The Influence of phenomenological teaching approaches on students’ intercultural competence in Southwestern Nigerian colleges of education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.60923/issn.1825-8670/22656Keywords:
Phenomenological teaching, Intercultural competence, Teacher education, Southwestern Nigeria, Multicultural classroomsAbstract
This study examines the impact of phenomenological teaching approaches on intercultural competence (ICC) among 300-level pre-service teachers in southwestern Nigeria’s colleges of education, a highly culturally diverse region. Traditional lecture-based methods, which prioritize rote learning, often limit the development of skills needed for multicultural classrooms. Drawing on Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology (emphasizing embodied, reflective, and experiential learning) and Deardorff’s process-oriented model of intercultural competence, this mixed-methods study compares phenomenological (reflective and experiential) approaches with traditional ones. Quantitative surveys (adapted from Fantini, 2009; n=500 students, n=200 staff) showed significantly higher ICC scores in phenomenological classes (overall M=4.20, SD=0.60) compared to traditional classes (M=3.50, SD=0.70; p<0.001), with large effect sizes across attitudes, knowledge, and skills. Qualitative data from semi-structured interviews, reflective journals, and classroom observations (n=15) revealed enhanced cultural empathy, awareness, and adaptability, although barriers such as limited faculty training and rigid curricula remain. The findings support curriculum reform and professional development to prepare culturally responsive educators in Nigeria, with transferable implications for multicultural teacher education in other diverse, resource-constrained Global South contexts.References
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