YOUR SOURCE FOR INTERCULTURAL LEARNING IN THE AFS NETWORK
INTERCULTURAL LEARNING
The Heart & Soul of AFS MELISSA LILES, CHIEF EDUCATION OFFICER, AFS INTERNATIONAL
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The AFS experience is often described as a life-changing one: Among the immediate benefits many participants report are the affectionate bonds with host families, friendships with peers from around the world, and new insights into themselves as members of a greater global community. But looking at the experience from a long-term perspective, to what extent does AFS shape the lives it touches when it comes to career and professional choices? Curious about these implications, in this issue we look at the value of intercultural skills of leaders in the workplace.
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Intercultural Learning in the Workplace Outstanding Leadership Across Cultures on page 8.
How are Intercultural Skills Valued in the Workplace? on page 12.
As a part of its mission to create a more just and peaceful world, AFS aims to provide its program participants, volunteers and staff with skills and competences necessary to function effectively in the present and to build a better future. That intercultural experiences of AFS also have a value in the global labor market has been proven by the findings of several recent independent studies. continued on page 2
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IN THIS ISSUE Intercultural Learning: The Heart & Soul of AFS by Melissa Liles Page 1 Educational Relations at the Institutional Level: Intercultural Reflection, Analysis and Debate in Brazil by Lucas Hackradt Page 3 Learn, Compete and Have Fun by Eva Vitkova Page 4 Conference Updates: Mobility and Professional Development: French Perspectives Page 6 Book Review: Smartest Kids in the World (And How They Got That Way) by Tonya Muro Page 7
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Concepts & Theories: Outstanding Leadership Across Cultures by Milena Miladinovic Page 8 Network & Partner Initiatives: Contemporary Perspectives on Intercultural Competences by AFS Germany Page 9 Learning Session Outline: A Day Without Questions by Nagesh Rao Page 10 Conference Updates: Assessing Intercultural Learning in Pupil and Student Exchanges Page 11 Did You Know: How are Intercultural Skills Valued in the Workplace? by Milena Miladinovic Page 12
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Network & Partner Initiatives: Euro-Asian Perspectives on Intercultural Learning by Chia Suyin Page 13
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Beyond ICL News: Interview with Joyce Osland by Milena Miladinovic Page 14 Meet our Advisors: Juergen Bolten Page 15 Impact of Living Abroad: Overcoming Intergroup Anxiety by Milena Miladinovic Page 16 Intercultural Link Learning Program Update Page 18 Network & Partner Initiatives: Culture Impacts Sustainability by Hazar Yildirim Page 20
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You can find out more about how enhancing empathy, flexibility, and social skills with a commitment to contributing to the group are among the main advantages employers appreciate in our section Did You Know, on page 12. In support of this, the AFS LongTerm Impact Study has shown that many AFSers are now leaders in their chosen professional fields, holding positions in the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund or NASA. You can also scroll down or flip to page 16, to see the research on how the exchange experience helps lower intergroup anxiety, another critical aspect of working in today’s interconnected world. Last year’s Forum on Intercultural Learning and Exchange, featured on page 11, focused on understanding the state of assessment of educational results of intercultural exchanges. Experts from around the world were convened by AFS to demonstrate successful practices, share and inspire practitioners and academics in the field. Our appreciation of assessment results is also shared by our friend, Dr. Joyce Osland, who expresses her views on the intercultural issues in her interview on page 14.
“Summer Academies” reached dozens of participants in Germany, Malaysia and Turkey, and our colleagues in Brazil are making significant steps forward in strengthening their relations with state institutions. Many of these initiatives will be repeated this year. Also in late 2013, a network-wide gathering of volunteers and staff, the second AFS Academy, put intercultural learning in the spotlight. Apart from many workshops and sessions offered during the two weeks, locally themed “Intercultural Learning Piazza” brought intercultural concepts to life. A special spot in the Piazza was reserved for ICLingo, a fun new educational board game - this time life-sized! created by our Bolivian colleague, Guido Jines. Guido is the winner of our Intercultural Exhibition Contest, presented on page 4. Finally, we pay our respects to the former South African leader Nelson Mandela. His belief in the influence of education and its power to positively transform lives is something that we admire and will continue to champion. We invite you to keep engaging with this and many other posts on our blog and let us know what is happening in your intercultural world. Warmly,
Welcome Hazar… We are pleased to welcome Hazar Yildirim to the Education & Intercultural Learning team at AFS International as the Education Content & Communications Manager. In his new role, Hazar will focus on the ongoing service to the AFS network's educational content needs as well as increasing AFS's international visibility reputation as a world-class intercultural education provider. Hazar has already made an impact on the AFS world through his excellent previous work as the Intercultural Learning Responsible and Organizational Development Coordinator for AFS Turkey. Additionally, he is an active trainer of the European Federation for Intercultural Learning (EFIL), an International Qualified Trainer for the AFS Intercultural Link Learning Program, and a 2013 AFS-Summer Institute of Intercultural Communications scholar.
…and Sarah! Join us in also welcoming Sarah Collins to the Education & Intercultural Learning team at AFS International. Sarah will join the team as Program Coordinator for the AFS Intercultural Link Learning Program, the intercultural learning training initiative for AFS volunteers and staff. Sarah will provide support to the constantly growing numbers of participants of the Learning Program. Sarah earned her master's degree in International Education from New York University in the US. During her time there she supported the educational initiatives of Global Nomads Group. She has also conducted research in Rajasthan, India, and lived for four years in Santiago, Chile, where she taught English and did intercultural and higher education consulting.
Thank You Arturo & Margaux! Arturo Romero Pereda and Margaux Dillon ended their internships at the end of this February. We thank them for their many contributions and plan to stay in touch.
As always, we are happy to report news about intercultural learning opportunities and events from around the AFS network. The AFS Intercultural Link | VOLUME 5 - ISSUE 1 - JANUARY - APRIL 2014
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EDUCATIONAL RELATIONS AT THE INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL
Intercultural Reflection, Analysis and Debate in Brazil LUCAS HACKRADT, ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT & INTERCULTURAL LEARNING SPECIALIST, AFS BRAZIL
The relevance of interculturality in international law and human rights, culture and identity in the classroom and fostering global citizenship were the three topics covered at the National Seminar on Interculturality organized over two days in October 2013 by AFS Brazil and the Brazilian Federal Education, Sciences and Technology Institute in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. More than 300 people, including state government officials, educators, students, high school and higher education teachers, and local AFS volunteers attended the seminar, which is part of AFS Brazil’s national intercultural learning strategy. Speakers included educators from the Institute itself, AFSers and even a representative of Pernambuco State’s Office of Education. “Our seminar offered a reflection, an analysis and a debate around the actions involving all people subject to the changes currently happening in the modern world. Today, most people participate in a process of intercultural learning that can be international, national and/or local and, therefore, [already] live and learn from new experiences and can become global citizens,” says Maria Soares, AFS volunteer and a staff member of the Institute. Most participants were eager to understand the impacts of having a foreign student in the classroom. Since the seminar took place at the Institute, which currently hosts four AFSers, attendees could immediately see the benefits not only for the peers in class, but also for the school itself. Another important discussion dealt with the fundamental notion of intercultural education in the geo-political region. Unlike in much of Europe, where this topic is frequently discussed because of issues of regional integration, it is not a widely known topic in Brazil. One of the speakers gave an inspiring talk about Latin American integration and what the government of Pernambuco is doing to promote it within Brazil. Participants left the seminar with a clearer understanding of intercultural education, and its supportive role in the country and region’s social development.
FOSTERING INSTITUTIONAL COOPERATION The Brazilian Federal Education, Sciences and Technology Institute is a national network of public schools belonging to the federal government and directly linked to the Ministry of Education. With campuses in most major cities in the country, the Institute has an important hosting capacity for exchange students and, above all, it is very open to AFS students and to the AFS educational approach.
Maria Soares
The Institute has been a longtime partner of AFS Brazil, having sent and hosted students from as early as 1971. However, the partnership developed into a full educational cooperation in 2012 when Maria Soares, a local volunteer from the Pernambuco capital city Natal, who is also employed at the Institute, organized an event looking to extend topics AFS is familiar with to the wider community. Today, a special intercultural learning study group from the Institute composed of around 15 volunteers - who have also joined AFS - is responsible for implementing, debating and internalizing intercultural education topics into the daily life of the Institute, to benefit its students and teachers. All of this happens together with AFS, which offers its expertise in the area. Mrs. Soares herself is in the process of getting certified as a National Qualified Trainer of the AFS Intercultural Link Learning Program and acts as a bridge between the two institutions.
The event closed with a variety of interactive workshops. Around 40 participants built a common definition of culture, were exposed the Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS) and the D.I.V.E. (Describe, Interpret, Verify, Evaluate) activity, discussed cultural identity and debated the dangers of stereotyping. Finally, one lucky participant won a Rosetta Stone license for a language of their choice. The success of the seminar, along with the existing strategic partnership, encouraged the Institute to commit to organizing another edition in 2014, when even more participants and educators are expected to attend. AFS Intercultural Link | VOLUME 5 - ISSUE 1 - JANUARY - APRIL 2014
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Learn, Compete and Have Fun!
Second Prize: Intercultural Learning & Comics
EVA VITKOVA, SENIOR SCHOOL RELATIONS INTERN, AFS INTERNATIONAL
As a part of our ongoing efforts to bring intercultural learning to new audiences and make often complex intercultural concepts more tangible, the Intercultural Learning Exhibition was introduced to AFSers at the 2010 AFS World Congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Since then, we have seen various Exhibition iterations at each AFS international meeting as well as at regional and national events.
Claire Rozier (France): Discovering intercultural learning with comics is part of a larger project that will be fully developed in AFS France this year. It connects anecdotes and stories shared among AFS volunteers with intercultural learning theories and then illustrates them in graphic format. The first comic strip story features the misunderstandings exchange students can encounter when first learning about the French cheek kissing greeting ritual.
In order to increase the portfolio of our interactive installations, we invited AFSers from around the world to contribute their ideas in the 2013 Intercultural Learning Exhibition Contest. The winners were selected and then officially announced at the AFS Network Meeting of leaders in October 2013 in Seattle, USA. When choosing the best activities, we focused on the content presented, both in terms of format and interactivity. Meet the creative minds whose contributions were selected for the awards:
Visit the Intercultural Learning Digital Library to download Claire’s comic strip and Michala’s video!
Third Prize: Intercultural Learning in Schools Michala Tycova (Hungary): In her role of European Voluntary Service volunteer for AFS Hungary, Michala from Czech Republic developed an interactive video presentation about intercultural learning and its basic vocabulary. The video is primarily targeted at high school students in Hungary, but it can be easily adjusted to any audience. continued on page 5
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First Prize: ICLingo Guido Jines (Bolivia): ICLingo - A journey through intercultural learning concepts ICLingo is a board game that tests the players’ knowledge of the intercultural learning vocabulary, theories and concepts. ICLingo had its premiere at the AFS Academy in Florence, Italy, where a special life-size version of the game was part of the intercultural learning (ICL) interactive space, called the ICL Piazza. The participants were enthusiastic to play ICLingo and some of them expressed the desire to translate it into their languages so that they could use it in national and local events. Want to play? ICLingo will be available for use in AFS and beyond in June 2014.
Guido’s testimonial: AFS has always been an interactive organization, where we learn through our own experiences and fun activities. I came up with the idea while playing board games with friends, in many scenarios and with many activities, answers and questions. There, I imagined a game for AFS that could help the volunteers and staff learn about intercultural learning topics, in a fun and enjoyable way, learn through play, compete with friends and finally - and most importantly - turn this game experience into solid knowledge! Message to the players: Have as much fun playing it as I had creating the game. Learn, compete and have fun. I assure you that after drawing, spelling or guessing a card, you will never forget the answer!
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CONFERENCE UPDATES
Mobility and Professional Development: French Perspectives Since 1994, the University of
documents the concrete impacts
success and sojourners must be
Training, Education and
—more and better foreign
well prepared and supported.
Orientation has been a prime
language skills, international
annual gathering of public
professional and personal
representatives, union leaders,
networks, higher degrees of
researchers, academics and
formal education—that
students from across France. It
structured, outcomes-focused
offers an open space for dialogue
exchange programs have on
and reflection amongst these
participating individuals even 20
stakeholders in the field of training
years after the fact. Despite initial
and professional development.
research such as this and that of
Last year’s edition, Leaving in Order to Grow? Debating the Benefits of International Mobility and
others like Erasmus Expertise and l’Agence Europe Education
empirical measurements of benefits are important to further
lifelong learning. The conference,
demonstrate the value of
which took place in early October in
mobility in professional
Bordeaux, was an excellent
development;
the work it has been doing for over 60 years and introduce the global AFS network’s newest efforts such as the AFS Intercultural Link Learning Program, training program for adults. Key conference conclusions were: ✓ Mobility does in fact promote
Officer for the AFS international network, and Anne Collignon, board member of the European Federation for Intercultural Learning (EFIL), and, through video presentation, Hélène Henry, the chairperson and president of AFS France.
participants agreed that more
the importance of mobility in
Vivre sans Frontières) to showcase
Melissa Liles, Chief Education
Formation France, conference
Intercultural Education, focused on
opportunity for AFS France (AFS
Speakers from AFS included
✓ Gains related to mobility can happen regardless of one’s starting point: whether as a student, a worker, a jobseeker, or even a school dropout, international sojourns are almost always beneficial, helping develop the individual’s capacity for future growth; and ✓ The effectiveness of mobility is
personal and professional
directly related to the educational
development both in the long
intentionality within its design. As
and short term. For example,
in other areas of training and
AFS’s long-term impact research
education, counseling and reflection are prerequisites for
Video and written recaps of the conference are available online.
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BOOK REVIEW
Smartest Kids in the World (And How They Got That Way) TONYA MURO, DIRECTOR SCHOOL OUTREACH & EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS, AFS USA
AFS is proud to announce its collaboration with author Amanda Ripley. Ripley is an investigative journalist for Time, The Atlantic and other magazines. She is the author, most recently, of The Smartest Kids in the World: And How They Got That Way, a New York Times bestseller. Her first book, The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes — and Why, was published in 15 countries.
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Following the experiences of these three students, Ripley realizes what the must-haves of a successful educational system are. First, the Finnish story details the necessity for highly educated teachers — better prepared, more autonomous and more satisfied teachers prove to be very efficient educators. In return, students in such a system tend to be more driven and adaptable, which is inspired by the school culture of rigor. Then, the South Korean experience shows the tremendous academic pressure that prepares students to grapple with complex ideas and think outside their comfort zone — desirable skills of the modern world. Finally, delayed separation into vocational and academic schools seems to be the special advantage offered by the Polish schools, together with quality of teaching and testing. Compared to all this, an advantage of American schools is the very approachable teachers who openly discuss many issues with their students.
Smartest Kids explores educational systems through the lens of three American exchange students, from AFS and other organizations, studying abroad in high schools in Finland, South Korea and Poland — three nations that have made significant educational gains recently. Ripley Ripley was inspired to follows their write this book because intercultural she kept hearing about journeys so closely these “blissful” places that her in-depth where all the children discoveries will give were well educated and you rich food for all the parents and thought on how teachers were perfect. young people can She wanted to survive and thrive in understand what it a globalized world. -Amanda Ripley might be like to be a Her comparison of child in the smartest the American countries in the world, and what it education system to world-leading would mean for them beyond education systems reveals the utter secondary school. necessity of cross-cultural exchange as an integral component of When she first decided to try to write fostering intercultural competency a book about the so-called smart-kid in our AFS network of schools — countries, she realized she needed and beyond. students to help her understand what
“Student exchange strikes me as a vital part of any modern education”
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she was seeing in these places. And who better than exchange students, who could compare what they were seeing abroad to their homes and schools back in the U.S.? As a result, she contacted AFS and was captivated by its history and all that it has done to help create a more peaceful world by building relationships across oceans and continents. She created a survey that 200 AFS alumni generously answered — sharing thoughts and memories about their school and home lives abroad and back home. These student respondents provided a rare glimpse inside the schools and lives of these remarkable exchange students.
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Based on her findings, Ripley believes strongly in the power of student exchange: “Studying abroad is an act of courage and curiosity, a leap into the unknown that creates an invisible, powerful tie between two families, two countries. That kind of experience seems more valuable than ever, given how interconnected the world has become. Combined with studying languages from a very young age (say one or two years old) and sharing stories across borders (in all kinds of ways), student exchange strikes me as a vital part of any modern education.”
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CONCEPTS & THEORIES
Outstanding Leadership Across Cultures MILENA MILADINOVIC, COMMUNICATIONS FELLOW, AFS INTERNATIONAL
It is in the nature of our work for people connected with AFS to be in touch with other cultures, most directly through their work with exchange students or interacting with volunteers and staff from within a network of over 60 countries. Frequently, our offices are intercultural as well. Working with others always requires a certain degree of leadership: whether in a local team or across national borders, AFSers need to effectively work with others in order to achieve their goals. This motivated us to look into what intercultural skills may be valued or looked down upon in settings where different cultures come into contact, and whether certain leadership styles work across cultures. GLOBE, or the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness International Study, attempted to clarify the following issue: How is
culture related to societal, organizational, and leader effectiveness? Started in 1994, this landmark study was completed over the course of 11 years and involved 170 researchers worldwide. Conducted in 62 societies and involving more than 900 organizations, the project looked at the effects of culture through different variables, such as country, industry, and organization, and explored current practices and values. Specifically, GLOBE investigated how certain characteristics of outstanding leaders are related to national cultures; it also looked at which aspects of leadership are culturally dependent, or universally desirable. The study held the premise that leader effectiveness is contextual, or embedded in societal and
organizational norms, values, and beliefs: For a leader to be effective, she or he needs to embody the implicit idea of what leaders look, act, and behave like, an idea that is rooted in people’s early experiences with leaders and shaped by culture and upbringing. GLOBE investigated people’s expectations of leaders on a broad scale, and also linked them with cultural values and practices. The study found that two leadership styles, Charismatic/Value-based and Team-oriented, were seen as contributing to outstanding leadership in all cultures surveyed. However, the variation was larger for four other universal leadership styles: Some cultures saw them as good and effective approaches, while other cultures saw them as an obstacle for outstanding leadership.
most desirable
continued on page 9 LEADERSHIP STYLE
CHARISMATIC/ VALUE-BASED
TEAM-ORIENTED
BEHAVIOR
✓
stresses high standards, decisiveness, and innovation
✓
seeks to inspire people around a vision
✓
creates a passion among them to perform, and does so by firmly holding on to core values
✓
instills pride, loyalty, and collaboration among organizational members
✓
highly values team cohesiveness and a common purpose or goals
✓
encourages input from others in decision-making and implementation
✓
emphasizes delegation and equality
✓
stresses compassion and generosity
✓
it is patient, supportive, and concerned with the well-being of others
✓
emphasizes procedural, status-conscious and ‘face-saving’ behaviors
✓
focuses on the safety and security of the individual and the group
✓
independent, individualistic, and self-centric
PARTICIPATIVE
least desirable
HUMANE
SELF-PROTECTIVE
AUTONOMOUS
CHARACTERISTICS
visionary, inspirational, selfsacrificial, integrity, decisive, and performance-oriented
collaborative team orientation, team integrator, diplomatic, and administratively competent
non-autocratic
modesty and humane-oriented
self-centered, status-conscious, conflict inducer, face saver, and procedural
autonomy
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The table on the previous page shows the six universal leadership styles, presented from most to least desired. Further analysis showed that leader characteristics such as ambition, enthusiasm, or formality are valued very differently around the world. On the other hand, there are also some leader characteristics that are universally endorsed, such as trustworthiness, justness, honesty, and decisiveness. However, how these traits manifest themselves still differs across societies. For example, for a leader to be
described as decisive in the US, she or he is expected to make quick and approximate decisions. Conversely, in
Two leadership styles, Charismatic/Value-based and Team-oriented, were seen as contributing to outstanding leadership in all cultures surveyed. France or Germany, being decisive tends to mean a more deliberate and
NETWORK & PARTNER INITIATIVES
Contemporary Perspectives on Intercultural Competences BASED ON INPUT BY AFS GERMANY
Intercultural in more than just its name, the latest edition of Summer Academies hosted diverse audiences, trainers and faculty members in July and August 2013. Jointly organized by the subsidiary of AFS Germany (InterCultur) and Karlshochschule International University, the events took place over the summer of 2013 in Germany, Turkey and Malaysia. Participants from five continents were taught by expert university lecturers and professors, and at the same time, the academic approach was complemented by the practical experience of international trainers and the long-term know-how
of AFS. A special feature for the European participants was the possibility to make use of the courses for their academic careers and earn credit points for their undergraduate studies. The fourth Summer Academy on Intercultural Experience was organized in Karlsruhe, Germany. It covered topics of intercultural communication, multicultural teamwork and the acquisition of intercultural competence. In Karlsruhe, participants from eight different countries, including Italy, Portugal, Russia, Serbia and Singapore, took advanced tracks dealing with intercultural competence and training design. The most challenging and inspiring courses were the ones pertaining to contemporary perspectives on the acquisition of intercultural competence. A special highlight and an additional course offering was AFS’s own Intercultural Link Learning Program Qualified Trainers’ workshop that took place in the second week and
precise approach to decision making. The same caution applies to the universally undesirable leader traits, such as sensitivity. If we don’t take the GLOBE findings as a definite explanation of all intercultural leadership styles, but rather as a roadmap of possibilities, we can use this study to help us work more effectively with members of other cultures. Do you recognize yourself in the characteristics of outstanding leaders? Would your ideal leadership style look differently from the ones described above?
The Summer Academy offers special relevance for the AFS network, including: ✓ Demonstrating AFS’s role as a leader in intercultural education ✓ Expanding AFS’s list of collaborators in the academic world ✓ Advancing volunteers’ and staff’s intercultural competences ✓ Improving trainers’ skills ✓ An international atmosphere for participants ✓ European undergraduate students can obtain university credits
was available exclusively for AFS volunteers and staff. Based on these positive experiences, more editions of the Academies will be offered again in 2014. The first one was hosted in Brazil, and covered topics such as intercultural awareness, intercultural experiences and sustainability. Learn more about the other 2013 Summer Academies in Turkey and Malaysia, and the upcoming opportunities in 2014 on the following pages.
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LEARNING SESSION OUTLINE
A Day Without Questions NAGESH RAO, PROFESSOR AT THE INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT AHMEDABAD
How many of us really listen to another person’s story? How often do we let someone share what is truly on their mind? Your first response might be “all the time!” But frequently we fill our interactions with others with questions, from How are you? and What do you think about… to What time are you coming home? Although our intentions may be good, by asking questions we are actually influencing the direction the conversation will go and what type of information is shared. Whether in the workplace or at home, we challenge you to open yourself to a different way of communicating - and see what results follow. This Learning Session Outline, contributed by the AFS supporter, Professor Nagesh Rao, encourages us to experience what it feels like to engage in a conversation without any questions. We invite you to use it in a training with volunteers, staff or participants in its entirety. You can also adapt it and try it as a short, one-hour exercise with your colleagues, schoolmates or family members — explore how you communicate if you do not ask any questions. SESSION GOAL To explore how and what we learn when we do not ask questions. The activity does not suggest that we stop asking questions altogether, but rather to understand the pros and cons of asking/not asking questions. LEARNING OBJECTIVES After this session, participants will be able to: ✓
seek information, share personal details and interact with others without asking questions;
✓ ✓
switch between direct and indirect communication styles; and recognize the relationship linking question-asking to agenda-setting and power relations.
SPACE REQUIREMENTS Enough space for the participants to work in pairs. PARTICIPANTS This activity should have no fewer than 10 participants, and has no upper limit. The participants will work in pairs. If there is an odd number of participants, one group can have three participants. NECESSARY MATERIALS ✓ Flip chart (and paper) or white board ✓ Colored pens/markers ✓ Bell STEP-BY-STEP SESSION DESCRIPTION 60 minutes: ✓ 5 minutes for set-up, ✓ 10 minutes for activity, ✓ 20 to 60 minutes for debrief. INTERACTIVE ACTIVITY (10 MINUTES) 1. Ask one person in each pair to play the role of a physician and the other the role of a patient. Then ask the patients to think of an illness that brought them to this physician, who is a general practitioner. Tell the physicians that they have to diagnose the patient’s illness and prescribe a treatment plan. They can talk to the patient (no drawings allowed), but cannot ask a single question. Let the participants talk for about five minutes; walk around and observe strategies used to communicate. 2.
Ring the bell and stop the interaction. Ask the person who played the patient’s role to now take on the role of an architect. Tell the person who played the physician role to be a client who is meeting the architect to design a new home. The architects talk to their clients to design the home, but are not allowed to ask a single question. After five minutes, ring the bell to stop the communication.
DEBRIEF (20–60 MINUTES) The facilitator leads participants in a large group discussion (unless otherwise noted) using the following guiding questions: Phase 1: Feelings 1.
Using one word, describe what it felt like to be talking to each other without asking questions.
2.
If most of the responses are negative (awkward, incompetent, etc.), ask if anyone felt positive talking to each other without questions. continued on page 11
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Phase 2: Key Learning 3.
4.
Put the participants in groups of four and have them answer the following: ✓
Why do we ask questions?
✓
What are the strengths and limitations of asking questions?
✓
What are the advantages and disadvantages of not asking questions?
Ask each group to put their answers on a flip chart and share with the others. Each group takes around five minutes to present.
Phase 3: Relationship to the Real World 5.
How does this activity reflect what happens in the real world?
6.
What impact does our asking questions have on intercultural interactions?
Phase 4: Relationship to AFS 7.
How does this activity relate to our interactions with AFS audiences (participants, families, schools, etc.)?
8.
How could our interactions and relationships change if we avoided asking questions when talking with our different AFS audiences?
REFERENCES Professor Nagesh Rao is a professor at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. Over the past twenty years, Rao has taught in several U.S. universities and has also been a visiting professor at universities in Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong. Rao’s research addresses how to create culturally appropriate health communication campaigns and his work has been published in internationally renowned communication and health journals.
CONFERENCE UPDATES
Assessing Intercultural Learning in Pupil and Student Exchanges Assessing intercultural learning outcomes is an issue in the forefront of discussions in academia and in AFS. The Forum on Intercultural Learning and Exchange met late last year in Colle Val d’Elsa, Italy, to examine this issue from different perspective and see how AFS can enhance its work in the field of intercultural exchanges. Key discussion points included: ✓
the historical perspective on the issue of diversity education and its crucial role in the development of societies across the globe;
✓
an overview of research on assessment;
✓
the paradigms that different kinds of assessments emerge from;
✓
the state of assessment within AFS, with practical examples of how an organization working in the field of intercultural exchange has dealt with assessment of its educational impact; and
✓
best approaches to pupil and student exchanges.
Unique perspectives were offered by the keynote speaker, Jagdish Gundara, UNESCO Chair of Multicultural Education at the University of London. Other notable speakers, include Dr. Darla Deardorff, executive director of the Association of International Education Administrators, Dr. Milton Bennett, executive director of the Intercultural Development Institute, Dr. Bruce La Brack, cultural anthropologist, and Melissa Liles, Chief Education Officer at AFS International. The Forum is jointly organized by four AFS entities: Intercultura Foundation, AFS Austria, the European Federation for Intercultural Learning and the AFS Intercultural Programs headquarters. It embodies the idea that connecting the worlds of theory and practice brings added value to the discussions and creates space for mutually beneficial exchange.
Darla Deardorff, Milton Bennett and Melissa Liles
The Forum will meet again 9-11 October 2014 in Vienna, Austria, with the topic Assessing Intercultural Learning in NonFormal Education for Young People.
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DID YOU KNOW?
How are Intercultural Skills Valued in the Workplace? MILENA MILADINOVIC, COMMUNICATIONS FELLOW, AFS INTERNATIONAL
The AFS world provides rewarding young people. It concluded that five experiences to almost 13000 of the six skills most frequently program participants every year and demanded by employers are has an extensive network of developed in youth organizations. volunteers and staff that forms These skills are: affective, long-lasting relationships. ✓ communication skills These experiences also raise the level ✓ organizational or planning skills of interest to seek new intercultural ✓ decision-making skills encounters. However, we also believe ✓ confidence or autonomy that participating in AFS’s ✓ teamwork. intercultural exchange programs can have a positive impact on the Moreover, involvement in non-formal development of intercultural education activities abroad is seen as competences, which are positively helpful for young people to develop valued in the workplace. We looked higher levels of competences related at some of the recent research about to intercultural communication, youth employment and also asked foreign languages, and leadership ourselves: Even if our assumptions skills. Employers see prior experience about the value of the AFS and a willingness to experience are participate in non-formal corroborated, how AFS programs focus education as good does this relate to indicators of a person’s on enhancing our organization’s motivation level and empathy, flexibility, strategies? to fit in with a new and social skills with a potential To address this company, as well as an commitment to topic, the European opportunity to create social contributing to Youth Forum and its capital, networks, and partners conducted connections. the group. a study among The Value of Intercultural Research shows that young people and Skills in the Workplace, these skills directly employers in published in 2012 by the European countries. relate to British Council and its Results of the Study employers’ demands. partners, is yet another on the Impact of study that finds that there is Non-Formal real business value in employing staff Education in Youth Organizations on who have the ability to work Young People’s Employability were effectively with individuals and published in 2013. More than 1300 organizations from cultural young people from more than 245 backgrounds different than their youth organizations based in more own. More than 360 employers than 40 European countries surveyed in 9 countries (Brazil, China, participated in a survey for the study, India, Indonesia, Jordan, South while qualitative workshops and Africa, the UAE, the UK, and the interviews were conducted with USA) highlighted the following as employers and relevant stakeholders important intercultural skills: in order to obtain data for the ✓ the ability to understand study. The European Federation for different cultural contexts and Intercultural Learning (EFIL) also viewpoints took part in the survey and invited its members to give their contributions. ✓ demonstrating respect for others The study highlighted a strong knowledge of a foreign ✓ positive correlation between the language. involvement in youth organizations and non-formal education, as well as Finally, The QS Global Employer the employment possibilities for Survey, an annual study conducted
since 1991, combined online questionnaires, institution submissions, and databases from partners to get responses from employers around the world. The study asked its respondents whether they actively seek or attribute value to an international study experience when recruiting employees. Most hiring managers replied that this is a formal part of their interview and selection process, where intercultural communication skills and knowledge of foreign languages are evaluated during the recruitment process. Employers also believe that candidates with international experience generally outperform those without it. While levels of appreciation differ at different levels of management and types of industry, significant value is placed on international education around the world. It is reassuring to see that such findings from various studies highlight the need for competencies in the workplace that are very similar to the goals AFS aims to develop in the personal, interpersonal, cultural, and global realms. For example, when it comes to the realm of interpersonal skills, AFS programs focus on enhancing empathy, flexibility, and social skills with a commitment to contributing to the group. These skills directly relate to the employers’ demand for young people who demonstrate respect for others and an ability to work in a team. continued on page 13
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When it comes to communication skills, AFS program participants become more effective communicators and are able to express themselves more effectively in multicultural environments, including in a foreign language. The AFS Long-Term Impact Study found that AFS alumni are 20% more likely to speak and use at least one more foreign language than their peers. Confident in their own
abilities, they develop meaningful and long-term friendships across cultures, thus creating much desired social connections. Finally, all this is underscored by an awareness and knowledge of both one’s own culture and other cultures, along with an ability to adapt to various cultural contexts. With research showing that AFSers have a greater level of intercultural sensitivity and seek careers that
involve contact with other cultures, it is reassuring to know that there is a demand for such skills in the global workplace. What are your experiences with entering the job market as an AFS returnee? To what extent do you believe your AFS experience was an appropriate education for the global workforce?
NETWORK & PARTNER INITIATIVES
Euro-Asian Perspectives on Intercultural Learning CHIA SUYIN, INTERCULTURAL LEARNING OFFICER, AFS MALAYSIA
Known for its integration of different ethnic groups in a multicultural society, Malaysia has in recent years been the subject of much intercultural research in societal and political discussions. Bearing in mind that the majority of current intercultural research is focused in the USA and Europe, one of the main driving ideas behind this year’s Summer Academy was to approach intercultural topics from a Euro-Asian perspective. Aiming to raise awareness of intercultural learning, AFS Malaysia (Yayasan Antarabudaya Malaysia) was proud to host the Asia-Europe Cross Cultural Summer Academy 2013 for the second year. Developed in partnership with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s (UKM) Institute of Ethnic Studies, Karshochschule University and InterCultur, the program attracted 31 students and young professionals aged 18 to 35 from nine different countries. Before the course started, a 12-day homestay program in the northern state of Kelantan was organized for participants interested in learning more about the local way of living in rural areas, in addition to participating in the celebration of the holiday Hari Raya Eid-Fitri with local families.
Spanning two weeks, the academy was comprised of lectures, workshops and field visits offered in two tracks: The first was for participants relatively new to the intercultural field and engaged them in topics such as intercultural communication and intercultural conflict resolution. This track introduced basic techniques of identifying the barriers in selfdetermination and personal attitude in conflict situations by building knowledge and understanding the key concepts of cultures. The participants showed a special interest in the different communication styles across cultures, discussing reasons for their existence and ways to bridge gaps between them. The workshops exemplified two opposing communication styles, direct and indirect, which left many participants fascinated by how thoroughly individuals are affected by their surroundings. One prominent issue the participants explored was their own experiences in daily life. Interacting with other people from all over the world and reflecting on their own past experiences increased the participants’ awareness of the difference between generalizations and stereotypes and prepared them to
deal with these notions in a more effective way. The second track was for learners who already had a solid foundation in intercultural theories. This course specialized in critically examining the impact of globalization on modern diplomacy, security, identity, religion, culture and human rights, all with a special emphasis on South East Asia. Using a case study approach based on UKM’s Institute of Ethnic Studies curriculum, participants focused on European-Asian issues. The track critically looked into human rights in the context of the socio-economic, political, religious and historical background of Asia. Questions raised in the discussions included “How do cultures affect the implementation of human rights policies in Asian countries?” and “What ideology constitutes the basis of human rights in different parts of the world?” Together, these workshops helped participants gain practical and relevant insights using group activities, assignments and field trips. Participants were able to reflect on their own culture while getting to know others, thus gaining different perspectives on global issues and cultural matters.
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BEYOND ICL NEWS
Interview with Joyce Osland INTERVIEW CONDUCTED BY MILENA MILADINOVIC, COMMUNICATIONS FELLOW, AFS INTERNATIONAL
management in different countries also influenced me, and my academic career dealt with organizational behavior and focused on the field of international management. I felt like the literature didn’t cover the most relevant and interesting topics. Joyce Osland is a professor of global leadership and the executive director of the Global Leadership Advancement Center at San Jose State University. She is a specialist in international management with a focus on global leadership, Latin America and organizational development. Well known for her proficiency in experiential learning, Osland’s research focuses on global leadership development, cultural sense-making and knowledge transfer after an intercultural experience, with an emphasis on practical ways to improve global skills and organizations.
How did you get involved in the intercultural field? My first job after grad school was in Scotland, and then after a year, I went to Colombia with the U.S. Peace Corps. I gave an intercultural training for some of the volunteers and then continued working in international development for the next ten years, moving from country to country. I worked in seven different countries over a 15-year period and became hooked on figuring out culture. Understanding culture was crucial in order for the work to be effective; it was a challenge and an intriguing necessity.
What academic field was your entry into intercultural studies? How do you see this link? I was always fascinated by change as a way to improve organizations, and the desire to learn more about change led me to my PhD. International topics related to my personal experience of
My dissertation topic was on Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey myth as a metaphor for the subjective transformational experience of expatriates. This was the first work in the business world that talked about transformation rather than just adjustment, and it also dealt with cultural mentors and paradoxes that expatriates face. The field of business has a growing interest in cultural competence and a large body of research, but it seems to be lacking a multidisciplinary approach.
that leadership is impacted by culture and be highly attuned to people’s behaviors and reactions.
Which aspect of intercultural learning or communication has your work focused on? My main fields of interest are the expatriate transformation and paradoxes, knowledge transfer after an intercultural experience, cultural sense-making, global leadership development and global competency measurement. I find the experience upon return to the home country very interesting, especially if we go back to the hero’s journey myth, and the varied experiences it presents.
In the organizational context, there is a skill set to transferring knowledge. You need to figure out when to your experience up, When it comes to global Global leaders have bring when people can take in leadership, there are basic to be aware of the information and want the management practices range of ways that knowledge, without coming that seem universal and across as too pretentious. translate around the leadership is world, but there is a need impacted by culture This is an area where we could be more helpful for variance and and be highly to people. contextualization that you attuned to people’s need to understand in The existence of a network order to be successful. behaviors and of other expatriates who are And then there are local willing to listen is reactions. styles of what an ideal very important. leader does in every What do you wish more people would culture. In order to be a successful understand about intercultural work? leader in that culture, you need to I am not sure how well I can speak for the match those styles as best you can, at field, seeing that I consider myself to least until you gain trust and respect. come from the outside. People should The GLOBE project on leadership has know that intercultural communication is shown us that there are some just a basic skill everyone needs and that universalities when it comes to it’s applicable to dealing with any type of successful leadership and other difference, whether you have left home or conditional elements. not. The world comes to you, so this is Global leadership operates at a metaapplicable on a daily basis. Cultural level. Global leaders have followers differences are maybe the most obvious from numerous cultures and therefore extreme differences; mastering these will do not have the luxury of an in-depth help us manage any difference that comes understanding of each culture. They our way. have to be aware of the range of ways continued on page 15
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What would you suggest for people new to the field of intercultural learning to read as they get started? I like to read in different fields and believe that this multidisciplinary approach is very useful. Clifford Geertz is one of my heroes in the field of anthropology, and when it comes to intercultural communication, I always recommend Stella Ting-Toomey. At present I am reading Andrew Molinsky’s Cultural Dexterity. Business has fixated on Geert Hofstede’s work for a long time, which was a major contribution, but I feel like we need to move on now. I am happy to see that many people are dealing with intercultural competence and bridging differences rather than focusing solely on how cultures differ. At the end of the day, it’s about effectively working with others.
valid instruments and then focus on the best ways to use them to trigger personal development.
How has the intercultural learning field changed since you entered it? It’s become more practical and focused on bridging cultural differences, rather than simply identifying what those differences are.
What steps do you recommend AFS take to continue to distinguish itself as an educational organization and intercultural exchange provider? I have been in touch with AFS during the Summer Institute for Intercultural Communication, and I believe in your work.
We have a global leadership competency model that we use and other assessment instruments. Participants go through many experiential exercises followed by feedback. They make a personal development plan, pick out What are the hot topics in intercultural learning these days? something to work on and be held accountable for. We have a lot of faceI will speak for myself first. I am to-face contact initially, but then they very interested in understanding can continue independent learning, the ways of thinking of expert on a long-distance, self-paced and interculturalists and global leaders. online basis. Research has shown that If we understand what the experts this helps develop intercultural do, we can competence. It might help for accelerate the Intercultural AFS to set up an online development of communication is system to suggest activities novices. I am and reflections, to guide the a basic skill starting to see students’ experience. AFS has everyone needs research in a lot of people spread out, and neuroscience as and it is they can take advantage of it applies to this applicable when online opportunities, without area. We know dealing with any needing to be that a lot of type of difference, together physically. culture learning creates linkages whether you have It is also good to do assessment and research, in the brain, so left home or not. measuring the competences more attention in the organization wants to this field could promote in the beginning and end of be very helpful. Using assessment the experience. surveys to measure intercultural competence has become very popular. The trick is to choose
MEET OUR ADVISORS
Juergen Bolten The AFS Educational Advisory Council was established in 2006 to help guide AFS’s global education and research efforts. Comprised of both distinguished and up-and-coming thought leaders from the wider intercultural realm, Council members represent a diversity of disciplines ranging from communications and cross-cultural psychology, to anthropology and management sciences. They meet annually to share their insights about developments in the field, provide views from their areas of expertise, and inform AFS’s strategic plans, all in a voluntary capacity. An award winning professor, interculturalist and researcher, Professor Jürgen Bolten brings his expertise from various areas into the AFS Educational Advisory Council. His extensive interests encompass intercultural human resources and organizational development, web-based intercultural learning, cross-cultural theories of action and communication as cultural styles in international business communication. Professor Bolten believes that experience abroad leads to flexibility, claiming that this important in the intercultural context and beyond. Even when dealing with one’s own culture, time spent abroad enables people to have a more objective view of many things. Arguing for a continued exposure to foreign experiences, professor Bolten works towards more intercultural competence. Among other positions, Professor Bolten is currently the head of the Intercultural Business Communication department at the University of Jena in Germany and the chairman of the board of the business consultancy “interculture.de” the Academy for Intercultural Studies in Würzburg and the Institute for Cultural Studies in Leipzig, Germany. Look for Professor Bolten’s article in the next issue of this magazine!
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THE IMPACT OF LIVING ABROAD
Intergroup Anxiety MILENA MILADINOVIC, COMMUNICATIONS FELLOW, AFS INTERNATIONAL
Researchers at the University of Essex, in collaboration with AFS, have completed The Impact of Living Abroad, an 18-month study that involved almost 2500 sojourners enrolled in a 10–12-month AFS program, as well as 578 control group participants. The project investigated four central components of intercultural contact: acculturative stress, cultural learning, intergroup contact and the effect of cultural distance. AFS Intercultural Link news magazine brings you summaries of the study results and suggests ways for AFS to incorporate findings into its educational approach.
knowledge of the host ✓ Personality: Intergroup anxiety language improves. is related to certain traits of personality, as it is defined by ✓ Motivation: The source of psychologists. More extroverted motivation to participate in an or open persons, as well as those intercultural exchange directly who are less emotional, tend to relates to the level of intergroup feel less anxiety, as well as those anxiety. The more sojourners who score high on the traits of have their own, independently honesty and humility. formed reasons for going abroad, the lower their levels of ✓ Intercultural competence: anxiety are. Higher levels of intercultural competencies, the ability to ✓ Perceived cultural distance: interact effectively and Intergroup anxiety levels tend to appropriately with members of drop when sojourners perceive other cultures, have been found their home and host culture to to lead to lower levels of be more similar and the cultural intergroup anxiety. distance between them smaller.
This issue looks at how the ✓ Fluency in the host language: For more information about The exchange experience impacts the Speaking for the benefits of Impact of Living Abroad study relations between individuals of timely language learning, this results, contact us at icl@afs.org different cultural backgrounds and study has found that intergroup or visit www.ilaproject.org. the ease of overcoming intergroup anxiety decreases as the anxiety in these situations. Such data can help assess the significance continued on page 17 of intercultural exchanges and may predict the success of integration in Why is this important for AFS? culturally diverse workplaces. Feelings of discomfort and uncertainty in interactions between different groups are labeled as intergroup anxiety. These feelings influence the general relations among groups and group members, and can lead to prejudice. According to The Impact of Living Abroad study, before their intercultural experiences, AFS sojourners show the same average levels of intergroup anxiety as their peers. However, once beginning the exchange, the sojourners’ anxiety considerably decreases, particularly by mid-stay and the return to their home countries. This research has found that the following factors are related to intergroup anxiety:
Intergroup anxiety can predict how sojourners will behave or feel in other situations. For example, better socio-cultural adaptation, which is defined as adjusting to lifestyle, social norms, language use and other practical considerations in a different culture, and better psychological adaptation, one’s sense of belonging, feelings and other emotional aspects of being in a new environment, tend to be preceded by lower intergroup anxiety. This is also true for higher self-esteem and a more positive perception of personal well-being — both of these factors can be predicted by lower levels of intergroup anxiety. In turn, all this leads to a more positive general evaluation of their overall experience. Findings of The Impact of Living Abroad study support the claim that intercultural exchange can foster more positive intergroup relations. This means that AFS sojourners acquire transferable interpersonal and intercultural skills that can help them integrate and work efficiently in diverse teams in the present and the future. In line with the AFS Educational Goals, sojourners are expected to be able to find workable solutions in intercultural workplaces, using their exchange experiences as a base example.
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Use these study results to improve your:
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Sojourner language learning: Knowing that fluency helps decrease intergroup anxiety, we can work on improving the sojourners’ language skills before and in the early stages of the exchange. More language learning earlier helps increase comfort and effectiveness in the new environment. You can take advantage of Rosetta Stone or other online or in-person learning courses, while also encouraging volunteers to be language tutors. Chart image from The Impact of Living Abroad final report
(December 2012) ✓ Support: During the monthly contact with sojourners and families, emphasize rational ways of dealing with everyday challenges. Without negating the value of emotions, advocate for non-emotional approaches to problem-solving in the new environment. One of the practical techniques you can share with program participants is D.I.V.E. (Describe, Interpret, Verify, Evaluate), which is described in more detail in What Every AFSer Should Know About Intercultural Learning®. This training manual or activity description can be downloaded from our ICL Digital Library.
✓ Orientations: Similarities between and the perceived closeness of the home and host culture can help sojourners adapt and overcome anxiety. Use exercises and workshops that emphasize cultural similarities during your arrival orientations, and conduct discussions on cultural differences during the pre-return orientations.
NOT JUST FOR STUDENTS ANYMORE! Did you know you can use this practical tool for host families , too?
Cultural Detective® ✓ Help families “see” a situation through their student’s
Cultural Lens before a misunderstanding escalates to a support case. ✓ Use the Cultural Detective Method™ worksheet to
create typical day-in-the-life exchange scenarios and analyze the cultural perspectives as part of the host family preparation pre-student arrival. ✓ Improve awareness and understanding of underlying
values and assumptions that influence actions and behaviors in the family’s day-to-day interactions both locally and with their exchange student.
For more information, contact Hazar Yildirim at hazar.yildirim@afs.org. AFS Intercultural Link | VOLUME 5 - ISSUE 1 - JANUARY - APRIL 2014
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AFS Intercultural Link LEARNING PROGRAM UPDATE The AFS Intercultural Link Learning Program starts 2014 riding on a number of successes in two key areas of intercultural competence development for AFS volunteers and staff worldwide: • More than 1000 AFSers — from the grass-roots to the leadership level — have already participated in the beginners’ level of the Learning Program. The What Every AFSer Should Know About Intercultural Learning® Trainer Kit is available in English, Spanish and Portuguese and is currently being translated into German and French, among other languages. Thank you to those who have provided feedback on your experiences delivering the course. • Ten AFS organizations have already created official national versions of the Learning Program. Each of these has developed a pool of National Qualified Trainers certified to deliver the Learning Program curriculum to AFSers locally in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Denmark, Norway, Paraguay, Sweden and Malaysia.
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Other 2013 successes include: • A significant presence of some 30 AFS scholars for the fourth consecutive year at the Summer Institute on Intercultural Communication (SIIC) in July 2013. We hosted an evening session on how AFS has created a training plan to advance intercultural competence across multiple international offices/ organizations with diverse levels of readiness. • Collaboration with colleagues at InterCultur and AFS Germany during the Summer Academy on Intercultural Experience in Karlsruhe, Germany. We delivered a Qualifying Trainer Workshop for eight candidates from around the AFS network. • Distance learning sessions for participants of regional events in the Asia-Pacific and greater Central American (Caribe) regions. • At the 2013 AFS Academy, an AFSers-only training mega event in Florence, Italy in November, the Learning Program offered four separate courses.
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We plan to repeat many of these events and offer continued support to AFS organizations. Emphasis will be on:
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What Every AFSer Should Know About Intercultural Learning®. A revised edition will be published in 2014, as well as some “How To” guidelines for introducing the course to those responsible for delivering the content; and
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More 2014 official national versions of the Learning Program, including National Qualified Trainer pools in Brazil (again), Egypt, Costa Rica, India, Norway, The Philippines, Turkey and more!
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For questions regarding What Every AFSer Should Know About Intercultural Learning® or to create your own official national Learning Program implementation plan this year, contact Laura Kline-Taylor at laura.klinetaylor@afs.org. General Learning Program questions can be directed to LearningProgram@afs.org.
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Want to join? To plan your organization’s participation in the Learning Program, please keep the following profile in mind: National Qualified Trainer candidates should be AFS volunteers and staff members who: have successfully facilitated AFS and/or other trainings (ideally with some intercultural learning content), are familiar with foundational intercultural theories and concepts and their use in AFS operations, have experience as well as strong interest in expanding our collective intercultural expertise and knowledge of local organization’s board-approved National Intercultural Learning Strategy, have a positive referral from at least one relevant staff member from their AFS office, are willing and able to fulfill all participation conditions jointly determined by both AFS International and the local office, including their own and the organization’s development.
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LEARNING PROGRAM EVENTS CALENDAR 2014 National Qualifying Trainers (NQT) Workshop & Certification, AFS India, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia; New Delhi
APR
National Qualifying Trainers (NQT) Workshop & Certification, AFS Costa Rica; San José National Qualifying Trainers (NQT) Workshop & Certification, AFS Brazil, Rio de Janeiro
MAY
Level 1 Leadership Edition for staff attending the Caribe Regional Meeting; Antigua, Guatemala What Every Person Should Know about Intercultural Learning Intercultural Communication (SIIC); Oregon, USA
JUL
National Qualifying Trainers (NQT) Workshop & Certification, AFS in China; Beijing
AUG
Qualifying Trainers Workshop for attendees of the Summer Academy; Karlsruhe, Germany
SEP
4th Annual Regional Caribe Event | Levels 1, 2, 3 (en español)
OCT
4th Annual Regional AAI Event | Levels 1, 2, 3
SEP/OCT
5th
2015 Annual Regional AAI Event | Levels 1, 2, 3
5th Annual Regional Caribe Event | Levels 1, 2, 3 (en español) DISTANCE EVENTS WILL BE ANNOUNCED TO EACH PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATION.
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NETWORK & PARTNER INITIATIVES
Culture Impacts Sustainability BASED ON INPUT BY HAZAR YILDIRIM, EDUCATION CONTENT & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, AFS INTERNATIONAL
While the world watched the developments of the protests taking place in Turkey last year, young people gathered to participate in the first Summer Academy on Sustainability from an Intercultural Perspective. This edition of the Academy was an opportunity for 37 participants from nine different countries to learn about the interconnectedness of environmental and sustainability issues through different cultural perspectives. On top of the learning that took place in the workshops, the participants were also immersed in Turkish culture and engaged in the intercultural setting of the academy. Organized cooperatively by InterCultur (a subsidiary of AFS Germany), Karlshochschule International University, AFS Turkey and Istanbul Kültür University, the academy program was divided into two tracks. The first dealt with environmental ethics and regional energy politics, introducing participants newer to the topic to intercultural communication
and learning. This was a perfect opportunity to show in practice that different cultural perspectives affect understanding and entail varied approaches on sustainability around the world. The second track focused on renewable energies and public, private and NGO partnerships in energy politics. These workshops dealt with the concepts of social entrepreneurship and green innovations by applying experiential learning techniques. Participants engaged in simulations to demonstrate real-life obstacles to the decision-making processes within different cultural settings. The traditional intercultural atmosphere that dominated the academy wasn’t only limited to workshop participation and learning from experts: Several excursions and additional guest speaker lectures added value to the program and enabled the participants to get further insights into intercultural and sustainability issues. Attendees also had the chance to discuss the topical protests in Turkey, which arose from an initiative to save one of the last
green spaces in the center of Istanbul. This was a unique opportunity to gain immediate insight into the linkage of sustainability, civic commitment and political decisions. A special feature of the academy was the homestay program that accompanied it. By living with Turkish host families, participants experienced additional intercultural encounters and deepened their understanding of Turkish culture.
Get ready for these 2014 Summer Academies: Summer Academy on Sustainability from an Intercultural Perspective 14 - 25 July 2014, Istanbul, Turkey. More information here: www.summeracademyistanbul.org.
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Experience 4 - 15 August 2014, Karlsruhe, Germany. More information here: www.summeracademykarlsruhe.org.
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Full and partial scholarships available! AFS Intercultural Link | VOLUME 5 - ISSUE 1 - JANUARY - APRIL 2014
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Save the date! Join the AFS Centennial Celebrations
The AFS Centennial, which will be honored this November, celebrates the courage, spirit and vision of our founders - the World War I and II ambulance drivers of the American Field Service. Their legacy, AFS Intercultural Programs, remains committed to serving others through AFS volunteers supporting our programs around the world. The AFS experience has transformed the lives of millions of students, families and volunteers by connecting lives and sharing cultures. Working for a more just and peaceful world, AFS is a proud community of global citizens, a world leader in international exchange and a leading voice of intercultural learning.
Educational Highlights of the AFS Centennial Celebrations 100 Years Young! AFS YOUTH WORKSHOP & SYMPOSIUM
Learning to Live Together From Ideas to Action AFS GLOBAL INTERCULTURAL EDUCATION SYMPOSIUM
8 November 2014 Join AFS and more than 1,000 attendees from around the world for a dynamic conversation on global citizenship, Learning to Live Together—from Ideas to Action. This AFS Global Intercultural Education Symposium will take place at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. With a steady look to our future, AFS will convene luminaries from the fields of peace and education to advance practical solutions in the crucial work of developing global citizens. This engaging conversation will explore who is ultimately responsible for driving global citizenship education—and what interests and value systems should influence that process.
5-9 November 2014 This interactive workshop culminates in a special youth-led symposium at the UNESCO headquarters on the morning of November 8th for AFSers and friends ages 30 and under. In celebration of the next century of AFS, participants will discuss and debate the best ways we can learn to live together as global citizens. Registration includes participation in the AFS Global Intercultural Education Symposium on Saturday afternoon and the AFS Centennial Gala Dinner.
AFS is honored to have some of the world’s most thoughtful leaders help us look ahead, including Mary Robinson, former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and former President of Ireland, and Oscar Arias, Nobel Peace Prize Recipient and former President of Costa Rica.
Registrations open in May
Visit centennial.afs.org to pre-register. AFS Intercultural Link | VOLUME 5 - ISSUE 1 - JANUARY - APRIL 2014
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INTERCULTURAL LEARNING FIELD CONFERENCES & EVENT UPDATES May
June
July
Global Educational Leadership Conference: “People Matter: Growing Self, Growing Others, Growing Community”. The Academy of Principals. 8 – 9 May 2014. Singapore.
The Comparative Education Society for Europe Annual Conference. Comparative Education Society in Europe (CESE). 10 – 13 June 2014. Freiburg, Germany.
2014 International Conference: “Dreaming an Impossible Dream: An Empowering Education for All”. International Association for Intercultural Education (IAIE) and Korean Association for Multicultural Education. 8 – 10 May 2014. Seoul, Korea.
2014 SIETAR Congress: “Shaping Identity: Land People, Systems”. Young SIETAR (Society for Intercultural Education, Training and Research). 26 – 29 June 2014. Vancouver, Canada.
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NAFSA Annual Conference. NAFSA: Association of International Educators. 25 – 30 May 2014. San Diego, CA, USA.
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Asia Society Partnership for Global Learning Annual Conference. Asia Society. 27 – 28 June 2014. New York, NY, USA.
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21st Annual iEARN International Conference and Annual Youth Summit 2014. International Education and Resource Network (iEARN). 29 June – 5 July 2014. Puerto Madryn, Argentina.
Second European Conference on Education, Transforming and Changing Education: Borderlands of Becoming and Belonging. International Academic Forum. 9 - 13 July 2014. Brighton, United Kingdom.
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Summer Institute for Intercultural Communication (SIIC). Intercultural Communication Institute (ICI). 14 – 25 July 2014. Portland, OR, USA.
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The 20th IAICS International Conference: Enhancing Global Community, Resilience and Sustainability Through Intercultural Communication. International Association for Intercultural Communication Studies (IAICS). 31 July – 4 August 2014. Providence, RI, USA.
If you are aware of upcoming conferences in the intercultural area, please advise us at icl@afs.org
YOUR SOURCE FOR INTERCULTURAL LEARNING IN THE AFS NETWORK
Call for Submissions AFS members are invited to submit proposals for articles, news items and intercultural activities with accompanying graphics or photos for consideration in future issues of AFS Intercultural Link. Submissions can be AFS-specific or part of the larger Intercultural Learning (ICL) field. Simply send your submissions to us at AFS International: icl@afs.org
Questions or Comments icl@afs.org © 2014 AFS Intercultural Programs, Inc. All rights reserved.
Intercultural Learning Work Group Johanna Nemeth (Austria) Rosario Gutierrez (Colombia) Sherifa Fayez (Egypt) Annette Gisevius (Germany) Irid Agoes (Indonesia) Melissa Liles, Chair (International) Lucas Welter (International) Roberto Ruffino (Italy) Newsletter Editor: Melissa Liles Newsletter Manager: Milena Miladinovic Design & Graphics: AFS Branding & Marketing Team Writers: Hazar Yildirim, Milena Miladinovic
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