Interactive teaching methods require student engagement both within and beyond the classroom. Teachers will use academic and theoretical knowlege to coach and facilitate active student learning. Students are expected to discuss, analyze and interpret intercultural communication in one-to-one, group, simulated role plays and real life settings. Role plays may be audio- or video-taped for the purposes of informed self-and peer-evaluation.
Interactive teaching methods may include the following:
- Lecture
- Academic readings
- Videos/film
- Literature
- Guest speakers
- Cultural informants
- Class exchanges
- Simulations and briefings
- Artistic representations
- Media reports/stories
- Student interviews
- Class discussions
- Fish bowls
- Buzz groups
- Role plays with professional actors
Active participation of students
- In-class activities may include the following:
- Role Plays
- Negotiations
- Interviews
- Group discussions
- Group projects
- Problem-solving
- Case studies
- Debates
- Discussions
- Presentations
- Film/video analyses
- Value-clarification exercises
- Cultural manifestos
- Introductory cultural profiles
- Quick writes
- Brainstorming
- Conflict resolution exercises
- Dramatizations
- Lecture summaries
- Impromptu presentations
- Diagnostic self-assessments
- Goal setting and self-evaluations
- Out-of-class activities may include the following
- Field observations
- Contact assignments
- Transformative journals
- Intercultural discovery tasks
- Culture-partner exchanges
- Literature reviews/analysis
- Field study projects
- Graph/table/chart productions
- Social/ethical issues portfolios
- Culture-contrast research papers
- Artistic representations
- Research survey questions
- Community tours
- Video productions
- Internships
- Annotated bibliographies
- Guest speakers
- Campus/public events
- Newspaper/magazine article summaries
1. Why study Intercultural Communications?
Focus: introduces Intercultural Communication as a field
a. Important interrelated terms
- Intercultural relations
- International, multicultural and cross-cultural communication
- Inter-ethnic and inter-racial communication
b. Components of Intercultural Communication
- Knowledge
- Skills
- Attitudes
c. Advantages of intercultural competence
- Personal
- Social
- Professional
2. What do we mean by communication?
Focus: defines the concept of communication in general and examines the influence of context on communication
a. Defining communication
- The process of perception (selection, organization, and interpretation)
- Models of the communication process (linear, circular and transactional models)
- Intercultural Communication principles
b. Understanding communication and context in Intercultural Communication
- Confirming and disconfirming communication
- Communication climate
c. Examining communication and the self
- Cultural identity development and communication
- Notions of the self; self-construal in Intercultural Communication
3. What do we mean by Intercultural Communication?
Focus: defines the concept of Intercultural communication in relation to communication in general and examines taxonomies that explain aspects of the intercultural experience.
- Defining Intercultural Communication
- Models describing Intercultural Communication
- Continuum and developmental models
- Taxonomies for understanding Intercultural Communication such as
- Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck’s values orientations
- Hall’s high and low context
- Triandis’ individualism and collectivism
- Hofstede’s cultural patterns
- Bond’s Confucian cultural patterns
4. What factors influence the Intercultural Communication process?
Focus: introduces the major cultural, social, and psychological factors that are commonly identified as influencing Intercultural Communication
a. Cultural factors
- Values, norms, and rules
- World view
b. Social factors
- Group memberships
- Role attributions
c. Psychological factors
- Categorization
- Expectations
- Attributions
d. Obstacles to Intercultural Communication
- Uncertainty reduction theory
- Attribution theory
- Ethnocentrism, discrimination, racism and prejudice
5. How does verbal communication differ from culture to culture?
Focus: introduces the idea that conventions of language use and communication and relational style vary across cultures
a. Verbal codes
- Rule systems in verbal language
- The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis
b. Translation, interpretation and additional language use
- Challenges of equivalence
- Influences of mother tongue culture on additional language use
c. Communication styles
- Persuasive styles
- Organizational preferences
- Structure of conversations
- Conversational rules
d. Relational styles
- Variations in interpersonal relationships
- Maintaining face in interpersonal relationships
6. How does non-verbal communication differ from culture to culture?
Focus: introduces the idea of “difference” in communication as a manifestation of culturally-influenced variations in non- verbal behaviour
a. Kinesics (body language)
- Posture
- Gestures
- Gait
b. Paralanguage (vocal characteristics)
- Pitch
- Tone
- Volume
- Rate of speech
- Use of silence
c. Proxemics (use of space)
d. Chronemics (use of time)
- Formal and informal time systems
- Monochronic and polychronic time
e. Olfactics (use of smell)
f. Haptics (use of touch)
g. Occulectics (eye contact)
7. How can we enhance our abilities to communicate with others who are different?
Focus: defines the concept of Intercultural Communication competence and identifies the personal benefits of improving competence
a. Models and theories of intercultural adaptation and cultural learning
b. Knowledge (cognitive) dimension
- Culture-general and culture-specific knowledge
- Cultural self-knowledge
- Language learning
- Mindfulness (alert to differences and one’s perception of them)
c. Skills (behavioural) dimension
- Respect
- Task role behaviour
- Relational role behaviour
- Interaction management
- Relationship initiation and maintenance strategy
- D.I.E. model (description, interpretation, and evaluation)
d. Attitude
- Sensitivity to socio-cultural information
- Empathy
- Adaptability
- Flexibility
- Tolerance for ambiguity
- Positive view of diversity
8. What ethical issues arise in Intercultural Communication:
Focus: identifies and addresses ethical issues that may arise in the context of Intercultural Communications, and encourages students to formulate responses to those issues
- Ethical awareness
- Ethnocentrism
- Cultural relativity
- Universal ethics.
Knowledge:
Upon completion of the course, successful students will be able to:
- explain basic theory, concepts and models of Intercultural Communication,
- identify foundational Intercultural Communication skills,
- describe the major factors influencing the communication process in an intercultural context.
Skills:
Upon completion of the course, successful students will be able to:
- demonstrate increased abilities to be reflective and aware of their own cultural background and the influence this background has on their expectations for communication in an intercultural context,
- adjust expectations and appropriately apply strategies and techniques for communicating more effectively with people from different cultures,
- recognize and appropriately respond to social and ethical issues in Intercultural Communication,
- clarify and articulate their personal motivations for developing effective Intercultural Communication competence.
Attitude:
Upon completion of the course, successful students will be motivated to:
- increase their involvement in intercultural interactions,
- strategically continue to learn and improve their Intercultural Communication skills
Given the emphasis on teacher interaction and student participation, course evaluation will include a combination of teacher, self, and group assessments. Students are expected to be self-motivated and to demonstrate professionalism, which includes active, engaged participation, good attendance, punctuality, effective collaboration, ability to meet deadlines, presentation skills and accurate self-evaluation.
Methods such as the following may be used to evaluate student work:
|
Reflective Journal |
25% |
|
Interaction Analysis |
25% |
|
Intercultural Project |
25% |
|
Professional Conduct |
15% |
|
Quizzes |
10% |
| Total |
100% |
A current edition of a text such as one of the following will be selected:
- Gudykunst, W., S. Ting-Toomey, S. Sudweek and L.P. Stewart. Building bridges: Interpersonal skills for a changing world. Boston, MA. Houghton Mifflin.
- Lustig, M.W. & Koester, J. Intercultural competence: Interpersonal communication across cultures. Harper Collins College Books.
CMNS 1215 or 1216 recommended but not required