Cultural Immersion

Abstract

In the globalized 21st century economy, many American higher institutions have substantially increased efforts to internationalize their curriculum through study abroad programs. These efforts are grounded in the longstanding belief that study abroad participation improves intercultural competence among students. Higher institutions aim at providing students the opportunity to a meaningful experience in a different culture to expand their cross-cultural understanding. However, there is limited research to support this claim; thus, a major competing explanation for differences found between students who do and do not study abroad continues to be the possibility that these differences existed prior to international participation. This chapter highlights how international experience was structured to enhance pre-service teachers' cross-cultural understanding and global awareness. The author argues that opportunities to experience cultures other than one's own, such as the cultural immersion experienced during this study in Tanzania, would enhance intercultural competence among students.