Learning theory

The complex nature of cultural adaptability demonstrate an integrative feature that is organized around change of perception, acquiring contextual knowledge and establishing professional skills. Dennis et al (1989) defined cultural competence (adaptability) as a set of congruent behaviours, attitudes, and policies that come together in a system, agency, or among professionals and enable them to work effectively in cross-cultural situations. Davies (1997) pointed out to the transformational knowledge about people for practitioners, to achieve cultural competence, that is appropriate for specific standards, policies, practices and attitudes in interventions and capacity buildings. Taylor (1994) adopted Mezirow's framework of transformative learning to examine how expatriate adults develop adaptive strategies and adjust their perspective in host cultures. Transformational learning theory in adult eduction emphasizes that through critical self-examination, adults sometimes experience a significant transformation of their perspective to respond to important events or difficult stages in their lives, which is because the theory involves new or revised interpretation of the meaning of one's expereince.


Ref.:
Dennis, K., et al (1989), Cultural competence in psychiatric nursing: have you asked the right questions? Journal of American psychiatric nurses association, 8(6) 183-187
Davis K., 1997, Exploring the intersection between cultural competency and managed behavioural health care policy: lmplication for state and county mental health agencies
Mezirow, (2000), Learning to think like an adult. in Learning as transformation, Jossey-Bass
Taylor, E.W. (1994), lntercultural competency, : A transformative learning process, Adult Education Quarterly, 44(3), 154-174




A study exploring how new learners of foreign language develop an understanding of a second or other culture, it was found that a literary text was more effective in developing culture competence than wasa fact based approach (Scott & Huntington, 2002). Litrary texts can help student develop cognitive flexibility and affective awareness, hence making connections with target culture. That is happening at the early stages of language learning, when they can gain insight into the expressive and cultural nuances of target language. Comparisons were made for new learners interpreting a literary text both in small as well as crowded groups.


Source: Viginia Scott & Julie Huntington; Literature, the interpretive mode, and novice learners; The Modern Language Journal, Vol 91, Nıo 1, Spring 2007