What assignments associated with intentional Intercultural Learning will you be doing before, during or after your study abroad trip?
Mark Russell
5/1/2014 10:48:09 pm
We will be incorporating the "Attitudes of Intercultural Openness" activity into our homestay experiences in rural Romania. This will potentially replace the powerpoint report of the homestay experiences in which three Purdue students and one Romania university student stay for five days in teams. We'll see.
Chuck
5/2/2014 11:00:28 pm
It will be interesting if some questions are more difficult due to cultural differences and how students will deal with the differences and perhaps discomfort.
Mark
5/18/2014 07:00:30 am
We'll let you know. Have a great month.
Vic Barlow (CNIT)
5/17/2014 02:19:51 am
I missed both meetings, so I received the materials late (my fault). I am taking a group of 17 students to TECSUP in Arequipa, Peru for 2 weeks (19 May - 2 June). I am having my students do the following assignments:
1) Sojourn Readiness Assessment - survey and reflective paragraphs - very good study abroad prep - highly reccommended - BEFORE DEPARTURE.
2) Worldview Frameworks - again recommended, very good prep, replaces an assignment I had made up myself and been using to introduce the students to the country & culture - BEFORE DEPARTURE.
3) Intercultural Openness - Since the academic portion of the course involves active participation both students and faculty from Peru, this is a no-brainer. COMPLETED DURING THE PROGRAM.
IF I HAD MORE LEAD TIME, I would have assigned the Intercultural Curiosity (iceberg & crossword puzzle) assignment. I plan to assign this next year.
The Verbal & Nonverbal assignment look interesting, but will give some students trouble. The Cultural Self-Awareness assignment has some very good possible value too. I am HIGHLY SKEPTICAL and hesitant about the Intercultural Empathy assignment. I would NEVER use it in its present form.
Mark
5/18/2014 06:59:30 am
Vic: It will be interesting to visit when we all get home and compare notes on how these can be expanded and improved.
I think we are all using different ideas and need to as they fit into the culture where our classes operate. We are in Roania for 24 nights.
I am interested to herar more about Peru! Safe travels. Mark
Chuck
5/19/2014 06:33:53 am
Vic,
I am very interested in hearing about what there is about the empathy assignment that you find less than desirable.
Vic Barlow (CNIT)
5/22/2014 02:02:59 am
OK, remember you asked. Again, I understand the INTENT of the assignment to explore different cultural attitudes but the example chosen for the empathy assignment is INSULTING, DEMEANING, DEGRADING, SEXIST, and HIGHLY OFFENSIVE to females. As such I would never use this assignment in its present form.
Vic Barlow (CNIT)
5/22/2014 01:58:31 am
Well, yesterday after I finished teaching, we had some extra class time, so my 17 Purdue students got into groups with the 6 Peruvian TECSUP students and asked them the questions from the Intercultural Openess assignment. Both my students and some of the Peruvians found SOME of the questions to be either too personal, morbid, or even offensive. I completely understand the INTENTof the assignment, but some of the questions definitely need to be reworked. In addition to having my students submit the Peruvians answers to these questions to your office, they will also be providing some comments on some of these questions that did not work well and may need to be reworked.
Chuck
5/27/2014 09:18:24 pm
Vic,
I am very interested in your input on this assignment and these questions. I suggest we are seeing as you say the INTENT and the purpose of encountering difference. Very nice work! than you!
Vic Barlow (CNIT)
5/28/2014 12:05:13 am
One of my students became sick and had to leave Peru early to fly back to the USA. As a result, in order to receive full credit for the class, I will be assigning her to complete the Intellectual Curiosity (iceberg) assignment and the Cultural Self-Awareness assignments. My intent is to provide copies of all student work to the study abroad office.
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