The learning outcome of this course is for the participants to acquire:
knowledge about global transactions in a changing world
theoretical knowledge about cultural encounters and intercultural communication
the ability to use ethnographic methods to describe and identify complex intercultural situations and issues
the ability to use appropriate theories and methods for real cases that involve intercultural issues
the ability to propose solutions for intercultural cases and situations that are highly complex.
Using written feedback in groups as preparation for discussions in class in order to lift the participants’ level of reflection. The written feedback is an alternative to oral feedback and ensures that all students participate actively in the feedback process.
The students read texts from the syllabus and must then take part in a feedback activity using the blog tool Blackboard (We now recommend Discussions in Brightspace). This is a warming-up exercise for the joint discussion in class. Participation in the activity is compulsory. A Collaboration Script is used for this activity; this may be found in Blackboard in the description field for the blog in question (in the description of the Discussion forum in Brightspace). To conclude the exercise, the teacher facilitates a plenary discussion in class on definitions of culture.
1. Choose a definition of culture with which you disagree, based on the literature you have read (see list of definitions)
2. Write a blog post in which you give your reasons why this definition is not adequate. Max. 300 words.
3. Give feedback in the comment function of the blog to at least one of the other participants. You may add several reasons or arguments for your agreement or disagreement.
4. Write a comment to the person who gave you feedback. State which parts of the comment you found to be useful.
For each item, a deadline must be given for the students to complete the tasks.
(See a section from the blog in Blackboard above).
The outcome of the activity is highly dependent on the level of reflection among the participating students. Students who do not normally give much oral feedback in class contribute in writing and in some cases feel better equipped to participate in class discussions. Moreover, class discussions begin at a higher level of reflection than expected as everyone can use the blog discussion as their point of departure.
The learning outcome of this activity is that the participants take part in feedback activities that require them to consider the use of different theoretical concepts on the basis of the literature they have read. Another aim is that the participants prepare for the joint class discussion, which should lift the level of discussion.
