afs intercultural link newspaper v3i2 april/may/june 2012
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At this time of the year, those of us in AFS who live north of the equator are typically planning for the exchange year ahead and getting ready to prepare thousands of sojourners, families, schools and community organizations for the learning experiences to come.
Meanwhile, AFSers in the southern hemisphere are in the throes of the school year, focused on helping program participants process their experiences in mid-stay orientations and monthly contact meetings—events that are known in pedagogical terms as “structured learning interventions.”
The critical role of these purposefully-designed reflection points in developing intercultural competence is something we discuss with one of our favorite interculturalists, Michael Paige. In an interview found on
AFS Intercultural Link | VOLUME 3 - ISSUE 2 - APRIL/MAY/JUNE 2012 | 1
Intercultural Learning:The Heart & Soul of AFSMELISSA LILES, CHIEF EDUCATION OFFICER, AFS INTERNATIONAL
continued on page 2
Everyday Learning Opportunities in the WorkplaceCheck it out!
See the Learning
Session Outline on page 9
VOLUME 3 - ISSUE 2 - APRIL/MAY/JUNE 2012YOUR SOURCE FOR INTERCULTURAL LEARNING IN THE AFS NETWORK
GL
OB
AL
E
DI
TI
ON
Connecting Lives, Sharing Cultures
InterculturalKNIL
IN THIS ISSUE Intercultural Learning:The Heart & Soul of AFSby Melissa Liles Page 1
Network And Partner InitiativesAFS Belgium French says Oui! to ICLby Paul Edinger Page 5
Institutional Relations5 Years with the JENESYS Programmeby Susan Adams Yamada Page 6
News You Can UseBuilding Your Own ICL Libraryby Charlotte Steinke Page 7
Book Review: The Geography of Thought by Elis Motta Page 8
Learning Session OutlineEveryday Intercultural LearningA New Look at Our WorkplaceInteractionsby Anna Collier Page 9
Beyond AFS ICL NewsInterview with Michael Paigeby Laura Kline-taylor Page 11
Concept & TheoriesThe Contact Hypothesisby Charlotte Steinke Page 3
More 2012 Learning Opportunitiesfor You Including Scholarships for AFSers and OthersPage 12
Conference UpdateExploring Global Perspectives of ICLPage 14
Meet an ICL ResponsibleSherifa Fayez, AFS EgyptPage 14
ICL Field Conferences & Event UpdatesPage 15
AFS Intercultural Link | VOLUME 3 - ISSUE 2 - APRIL/MAY/JUNE 2012 | 2
page 11, he previews findings from his latest book, Student Learning Abroad: What Our Students Are Learning, What They’re Not, And What We Can Do About It.
Paige’s practical suggestions, in combination with conclusions from Thomas F. Pettigrew in his 2011 study, “Recent Advances in Intercultural Contact Theory,” (page 3) reinforce that AFS’s approach to deeper intercultural learning is in line with current studies and literature. But ICL isn’t just for AFS. Working across diversity is a part of our everyday lives, including workplace interactions. When something goes wrong (or right) in the office, have you ever considered what cultural factors might be at play? Or, if you work from home, how connecting with others virtually can create a superficial layer of “sameness” that results in a more profound frustration when others’ behavior doesn’t match our assumptions?
On page 9, we feature a new exercise designed specifically for your workplace. Explore the Task versus
Relationship cultural continuum in order to learn more about yourself and your colleagues—and how you can have fewer early morning misunderstandings.
Finally, based on popular demand, we have put together a list of “must have” books for anyone looking to start their own intercultural learning library (page 7).
Help us grow this list, including sharing non-English titles, by visiting us online at www.afs.org/blog/icl.
Happy intercultural encounters,Warmly,
With colleagues from over 50 countries, every day is an opportunity for intercultural
learning within AFS. Regardless of where you work, cultural factors are likely a
consideration. Check out our new learning session outline on page 9: A New Look at
our Workplace Interactions.
AFS presents
ProfessorGeert Hofstedeat the AFS AcademyIstanbul, Turkey22 September, 2012
Do you know your cultural dimensions?
Register now atwww.afs.org/afs-academy
AFS Intercultural Link | VOLUME 3 - ISSUE 2 - APRIL/MAY/JUNE 2012 | 3
CONCEPT &THEORIES
Putting the AFS Mission into PracticeThe goal of our work as AFSers is to provide intercultural learning opportunities to help people develop the knowledge, skills, and understanding needed to create a more just and peaceful world. But how do we make this happen? The AFS Orientation Framework guides our work by combining experiential intercultural experiences for all our audiences with structured and planned learning opportunities to support cultural adaptation and increase comfort with difference. A recent study by Thomas F. Pettigrew and others (Recent Advances in Intercultural Contact Theory, published March 2011 in the International Journal of Intercultural Relations) has once again proven why our work in AFS – particularly when following the deliberate approach of the Framework – really makes a difference.
In this study, Pettigrew and his colleagues show how contact between individuals from different cultural groups can improve the relationship between the individuals involved, as well as improving their feelings toward the groups to which
they belong. This includes national, religious, gender, age, sexual orientation, and disability culture groups. Intercultural contact usually reduces prejudice and leads to greater trust and forgiveness for past mistakes of members of the relevant groups.
These positive effects can evenbe passed on to friends of the person who had an intensive experience with those from other groups. The Contact HypothesisThis is a powerful argument in favor of the so-called Contact Hypothesis, which Gordon W. Allport introduced in his book “The Nature of Prejudice,” in 1954. Allport indicated that increased inter-group contact reduces prejudice – however, not in all situations.
He wrote that it is common for human beings to think in terms of their own group (“in-group”) versus all other
groups (“out-groups”) they don’t identify with. When there is limited contact with members of out-groups, attitudes towards them are often negative and shaped by stereotypes and prejudice. Sometimes, members of out-groups are even seen as less human.
Allport believed that inter-group contact would significantly improve the relations between different cultural groups. He thought if
members of both groups had enough personal contact, prejudice and stereotyping would decline and intergroup friendships would develop. Necessary FactorsHowever, Allport warned that intergroup contact would not always lead to this result. He suggested that contact can only successfully reduce prejudice in inter-group contact situations when the following conditions are met:
possibility to get to know each other as persons, not only superficial interactions)
or customsIn their recent study, Pettigrew and colleagues showed that Allport’s four
The Contact HypothesisCHARLOTTE STEINKE,
INTERCULTURAL
LEARNING SENIOR INTERN,
AFS INTERNATIONAL
“when an intergroup-friendship is established, prejudice and stereotypes are
reduced dramatically”
“after building opportunities for contact, the next step toward increasing intercultural
competence is to provide structured intercultural learning opportunities”
AFS Intercultural Link | VOLUME 3 - ISSUE 2 - APRIL/MAY/JUNE 2012 | 4
conditions do help to facilitate the positive effects of intercultural interaction – but that the positive effects sometimes exist even without these criteria. They also show that when an intergroup-friendship is established, prejudice and stereotypes are reduced dramatically.
Implications for AFSBuilding connections between people from different cultures is at the heart of what AFS does. However, we don’t want to stop at reducing stereotypes – the goal of AFS is to develop
ICL INTERNS & VOLUNTEERS
Paul Edinger
Working to support AFS organizations in
their development of national ICL
strategies, Paul has an undergraduate
degree in International Studies with a
concentration in Latin America. While
studying, he taught English, Spanish and
computer literacy courses to Guatemalan
and Salvadoran immigrants to the U.S.
Paul regularly comments on differences
and similarities between the fields of
intercultural communications and
international relations on our blog:
www.afs.org/blog/icl.
Charlotte Steinke Michelle Chan
Michelle is a volunteer who assists in
maintaining www.afs.org/icl as well as
contributing to the ICL …for AFSers
document series. Michelle holds a B.S. in
Business and Economics, studied abroad
in Italy, and taught English in South Korea
for two years. Currently, Michelle is a
master’s candidate in the International
Education program at New York
University, concentrating in International
Development and Cross-Cultural Training.
Obrigada Elis Motta!
We say thank you and goodbye to Elis whose internship came to an end in March. For now, Elis has returned to Brazil where she
resumes her AFS Brazil volunteer career – and continues to contribute on the international level as an AFS Intercultural Link
Qualified Trainer.
Charlotte is the new Senior Intern for the
Intercultural Link Learning Program. She
is pursuing a master’s degree in
Intercultural Communication Studies at
the Viadrina University in Frankfurt
(Oder), located on the German-Polish
border; her undergraduate degree is in
Cultural Studies. She has a background in
German as a foreign language and has
both taught and studied languages in the
People’s Republic of China and Brazil.
intercultural competence in its audiences! As Michael Paige strongly emphasized in our interview with him on page 11 of this issue, after building
opportunities for contact, the next step toward increasing intercultural competence is to provide structured intercultural learning opportunities.
This more sophisticated approach leads to deeper insights about cultural norms, values, and communication styles to help AFS audiences successfully cope
with new environments and intercultural interactions – not only within their exchange programs, but in the many other intercultural settings in
which they will likely find themselves in the future. In other words, adding structured reflection points allows for
better intercultural learning.
By connecting people and then supporting their contact with appropriate structured intercultural learning opportunities, AFS can further improve its way of promoting peace and justice.
“adding structured reflection points allows for better intercultural learning”
AFS Intercultural Link | VOLUME 3 - ISSUE 2 - APRIL/MAY/JUNE 2012 | 5
NETWORK AND PARTNER INITIATIVES
AFS Belgium French says Oui! to ICLPAUL EDINGER,
INTERCULTURAL LEARNING INTERN,
AFS INTERNATIONAL
AFS Belgium French is focused on providing high-quality intercultural learning (ICL) opportunities to its participants, volunteers, staff, and others as part of their organization’s strategic plan. The result? A more visibly education-focused organization.
The staff at AFS Belgium French have worked to make intercultural learning a priority within their organization.
“Establishing clear goals and a comprehensive,
step-by-step National ICL Strategy to pursue their ICL
goals has been key.”- Fabrice Gonet, Partner Director
AFS Belgium French’s new materials on display at the
AFS International office in New York.
Four of their twelve staff members are focused on ICL and work directly with volunteers involved in support, schools relations, and volunteer development from an educational perspective. ICL-centered activities include designing tools, organizing trainings, and interacting with schools and host families.
In addition to an intercultural learning section on their website, AFS prominently displays ICL on their homepage
(www.afsbelgique.be). The education section offers easy to understand definitions of the concepts behind intercultural learning and relates the pedagogical approach back to the overall mission of the AFS Network.
AFS Belgium French prominently has realized that establishing clear goals and a comprehensive, step-by-step National ICL Strategy to pursue their ICL goals has been key.
JENESYSプログラムと歩んだ5年間
2007年に安倍晋太郎首相(当時)が、今後5年間に渡ってアジアから毎年約6,000人の青少年を日本に招く「21世紀東アジア青少年大交流計画」(JENESYSプログラム)を提唱して以来、AFS日本協会はプログラムを実施する一団体として、アセアン事務局より委託を受け、日本政府の指導の下、プログラムを実施してきました。オーストラリア、インド、インドネシア、マレーシア、ニュージーランド、フィリピン、タイのAFSパートナーの多大な協力のもと、このプログラムを実施することで得たものは多く、また異文化理解教育の観点からも成果をあげました。
このプログラムが計画された目的は「東アジアにおいて強固な連帯を促進する」ことで、将来に向けて「協力的な」関係を築くと同時に、青少年の交流を通して、相互理解の促進と良好な対日感情の形成を促進することにあります。JENESYSプログラムは青少年を対象とした、招へい事業(長期及び短期)、派遣事業、交流事業(東アジア学生会議など)の3事業で構成されています。
プログラム受託団体として選定されるにあたり、AFSネットワークに属する国際教育機関として、AFS日本協会が長年に渡り外務省から一定の評価を受けてきたことも助けとなりました。AFS日本協会が受託したのはプログラム全体の10%にあたる720名の招へい事業ですが、得意とする1年間の招へいプログラム、また他団体とは異なり13か国同時に招へいし、1週間のホームステイを含む短期プログラム(長期招へい参加者同様に短期招へい参加者の90%が帰国一年後もホストファミリーとの連絡を継続)を実行できる力及び、参加者や日本人にとって有意義な異文化理解教育の機会を提供できる点がAFS日本協会の強みです。ボランティアや職員にとっても、素晴らしい経験となりました。
JENESYSプログラムの当初の目的は達成されたでしょうか。参加者と日本の将来に渡る関係に良い影響を与えることができるでしょうか。JENESYS最終年を記念し、また日本を含む多くの国からの参加者を歓迎するために12月にJENESYSフェスティバルを開催しました。アジアの様々な国からやって来た参加者同士が交流し、帰国後も連絡を取り合うことを約束している姿が見られたフェスティバルは活力にあふれた素晴らしいものとなりました。外務大臣政務官よりプログラムの継続に向けて力を注ぐという話があった際には、参加者の輝く表情と盛大な拍手で「YES」が会場中に響き渡ったのでした。
AFS Intercultural Link | VOLUME 3 - ISSUE 2 - APRIL/MAY/JUNE 2012 | 6
EDUCATIONAL RELATIONS AT THE INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL
5 Years with the JENESYS ProgrammeSUSAN ADAMS YAMADA, PROGRAM COORDINATOR, AFS JAPAN
Read the English version in the AFS Inbox or the Digital ICL Library
Young people from over 13 countries celebrating learning and friendships at the JENESYS Festival
AFS Intercultural Programs President and CEO, Vincenzo Morlini, at the closing ceremonies
We hope these suggestions inspire you in creating or expanding an ICL library in your AFS office or chapter. These resources can help us better understand what happens during the intercultural encounters that we all experience in our work with AFS (and otherwise) and can help us better support AFS sojourners, families, schools, volunteers, and staff.
AFS Intercultural Link | VOLUME 3 - ISSUE 2 - APRIL/MAY/JUNE 2012 | 7
NEWS YOU CAN USE
Building Your Own ICL LibraryCHARLOTTE STEINKE,
INTERCULTURAL LEARNING
SENIOR INTERN,
AFS INTERNATIONAL
1. 52 Activities for Improving Cross-Cultural Education (Donna Stringer and Patricia Cassiday), 2009. With 52 easy-to-implement group activities for improving cross-cultural communication, this book is designed for a variety of audiences, including exchange students, staff in an international working environment, and organizational leaders.
2. Maximizing Study Abroad (Michael Paige et al), 2010. A guide to strategies for improving language and cultural learning abroad, this resource includes numerous ready-to-use activities and self-tests that can increase understanding of how we are shaped by our culture(s). This book was written with US-audiences in mind, but it can also be applied in other contexts.
3. The Silent Language (Edward Hall), 1959. This classic by the North American anthropologist Edward Hall describes the meaning of culture. It is easy to read and full of vivid examples that help readers to understand his perceptions of culture.
4. The SAGE Handbook of Intercultural Competence (Darla K. Deardorff, Ed.), 2009. An overview of the different aspects of intercultural competence, including articles about intercultural leadership, international differences in the concept of intercultural competence, assessments of intercultural competence, and many more.
5. Basic Concepts of Intercultural Communication. Selected Readings (Milton Bennett, Ed.), 1998. This book introduces the key ideas about what intercultural communication is, and is designed for a general audience. A second, updated edition will soon be released – first in Japanese and then in English.
6. The Psychology of Culture Shock (Ward, Bochner, & Furnham), 2001. This updated edition (original 1986) explores the psychological and social elements of intercultural interactions. It discusses the importance of learning new culture-specific skills and managing stress in an unfamiliar environment, among other themes, in order to reduce the sometimes negative effects of cross-cultural interactions.
AFS organizations around the world are looking to make available more interculturally-focused books and resources for volunteers and staff – both to help them prepare AFS training and orientation sessions, as well as for their own personal interests. With so many books to choose from today, though, it is easy to be unsure about the quality and relevance of different ICL materials.
ICL Team to the rescue! Following are suggestions that would be strong additions to any ICL library, traditional or digital (many of these are available as e-books). While these are not the only books relevant to the AFS context, they are ones that we find practical and accessible, especially to those who are new to intercultural topics.
Although these materials are in English, we will feature non-English resources as well as more advanced ones in future issues of this newsletter. In the meantime, check out our blog at www.afs.org/blog/icl for more suggestions or to add your own.
AFS Intercultural Link | VOLUME 3 - ISSUE 2 - APRIL/MAY/JUNE 2012 | 8
AFS Intercultural Programs is an
international, voluntary, nongovernmental,
non-profit organization that provides
intercultural learning opportunities to help
people develop the knowledge, skills and
understanding needed to create a more
just and peaceful world.
We pursue our mission by providing
quality intercultural learning opportunities
for a growing number of young people,
families, other stakeholders and wider
audiences, thus developing an inclusive
community of global citizens determined
to build bridges between cultures. Real life
experiential learning, supported by
structured reflection, is the core of our
programs. We endeavor to link our
intercultural learning opportunities to the
defining global issues facing humanity.
We reach out to past, current and future
participants, volunteers, and other
stakeholders using the media and
technology they use. Volunteers and
volunteerism are who we are. Our
organization brings about changes in lives
through and for our global community of
volunteers.
We are recognized as an educational
organization by schools and the
appropriate authorities. We work to
create a regulatory environment that
supports our programs. As a learning
organization, we welcome change and
critical thinking. We are innovative and
entrepreneurial in advancing the strategic
directions, working together with others
whenever appropriate.
To learn more about our global network
and get involved today, visit www.afs.org.
Our Mission and Vision
Book Review: The Geography of ThoughtELIS MOTTA, INTERCULTURAL LEARNING INTERN,
AFS INTERNATIONAL
“You know, the difference between you and me is that I think the world is a circle, and you think it’s a line.” This is one of the opening sentences in psychologist, Richard E. Nisbett’s book, The Geography of Thought (2003). The quote is from a Chinese student speaking with the author who is a US American.
In his book, Nisbett uses cultural psychology combined with an historical analysis of cultures to explore how people perceive, process, relate with, and act differently in the world due to distinct social structures, philosophies, and educational systems.
Since he discusses such a large range of national and regional cultures, Nisbett notes in his introduction that writing such an all-encompassing book made it necessary to make some generalizations. Therefore, by East, the author means eastern Asia, mainly China and countries that, historically, have been heavily influenced by Chinese culture, such as Japan and Korea; and by West, all peoples
heavily influenced by the European culture, that is, Europeans and Americans.
The main points highlighted in the book and among the most relevant for AFS, are:
worldview, paying attention to the whole, to contextual cues, and to focusing on the relationship and interdependence among objects; whereas Western cultures tend to see the world as full of salient objects or people, independent parts focusing on the attributes that assign each to specific categories.
oriented towards circularity, feelings, and acceptance of contradiction; whereas cultures influenced by Greek civilization tend to emphasize linearity, logic, objectification, and elimination through contradiction.
So-called Interdependence/Independence Polarity is further related to different concepts of “self” which, to Easterners, tends to directly relate to being part of a group and
changes according to the occasion/context; whereas for Westerners, it focuses on the individual and is not a flexible concept. This is tied to Westerners’ preference for autonomy, while Easterners tend to favor guidance from authority figures.
closely related: Western languages tend to classify objects into categories much more than Eastern languages, which usually describe objects in terms of relationships. As well, studies have shown that Western children learn nouns (that is, objects and their categories) much faster than verbs (that is, the relationship among things), and the opposite is true for East Asian children.
The Geography of Thought is a fascinating read, demonstrating that there is no single, universal and “correct” way to think and understand the world. As Nisbett himself states in the introduction, “the book has implications for how East and West can get along better through mutual understanding of mental differences.”
For those organizations that already stocked their ICL libraries with the basics, this is a highly recommended addition that explores how cognitive styles are also cultural constructs.
AFS Intercultural Link | VOLUME 3 - ISSUE 2 - APRIL/MAY/JUNE 2012 | 9
SESSION GOAL
This session aims to raise awareness
of how everyday actions can be
based on one’s values. It also aims to
increase acceptance of cultural value
differences, focusing on the task
versus relationship continuum.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After this session, participants will be
able to:
continuum of Task versus
Relationship.
this continuum.
passing value judgments based on
another person’s behaviors, in relation
to this continuum.
their behavior/attitude to be more
accepting of variations along the Task
versus Relationship continuum.
SPACE REQUIREMENTS
An open space to allow people to
spread themselves along a line on the
floor. Chairs in a semi-circle facing a
flipchart.
NECESSARY MATERIALS
Flip chart (and flip chart pages) or
white board
Colored pens/markers
HANDOUTS
Everyday Intercultural Learning:
Supporting Theories (see AFS In Box
or the Digital ICL Library)
STEP-BY-STEP SESSION
DESCRIPTION
Interactive Session (up to 75 minutes
total)
STEP ONE:
AWARENESS OF PERCEPTIONS
(10 MINUTES)
1.1 Open the activity with a question
to the group: What are the first things
you do when you arrive at the office
in the morning? Example answers
could include: drink coffee in the
kitchen, grab coffee and sit down
immediately at your desk, greet
everyone who is already in the office,
etc.
1.2 Ask people to determine if their
actions are more focused on
completing a task or building
relationships, and then invite them to
place themselves along a line that has
“very task-focused” at one end and
“extremely relationship focused” at
the other. Once they have decided on
their place along the line, each person
can quickly share what they do in the
morning and why they think it is more
task or relationship based. Next,
people return to their seats and,
without speaking, write down how
they perceive the people’s actions at
the other end of the line (i.e., most
different from themselves).
STEP TWO:
THE THEORY BEHIND THE ACTIVITY
(20 MINUTES)
2.1 Lead a brief discussion/
presentation on the following topics:
1) the idea that people naturally feel
more comfortable with and tend to
have greater trust in people who
they see as more similar to
themselves, and 2) one of the main
goals of intercultural learning is
increasing people’s comfort with
difference and there are several
concepts within intercultural
learning that link directly to our
interactions with people at work –
both inside and outside of AFS.
LEARNING SESSION OUTLINE
Being more thoughtful and aware of cultural
differences, including increased cultural
self-awareness, helps us improve our
interactions with people from other cultures,
even in situations as everyday as the workplace.
This new Learning Session Outline (LSO) from
our education department supports the themes
present in the Contact Theory (p.3) and Michael
Paige’s advice for AFS (p.11).
EverydayInterculturalLearningA New Look atour WorkplaceInteractions
Are you more relationship oriented?
AFS Intercultural Link | VOLUME 3 - ISSUE 2 - APRIL/MAY/JUNE 2012 | 10
For a full LSO including suggestions on how to use this within the AFS Orientation Framework, please contact us at
icl@afs.org or AFSers can visit the AFS Digital ICL Library (http://icllibrary.afs.org; search term: Task versus Relationship).
2.2 Using the handout, Everyday
Intercultural Learning: Supporting
Theories, as a guide, briefly introduce
and discuss the intercultural
concepts of:
a. Task versus Relationship
b. Time Orientation
c. Communication Sty les and
Face-Saving
d. Risk Avoidance
STEP THREE:
TASK VERSUS RELATIONSHIP:
WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE AND WHY
IT MATTERS (30 MINUTES)
3.1 Engage your audience in a more
in-depth discussion on task-focused
actions compared to
relationship-focused ones. Provide
examples of actions as “artifacts”
(visible indications) and the
underlying values attached. Some
examples might be: Immediately
starting to answer emails
(task-orientation) could be related to
valuing other people’s time and
wanting to respond to their
questions/inquiries as soon as
possible; Conversing with colleagues
(relationship-orientation) could
reflect one’s value of companionship
among colleagues.
3.2 In pairs, people share their
answers to the following questions.
They should answer them in the
order they are presented here. After
people have had a few minutes to
discuss a certain question, ask if
anyone would like to share with the
large group.
a. Why do you think you have the
focus you do? What values and
perceptions are attached?
b. What comes to mind when you
interact with and/or observe people
who have another focus? What values
and perceptions are attached?
c. What effect can these different
perceptions of the importance of Task
versus Relationship have on our
interactions with others?
d. What implications does this have on
our interactions with others during
our workday, with our AFS colleagues
as well as people external to AFS?
STEP FOUR:
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
(15 MINUTES)
4.1 Invite people to observe their
actions and perceptions over the next
few weeks around Task versus
Relationship, as well as the actions of
their colleagues, and to ask
themselves:
a. Are you avoiding interactions that
do not reflect your preferred
orientation on the Task versus
Relationship continuum?
b. What are your initial reactions when
interacting with someone with your
preferred focus versus someone with
the other focus?
c. What do these observations lead
you to, in regard to your next steps in
increasing your comfort with
difference?
4.1 As a concluding question, ask
people what are some things that
they can start doing immediately to
improve their interactions with, and
understanding of, people who operate
on a different place on the
task-relationship continuum than
they do?
CONCEPT REFERENCES
Time Orientations: Edward T.
Hall
Uncertainty avoidance: Geert
Hofstede
Communication Styles and
Face-Saving: Edward T. Hall,
Stella Ting-Toomey
Task versus Relationship:
Harry Triandis, Nancy Adler
Do you prefer to focus on tasks?
AFS Intercultural Link | VOLUME 3 - ISSUE 2 - APRIL/MAY/JUNE 2012 | 11
BEYOND AFS ICL NEWS
Interview with Michael PaigeBASED ON AN INTERVIEW WITH LAURA KLINE-TAYLOR,
INTERCULTURAL LINK LEARNING PROGRAM MANAGER,
AFS INTERNATIONAL
Dr. R. Michael Paige is Professor of International and Intercultural Education at
the University of Minnesota in the US. Among his many accomplishments, he has
contributed to important research projects such as the SAGE (Study Abroad for
Global Engagement) study (2009) and is the author of numerous books on
intercultural topics. AFS is connected to Paige through a long-lasting friendship.
We had the opportunity to talk with him about his most recent study and
upcoming book, and hear his advice for AFS.
How did you get involved in theintercultural field? I joined the US Peace Corps and volunteered in Turkey in the 1960s. During this time I became fascinated by the training the Peace Corps did and didn’t do, and my intrigue led to my becoming an intercultural trainer for the Peace Corps for five years.
After this experience I completed a PhD in International Education and have continued in the Intercultural field to this day.
How and when did you get to know AFS? I had known about AFS for many years and was familiar with the important work it had done on cross-cultural orientation in the 80s. Then in 1985, I was asked by the Indonesian government to work on an orientation project for Indonesian students about studying in the United States. Through this project, I met Irid Agoes from AFS Indonesia. More recently I have stayed connected to AFS through discussions about its Intercultural Link activities and as a faculty member at the Summer Institute for Intercultural Communications (SIIC) in Portland, Oregon, USA where there is a strong presence of AFSers. [Editor’s note: Dr. Agoes is currently a member of the AFS Network Intercultural Learning Work Group.]
How can we ensure successful development of intercultural sensitivity in our AFS Participants, Volunteers and Staff?I see two responses to this question: First, AFS needs to insure that there is a strong cultural component for all of its audiences – something that links
intercultural theory to the practical work and experiences of AFS. Some excellent sources for information on cultural values include the GLOBE study and Geert Hofstede, among others. Donna Stringer’s 52 Activities For Improving Cross-Cultural Communication is also a very good reference. [Editor’s note: For more on this as well as Paige’s own book, see page 7.]
Secondly, AFS needs to combine its current work on the ABC’s of culture (affective, behavioral, and cognitive) with a developmental framework. It is not enough to provide bits and pieces of the ABC’s. If the goal is to demonstrate an increased level of intercultural sensitivity, these theoretical and practical pieces must be combined with a framework that shows what and how much AFS audiences are learning and improving. Assessment of intercultural development and learning is crucial.
We are excited to hear more about your new book, Student learning abroad: What Our Students Are Learning, What They’re Not, And What We Can Do About It. What did you discover?In the new book I have co-edited with Michael Vande Berg and Kris Lou, we present three types of evidence (research, knowledge from the disciplines, and actual programs) about the effects of studying abroad on intercultural competence development.
Our main takeaway is that if you want
students to progress in their intercultural development and skills, and if you want them to expand their worldview, you need to offer them structured, facilitated learning opportunities because they won’t all do this on their own.
The international experience can be a starting point, but we have proof that facilitated intercultural learning opportunities are as important as the international component in helping sojourners make the most of their experience.
One of the study abroad programs we examined, AUCP (the American University Center of Provence), has achieved extraordinary results regarding their students’ progress in intercultural learning. What differentiated them from other study abroad programs was that they have a guided and structured learning program that all students attend before, during, and after their stay abroad. Their students progressed substantially and have obviously had very effective learning experiences.
We found out that the content of intercultural learning (like knowledge about differing values and conversation styles) helps students to understand their
experiences. Our study shows that this knowledge gives them the words to describe and process their intercultural
experiences adequately. Without facilitated intercultural learning opportunities sojourners will not make the most of their intercultural experience.
“Without facilitated intercultural learning opportunities sojourners will not make the most of their
intercultural experience”
AFS Intercultural Link | VOLUME 3 - ISSUE 2 - APRIL/MAY/JUNE 2012 | 12
MORE 2012 LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU
Including Scholarships for AFSers and Others
3rd Annual Summer Academy on Intercultural Experience (Karlsruhe, Germany)
This July 30th to August 10th, Karlshochschule International University, AFS
Germany and InterCultur (sister organization of AFS Germany) will offer the
2012 edition of the Academy. Blending intercultural management and
communication, the Academy aims to foster intercultural perspectives
within the field of management theory—and develop applied solutions for
problems in business and society. Courses encourage dialogue between
researchers and practitioners of different backgrounds.
The program is offered in English and is open to individuals aged 18-35 who
have demonstrable interest in the field of intercultural communications and
management. Undergraduate students and young professionals with a
background or interest in intercultural experiences are encouraged to apply.
Approximately 50 different scholarships are available to qualified applicants.
Learn more online:
http://summeracademy-karlsruhe.org/index.php/registration/tuition-scholars
hips-open/
Asia-Europe X-Cultural Summer Academy on Intercultural Experience (Bangi, Malaysia)
From August 27th to September 7th of this year, the first Asia-Europe X-Cultural Summer Academy will take place.
The Asian and European organizers, AFS Malaysia, AFS Germany and InterCultur, working with University Kebangsaan
Malaysia (UKM) and Karlshochschule International University will offer two one-week courses on Intercultural Learning
that emphasize Intercultural Communication and Culture and Society . Focus will be put on fostering improved
understanding between European and Asian students.
The program is offered in English and is open to individuals aged 18-35 who have demonstrable interest in the field of
intercultural communications and management. Undergraduate students and young professionals with a background
or interest in intercultural experiences are encouraged to apply.
Approximately 25 scholarships are available to qualified applicants. Learn more online:
http://summeracademy-malaysia.org/fees/tuition-scholarships/
AFS Intercultural Link | VOLUME 3 - ISSUE 2 - APRIL/MAY/JUNE 2012 | 13
Summer Institute for Intercultural Learning (Portland, Oregon, USA)
This July 11th to July 27th the Intercultural Communication Institute’s
36th annual edition of the Summer Institute (SIIC) will offer a lineup of
courses ranging from Assessing Intercultural Competence to Facilitating
Structured Dialogue in Intercultural Conflict and over 40 other
professional development and networking opportunities.
The program is offered in English and is open to all individuals with demonstrable practical or academic experience in
intercultural communications or learning. All professionals working in education, training, business, and consulting
with a background or interest in intercultural experiences are encouraged to apply.
Registration is open through July, but early registration rates are in effect up to June 1st. Although the scholarship
application deadline will have passed on April 30th 2012, there may be additional scholarships available to qualified
AFS applicants (contact charlotte.steinke@afs.org). Learn more online: http://www.intercultural.org/siic.php
Intercultural Development Research Academy
This June 21st to June 26th the IDRInstitute will offer a coordinated
curriculum organized around two core courses: Constructivist Foundations of
Intercultural Communication: Applying the New Paradigm and Constructing
Sustainable Intercultural Development . Both offer domain-specific
applications.
The program is offered in English and is open to all individuals with demonstrable practical or academic experience in
intercultural communications or learning. All practicing interculturalists, professionals with an interest in
intercultural issues, and graduate students pursuing an intercultural specialty are encouraged to apply.
Discounts are available to qualified AFS applicants (contact charlotte.steinke@afs.org). Learn more online:
http://www.idrinstitute.org
Stay up-to-date on AFS’s take on ICL, including the latest about events and scholarships.
www.afs.org/blog/icl/
AFS Intercultural Link | VOLUME 3 - ISSUE 2 - APRIL/MAY/JUNE 2012 | 14
In addition to being the ICL
Responsible, Sherifa Fayez has been
the Executive National Director of AFS
Egypt since 2004.
She is passionate about intercultural
education and recognizes its
importance in the world of today,
especially with the Arab Spring in
bloom.
In 2008, she initiated AFS Egypt’s
Intercultural Peace Caravan: a bus
carrying youth from 12 countries toured
8 cities around Egypt. In each city, the
youth interacted with local students
and NGOs, shared ICL concepts and
spread the mission of AFS. ICL has
been incorporated in all AFS Egypt
orientations and trainings since.
So far in 2012, AFS has attended and/or
presented at two international
conferences related to ICL.
Thanks to Laura Kline-Taylor and
Manon Mullane-Prévost for their
reportage.
International Association for Intercultural Education (IAIE), a global
organization that focuses on issues of
diversity in education, held its 2012
annual conference in Veracruz, Mexico
from 15-17 February. Titled “Tapalewilis
for Intercultural Education,” the event
featured bilingual English/Spanish
sessions and panels exploring the
“Northern” and “Southern” experiences
of intercultural education.
Special attention was paid to
identifying non-traditional ways to
promote innovative and creative
exchanges in local, national, and
regional systems of education. Other
key topics included:
Intercultural
Education;
preservation of indigenous languages in
Mexico and nearby areas in the region;
collaborative learning;
education, and critical pedagogy; and
and
constructions of difference.
Intercultural Management Institute (IMI) is an organization that works to
CONFERENCE UPDATE
Exploring GlobalPerspectives of ICL
Meet anICL ResponsibleSHERIFA FAYEZ, AFS EGYPT
It is Sherifa’s goal in AFS Egypt to make
sure that all volunteers and staff members
understand the basics of ICL and develop
expertise, if interested.
In March 2012, AFS Egypt held its first
national training dedicated only to ICL for
60 volunteers and hopes to make it an
annual event. The goal was to recognize
the importance of ICL in AFS and in life
beyond AFS; in other words, be mindful
of ICL in everyday encounters.
Sherifa is a graduate of the American
University in Cairo with a major in
economics, and is currently a pursuing a
Master of Arts in Intercultural Relations
from the Intercultural Communications
Institute and University of the Pacific in
the US.
promote cultural understanding
through innovative and dynamic
intercultural communication training. It
held its 13th annual conference from
15-16 March at American University’s
School for International Services in
Washington, D.C., US.
Bringing together individuals from the
business, education and training
sectors, key topics this year were
related to:
communication between patients and
providers;
as facework on Facebook and using
mobiles phones as intercultural
communication training platforms; and
coaching to manage corporate
challenges across cultures.AFS Mexico presented a poster on how AFS approaches intercultural learning, which incorporated our educational history and our current
relevance as a leading intercultural organization in the region.
Newsletter Editor: Melissa Liles
Newsletter Manager: Anna Collier
Contributing Writer: Charlotte Steinke
AFS Intercultural Link | VOLUME 3 - ISSUE 2 - APRIL/MAY/JUNE 2012 | 15
KIntercultural
NILYOUR SOURCE FOR INTERCULTURAL LEARNING IN THE AFS NETWORK
Intercultural Learning Work Group
Johanna Nemeth
Rosario Gutierrez
Annette Gisevius
Irid Agoes
Melissa Liles, ChairLucas Welter
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
Call for Submissions
Questions or Commentsicl@afs.org
© 2012 AFS Intercultural Programs, Inc. All rights reserved.
ICL Field Conferences & Event Updates
If you are aware of upcoming conferences in the intercultural area, please advise us at icl@afs.org
Connecting Lives, Sharing Cultures
July AugustMay June
NAFSA27 May–1 June; Houston, TX USA
http://www.nafsa.org/annualconference/default.aspx
AFS is presentingAFS is organizing
International Association for Intercultural Communication Studies (IAICS)
88-11 June; Chung-li, Taiwanhttp://140.138.168.79/2012iaics/
Intercultural DevelopmentResearch Academy21-26 June; Milan, Italyhttp://www.idrinstitute.org
Dialogin Conference: Global Leadership Competence29-30 June; Konstanz, Germany
http://www.dialogin.com/index.php?id=224
Empires, Post-coloniality andInterculturality: Comparative Education between Past, Post, and Present18-21 June; Salamanca, Spain
http://www.cese-europe.org/
Summer Institute for Intercultural Communication (SIIC)11-27 July; Portland, OR, USA http://www.intercultural.org/siic.php
AFS will be present
International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS)2-6 July; Sydney, Australia http://www.isls.org/icls2012/
Summer Academy on Intercultural Experience30 July – 10 August; Karlsruhe, Germany http://summeracademy-karlsruhe.org/
AFS is organizing
Cross-Cultural Europe-Asia Summer Academy27 August – 7 September; Bangi, Malaysia http://summeracademy-malaysia.org/
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