The Formation of Polycultural Competence of Future Economists

and Lawyers in Foreign Languages Learning in the Context of New

Educational Paradigm

Olha Chyzhykova

, Oksana Romanenko

, Larysa Dzevytska

and Olena Zotova-Sadylo

Department of Foreign and Business Ukrainian Language, State University of Economics and Technology, 16, Medychna

Str., Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine

Department of Foreign Languages, Donetsk State University of Internal Affairs, 89, A. Lunin Ave., Mariupol, Ukraine

Keywords: Polycultural Competence, Multicultural Society, Foreign Languages Learning, New Educational Paradigm.

Abstract: The urgency of the problem of the formation of polycultural competence in Ukrainian higher educational

establishments is due primarily to the requirements of modern multicultural society according to higher

education system reforming. The given research is devoted to the problem of polycultural competence and its

paramount importance for future economists and lawyers as members of multicultural environment. The

works by Ukrainian and European scientists on above-mentioned issues are analyzed, the main directions of

covering the problem of polycultural competence are revealed. The components of polycultural competence

are described. The study of pluricultural competence development in distance learning of foreign languages

is given. In order to investigate the state of the problem researched the survey was conducted among the

lecturers and students of three higher educational non-linguistic universities. The authors came to the

conclusion that polycultural competence formation should be held by means of foreign languages learning.

Prerequisites for successful polycultural competence formation in future economists and lawyers by means

of foreign languages learning are found. The emphasis is placed on the importance of cultural background for

new generation of learners; the significance of using cross-cultural communication for professional purposes

is outlined. The ways of polycultural competence formation are described.

1 INTRODUCTION

Under the influence of numerous global social and

political as well as economic changes the great

interest to the culture of other peoples as a

determining condition for the realization of the

creative potential of the individual and the society as

a whole arose. Moreover, the forms of asserting the

identity of the nation and the foundation of the

nation's spiritual health, political and cultural

contacts, are being developed today in the terms of

specific cultural integration and political context. All

these factors have contributed to the development of

a new paradigm in education. Thus, the realities of

modern environment together with the new

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requirements for future specialists’ training in higher

educational establishments demand a careful reset of

the aims, tasks and objectives of higher education, its

subordination to present-day norms and rules of the

existence of future citizens.

This study is particularly relevant in terms of the

new educational paradigm, the basic foundations of

which were formulated in the end of the 20th century

(Johnson et al., 1998). From the old educational

model, we moved to an absolutely new one,

according to which students build, develop and

transform the acquired knowledge, skills and abilities

independently, under the guidance of teachers. It is

difficult to deny the fact that the conditions of online

education have forced students to change completely

their attitude to education. Under these circumstances

468

Chyzhykova, O., Romanenko, O., Dzevytska, L. and Zotova-Sadylo, O.

The Formation of Polycultural Competence of Future Economists and Lawyers in Foreign Languages Learning in the Context of New Educational Paradigm.

DOI: 10.5220/0011365800003350

In Proceedings of the 5th International Scientiﬁc Congress Society of Ambient Intelligence (ISC SAI 2022) - Sustainable Development and Global Climate Change, pages 468-477

ISBN: 978-989-758-600-2

they began to acquire knowledge with even greater

desire, seeking and finding the most useful facts in the

great amount of information to which they have a free

and easy access today.

It should be noted that a new paradigm in

education is based on such principles of learning as:

learning, acquiring, transforming and expanding

knowledge independently, taking into account what

will be necessary for students in their further

activities, teachers making efforts to develop

students' competencies and talents; learning based on

strong cooperation of teachers and students in the

context of their common cooperative work, training

supported by the integrated application of theory and

research, which requires special teachers’ formation

and constant improvement of their teaching skills.

In a new educational paradigm modern generation

of learners should be well aware of the current laws

of life in a completely new, open and tolerant world,

in which communication and communication means

have taken their very important place in public life

and, accordingly, have created new laws and

regulations. The problem of intercultural

communication has recently become especially

important.

The specificity of intercultural interaction is

indisputably defined by external and internal factors

that are connected with the social, economic and legal

characteristics of any country and the conditions of its

polycultural environment. It is obvious that the

modern society should change the existing

stereotypes of intercultural interaction, and for this

purpose it is necessary to bring a targeted effort in the

field of modern education and specialists’ training. In

this regard, the system of higher education faces the

task of developing theoretical and methodological

principles and technologies of social and cultural

experience in order to develop the students’

intercultural interaction in a polycultural world.

In the frame of the globalization process, social

interaction has become an essential issue ensuring

interrelation of different cultures. The development of

polycultural competence that fosters intercultural

interaction provides intercultural dialogue between

members of diverse cultures. Polycultural

competence determines the ability of a person to

navigate in a multicultural society in various spheres

of social and professional life. It also determines a

complex of knowledge, affect and skills such as

language proficiency, knowledge of a specific

culture, intercultural experience and personal traits

including conscientiousness, extraversion, emotional

stability and emotional regulation, flexibility and self-

monitoring (Abbe, Gulick and Herman, 2007).

Moreover, in recent publications it is stated that

foreign language pedagogy should follow a global

approach thus linking its discourse with social

changes. In other words, this approach underlines the

necessity to respect and accept the Other, paying

special attention to positive polycultural values

(Awayed-Bishara, 2018). Thus, in the frame of our

research we will try to investigate the resent

publications on cross-cultural competence, define its

components, structure, and polyculural values in

terms of foreign language study of future economists

and lawyers; develop and implement innovative

teaching methods to ensure intercultural effectiveness

by means of foreign languages learning.

2 RELATED WORKS

2.1 Analysis of Recent Studies and

Publications

The investigated phenomenon has been studied by

modern foreign and domestic researchers. Cultural

dialogue has received a wide reflection in scientific

essays of the 20th century. The most common

interpretation of the dialogue of cultures presents this

phenomenon as a process of interaction and influence

of different historical or modern cultures and certain

forms of their coexistence. With such interaction, the

phenomenon of cultural dialogue, cultural

cooperation and cultural mutual reflection is formed.

Consequently, a positive cultural dialogue is possible

under a number of conditions: equality of all cultures,

recognition of the right of each culture to be different

from others, respect for a foreign culture. M. Bakhtin

understood culture in three aspects: 1. as a form of

communication between people of different cultures

and a form of dialogue; 2. as a mechanism of self-

determination of personality, with its inherent

historicity and sociality; 3. as a form of acquisition,

perception of the world for the first time (Paksina,

2015).

Recognizing the urgency of the above-mentioned

phenomenon, the Ukrainian scientists have touched

on the problem of polycultural competence and the

related issues in their recent studies. Thus, the

formation, structure and essential characteristics of

polycultural competence have been explored by T.

Poyasok and O. Bespartochna (2019), V.

Romashenko (2017), N. Zamotaieva (2017) and

others.

The essence, structure and main aspects of

polycultural competence have been the subject of

research of such scientists as V. E. Benera and V.

The Formation of Polycultural Competence of Future Economists and Lawyers in Foreign Languages Learning in the Context of New

Educational Paradigm

469

Kashubskyi (2020). V. Olishevych (2019) researched

pedagogical technologies of the development of

future foreign language teachers’ polycultural

competence; F. Grin and K. Faniko (2012) studied

personal characteristics which provide success in a

polycultural society and ensure multicultural

effectiveness; L. Mukharlyamova and N. Konopleva

(2018) devoted their survey to the structure of

intercultural communicative competence while

learning foreign languages, paying special attention

to the linguistic and communicative components.

Peculiarities of multicultural environment, the

dialogue of cultures, cooperation and tolerant attitude

towards the other peoples have been explored by P.

Kendzor (2016).

In spite of numerous researches on polycultural

competence, its formation and structure, the problem

of forming polycultural competence in future

economists and lawyers in foreign languages learning

has not been studied properly yet. Therefore, at

present, there is an objective necessity to deepen and

supplement the methodological approaches to the

study of such phenomena of modern society as

polycultural education and polycultural competence.

The aim of the given research is to study theoretical

aspects of polycultural competence formation of

future economists and lawyers in foreign languages

learning, define the level of formation of the concept

of polycultural competence and polycultural

education among foreign language teachers and

students of economic and law specialties and reveal

the prerequisites and teaching methods of

polycultural competence formation by means of

foreign languages learning.

These processes should be conducted taking into

consideration the modern realities of the globalized

world and national identity. Therefore, the new vector

of pedagogical research of polycultural education in

the new paradigm of education provides, firstly, its

study in the context of modern information society;

secondly, by identifying it as a factor and means of

positive human development and creative

development of an individual, thirdly, regarding

polycultural education as a methodological principle

of the formation of Ukrainian civic and patriotic

identity.

2.2 Main Material Exposition

In scientific researches polycultural competence is

defined as dynamic integrative characteristic of the

level of professionalism of the future specialist; as a

significant feature of the level of cultural education

and self-awareness of a person; multicultural identity,

which is manifested in the ability to constructively

interact with representatives of other cultural groups;

as a multicomponent individual personal skill that is

the result of multicultural education and is based on

theoretical knowledge and true representation of the

diversity of the world; as an ability that is realized

through skills and behaviors ensuring interaction with

representatives of certain cultures on the basis of a

positive attitude to them, as well as through the desire

for intercultural interaction; as an ability that

promotes effective interethnic cooperation in modern

society (Benera and Kashubskyi, 2020); as a part of

future specialists’ professional competence; as a

dynamic personal entity that can be formed and

developed (Olishevych, 2019).

Among personality characteristics that provide

multicultural effectiveness and success researchers

mention such abilities as: cultural empathy, ability to

be open-minded, emotional and social aspects, such

as initiative and linguistic flexibility (Grin and

Faniko, 2012); linguistic components (the usage of

linguistic means in accordance to the communicative

situation), communicative components (the ability to

understand knowledge and values, psychological

aspects and identity characteristics of the culture

which may include activity, relevance, dynamism)

and cultural component (cultural literacy); general

and linguistic culture, socio-cultural and professional

components (Mukharlyamova and Konopleva, 2018);

creative abilities, erudition, curiosity, inspiration and

problem-solving skills (Zamotaieva, 2017). A model

of successful participation in a diverse world

comprises 20 competences merged into 4 groups:

values, skills, attitudes and knowledge and critical

understanding. Among learners’ competences

essential for successful participation in a culture of

democracy and effective cooperation in diverse

democratic societies Council of Europe focuses on

such skills as empathy, plurilingualism, adaptability,

critical thinking and ability to resolve conflicts;

ability to value cultural diversity, respect and

tolerance of cultural otherness etc. are underlined as

important integral components of the model

(European Council, 2016).

Therefore, we can identify polycultural

competence of students of economic and law

specialties as a complex dynamic integrative personal

formation that comprises knowledge and practical

abilities to apply these skills in professional situations

ensuring interaction with members of diverse cultures

and providing intercultural dialogue in a polycultural

society.

The structure of the polycultural competence

comprises such components as cognitive (the system

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470

of polycultural knowledge which is the basis for a

person’s activity in a polycultural society);

motivational (the system of motivational and value

aspects: external and internal motives, interests,

needs and values, polycultural characteristics that

govern daily life and activity of the individual in a

polycultural society), activity-based (polycultural

skills and abilities, social norms and rules of how to

behave in a polycultural society, positive experience

of intercommunion with members of other cultures);

and personality-oriented components (successful

self-realization in professional activity) (Benera and

Kashubskyi, 2020).

Taking into consideration the results of the

domestic and foreign researches we offer the

following componential structure of future

economists and lawyers’ polycultural competence:

cognitive component (a system of polycultural

knowledge that helps to solve professional economic

and juridical issues in a polycultural society),

motivational component (interests, needs,

motivations, values that stimulate the development of

polycultural competence of a professional), practical

component (polycultural skills and abilities,

sufficient expertise of future economists and lawyers

which are essential to work efficiently in a

polycultural society); result-assessing and reflexive

components (assessment and self-assessment of the

obtained results with further elaboration and

improvement).

Among the most effective means of the

development of future specialists’ polycultural

competence during foreign language training can be

mentioned the following ones: usage of authentic

materials in the form of printed texts, videos, web

quests, podcasts and other interactive materials that

combine motivational materials that encourage

students to intercultural interaction, as well as

materials for acquaintance and working out of speech

material presented in situations (Olishevych, 2019).

For the formation of intercultural competence, the

authors offer to use such creative methods as video

tutorials, project work, learning situations,

educational speech situations, and problematic

situations, presentations that develop writing skills

and enhance communicative skills. The usage of

audio and video materials for the perception,

understanding and further discussion facilitates

cognitive abilities and develops learners’

communicative skills (Mukharlyamova and

Konopleva, 2018).

In the context of remote education because of

pandemic we should take into account the current

state of educational process which is implemented in

the distant form. We analyze the prospects for the

improvement of this form of education and its impact

on students’ pluricultural competence development.

Taking into account the results of modern

researches on distance learning (Trajanovic, Domazet

and Misic-Ilic, 2021), (Kolyada, Shapovalova, Guz

and Melkonyan, 2021) we have singled out the

challenges of learners’ pluricultural competence

development in the context of distance learning of

foreign languages as follows:

1. students’ motivation for distance learning

(economic and law students should be more

organized, ready to overcome some problems

connected with the development of communication

skills arising in the process of remote learning);

2. usage of online technologies, computer

proficiency of both students and teachers;

3. implementations of technology-mediated

interactions and provision of high level of interaction

in e-learning environment;

4. provision of peer interaction in the virtual

context;

5. psychological aspects (overcoming the

feeling of being isolated, lack of face-to-face

communication).

3 RESEARCH METHODS

In the frame of our exploration we tried to check the

level of awareness of lecturers and students in this

issue, to find out their attitude to polycultural

education and polycultural competence, to outline the

main directions of formation of multicultural

competence of students, define the directions of the

development of modern foreign language education

in the terms of polycultural society as well as to

determine the attitude of teachers and students to the

phenomenon of polycultural society and tolerance as

a whole.

3.1 Participants of the Research

The participants of the experiment were lecturers and

students of State University of Economics and

Technology (Kryvyi Rih), Dnipro State Agrarian and

Economic University and Donetsk State University of

Internal Affairs. In our exploration we used such

methods as interview, questionnaire, and tests.

3.2 Purpose of the Research

In the context of the subordination of Ukrainian

higher educational standards and norms to common

The Formation of Polycultural Competence of Future Economists and Lawyers in Foreign Languages Learning in the Context of New

Educational Paradigm

471

European standards, it is extremely important to

determine the attitude of foreign language teachers to

such concepts as "polycultural education" and

"polycultural competence". Therefore, the tasks of

the survey were considered as follows:

• to provide a definition of "polycultural

competence" from the point of view of foreign

languages learning process and its participants

both students of economic and law specialties

and teachers;

• identify the values of the modern polycultural

environment seen by both lecturers and

students;

• reveal the bases for the preparation of new

generation of learners for the life in a

polycultural environment;

• research the influence of foreign languages

learning on the formation of students’

polycultural competence;

• determine the motivational and value criteria

for the formation of a certain level of

polycultural competence;

• define the basic foundations of cultural

training, provide the definition of "culture";

• identify the importance of cross-cultural

communication;

• identify the components of "cross-cultural

social intelligence";

• research in what ways foreign languages

learning provides the formation of polycultural

competence.

3.3 Data Collection and Analysis

Both lecturers and students were asked to choose one

or more of the five answers, or to provide their own

answer in case of the absence of a suitable one.

Besides, teachers were asked to choose from the

options given the best tasks and exercises aimed at

developing a certain level of polycultural education.

It should be noted that the survey arose interest

from teachers and students’ sides, as polycultural

education is not considered to be a separate subject in

the preparation of bachelors, respectively, the

formation of polycultural competence of students

takes place more in the process of learning foreign

languages. Thus, while teaching foreign languages to

future economists and lawyers we mean not only

language education, but also deepening knowledge of

general culture and, respectively, polycultural

education.

According to the survey, students of economics

consider polycultural education in terms of its

usefulness for their future professional activities, as a

means of professional communication and a solid

way of facilitating cross-cultural communication with

foreign partners. Adhering to the idea that university

education, especially the first four years of

preparation for the bachelor's degree, is aimed at

providing general cultural training and acquaintance

with purely professional subjects, both teachers and

students recognize the importance of cultural and

multicultural education.

It is necessary to ensure that students are generally

aware of the importance of forming a general culture

in higher education institutions, and most of them

understand well how important is foreign languages

learning for the development of general culture. It is

a generally accepted fact that the study of foreign

languages is a perfect way of learning European

cultural values, general cultural competence

formation and polycultural competence too and thus

easily and successfully integrating into the European

space.

Let us now consider the results of the

questionnaire for lecturers. The total number of

respondents was 62 teachers from 6 departments and

3 universities. The Table 1 below illustrates the

breakdown of lecturers and departments.

Table 1: Distribution of respondents (lecturers) by

departments.

Department Number of

respondents

Foreign Language

artment

Engineering Pedagogy

and Lan

e Trainin

The Department of

Ukrainian Language

and Histor

The Department of

Philolo

Department of

Information Technologies

Department of Finance,

Bankin

and Insurance

Total number 62

The first part of the questionnaire is aimed to find

out whether the lecturers are aware of the term

polycultural competence and its functional

peculiarities for teaching. The questions were: What

do you think polycultural competence is? And What

is the most significant element in polycultural

competence? The majority of those who responded to

this item reported that ability to make friends and

communicate in a friendly / sincere manner with

representatives of the different nations and cultures.

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Only a small number of respondents 3% indicated

that they had not dealt with the term polycultural

competence. One of the reasons they mentioned was

lack of experience in communicating with people /

students of other cultures. Interestingly, 42 % of the

lecturers observed the important role and

effectiveness of culturally appropriate interaction or

cooperation in working environment, for example.

Most of technical professors appeared to

underestimate the role of foreign languages for the

development of prospective specialists. Figure 1

compares the intercorrelations between professional

affiliation of the respondents and their awareness of

importance to speak foreign languages.

Figure 1: Foreign languages in the formation of

professional personality.

The single most striking observation to emerge

from the data comparison was that skills of speaking

foreign languages could be one of the fundamental

components of a prospective professional. From the

diagram, it can be seen that correlation between

educators who are conscious of the key role of foreign

languages (over 60%) and those who still do not pay

enough attention to polycultural education (8%) is

illustrative. We can presuppose that the reason is not

in lack of appropriate knowledge or necessary skills

but in a stubborn refusal to acknowledge progress and

globalization of labour market. To cope with present-

day conditions, namely limited number of academic

hours, the lecturers of foreign language departments

have to redesign and retail the standard programs of

the disciplines by adding special blocks/theme units

or develop the special courses which include the

elements for a full-fledged self-paced training on

polycultural skills of the students.

The majority of participants agreed with the

statement that fluency in one or more foreign

languages contributes to improvement the

polycultural competence (91%), in particular it

prepares the students to effective communication

within the chosen profession (59%) and allows us to

realize a person’s identity (25%), it facilitates our

incentives to be more tolerant in our relations with the

representatives of other nations and nationalities

(7%). The lecturers were required to choose three

options from offered and/or propose any others. The

most commonly chosen ones are represented above.

This once again emphasizes the pertinence of the

theme of our research.

Let us turn to the students’ survey. In total 134

students of Law, Law Enforcement Activity,

Economic and IT Faculties were interviewed. The

respondents noted the tend to get polycultural

knowledge at the university as a part of curriculum

because it is an important element of professional

success and an integral part of a concerned citizen

(61%). On the other hand, our respondents gave

priority to vocational and professional specific

knowledge (56%) and noted that polycultural

education could be an effective supplementary

component in future professional activity; 31%

respondents rate polycultural education first; 13%

suppose that polycultural education is not necessary

in our modern society.

Figure 2: Correlation between polycultural education,

learning of foreign languages and future professional

success.

We need to find out the correlation between polycultural

education, learning of foreign languages and future

professional success from the perspective of the students,

consequently they were offered the list of possible answers

and had to choose the most important ones. Some

interviewees argued that they would not face to the English

language in their future working experience (13%), while

others 87% were aware of English language proficiency.

The Formation of Polycultural Competence of Future Economists and Lawyers in Foreign Languages Learning in the Context of New

Educational Paradigm

473

4 RESULTS OF THE RESEARCH

The results of students’ interview have become really

meaningful to design the recommendations in terms

of polycultural education in the universities. It should

be noted that most of the respondents (72%) have

realized that they need much more practice to hone

foreign language skills and it will take time to become

skilled but at the same time 72% of those who were

interviewed indicated that they suffer from a lack of

practice in English.

Taken together, these results suggest that there is

a demand on polycultural education and students are

interested in improving the language proficiency, on

the one hand. On the other hand, there are not enough

courses which are narrowly focused on specifications

of polycultural competence.

Taking into account the results of the experiment

we have summarized special recommendations for

foreign language teachers and non-linguistic students

on polycultural competence formation of future

economists and lawyers: firstly, creation of a friendly

atmosphere at the foreign language lessons and while

performing extracurricular activities; secondly, it is

necessary to build a stable motivational basis for

foreign language learning and the development of the

polycultural competence components; thirdly, it is

useful to implement such types of activities as text-

based ones, problem-solving, task-based strategies,

innovative teaching methods and interactive

technologies (case studies, debates, simulations,

business games, problematic lectures); fourthly,

while distance learning it is useful to implement such

creative forms as project-based activities, video and

audio tutorials, problem-solving tasks, online

conferences; fifthly, providing necessary feedback,

and sixthly, ensuring assessment, self-assessment and

self-reflection.

5 CONCLUSIONS

According to the research made, we came to the

conclusion that polycultural competence can be

referred to the effective interaction in a particular

situation, taking into account cultural characteristics

and respecting customs and traditions of the

representatives of other cultures. The most important

prerequisites for living in a polycultural society as it

was found out are tolerance towards the

representatives of different cultures and the ability to

adapt to the multicultural society. The motivational

and value criteria for living in a polycultural

environment are considered to be the desire for cross-

cultural interaction and acceptance of other cultures’

values.

Therefore, cultural formation must be based on

people’s willingness to communicate in a

polycultural society. Considering this, one of the

problems in cross-cultural communication could be

misunderstanding between the representatives of

different cultures. So cross-cultural intelligence

which can be referred to the ability to interpret

correctly social interaction in the process of

intercultural communication must be a paramount

feature of new generation learners who will be in

nearest future the members of a polycultural society.

Mastering foreign languages without any doubt

effects the polycultural competence formation as

foreign languages learning aims to instill the

foundations of culture and civilization of the

countries the language being studied. Given the fact

that future economists and lawyers are more

interested in acquiring foreign languages knowledge

for better understanding their professional tasks and

using foreign languages for searching necessary

information and studying different new methods of

doing their jobs they it is hard to deny the usefulness

of polycultural competence to live and work in a

multicultural environment.

Based on the results of the experiment conducted

and on the long-term pedagogical experience in order

to form polycultural competence of future lawyers

and economists we suggest using text-based

activities, problem-solving, task-based strategies,

which ensure integration of polycultural context in

the content of the program material; integration of

classroom and extracurricular activities in the process

of formation and further development of future

economists and lawyers’ polycultural competence;

implementation of modern pedagogical technologies

and innovative teaching methods (case studies,

debates, simulations, business games, problematic

lectures) for mastering polycultural competence.

In the conditions of distance learning it is useful

to implement such creative forms and teaching

methods for the plurilingual competence

development of students of economic and law

specialties as project-based activities, video and audio

tutorials, problem-solving tasks, presentations and

educational communicative situations, participation

in online conferences. We believe that such types of

learners’ activities are not only appropriate and

suitable in case of distance learning, but also are

aimed to develop students’ collaborative learning

skills, creative abilities, flexibility, elaboration skills,

oral speech and writing skills, abilities to work with a

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bulk of cultural and professionally oriented

information, socio-cultural skills etc.

The lecturers and students showed their interest

and attention towards the problem of polycultural

environment and admitted the importance of

polycultural education due to the fact of poilycultural

environment in which the graduates of higher

educational establishments will work in the nearest

future. The knowledge of foreign languages is

recognized as an important component for the

formation of cross-cultural social intelligence so

foreign languages learning must be aimed to the

certain level of polycultural competence formation.

Among the motivational and value criteria for the

formation of polycultural education the most

important one is the ability to use the acquired

knowledge for professional purposes.

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APPENDIX

Questionnaire for Students

CHOOSE THE RIGHT, IN YOUR OPINION,

ANSWER. SEVERAL OPTIONS ARE POSSIBLE.

1)Do you think polycultural education is compulsory

for university graduates?

1. Yes, polycultural education is an integral part of

educating worthy members of society;

2. I think polycultural education is important, but not

paramount;

3. I do not think that polycultural education is more

important than vocational training;

4. It seems to me that polycultural education is not

needed in our society;

5. Own answer.

2)What does "a highly cultured person" mean?

1. An educated person;

2. A man armed with professional knowledge and

prepared for life in the modern world;

3. A highly educated, tolerant person;

The Formation of Polycultural Competence of Future Economists and Lawyers in Foreign Languages Learning in the Context of New

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475

4. A person who has knowledge of several foreign

languages;

5. Own answer.

3) Does polycultural education include the

knowledge of several foreign languages?

1. Yes, of course, the more languages we know, the

better we will live in a polycultural environment;

2. It is enough to know one foreign language and

understand your profession well;

3. The knowledge of the language does not mean

being a highly cultured person;

4. Tolerance is not nurtured by means of foreign

languages;

5. Own answer.

4) What is the purpose of learning foreign languages

in non-linguistic higher education institutions?

1. Learn to communicate with representatives of

foreign languages;

2. To teach cultural differences of representatives of

other countries and peoples for successful cross-

cultural communication;

3. To teach professional skills of foreign languages to

improve professional training;

4. To form a high level of culture, tolerance and

education of graduates by means of learning foreign

languages;

5. Own answer.

5) How will the knowledge of foreign languages help

you in the future?

1. I will be able to most effectively perform

professional activities among representatives of

foreign environment;

2. I will be able to easily find and process information

about my professional activities in order to use the

acquired knowledge for professional purposes;

3. I will be able to communicate freely with

representatives of other countries and nationalities;

4. I will be able to travel to different countries;

5. Own answer.

6) How is a certain level of polycultural education

formed in the study of foreign languages?

1. By means of studying the peculiarities of the

cultural life of the native speakers;

2. By means of communication with native speakers;

3. Studying the features of different economic

systems;

4. Conducting cross-cultural communication;

5. Own answer.

7) What tasks and exercises are aimed at developing

a certain level of polycultural education?

1. Working out texts concerning the cultural realities

of the countries under study;

2. Holding meetings with representatives of different

countries;

3. The acquaintance of the representatives of other

nations and nationalities with Ukrainian cultural

realities;

4. Study of cross-cultural communication;

5. Own answer.

8) Can you imagine living in a polycultural

environment without the formation of multicultural

education?

1. Higher education provides graduates with a certain

degree of tolerance for communication with

representatives of other cultures;

2. Yes, I believe that vocational education is more

important than polycultural education;

3. Life in our country excludes the possibility of

tolerance towards the representatives of other nations

and nationalities;

4. No, I can't imagine. I believe that modern

university graduates should have a certain level of

polycultural education;

5. Own answer.

9) How will polycultural education affect your future

career?

1. Such education will ensure a successful life in a

modern polycultural environment;

2. I will be more effective in my professional

activities in a multinational environment;

3. I think that polycultural education will not affect

purely professional activities;

4. It provides opportunities to communicate

effectively with people of different nations and

nationalities;

5. Own answer.

10) What means of forming polycultural education do

you consider the most effective?

1. Study of the cultural realities of the countries of the

studied languages;

2. Travel to the country of the language being studied;

3. Communicating with representatives of other

nations and nationalities, discussing their pressing

issues;

4. Awareness of their own identity, respect and

preservation of traditions and customs of the

Ukrainian people;

5. Own answer.

Questionnaire for Lecturers

CHOOSE THE RIGHT, IN YOUR OPINION,

ANSWER. SEVERAL OPTIONS ARE POSSIBLE.

1) What do you think polycultural competence is?

1. The ability to make friends with people from

different cultures;

2. An effective interaction in a particular situation,

taking into account cultural characteristics;

3. The knowledge of traditions and customs of

different peoples;

ISC SAI 2022 - V International Scientiﬁc Congress SOCIETY OF AMBIENT INTELLIGENCE

476

4. The ability to speak several foreign languages;

5. Own answer.

2) What is the most significant element in

polycultural competence?

1. Awareness of cultural diversity;

2. Tolerance according to the representatives of

different cultures;

3. Mutual understanding and respect for all members

of society;

4. The ability to determine correct behavior in

different conditions of a multicultural society;

5. Own answer.

3) What do you think is the basis for preparing a

person for life in a polycultural society?

1. The study of the national characteristics of the

environment;

2. Study of socio-psychological characteristics of

members of society;

3. Understanding the value orientations of modern

society;

4. Understanding of professional functions and social

roles;

5. Own answer.

4) Do you think that learning several foreign

languages will allow students in the future:

1. pursue a policy of polylingualism in a multicultural

space;

2. navigate in the cultural relations of native and

foreign countries;

3. better perform their professional duties;

4. become a highly cultured person;

5. own answer.

5) What is the motivational and value criterion for the

formation of a certain level of polycultural

competence?

1. Awareness of socio-professional significance;

2. The interest towards other cultures;

3. The desire for cross-cultural interaction;

4. Acceptance of polycultural values;

5. Own answer.

6) Cultural formation is based on:

1. Social activity;

2. Willingness to work in another country;

3. Ability to gain our own socio-cultural experience,

4. Willingness to communicate in a polycultural

society;

5. Own answer.

7) What is the problem of cross-cultural

communication?

1. Misunderstanding of cultural issues;

2. Unemployment in society;

3. Different social roles of members of the society

given;

4. Poor knowledge of foreign languages;

5. Own answer.

8) What can be referred to cross-cultural social

intelligence?"?

1. The level of human intelligence;

2. Recognition and understanding of verbal and

nonverbal cues in different cultures;

3. Ability to correctly interpret social interaction in

the process of intercultural communication;

4. Achieving the necessary goals in the process of

intercultural interaction through understanding of

other cultures and their acceptance;

5. Own answer.

9) What is culture, in your opinion:

1. Internationalized subject of activity;

2. "Our culture" in full, it is the one in which the

individual grew up;

3. "Flawless" translator of "absorbed" previously

values;

4. Inexhaustible source of society’s cultural values;

5. Own answer.

10) Does mastering one or more foreign languages

affect the formation of polycultural competence?

1. Of course, yes. We become more tolerant in our

relations with the representatives of other nations and

nationalities;

2. Yes, it does. Because the more languages we know,

the more we are a human.

3. Knowledge of several foreign languages allows

you to realize your own identity;

4. Knowledge of foreign languages first of all

prepares for effective communication within the

chosen profession;

5. Own answer.

11) How is a certain level of polycultural education

formed in the study of foreign languages?

1. By means of studying the peculiarities of the

cultural life of native speakers;

2. By means of communication with foreign people;

3. The study of the features of different economic

systems;

4. Conducting cross-cultural communication;

5. Own answer.

12) What tasks and exercises are aimed at developing

a certain level of poycultural education?

1. Working out the texts concerning the cultural

realities of the countries under study;

2. Holding meetings with representatives of different

countries;

3. The acquaintance of representatives of other

nations and nationalities with Ukrainian cultural

realities;

4. Study of cross-cultural communication;

5. Own answer.

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Educational Paradigm

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