The learning process model for intercultural partnerships

This paper addresses the issue of how learning can support intercultural effectiveness and is one of the outputs of the eChina-UK Programme. In this paper I synthesise theory and evidence from a number of fields in order to propose a practical model of learning that can be applied to intercultural collaborations. The aim is not to replace existing theories and models of learning but to draw on them in order to present a simple description that might be of value to those planning and managing international partnerships. Although much of what is said here relates specifically to intercultural collaboration I believe that many of the observations remain true of cross-sectoral partnership (which is, anyway, often intercultural as well) and of inter-professional learning too: indeed, there might be an argument for asserting principles of learning that contribute to effectiveness in working across boundaries in any long-term collaboration. The paper is divided into an Introduction and four further sections. Section 2 reviews the various streams of literature which have informed the current study and presents an argument for the particular approach to learning promoted in this paper on the basis of established and complementary research in a number of different disciplines. Section 3 contains a description of the learning model for intercultural collaboration which has been developed as part of our current research at the University of Warwick. The practical application of this model, and the implications for policy in cultural collaboration, are discussed briefly in Section 4. The final section summarises the work and looks forward to further research and development around the issue of learning in intercultural collaboration

Devising a Strategic Approach to Increase Faculty’s Competence for Formalized Intercultural Teaching and Learning Opportunities in an International School in Africa

The international school is a unique site where a diverse community of host country nationals and expatriates come together to participate in a transnational learning experience. Within this context, the international school is challenged to deliver a culturally responsive learning program with intercultural learning opportunities to meet the needs of a diverse learning community. In addition, it is perceived that with intercultural competence, an international school graduate can gain competitiveness for post-secondary institution admissions and job market movement in an increasingly globalized economy. This organizational improvement plan problematizes a lack of strategy to improve intercultural teaching and learning at a well-established international school located in Africa. It draws upon theoretical concepts of transformative learning and single loop organizational learning to drive organizational change and incorporates concepts of intercultural competence, global citizenship, culturally responsive pedagogy and professional learning communities to inform change improvement planning. The change plan is generative yet practically executed using both transformational and team leadership approaches and applies 3 ethical paradigm lenses, underpinned by consequentialist philosophy. An integrated, multimethod approach to change implementation, monitoring, evaluation and communication scaffolds the transformation of an adaptive learning culture and an evolved curriculum with improved intercultural teaching and learning opportunities. The outcome of the change plan represents how theory can be translated into practice to impact student learning. The ramifications of improved intercultural teaching and learning is seen to extend beyond the international school site and affect the wider communities that students and faculty frequent

Designing for Engagement: Intercultural Communication and/as Participatory Design

Within rhetoric and professional communication, intercultural research has most often focused on such elements of communication situations as languages, issues regarding translation, and adaptation to culturally situated value systems of interlocutors (Maylath, 1997; St.Amant, 1999; Thatcher, 2010; Wang, 2010). Technological infrastructure for intercultural situations, however, is largely conceived of as a material base upon which communication runs. If we consider an infrastructure as a dynamic meeting of communicators, modes of communication, and technologies, however, it is unclear how we might apply existing intercultural research methods and findings to the design of such communication systems. As a heuristic for moving toward thinking about both infrastructure and intercultural inquiry in this more complex manner, I provide below a literature review geared toward wedding best practices in user experience design (UX) with best practices in intercultural inquiry

Investigating Equity Practices and Teaching for Global Readiness in a K-12 School District

This study investigated K-12 educators’ (N=154) teaching for global readiness practices; perceptions of individual global competencies; and supports needed to provide all students an equitable education. A fully mixed, concurrent triangulation, equal status design, combined Vessa’s (2016) Teaching for Global Readiness Scale (TfGRS) and McCain et al.’s (2014) Globally Competent Learning Continuum (GCLC) to examine educators’ perceptions of teaching for global readiness. Perceptions of district equity initiatives were obtained through teacher interviews and central office administrator questionnaires. Survey results for the second semester of the 2018 school year reported teachers engaged in critical literacy and transactional practices from “never” to “once a month”; integrated global learning practices from “less than once a month” to “2-3 times per month”; and engaged in situated practices from “less than once a month” to “once a week”. Teacher agreement with situated practices during the second semester ranged from “strongly disagree” to “disagree”, while responses to integrated global learning experiences ranged from “less than once a month” to “2-3 times a month”. Teacher perceptions of their global competencies ranged from “progressing” to “advanced” in terms of dispositions, “beginning” to “proficient” in terms of knowledge, and “nascent” to “progressing” in terms of skills. Human and monetary resources were identified as additional supports; particularly the Teaching for Global Readiness 11 need for more staff, student learning materials, and quality professional development. Results of the study provided additional information on the reliability and validity of current global education tools and baseline information of one district\u27s teaching for global readiness practices. Based on the study it is recommended policy makers investigate the development of national and/or state global education teaching and learning standards

Shifting Individuals and an Organization Towards Social Justice: A Teacher Education Program Imperative

Globalization is the interconnected national and international forces that shape and define nations, economies, and peoples and that extend to schools. Higher education institutions, and kindergarten to Grade 12 school systems, are impacted by the internationalization of teaching, research, and service in response to market- and ethically driven discourses of targeted international admissions policies. Teacher education programs are positioned to respond to the internationalized teaching and learning context to support nondominant teacher candidates and prepare future teachers for diverse classrooms post-graduation. This OIP problematizes an inconsistent strategic direction to prioritize culturally sustaining pedagogies in a diverse teacher education program located in British Columbia, Canada. It draws from the theoretical concepts of critical epistemology and organizational identity as foundational drivers of change and incorporates concepts of intercultural competency development and culturally responsive pedagogies as evidence-based models to guide improvement plans. A social justice–oriented plan executed through a transformative leadership approach at both the macro and micro change levels creates the structural foundation for this OIP. Appreciative and collaborative inquiry offer all stakeholders’ participatory access points to amplify nondominant voices in the change process. A generative, multimethod integrated monitoring, evaluation, and communication plan supports this foundational change through a learning approach. The outcome connects theory to practice for stakeholders to promote unlearning and prioritize the decolonization of teacher education as liberation for nondominant students

Toward Mitho-pimatisowin: A Framework for FNMI Engagement Through Relationality

Abstract Indigenous Peoples have experienced harm from colonial beliefs and practices, and one does not need to look beyond the current systems of public education to see evidence of this. This Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) provides a challenge to the conservative, neoliberal, and Eurocentric orthodoxy that is pervasive in one northern Saskatchewan context, and advocates for a need and a framework to reorient our learning community so that First Nation, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) students and partners see relevance and feel engaged with our organization, thereby producing more positive educational outcomes. With 80% of students identifying as FNMI, and the surrounding community reflecting this demographic, culturally relevant concepts are necessary to guide organizational change. Relationality has been identified as essential for many FNMI peoples, so the local Cree concept of mitho-pimatisowin, meaning one’s necessity to acknowledge and respect all relations and to accept responsibility for them (Cardinal & Hildebrandt, 2020; Settee, 2011), is a key concept to direct and measure the existing organizational climate and change initiatives, and to prioritize the creation and maintenance of strong relationships between all partners who serve our students and the surrounding community. In support of mitho-pimatisowin, an emphasis on team and inclusive leadership will operate through a social constructivist lens so that all our partners can begin to construct meaningful alliances and understandings within a critical paradigm. An emphasis on enhancing our organizational relationships will ensure a culture of collective efficacy is developed, and this will re-center Indigenous worldviews and epistemologies so that they work in collaboration with Western approaches, thereby improving relations and FNMI student engagement. Keywords: Mitho-pimatisowin, Indigenous, psychological safety, education, social constructivism, inclusive leadership, team leadershi

Culture-based artefacts to inform ICT design: foundations and practice

Cultural aspects frame our perception of the world and direct the many different ways people interact with things in it. For this reason, these aspects should be considered when designing technology with the purpose to positively impact people in a community. In this paper, we revisit the foundations of culture aiming to bring this concept in dialogue with design. To inform design with cultural aspects, we model reality in three levels of formality: informal, formal, and technical, and subscribe to a systemic vision that considers the technical solution as part of a more complex social system in which people live and interact. In this paper, we instantiate this theoretical and methodological view by presenting two case studies of technology design in which culture-based artefacts were employed to inform the design process. We claim that as important as including issues related to culture in the ICT design agenda—from the conception to the development, evaluation, and adoption of a technology—is the need to support the design process with adequate artefacts that help identifying cultural aspects within communities and translating them into sociotechnical requirements. We argue that a culturally informed perspective on design can go beyond an informative analysis, and can be integrated with the theoretical and methodological framework used to support design, throughout the entire design process

Entrenching internationalisation in African Higher Education Institutions

In this paper, an attempt was made to locate the role of internationalisation in African Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). It is argued that comprehensive international, intercultural, and global dimensions in the affairs of African tertiary institutions provide for a more nuanced and diversified higher education landscape. Through a desk study approach, dwelling mainly on existing literature, the paper examines the issues of internationalisation from the perspectives of diversity and inclusion, as well as the roles of the relevant key players within those institutions to practically deliver internationalisation strategies that will put the institution on a global pedestal while remaining locally and regionally relevant. More importantly, strategies for achieving comprehensive internationalisation are discussed drawing inferences from literature and documentary sources. The interrogation of these sources in relation to the expectations of the current and future HEIs to remain socially relevant and sustainable is carried out. HEIs in Africa must contribute to socio-economic change and engage with their quad-helix and eco-system partners to ensure that high end skills training, knowledge production, entrepreneurship and innovation are accelerated. In so doing, African HEIs must embrace diversity in its fullness including welcoming differences in gender, race, culture, nationality and providing platforms of engagement that allow for inclusion, and breaking silos to allow for a nuanced agenda of internationalisation