Intercultural experiential learning

Studies and programs of intercultural experiential learning are informed by Kolb's experiential learning theory to examine and guide individuals' development of intercultural competence. Intercultural experiential learning can be viewed as a recursive cycle through which individuals acquire knowledge and skills for appropriate and effective intercultural interaction. Research has identified abilities and skills affording productive intercultural learning, and pedagogical approaches to fostering intercultural learning outcomes. Although direct experiences are widely adopted in intercultural experiential learning, there is a need to further explicate how learning from indirect experiences (i.e., vicarious learning) may benefit individuals. One example of vicarious learning is intercultural simulations immersing individuals in virtual environments that represent synthetic and/or national cultures. Future studies may explore how individuals' preferences for intercultural learning abilities and skills vary across cultural contexts, and how alternative pedagogies, especially group‐based intercultural training activities and vicarious intercultural experiential learning, can facilitate the development of intercultural competence. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.