and Starosta’s (2000) intercultural sensitivity scale to investigate potential changes in five dimensions: interaction attentiveness, respect for cultural differences, interaction confidence, interaction enjoyment, and interaction engagement. The findings indicated statistically significant median differences with regard to the dimensions of respect for cultural differences and interaction enjoyment, whereas the other dimensions revealed no statistically significant changes. The study noted the promise of a COIL initiative within the context of South African higher education, particularly given its multicultural society and transformation agenda, to foster intercultural awareness. The study advocates for a more scaffolded conceptualisation of intercultural sensitivity development concomitant with immersive teaching modalities and increased engagement.