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ABSTRACT
This study examines the possibility that interaction through social network platforms can serve as an informal means of developing intercultural competence among international students in higher education settings. Japanese students studying in the United States at a university in the Northwestern US were invited to participate in a mixed-method study involving interviews about their social network use and interactions, and a structured questionnaire measure of intercultural competence development. Overall, the results indicate that those in the top tertile of intercultural competence development tended to describe more proactive social ways and benefits of interacting with potential sources of support over social media, whereas those in the bottom tertile tended to describe the importance and use of social media for passive consumption of information. The implications for the incorporation of social network platforms into higher-education programs for internationalisation and intercultural competence development are discussed.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Phyllis B. Ngai
Phyllis B. Ngai teaches intercultural and international communication in the Department of Communication Studies at The University of Montana-Missoula.
Stephen M. Yoshimura
Stephen M. Yoshimura is a professor in the Department of Communication Studies at The University of Montana-Missoula.
Fumihiro Doi
Fumihiro Doi is a professor in Department of Hospitality Management at Kumamoto Gakuen University.