title: An exploration of teacher experiences of teaching international students: Towards using the increasing cultural diversity in sub-Saharan African higher education classrooms to foster intercultural competence for all
Creators: name: Ram, Sheela
Publisher: name: University of Liverpool Repository
Year: 2020

description: African higher education is increasingly being called upon to produce graduates with not only the relevant knowledge but also the necessary employability skills. Intercultural competence is a much in demand employability skill and is seen as a key outcome of internationalisation of higher education mainly brought about by internationalisation of curriculum. Teachers need to be seen as ‘core players’ in developing intercultural competence among students. This study aims to explore the lived experiences of teachers who have taught international students in sub-Saharan Africa, as an initial step towards getting a situational understanding of what happens in the existing intercultural classrooms. This understanding can help us begin to appreciate the nature of institutional frameworks required in African institutions to support teachers to develop intercultural competence in their students. A qualitative approach using hermeneutic phenomenology as outlined by van Manen (1990, 2016) was used to study the lived experiences of thirteen experienced teachers who are teaching or have taught international students across eight sub-Saharan African countries. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews and the emergent themes were analysed using phenomenological reflection based on Heidegger’s ontology and insights gained from the writings of Merleau-Ponty and Gadamer. The findings show that the presence of international students, mostly from within Africa, creates ‘gaps’ and can divide the classroom based on language, and cultural and academic differences. Teachers find themselves having to strategise both relationally and pedagogically to bridge this divide, to bring international students and home students together. Despite the lack of institutional internationalisation policies that exploit the intercultural diversity that international students bring, the experienced teachers show signs of their own intercultural competence as they transcend their identities to accept differences and transform their personal outlook in respect of students from other cultures, thus presenting a positive picture against a weak background. This study will provide new insights to those developing policies for internationalisation, particularly those interested in international and intercultural learning and better teaching and learning quality for all students. There are many plans afoot to re-energise higher education in Africa, however, most of the focus is currently on the role of science, technology and research. This study reveals how there is a part of the puzzle that may be missing from these discussions, the development of intercultural competence for students and consequently for staff. African continental unity is critical for Africa to become a cohesive economic powerhouse and intercultural competence plays a major role not only for employability but also for bringing peace.