Intercultural competence and the use of ICT in higher education: perspectives of students and teachers in Mexico and Nicaragua

Abstract

In the current educational context, challenges persist, such as the gap in access to teaching resources, the lack of development of intercultural competence, and the need for teachers and students to update their skills. In response to this, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have emerged as key tools for improving educational practices, facilitating access to information, and enhancing intercultural competence, thereby optimizing the training of students and teachers. The objective of this article was to comparatively analyze the perceptions of university students and teachers in Mexico (Intercultural University of Guerrero and the Higher School of Sciences and Humanities in Mexico) and Nicaragua (University of the Autonomous Regions of the Nicaraguan Caribbean Coast) on the construction of intercultural competence and the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to identify strengths, weaknesses, and training opportunities in the context of intercultural higher education. The research is quantitative in nature with a descriptive approach. The study universe consisted of 113 students and 87 teachers between October and December 2023. A non-probability convenience sample was selected, and a digital questionnaire using a Likert scale was administered. The results show a generally positive assessment of ICT, especially in technical aspects, although educational inequalities and generational gaps persist. While the potential of technologies to strengthen interculturality is recognized, significant weaknesses are identified in the critical and contextualized training of both teachers and students. The differences between countries and roles reflect structural challenges in the pedagogical integration of ICT with an intercultural approach. It is necessary to strengthen training processes from a comprehensive, techno-pedagogical, and intercultural approach that allows institutions to move toward a more equitable, relevant, and transformative higher education.