1. 2015 Global Education Conference
Global Connections between First Year Undergraduates in Taiwan and Connecticut
2015 Global Education Conference

2. Background: Taiwan Context
New literacies of online reading comprehension:
1) identifying important questions;
2) locating, information;
3) analyzing, information;
4) synthesizing information; and
5) communicating information.
Intercultural Interaction in EFL course

3. Instructional Design with EFL Students
Phase 1: Building a good rapport
Self-introduction & Social Network Sites
Phase 2: Discussing Culture-related topics
Show & Tell: Searching, Synthesizing information of local cultures
Online Feedback from EFL students
Phase 3: Development of Project
Comparing and Contrasting
Phase 4: Wrap up & Self-Reflection

4. Topics Group A: Parenting styles Group B: Traditional Food in Taiwan
Group C: Hakka Food
Group D: Wedding Traditions
Group E: Night-Market Delicacies ???
Group F: Festivals
Group G: Taiwan Snacks ???

5. Methodology EFL Participants: N = 32
7 groups: 4-5 EFL students of Intermediate English Proficiency
Data Collection
Intercultural Competence Scale:
pre- and post-
Online Feedback and Field Observation
Self-Reflection

6. Pre-survey (Chao, 2014) Delete 3 irrelevant statements
I can eat what others eat in culturally diverse situations.
I can modify the way I dress when it is necessary in intercultural situations.
I know how to use the culture-value approach to understand the attitudes and behaviors of people from different cultures.
27 Questions
Factor 1: Knowledge of Intercultural Interaction (mean = 3.254)
Factor 2: Affective Orientation to Intercultural Interaction (mean = 4.385)
Factor 3: Self-Efficacy in Intercultural Situations (mean = 3.33)
Factor 4: Behavior Performance in Intercultural Interaction (mean = 3.441)
Factor 5: Display of intercultural consciousness (m = 3.254)
Lowest ranking: I can effectively use English to communicate with other people of different cultural backgrounds. 2.83

7. Online Feedback Strengths:
One-on-one Good Rapport, learning engagement in searching, synthesizing & communicating information (draw on various sources)
Know one’s own cultures and development of world knowledge
Weaknesses:
Receive no replies
English proficiency: difficulties to describe
How effectively communicate this online? Development of the project?

8. Pedagogical Implications
Selection of topics
Study of relevant information from various sources
Approaches for intercultural discussions:
Creativity (photo), stories, interview

9. References:
Chao, T. C. (2014). The development and application of an intercultural competence scale for university EFL learners. English Teaching & Learning,
Chen, I. C. (2015). Literature Circles in EFL Classroom. Paper presented at the 2014 Hwa Kang International Conference on English Language & Literature.
Leu, D. J., Zawilinski, L., Castek, J., Banerjee, M., Housand, B. C., Leu, Y., & O’Neil, M. (2007). What is new about the new literacies of online reading comprehension. In L. S. Rush, J. A. Eakle, and A. Berger (Eds.), Secondary School Literacy: What Research Reveals for Classroom Practice. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English.