Academic management strategies of secondary schools based on the concept of Intercultural competence

Abstract

The research objectives were to 1) study conceptual frameworks of academic management of secondary schools and intercultural competence, 2) study students’ intercultural competence levels, 3) analyze strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of academic management of secondary schools based on the concept of intercultural competence, and 4) develop academic management strategies based on the concept of intercultural competence, using a multiphase mixed-methods design methodology. The study population was 19 schools, with 307 respondents, including school administrators, head teachers, and teachers. Research instruments included questionnaires and evaluation forms. Data analysis included frequencies, percentages, arithmetic mean, standard deviations, modified priority needs index (PNImodified), and content analysis.

Research results revealed that 1) the conceptual framework of academic management of secondary schools included curriculum development, teaching and learning, learning media and resources, and measurement and evaluation and the conceptual framework of intercultural competence included ten components, including interpersonal communication, tolerance for ambiguity, behavioral flexibility, intercultural empathy, intercultural team effectiveness, intercultural knowledge discovery, intercultural sociability, respect for otherness, intercultural goal orientation, and nonjudgementalness. 2) Students’ intercultural competence was perceived at a high level overall. The three components with the highest mean scores included intercultural empathy, respect for otherness, and nonjudgementalness, and the three components with the lowest mean scores included intercultural sociability, intercultural team effectiveness, and behavioral flexibility. 3) SWOT results showed that only teaching and learning were rated as strengths. Measurement and evaluation were weaknesses with the highest priority needs; curriculum development was secondary; and learning media and resources were the third. 4) Academic management strategies consisted of four strategies, two substrategies, and 33 procedures: 4.1) reform measurement and evaluation to develop student intercultural competence (two substrategies and eleven procedures), 4.2) redesign the educational institution curriculum aimed at developing student intercultural competence (two substrategies and six procedures), 4.3) strengthen learning media and resources to develop student intercultural competence (two substrategies and seven procedures), and 4.4) strengthen teaching and learning to develop student intercultural competence (two substrategies and nine procedures).