Abstract
Graduates are increasingly expected to work in international contexts, therefore skills in intercultural interaction are crucial. Previous research suggests that overseas students anticipate positive intercultural interaction but are often disappointed, as some home students are unwilling to work in intercultural groups without explicit encouragement. In this study, we investigated interactions in three group work settings with home (UK) and international students in order to explore differing patterns of participation. The findings suggest that in culturally mixed groups, the UK students (particularly males) dominated discussions, with limited input from overseas students. In a group consisting solely of international students, the interactions were much more equal. However, an analysis of influence on group decisions (in terms of proportion of suggestions accepted by the group), suggested that the influence of male home students was lower than their participation would imply. The research suggests that there is a need to plan and manage group work carefully, especially where there are diverse groups of students. © 2013 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.
DOI
10.1080/14703297.2012.760773
Publication Date
2013-01-01
Publication Title
Innovations in Education and Teaching International.
Volume
50
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
ISSN
1470-3297
First Page
272
Recommended Citation
Cotton, D., George, R., & Joyner, M. (2013) 'Interaction and influence in culturally-mixed groups.', Innovations in Education and Teaching International., 50, pp. 272. Informa UK Limited: Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/14703297.2012.760773
