Linking Theory to Lived Experience: A Flipped Classroom Approach to Intercultural Learning

In today’s globalised world, it is crucial for university students to develop intercultural competence. This presentation reviews the design and implementation of a flipped classroom model for a cultural exchange course at a university in Hong Kong. The hybrid course on cultural awareness integrates self-paced online modules on intercultural theories with face-to-face sessions facilitated by student cultural ambassadors.

Grounded in Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory and Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning, this course engaged a diverse cohort of 60 students, including both local and international students from across Asia and Europe. Analysis of course evaluations demonstrates that this approach effectively connects abstract concepts to real-life experiences, which leads to increased student engagement and self-reported gains in cultural awareness. The presentation will showcase materials co-created by cultural ambassadors and the instructor to provide attendees with practical strategies for implementing this model in their own contexts.