Intercultural education in a multicultural environment : analysis of Latvian, Lithuanian, Finnish And Danish students’ learning experiences

Abstract

Interculturalism is defined as an active process that implicates interaction among members in a culturally diverse environment. Intercultural interaction suits the needs for democratic communication in a multicultural environment /8, c. 12-17/. The development of united multicultural society at this moment is in the stage of creation of unified but not the same society. Intercultural education is very important part in education science, where theoretical knowledge does not play the main role. Practical experience, sensitiveness and sensibility for present situation and consideration for cultural values are essential here as well. According to Heyward, in a context of global intercultural communication the understanding about individual‘s adaptation in a new multicultural society is changing. And that is why it is expected that learner should become interculturally competent and willing to explore cultures that are new and different from his/her own without negative consequences to his/her own identity /5, c. 9-32/. The object of this study is learning experiences in a culturally diverse environment.[...]