making intercultural connections

Making an Intercultural Impact Alison Dickens, University of SouthamptonAULC Conference 12-13 January 2017

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Overview• How it all started (Intercultural Connections and

Southampton Language Opportunity)

• The Intercultural Impact Award Scheme

• What we have done so far

• Creating an awards scheme: digital or open badges

• What next?

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• Two-year project funded by UoS

• Two strands: staff development and network & student-led projects and events

– Two surveys: students and staff– CPD for staff (teaching and support staff workshops)– Staff network inc. intercultural cafe– Intercultural event: WOW festival– Intercultural workshop: Culture Game– Intercultural impact award scheme

Intercultural Connections Southampton

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Intercultural Connections Southampton

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Intercultural Connections Southampton

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Intercultural Connections Southampton

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Intercultural Connections Southampton

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• Free language courses for students across the University since 2014

• Introduced Intercultural Communication 2015

• High demand, especially among international students, but

– Non-credit bearing– High student drop-out– Little reward (attendance certificate), hence

• Intercultural Impact Awards 2016 (in progress)

Southampton Language Opportunity

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Intercultural Impact Awards

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• Builds on ICS project

• Integrated within SLO scheme

• Student-led (currently managed by two student interns)

• Linked to Students Union Culture Week

• Links to City of Southampton

• Can generate income – some scoping of the potential for a social enterprise has been undertaken (also by students)

• Rewarded with digtial badge(s) – at least that is the plan

Intercultural Impact Awards

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Planning ChristmasHolidays

JanuaryExams

4 weeks 4 weeks 8 weeks

Summer Exams

PHASE I

PHASE II

Culture Festival• The Plan

Intercultural Impact Awards

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Phase I:

•Recruit students (21 applications)

•Intercultural training and group bonding

•Small groups projects – design an activity for Culture Week

•Presented to panel

•Panel selection of ideas to take forward to Phase II

Intercultural Impact Awards: so far

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Phase I ideas:

•Photo competition

•Cultural treasure hunt

•Interactive Map activity

•World Ball

•Food swap

Student presentations

Intercultural Impact Awards: so far

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Phase II :

All students working together on:

1.World Ball

2.Interactive map stall

3.#Humans of Southampton Photo competition

Intercultural Impact Awards

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• A “digital badge” is an online, web-enabled signifier of an accomplishment, competence, skill, quality, or interest.

• Collections of digital open badges can serve as living transcripts or virtual resumés of competencies and qualities that communicate to key stakeholders such as peers, schools, higher education institutions, or employers.

• In higher education they can be used to create incentives for students to engage a range of learning and social behaviours – they may have a particular impact where extra-curricular or non-accredited activities are concerned

• open badges enable the warranting of capabilities including those that are difficult to measure (such as teamwork and intercultural competence).

Extracts from: Harvey, F. (2016). Framework for Open Badges Report. University of Southampton

Digital Open Badges

16Open Badge Factory website FAQ

Digital/open Badges

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Digital Badges University of Southampton

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Digital Badge: intercultural impact (draft)

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• Student events (semester 2)

• Development and award of open badges for intercultural impact and Southampton Language Opportunity

• Evaluation of pilot

• Plans (and funding) for 2017/18

• ???

What next

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• Twitter: @ImpactAwardSot

• Blog: http://www.southampton.ac.uk/interculturalawards/

Or contact us:

• intercultural@soton.ac.uk

Thank you for listening

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