Learning Across Cultures in Business Education: Peer-Assisted Learning as a Tool for Developing Intercultural Competence among Business Students in Thailand
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Abstract
As ASEAN continues to strengthen regional integration and digital transformation, higher education institutions play a critical role in preparing graduates with the intercultural competence required for increasingly global and technology-enabled workplaces. This study examines the influence of peer-assisted learning (PAL) on the development of intercultural competence among business students in Thailand. Grounded in Participatory Action Research (PAR), the study employed a mixed-methods approach involving structured PAL activities with 87 undergraduate business students. Quantitative data were collected using a 30-item questionnaire based on Byram's Intercultural Communicative Competence framework, while qualitative insights were obtained through semi-structured interviews with five participants. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analyses were used to examine relationships among intercultural competence dimensions, complemented by thematic analysis of interview data. The findings revealed a high overall level of intercultural competence (M = 4.09), with attitudes toward cultural diversity demonstrating the highest mean score. Regression analyses identified interpreting and relating, together with discovery and interaction, as the strongest predictors of overall intercultural competence. Qualitative findings further indicated that participation in PAL enhanced students' confidence, intercultural communication, cultural awareness, and willingness to engage with individuals from diverse backgrounds. Participants described a developmental progression from initial communication anxiety to greater confidence and meaningful intercultural engagement. The study demonstrates that peer-assisted learning provides an effective pedagogical approach for cultivating intercultural competence and transferable employability skills within domestic higher education. The findings contribute to business education by highlighting structured peer interaction as an inclusive strategy for developing globally competent graduates capable of collaborating in culturally diverse and digitally connected ASEAN workplaces.
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