From ambivalent spaces to spaces of reciprocal encountering: developing classroom culture in an intercultural story exchange

This paper describes the process of developing classroom culture that promotes reciprocal intercultural encountering in primary school. Storycrafting, an oral storytelling method used for democratic encounters between participants, was to connect classes Scotland, Finland and Belgium over three cycles design-based research. Abductive analysis produced a theoretical framework seven key dimensions influence learning space encounters: power, knowledge, relatedness, purpose, structure, continuity meaningfulness. These were identify four kinds spaces occurred during implementation story exchange: ambivalent space, information, transitional encountering. The intervention created platform children’s reinforced mutuality interactions rather than Othering exchange partners.