Learning through the dialogical self in intercultural encounters: A case study of Chinese-Finnish virtual exchanges in higher education.
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| Title: | Learning through the dialogical self in intercultural encounters: A case study of Chinese-Finnish virtual exchanges in higher education. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Mattila, Heta1 heta.mattila@helsinki.fi, Dervin, Fred1, Layne, Heidi2 |
| Source: | Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad. Apr2026, Vol. 38 Issue 1, p167-195. 29p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Critical self-reflection, *Higher education, *Multicultural education, *Cultural relations, *Empathy, *Cross-cultural communication, Self-consciousness (Awareness), Self-talk |
| Geographic Terms: | Finland, China |
| Abstract (English): | This article explores the benefits of international online platforms in fostering intercultural learning within higher education. Reflexive writing, a core component of virtual exchange, helps students develop the self-awareness and empathy essential for engaging in interculturality. Data were gathered from students (N = 39) at two universities (one in China and one in Finland) who participated in a month-long online course. As part of their collaborative tasks, students were prompted to reflect on their experiences and feelings about interacting with one another. The analysis, guided by Hermans's interdisciplinary, realistic and fluid Dialogical Self Theory (DST), examined how students made sense of their encounters and negotiated situations they deemed significant. The findings reveal that students often used internal dialogue between different personal positions to advance their intercultural learning, although this was not unanimous amongst them. The study also highlights the importance of welldesigned prompts for intercultural learning, showing how self-reflection could enhance students' intercultural self-awareness and empathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Abstract (Finnish): | Tämä artikkeli tutkii kansainvälisten verkkoalustojen hyötyjä kultuurienvälisen oppimisen mahdollistajana osana korkeakouluopetusta. Verkkovaihtojen keskeisenä osana toimiva refleksiivinen kirjoittaminen auttaa opiskelijoita kehittämään itsetuntemusta sekä empatiaa, mitkä ovat välttämättömiä kulttuurienvälisyydelle. Tutkimusdata kerättiin kahden yliopiston (yksi Kiinassa ja toinen Suomessa) opiskelijoilta (N = 39), jotka osallistuivat kuukauden mittaiselle verkkokurssille. Osana heidän kurssitehtäviään, opiskelijoita ohjeistettiin reflektoimaan yhteistyön luomia kokemuksia ja tunteita. Hermansin monitieteisen, realistisen ja muovautuvan dialogisen minäteorian (DST) pohjalta tehdyssä analyysissä tarkasteltiin, miten opiskelijat tulkitsivat kohtaamisiaan ja neuvottelivat tilanteita, joita he pitivät merkittävänä. Tulokset paljastavat, että opiskelijat hyödynsivät sisäistä dialogia eri henkilökohtaisten positioiden välillä edistääkseen kulttuurienvälistä oppimistaan, mutta tämä ei ollut aina yhtenäistä opiskelijoiden välillä. Tutkimus korostaa hyvin suunnitellun ohjeistuksen roolia osana kulttuurienvälistä oppimista ja osoittaa, kuinka itsereflektio voi parantaa opiskelijoiden kulttuurienvälistä itsetuntemusta ja empatiaa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad is the property of Frontiers Journal, Inc and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 194630334 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Learning through the dialogical self in intercultural encounters: A case study of Chinese-Finnish virtual exchanges in higher education. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mattila%2C+Heta%22">Mattila, Heta</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> heta.mattila@helsinki.fi</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dervin%2C+Fred%22">Dervin, Fred</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Layne%2C+Heidi%22">Layne, Heidi</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Frontiers%3A+The+Interdisciplinary+Journal+of+Study+Abroad%22">Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad</searchLink>. Apr2026, Vol. 38 Issue 1, p167-195. 29p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Critical+self-reflection%22">Critical self-reflection</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Higher+education%22">Higher education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Multicultural+education%22">Multicultural education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cultural+relations%22">Cultural relations</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Empathy%22">Empathy</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cross-cultural+communication%22">Cross-cultural communication</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self-consciousness+%28Awareness%29%22">Self-consciousness (Awareness)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self-talk%22">Self-talk</searchLink> – Name: SubjectGeographic Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Finland%22">Finland</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22China%22">China</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract (English) Group: Ab Data: This article explores the benefits of international online platforms in fostering intercultural learning within higher education. Reflexive writing, a core component of virtual exchange, helps students develop the self-awareness and empathy essential for engaging in interculturality. Data were gathered from students (N = 39) at two universities (one in China and one in Finland) who participated in a month-long online course. As part of their collaborative tasks, students were prompted to reflect on their experiences and feelings about interacting with one another. The analysis, guided by Hermans's interdisciplinary, realistic and fluid Dialogical Self Theory (DST), examined how students made sense of their encounters and negotiated situations they deemed significant. The findings reveal that students often used internal dialogue between different personal positions to advance their intercultural learning, although this was not unanimous amongst them. The study also highlights the importance of welldesigned prompts for intercultural learning, showing how self-reflection could enhance students' intercultural self-awareness and empathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract (Finnish) Group: Ab Data: Tämä artikkeli tutkii kansainvälisten verkkoalustojen hyötyjä kultuurienvälisen oppimisen mahdollistajana osana korkeakouluopetusta. Verkkovaihtojen keskeisenä osana toimiva refleksiivinen kirjoittaminen auttaa opiskelijoita kehittämään itsetuntemusta sekä empatiaa, mitkä ovat välttämättömiä kulttuurienvälisyydelle. Tutkimusdata kerättiin kahden yliopiston (yksi Kiinassa ja toinen Suomessa) opiskelijoilta (N = 39), jotka osallistuivat kuukauden mittaiselle verkkokurssille. Osana heidän kurssitehtäviään, opiskelijoita ohjeistettiin reflektoimaan yhteistyön luomia kokemuksia ja tunteita. Hermansin monitieteisen, realistisen ja muovautuvan dialogisen minäteorian (DST) pohjalta tehdyssä analyysissä tarkasteltiin, miten opiskelijat tulkitsivat kohtaamisiaan ja neuvottelivat tilanteita, joita he pitivät merkittävänä. Tulokset paljastavat, että opiskelijat hyödynsivät sisäistä dialogia eri henkilökohtaisten positioiden välillä edistääkseen kulttuurienvälistä oppimistaan, mutta tämä ei ollut aina yhtenäistä opiskelijoiden välillä. Tutkimus korostaa hyvin suunnitellun ohjeistuksen roolia osana kulttuurienvälistä oppimista ja osoittaa, kuinka itsereflektio voi parantaa opiskelijoiden kulttuurienvälistä itsetuntemusta ja empatiaa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad is the property of Frontiers Journal, Inc and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.36366/frontiers.v38i1.1055 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 29 StartPage: 167 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Critical self-reflection Type: general – SubjectFull: Higher education Type: general – SubjectFull: Multicultural education Type: general – SubjectFull: Cultural relations Type: general – SubjectFull: Empathy Type: general – SubjectFull: Cross-cultural communication Type: general – SubjectFull: Self-consciousness (Awareness) Type: general – SubjectFull: Self-talk Type: general – SubjectFull: Finland Type: general – SubjectFull: China Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Learning through the dialogical self in intercultural encounters: A case study of Chinese-Finnish virtual exchanges in higher education. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Mattila, Heta – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Dervin, Fred – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Layne, Heidi IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 04 Text: Apr2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 10854568 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 38 – Type: issue Value: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
