Intercultural Understanding Radmila R / radmila… · Formative Assignments They are not graded, but are designed to scaffold summative assignment . Their purpose is to monitor your

Intercultural UnderstandingReflection

Radmila R / [email protected]

Learning Goals What you should know /understand/be able to do. Broad, general statements, learning directions.

Learning Objectives They define how the goals will be achieved, what specific things you have to do. They are concrete, measurable. and tied to specific assignments, knowledge, skills, and behaviours you need to demonstrate in the assignments.

Assignments How we know you met the goals/objectives (evidence)

Assessment How your learning will be measured

Learning Goals > Objectives > Assignments > Assessment

Formative Assignments They are not graded, but are designed to scaffold summative assignment . Their purpose is to monitor your progress and give you feedback so that you can improve learning. They indicate to your tutor where you are struggling and what you need the help with.

Use them in your monthly progress discussions.

Your formative assignments = Reflective Journal entries.

Summative Assignments They are obligatory and graded.

What you are required to do:

● INTERCULTURAL UNDERSTANDING REFLECTION (graded): slides 14-21

● REFLECTIVE JOURNAL ENTRIES(not graded): slides 22-32

Learning Goals > Intercultural Understanding Reflection

As in your other intercultural competence related assignments the goal is that you:

● Develop an understanding of cultural complexity in a workplace and increasingly multicultural world, importance of cultural awareness, and cultural self-awareness (KNOWLEDGE)

● Develop intercultural competence - intercultural communication skills - to be able to communicate effectively across cultural boundaries (SKILLS)

● Demonstrate greater appreciation of other cultures.(ATTITUDE)

● ICM Competencies: Working in an Intercultural Environment

Learning Goals > Intercultural Understanding Reflection

Learning Objectives > Intercultural Understanding Reflection

To reach your learning goals you should be able to:

● Apply cultural frameworks of Hofstede, Trompenaar, Kluckhohn, and/or E.T.Hall in a real cultural context to evaluate and discuss intercultural experience.


→ Reflect on at least 2 intercultural situations from multiple perspectives and various culture theories approaches (C10c).

→ Critically reflect on your intercultural competence and devise action plan for improvement (C10c).


*C#= ICM Competency#; c= the level of independence/you perform the

assignment with some guidance (b) or independently (c)

Action verbs: reflect from multiple perspectives, critically reflect, devise action planBloom: applying, analyzing, evaluating

Learning Objectives > Reflective Journal

Learning objectives of journal entries specific to this Assignment (you can also devise your own):

→ Create cultural identity profile by applying Cultural Onion and E.T. Hall’s cultural difference models (C4c, C10c)→ Create cultural profile of the country of the workplace by applying Hall’s model. Compare it with your own profile (C4c, C10c)

Action verbs: create, apply, compare

Bloom: applying, evaluating, creating

Assessment Criteria > Intercultural Understanding Reflection

CRITERIA %

• Intercultural experience (at least 2) is discussed without expressing qualitative judgements (non-judgmental)

• Intercultural experience is interpreted from multiple perspectives, not only one’s own (empathy).

• You ask questions about culture (inquisitive)

25%

25%

20%

Assessment Criteria > Intercultural Understanding Reflection

• Intercultural differences are discussed in a complex manner, demonstrating good knowledge of cultural theories and their various approaches to understanding culture (complex approach, knowledge of culture theories)

30%

→ Final draft of the assignment is due in week 10, as a part of the Progress Portfolio.

→ Your journal entries should be a part of your monthly progress discussions.

Task Description: Intercultural Understanding Reflection

● You will explain how you have connected knowledge - culture theories you learned at ICM - and your own experience. In other words, how you applied this knowledge to make sense of your intercultural experience and practice your intercultural competence.

● Bare in mind that theoretical knowledge might have to be adapted to a specific situation. Intercultural experience in real life demands from us to be flexible, inventive, and resourceful, to avoid creating stereotypes and intercultural misunderstandings. Use theories critically.


Your tasks will be to:

● Reflect on at least 2 intercultural experiences you had, and what you learned from them. Include your broader cultural experience, of the country in which your placement took place, not just at your workplace setting.


● Apply any of the culture theories (Hofstede, Trompenaar, Kluckhohn, E.T Hall) you find appropriate or helpful to articulate your experience and learning in the described situations. *Excuses such as “I have not experienced many intercultural situations” will not be accepted. You should be actively seeking such experiences.


● Explain what for you demonstrates your intercultural competence and thinking in these two situations.

● What areas of improvement have you identified, and what is your action plan?


Although every internship experience is unique, here are a few suggestions based on the previous interns reports:

● Take Trompenaars’ time dimension (sequential vs. synchronous time). Does your host country follow non-linear or cyclical model of time? Is the country monochronic or polychronic? Provide example.


● Think of situations that put you out of your comfort zone, and which you found conflicting, or puzzling. Start with describing situation / context, your response, and response of others. Explain what went wrong, and give your evaluation (reasons). How did you deal with the situation? What did you learn?


● Explain what went wrong in that situation by using culture theories (e.g. Kluckhohn’s basic values).

● Compare cultures by taking a specific situation and comparing different approaches to that situation, from different cultural perspectives. Can you create alternatives/a balanced view?


● Raising awareness of one’s own cultural programming, to use Hofstede’s words, is one important strategy in development of cultural competence. The ‘Onion Model of Culture’ is a good starting point to learn about your own cultural framework and how it affects your social interactions, your views and values about family, community, relationship, and yourself.

Raising Awareness of Your Own Culture

Reflective Journal Suggestions

● Create your own Cultural Onion by listing what are the most important parts that make up your identity? (from most to least important). Consider the following:

● The roles you play in life (e.g. a daughter, a student.)

● Subcultures you identify with (e.g. political party)

1. Identity as an Onion


● Where you were born, where did you live, and where do you live now

● Minority groups, if you belong to any (visible or invisible minority)

● Your gender and your sexuality



● Your belief system (e.g. Christian, Hindu, Muslim, atheist, agnostic)

● Your professional culture

● What you are not or do not want to be (e.g. not a hipster, an emo, a farmer, a socialist)



● Write a short post by answering:

● Do you communicate high or low context?

● Are you monochronic or polychronic?

● How large is your personal space?

● Are you accustomed to slow or fast communication?

2. Your Cultural Profile According to Hall


● Apply Hall’s model on the country of your work placement, and compare it with your own profile to draw insights.

3. Create Cultural Profile for the Country of Your Work Placement for Comparison


Low Context Medium Context High Context

Monochromatic Medium mono and polychronic

Polychronic

1 arm length ½ arm length A bit less than ½ arm length

1/4 arm length

A bit less than 1/4 arm length

Touching

Fast (always-almost always-usually) Medium (Medium fast--medium slow)

Slow (always-almost always-usually)

Mark how close people from your placement culture stand (C), and compare it with your personal space (I).

Your own (I) and your placement culture communication style (C)

Your own (I) and your placement culture sense of time (C)

Your own (I) and your placement culture sense of context (C)

Documents

Intercultural Understanding Radmila R / radmila… · Formative Assignments They are not graded, but are designed to scaffold summative assignment . Their purpose is to monitor your