This study represents an initial attempt to determine and compare the levels of the intercultural sensitivity of three samples of student teachers in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore using the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI). A total of 317 student teachers participated in the study. Across the three samples, the majority of participants tended to see the world from an ethnocentric perspective and tended to simplify or polarize cultural differences. They also had a tendency to emphasize commonality and universal norms, and showed difficulties in comprehending and accommodating complex cultural differences. Based on the results, the study offers recommendations for the development of a suitable intercultural training programme to achieve greater intercultural sensitivity for future teachers in each of the three cities.
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In recent years, studies have proposed the use of intercultural communication to promote understanding among students across geographic distances and foster students' global awareness and international experience. This study compared Hong Kong students' WebCT discussion postings with those of U.S. students to investigate differences in their online communication patterns. Results showed that while Asian students were more interactive by inviting other students' opinions, American students were less responsive and more interested in stating their own views. In addition, American students tended to be direct and straightforward in expressing their positions whereas Asian participants used ambiguous language and conveyed their thoughts implicitly.
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