INTERCULTURALISM: TO INFUSE OR NOT TO INFUSE, THAT IS THE QUESTION…Presented by: The Tennessee Teaching and Learning CenterMarch 24, 2010

Reflection Questions

What is the racial/ethnic/cultural make-up of your classes this semester?

Does your syllabus, goals, course content connect with the students in the classroom?

Have you thought about how your own growth and development (from a cultural, racial, and gendered perspective) influences your teaching methods?

Have you come to terms with your own racial, cultural, ethnic, gender identity?

Source: Howard-Hamilton, 2003

Workshop Overview

Awareness Reasons for Intercultural Education Self-Awareness exercises

Implementation Exercises for practical application

Design Student outcomes Syllabus and course design

Reasons for Intercultural Education

The social realities of American society (Hurtado, 2001; Gurin, Dey, Hurtado & Gurin, 2002)

“The increasing ethnic and cultural diversity of the United States population makes intercultural education for all students an imperative, particularly if education is to fulfill its basic functions by being personally meaningful, socially relevant, culturally accurate, and pedagogically sound” (Gay, 1994).

Reasons for Intercultural Education

Culture and ethnicity influence human growth and development (Gay, 1994; Sleeter, 2001; Spindler, 1987) “By becoming more aware that they are

products of their cultures and live within given value and symbol systems and by reflecting on this condition, educators can free themselves from the tyranny of their own cultures and free children from the damaging effects of premature, inaccurate, and prejudiced interpretations of their culturally induced behavior” (Spindler, 1987).

Reasons for Intercultural Education Conditions of effective teaching and learning

(Clark, 2002; Gay, 1994; Gurin, Dey, Hurtado & Gurin, 2002) The way in which the teacher responds to student

behavior, the often subtle distinctions made between the sexes, the nature of the classroom control mechanisms, the topics and issues chosen for classroom study, the schedule of activities in terms of the amount of time devoted to particular aspects of the school day, the spatial organization of the classroom, and the rewards and punishments meted out are…culturally loaded and…transmit messages [that] reinforce certain student behaviors and discourage others (LaBelle, 1976, p. 73).

First Impressions

Find the person who has the matching X on their name tag

On the sheet of paper provided write your first impressions about this person.

When you are finished writing, turn this sheet over

DO NOT SHARE THIS WITH ANYONE

Circles of My Multicultural Self Write your name in the center circle Think for a moment about all the

identities that make up who you are Rank them in your head or on a piece of

paper from most important or salient to the least salient identity

Write the most salient in the circle nearest your name and then the next salient in the next circle and so on

Circles…

Discuss your identities with the person with the matching X on their name tag

Definitions of Interculturalism

A type of education that is concerned with various groups in American society that are victims of discrimination and assaults because of their unique cultural characteristics (Banks, 1977).

Interculturalism is about working through a dialogue between cultures…the focus should be on the dialogue itself, rather than on the multiplicity of voices for the sake of inclusivity. (Man Ling Lee, 2005, p. 201).

Interculturalism should address systemic influences of power, oppression, dominance, inequity, and injustice on schooling (Gorsky, 2009, p. 313).

An ongoing process that requires long term investments of time and effort as well as carefully planned monitored actions (Banks & Banks, 1993).

Case Study

“Case studies are stories with an educational message”(Herreid, 1997, p. 92). Based on real world circumstances Can be use in straightforward or

complex ways Can be used in conjunction with

other pedagogies

Role Play

Involves acting out a scenario to explore concepts, theories, points of view, and opinions

Role Plays can allow to class to develop: Interpersonal skills Conflict management skills Active listening skills Critical thinking skills

Dealing with Difficult Moments

How do we think about these moments?

How do we help students think and learn from these moments?

How do we handle ourselves in these moments?

Benefits of an Intercultural Classroom

Learning outcomes Active thinking skills Intellectual engagement and motivation Complex social structures

People who function within CSS develop a clearer and stronger sense of individuality and a deeper understanding of the social world (Coser, 1975)

Source: Gurin, Dey, Hurtado & Gurin, 2002

Benefits of an Intercultural Classroom Democracy outcomes

Perspective-taking Citizenship engagement Racial and cultural understanding Judgment of the compatibility among

different groups Students can best develop a capacity to

understand others and move to a more advanced stage of moral reasoning when they interact with peers who have different points of view (Piaget, 1965)

Adding Interculturalism to an Existing Course: Concept DesignColumn 1: Think about one course and how

does it connect with interculturalism?

Levels of Learning

Bloom’s taxonomy (1956) revised by Anderson and Krathwohl (2001)

Adding Interculturalism to an Existing Course: Concept Design

Column 1: Think about one course and how does it connect with interculturalism?

Column 2: For each connection, how could you creatively engage students in learning about that connection?

Column 3: Identify the level of learning

Teaching a Concept: Concept Design

Connections with Interculturalism

Getting students to learn (in creative ways)

Level of Learning: write a verb about what the students are doing:

Example Concept 1 for Freshman Composition: four weeks.Writing in other cultures.

Read international authors; discuss; write thoughtfully and interpret critically about the reading .

Analyzing , some evaluation.

ExampleConcept 1 for Marketing:3 class sessions.Differences in the ‘means –end’ value hierarchy as a function of interculturalism.

Give students a consumer decision on a high-end product; introduce collectivism in a culture and individualism in a culture; team work and ask team to create a value hierarchy for each; look at consequences.

Analyzing, evaluating, creating.

Adding Interculturalism to an Existing Course: Concept DesignColumn 1: Think about one course and how

does it connect with interculturalism?Column 2: For each connection, how could

you creatively engage students in learning about that connection?

Column 3: Identify the level of learning

Types of Learning Objectives• Column 1: session / concept objectives

– What are the specific learning outcomes for a short period of the course in terms of understanding and ability?

– Interculturalism example: Students will apply principles of cultural exchange to analysis of news articles (for a rhetoric course).

• Course objectives What are the central ideas, skills, and abilities

that every student in class should understand and be able to use by the end of class?

Interculturalism example: Students will apply understanding of culturalism to (course subject)

Student Driven Influences

Preferred learning styleActive/Reflective Sensing/Intuitive

Visual/VerbalSequential/Global

Student motivationsLife experiences

Present content knowledgePerceived instructor rolePerceived student role

Learning Outcomes

Pedagogy Assessment

Faculty Driven Influences

Life experiencePresent content knowledge

Perceived instructor rolePerceived student role

Balance of powerPreferred learning style

Teaching philosophyScientist/Teacher balance

Circle of Learning

Session/Concept Design(six column approach)

Learning outcome

Pedagogy Level of student learning

Assessment of student learning

Student actions

Faculty role

Use verbs to write final draft of objective sentences.

Use active learning techniques for student engagement.

Check for higher-level learning.

What will students turn in for a grade?

What actions will the student take?

What actions will the faculty member take?

Students will compare and contrast…

Pulling It All Together

Interculturalism of the classroom community

Composing your own working definition of interculturalism

Real world scenarios and cultural content Exploring connections of course content

and interculturalism Course redesign, incorporating

interculturalism Q & A

References

Branche, J., Mullennix, J., & Cohn, E.R. (Eds.). (2007). Diversity across the curriculum: A guide for faculty in higher education. Bolton, MA; Anker Publishing Company.

Ginsberg, M.B., & Wlodkowski, R.J. (Eds.). (2009). Diversity and motivation: Culturally responsive teaching and college. San Francisco, CA; Jossey-Bass.

Gurung, R.A.R., & Prieto, L.R. (Eds.). (2009). Getting culture. Sterling, VA; Stylus.

Landis, D., Bennett, J.M.,& Bennett, M.J. (Eds.). (2004). Handbook of intercultural training. Thousand Oaks, CA; Sage Publications.

Morey, A.I., & Kitano, M.K. (Eds.). (1997). Multicultural course transformation in higher education: A broader truth. Needham Heights, MA; Allyn and Bacon.

Schiebinger, L.(1999). Has feminism changed science? Cambridge MA; Harvard University Press.