The Intercultural Competence in Colombian University Teachers - Analysis of a Questionnaire

Abstract

The promotion of Intercultural Competence (IC) in English Teaching has been an area of extensive study and advocacy at a global level; however, in the Colombian context, this initiative is in its first stages. This article reports results from a first phase of a mixed research study carried out within the framework of the Doctorate in Education at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, which aims to explore and identify the intercultural profile of a group of English professors working at eight public universities in Colombia. In the first stage, a quantitative survey study was developed, based on the results of a questionnaire that was answered anonymously and voluntarily by 70 English teachers. After examining the questionnaire, one of the most interesting results was the significant difference between the beliefs of professors with and without postgraduate studies. This mirrors the fact that a high number of these educators understand promotion of intercultural competence merely as content transmission, ignoring the development of skills and attitudes. Whatsmore, it is evident that a large percentage of these professors filter cultural topics for the class and approach them in a personal and anecdotal way. On the other hand, there is a marked concern amongst the population about the need for promoting cultural relativism in students, both in order to recognize their own identity and accept otherness.