This document summarizes Kate Reitzenstein's study on the perceptions of Indonesian and Australian students participating in a student exchange program. It introduces the study, which used qualitative methods like interviews and blogs to understand students' experiences. It then outlines Witte's framework for intercultural competence in 7 stages and provides examples from students of each stage, like noticing differences in Stage 1 or reflecting on their own culture in Stage 5. The findings so far indicate that most learning occurred outside class and that intercultural competence varied individually rather than by exposure to the other culture.

1. Perceptions of Indonesian and Australian students engaging in student exchange: A case study Kate Reitzenstein MEd (Research) Student Murdoch University

3. Introduce a framework for intercultural language learning.

4. Present findings to date based on the data.

6. An ethnographic case study of a three week study tour

7. Focus on capturing the lived experiences of students directly involved in the study tour

8. Data collection methods included:

9. Focus group interviews

10. Semi-structured individual interviews

11. Blog

13. Research question What are the perceptions and attitudes of students towards speakers and communities of the ‘other’ language and how do such perceptions and attitudes change by participating in the Surabaya Study Tour?

15. highlights the cyclical nature of intercultural competence

16. acknowledges affective as well as cognitive skills

17. can be a useful tool for planning

18. can provide insight into the role of the teacher

19. does NOT represent a linear progression

20. should NOT be used to measure or assess intercultural competenceWitte, A. (2006) The Concept of Progression in the Teaching and Learning of Foreign Languages, P. Lang, Oxford; New York.

21. Witte’s framework Noticing similarities and differences Challenging stereotypes Expanding consciousness about difference Appreciating target culture through critical incidents Reflecting on own culture through a different lens Developing divergent understanding of Self and Other Negotiating meaning and taking responsibility to mediate between cultures Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5 Stage 6 Stage 7

22. Stage 1: Noticing similarities and differences Lots of little things happen. Like when they don’t know how to use something or how they cook things differently or how they sleep, what time they go to bed. And then there’s also the similar things, like they use the computer a lot, they watch telly. They do their homework a bit more than me but… they yeah… you learn a lot about them just by the little things, if you pay attention. Michelle, Focus Group Interview

24. OrangAustralia sangatramah. (Fatimah)

25. OrangAustralia sangatdisiplin. (Fatimah)

26. MasyarakatAustralia sangatmenhargaiwaktu. (Rini)Pre-tour Written Questionnaire Ah well it’s very different from Surabaya because at my house we have maids and here, we don’t. Well I mean it’s okay. Well you know… It’s good really because we are learning to be more independent. We are expected to clean up our rooms and keep our rooms tidy. And for breakfast we make the food ourselves whereas in Indonesia I don’t. Natasha, Focus Group Interview

27. Stage 2: Challenging stereotypes I always pictured Indonesia as not being a very rich kinda country like they’re moderately poor but since Wulandari has come, I’ve found out that she comes from a very wealthy type of family with her parents being doctors and I was just totally shocked by the two classes in Indonesia. Like there’s like the really poor and there’s like the wealthy group and I didn’t really know that even existed because you see a lot of… like on the tv you don’t really see like the upper class side of Indonesia… on the tv and stuff. Like when they have disasters it’s just like all the lower… like all the lower type people who aren’t very wealthy and own small stores and stuff like that. Alex, Focus Group Interview

28. Stage 2: Challenging stereotypes Before I participate on the study tour, I thought that Australians didn’t like Moslem people, because of the explosion in Bali. I felt afraid a little bit because I wear scarf (jilbab). But when I went there and met my host family, they didn’t think like that. They were curious about Islam. Fatimah, Post-tour questionnaire

29. Stage 3: Expanding consciousness about difference Kenapasihkoqrameseolah-olahnggakmendengar guru... saya share samaorangtua [home stay] sayamerekamenjawab “Itusekolah public… bedadarisekolah private.” Anakputra-putridari private harusmembayarjadianakitumerasa “Oh kitamengeluarkanuangjadikitaharusdapatilmunya” tapidisekolah public… tidakharusmembayarjadimerekamausekolah… maurame… mauituterserahmereka. Sekar, Focus Group Interview

30. Stage 3: Expanding consciousness about difference Setiaphari, merekajugaikutmembantukeluargahomestay. ''Sayadisanamembantukeluargahomestaysayameloperkoran. Menyenangkansekali,'' sahutWulandariPranoto, siswidari SMAN 10. Document Analysis, Article in Jawa Pos, 28 November, 2008

31. Stage 4: Appreciating target culture through critical incidents Merekaadakebudayaan ‘dinner’ kalaudikeluargasayanggak… umumnyanggakada ‘dinner’ di Indonesia. Kalaumakanitusemuanyadudukdi... satumeja. Meskipunsudahselesaimakan, merekatidakbolehmeninggalkanmejamakansebelumsemuanyaselesaimakan. Hostparentsayapunyaanakumurnyasembilantahun. Diaudahselesaimakan, lalularitinggalkanmejamakan, mungkin, kan, bosan.. diamau main. Terusada yang belumselesai… saya yang belumselesaimakan, because I use kawatgigi so I have to be careful. Hostparentsayabilang, “Kembalikesinicepat!” gitu. “Janganmeninggalkanmeja! Duduklagi. Duduk lama!” Terusdiangomong-omong, tanya-tanyatentangapa yang terjadihariini. “Wahkoq kayak gini” ya. Jadi like sharing maybe, It’s time for a family to talk with each other. Iyabedadengandi Indonesia. Budaya yang sangatbagus... yabaguslah! Fatimah, Focus Group Interview

32. Stage 5: Reflecting on own culture through a different lens Kalaudisinikebiasaanseteleh makanmalamceritatentangkegiatan yang dilakukanhariinidanterkadangtanya-jawabjuga. Sayamemakaijilbab, kebanyakandarimerekaherandanbertanya mengapa sayaharusmemakaiitu. Kalausekarangdingin, tidakapa-apa. Tapikalau summer gimana. Akuhanyamenjawabsemampukudanakunggakberanijelasinlebihjauhkarenaakusendirijuganggakyakin. Mungkinkejadianinibisamenjadicerminan agar akulebihmemperdalamagamaku. Fatimah, Weblog, 19 September, 2008

33. Stage 5: Reflecting on own culture through a different lens I think it’s sort of interesting cause you do think of ways about our culture because you think “Okay let’s take them to do something Australian” and you say “Right where shall we take them? What shall we cook them that’s Australian?” That’s why we’re giving them all this multicultural food because Australia is multicultural. The only really traditional Australian dish would be, you know, snaggers on the barby. Steph, Focus Group Interview

34. Stage 6: Developing divergent understanding of Self and Other The first… Itusoalekspresi how do people in here expression give a hug and then menatapmataketikaberbicara. I never in Indonesia give a hug it’s like we shy (holds arms close to chest). (Other participants laugh in agreement) I think it’s fun. It’s like… dihatiituadakaya rasa banggadan rasa kayanggakadabebanlagiketikakitamemelukseorangkitasayangi. But in Indonesia we’re always shy “Why are you must do like that?” But I just give a hug to my mum when my mum is giving my hadiah like present like that but in here every time, every time want to go sleep, every time want to hug woman always give a hug. But when I saw that and I think “Why not do that in my home? Why not do that in my family?” It’s very warming. Lestari, Focus Group Interview

35. Stage 7: Negotiating meaning and taking responsibility to mediate between cultures I have to check what’s in their food because they’re Muslim and mum’s just feeding them, you know, whatever she can find. And I said “Mum! I don’t know if they can eat that” and she goes “Why what’s in it?” and I said “Well gelatine” and she goes “Well can they eat gelatine or not?”. I said “I don’t know, it depends what the gelatine is” and there’s just things they don’t think about. Steph, Focus Group Interview

36. Stage 7: Negotiating meaning and taking responsibility to mediate between cultures Kebiasaan ‘terimakasih’, terus ‘I’m sorry’ dan ‘excuse me.’ Yang pertama ‘terimakasih’, merekaselalubilang ‘terimakasih’ dalamhalapapunmerekaselalukadang-kadangdi Indonesia agaksedikitmenurun. Senirupamaubilang ‘terimakasih’ tapidisiniselalubilang ‘terimakasih’. ‘I’m sorry’, merekaselalubilang ‘I’m sorry’ ketikamerekaadasedikitkesalahanataupunmenyinggungorangmerekabilang ‘I’m sorry’. ‘Excuse me’ itudalamhaldikamarmandi. Nah dikamarmandiitusaya paling kaget. Merekaselalu “Anyone need to use the bathroom?” Jadimerekamemangsebenarnyaperlutapimerekamenanyakankepadaorang lain apakahlebihbutuhdarisayatapisayatahudialebihbutuh. Rini, Focus Group Interview

38. Learning is constructed individually and collaboratively.

39. There was minimal correlation between the amount of ‘exposure’ to the target culture and intercultural competence.

40. High concentration of intercultural competence demonstrated around stages 4, 5 and 6 by Surabaya students.

41. Host students reflected aspects of stage 7 due to the role they found themselves in.