Vol. 5 No. 1 (2025): Rhombus
ARTICLE

Transforming Classrooms, Transforming Minds: Innovative Intercultural Communication Practices in Higher Education

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  • América Mendoza Sánchez,
  • Katia Michelle Báez López,
  • David Garnier Méndez
América Mendoza Sánchez
Universidad Autónoma de Baja California
Katia Michelle Báez López
Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla
David Garnier Méndez
Universidad Latinoamericana de Ciencia y Tecnología (ULACIT)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.63058/rhombus.v5i1.279

Published 2025-01-20

Keywords

  • Intercultural communication,
  • higher education,
  • intercultural competence,
  • Classroom environment,
  • Teacher Attitudes

How to Cite

Mendoza Sánchez, A., Báez López, K. M., & Garnier Méndez, D. (2025). Transforming Classrooms, Transforming Minds: Innovative Intercultural Communication Practices in Higher Education. Rhombus, 5(1), pp 71–101. https://doi.org/10.63058/rhombus.v5i1.279

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Abstract

The aim of the research is to identify the best intercultural communication practices that can be applied by teachers in higher education classrooms to promote intercultural learning in students from different cultures. The hypothesis suggests that the implementation of intercultural communication best practices by higher education faculty can significantly improve the intercultural learning of culturally diverse students. For this purpose, a mixed methodology was chosen. The technique used was the survey, consisting of Likert scales, which achieved a cumulative n=193, applied to three Higher Education Institutions (HEI) in Mexico and Costa Rica. Multiculturalism in the classroom was identified as a factor that influences the implementation of intercultural communication practices. Subsequently, two focus groups were conducted with the participation of students with international exchange experiences in two HEIs in Mexico and Costa Rica. From the focus groups, 10 categories were created and 30 practices in the higher education classroom were identified, which were abstracted into the following 4 themes: intercultural attitudes and competencies of the teacher, intercultural pedagogical strategies and intercultural classroom climate. Focus group results confirm and expand on practices identified through the survey. The findings inform teachers about practices that can enhance learning for their students in culturally diverse contexts.

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