The impact of international service-learning on students’ development in intercultural sensitivity

Abstract

We examined the impact of international service-learning (ISL) on students’ development of intercultural sensitivity. Participants were undergraduate students of a Hong Kong university (N = 132) who enrolled in a credit-bearing ISL course with service projects in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Mainland China. The research is primarily qualitative but also employs quantitative methods. Students were asked to write their views about the host country both before and after their service trip. Through thematic analysis of the responses, we developed a framework for intercultural sensitivity with four levels. Categories adopted from literature about intercultural competence or development were used to code the data set. Results revealed statistically significant differences in levels of intercultural sensitivity before and after ISL experience. Postexperience data further showed higher levels of intercultural sensitivity in the Southeast Asia and Africa groups than in the Mainland China group. Potential factors and implications are discussed.