An increased cross-cultural interaction around the world is being dictated by the ever increasing communication needs required by business and national concerns. This increased interaction, and its resultant inter-dependence, is often referred to as "Globalization." Due to the effect of globalization on the business and education environments, this study was an investigation of the theory base regarding context as embedded in the development of culture and cross-cultural communications. The study developed an instrument that 1) measures the contextual preferences of individuals from a variety of cultures, and 2) determines the level of significant differences between cultures based on their contextual preferences. The literature review concentrated on those characteristics which allow us to go beyond specific cultural barriers to communication. This was done to determine a common ground beyond culture, which is inherent in the communications process, and to allow a determination of factors for improved cross-cultural training and education. The literature review focused on: - The effects of the globalized environment - The influence of culture on communications - A cross-cultural communications model - Context and individualism/collectivism as measures of cross-cultural communications. The findings of the study provide an initial instrument that can be used for the identification of personal preferences, based on context, that may determine an individual's predisposition to interact in a cross-cultural learning environment. The data analyzed notes significant differences in major cultural groupings, and some specific cultures. Specific analysis included the contextual preferences of individuals based on their home cultural environment, the dimensions of gender, age, number of years an individual is away from their home culture and the number of languages spoken. It was concluded that there are highly significant differences between cultures, even with common ancestral ties and geographic proximity, that affect how individuals will interact and communicate across cultural boundaries. These differences, based on non-verbal context, must be considered individually in their sub-component form, not just within the overall classification of context. / Graduation date: 1994

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oklahoma, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 219-233).

No description available.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1985. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 156-164).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1981. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 117-126).

No description available.

The Swedish school is today a meeting place for many people with different cultures. The teacher education at Södertörn University have since 2002 been influenced by an intercultural profile. The purpose of this study is to investigate how the intercultural profile of Södertörn University is expressed in preschool- teachers/ teachers work. Is an intercultural approach requested in schools and is intercultural approach useful and applicable in the teaching profession? The report is based on a qualitative study of what intercultural competence means for five preschool- teachers/ teachers who have graduated from Södertörn University. The report describes what intercultural competence means to them and how they use their intercultural competence in their work. It also investigates the employers view on intercultural competence. There seems to be some uncertainty about intercultural competence, during the interviews with the preschool teachers/ teachers they became more aware of how they actually use their intercultural competence. These preschool- teacher/ teacher have perhaps not had the opportunity to reflect on the concept. My conclusion is that intercultural competence is essential in school because teachers meet people with different cultures every day, that’s why teachers need to work with ethnocentric behavior. Teachers have a responsibility not to pass on prejudices about people to their students. All children have a right to feel included in the school community regardless of who they are and where they come from.

Univ., Diss.--Göttingen, 2001.

The purpose of this study is through a teacher perspective gain insight to the knowledge former Sodertorn teacher students possess of intercultural pedagogy and if they use it at work. The studies main perspective is the intercultural perspective, which has been the study's lead perspective. This study also made use out of a sociocultural perspective as it fits with the intercultural perspective and puts its mark in the study. This study has used interviews for data collection. Five former Sodertorn teacher students were interviewed, the interview participants work as teachers. These five teachers’ experiences and statements were the focus of this study, the teachers had to demonstrate their intercultural skills and how they use these skills in their classroom. The study showed that four out of five interviewed teachers use intercultural education, these teachers always try to find students development zones and prior knowledge. Intercultural pedagogy approach for example focuses on the students' culture, knowledge, belongings and background. The four out of five interview participants that use intercultural pedagogy hope that their students get a deeper understanding of people that possess a different culture, religion and background. The four out of five teachers use intercultural strategies and these strategies are considered applicable when it comes to intercultural perspective.

No description available.