Maximizing Intercultural Learning: Theory to Holistic Practice

Changing global demographics, increased conflict across the world, and other factors have heightened the awareness of the value of intercultural competence. Many programs across varied fields and for varied audiences have the development of intercultural knowledge, skills, and attitudes as primary goals yet they do not effectively incorporate intercultural content, processes, and contextual factors into program design. In this interactive course, students will learn about a holistic whole-person model of culture-based learning that incorporates intercultural theory, intercultural tools and activities, interpersonal dynamics, and continuous reflection on learning by program participants as a means to create sustainable and impactful personal and professional growth. Students will learn about and experience intercultural tools and methods and explore their use based on participant learning styles, experience levels, and target level of challenge and support. These include real-world case studies and Day In The Life storytelling techniques that illustrate effective intercultural learning tenets. Students will incorporate what they learn into their own design of an intercultural learning scenario as a final product, which they can use to foster intercultural competence development in their own work.