INTERCULTURAL

AWARENESS

TRAINING Using the Intercultural Praxis for a cohesive pre, during, and

post program training.

ABSTRACT Before students can study and intern abroad,

they must first question why they are

participating in the experience and what

problems they will encounter. Then, they

must frame the problems in context of the

experience, position themselves, begin

dialoguing, reflect on their new knowledge,

and then put it into action during the

program. This training creates a plan for a

science study abroad program to Tanzania

where students will spend three weeks on

safari completing data collection on wildlife

conservation, sustainability and eco-tourism,

and then complete a three week internship

with a local NGO working on these issues.

This training provides activities to

continually move students along the

intercultural praxis pre-departure, during the

program, and post-program.

Busher, Lily Seely Communicating Social Change

Acknowledgements

A big thank you to Professors Nükhet Kardam, Andrea Olsen and John Elder for their excellent

modeling, communication techniques and open-hearted teaching. Also, thank you to all my

supportive classmates who helped me shape this training with their insightful reflections and

feedback throughout the workshop.

Introduction: What is the issue?

How can students from developed nations ethically study and intern abroad in developing

countries? This question is becoming more important as globalization and internationalization

create more opportunities for students from around the world to collaborate with developing

countries. Study abroad has evolved from a “grand tour” of Europe (visits to the famous

museums, palaces, and cafes) to countless open doors in Latin America, Africa, Asia and the

Middle East (Lewin, 2009, p. xiv). Students are starting to prefer to study in developing

countries because cost of living is lower and there are more opportunities for community

involvement and development. The concept of relationship and community building and the

creation of a global knowledge network is a good thing, but it must be approached the right way.

Undergraduate college students have a lot of energy and enthusiasm, but often lack the tools or

awareness to create sustainable change. Without proper training, students are often frustrated by

feelings of futility, are too guilt driven by their own privilege to positively engage and

collaborate with their communities, or fall prey to neo-colonialist “poverty tourism” (Lewin,

2009, p. xv). As educators and community partners, it is up to us to educate and guide students

on how to effectively communicate and cooperate with people from other countries to facilitate

ethical study and internship abroad programs.

Program: Thinking Globally, Acting Globally- Six Week Study and Internship in Tanzania

This short-term study and internship abroad program is designed for students from all

majors to gain field work experience in the diverse Serengeti National Park and connect field

work with conservation efforts being carried out by local and international NGOs. The program’s

theory of change expects three results: 1) Professionals and academics from diverse academic

backgrounds who are knowledgeable about the process and practice of science, especially as it

relates to sustainability issues in an international setting; 2) Practical, real world experiences and

engagement in Tanzania that trains interculturally competent, scientifically knowledgeable

professionals; 3) Students will become global citizen scientists and enrich their campus

community by sharing experiences with others in formal and non-formal settings. As part of the

coursework, students will complete an intercultural awareness training that will be integrated

into the pre-departure orientations, during the program activities, and post-program reflections.

Pre-departure: Understanding the Intercultural Praxis and Communication Tools

This is a guideline of some of the questions students may encounter at each step of the

intercultural praxis pre-departure training. Each level will also involve an activity and reflection.

Students must obtain a reflection journal before beginning the training.

Intercultural Praxis: Pre-departure

1) Inquiry

Why am I traveling to Tanzania?

What do I want out of the course?

What are the conservation issues?

What are my expectations for the

internship?

2) Framing

What piece of the larger issues

will I see?

What will I not see?

Who will I be interning with?

What exactly am I going to

learn about? 3) Positioning

What is my place at the

NGO?

What is my role in

conservation efforts?

What are my

limitations?

4) Dialogue

What will my co-workers think of

me and my place?

What cultural norms will affect the

way my co-workers see and

interpret conservation?

What similarities will I find with

my co-workers?

5) Reflection

Am I aware of my position as a

student, intern, and tourist?

Am I ready to begin my experience

with an open mind?

6) Action

What tools will I use to process my

experience?

What tools will I use to be more

aware of my surroundings?

What tools will I use to

communicate with my co-workers?

Inquiry: At this stage, students will be presented with the course overview, expectations,

and cultural information on Tanzania. Because inquiry “refers to a desire and willingness to

know, to ask, to find out, and to learn,” students should be encouraged to ask all types of

questions and express their hopes and fears in an open discussion (Sorrells, 2013, p. 17). Also,

students should share any expectations they have for the program, especially concerning the

internship. Students need to understand that what they expect will most likely not happen. It is

best for students to leave their expectations and judgments in the United States and enter the

experience with an open mind. Deciding to be open minded will also help the students use the

communication strategies they will learn in the pre-departure orientation. This will be facilitated

through a sharing circle and a short free-writing activity.

Sharing Circle: After a brief description of the program, students will each say one thing

about the program they are excited about and one thing they are anxious about. After receiving a

cultural overview and spending a couple of minutes writing and collecting their thoughts,

students will share again and emphasize any cultural misunderstandings they had, new ideas, and

what they want to learn more about.

Framing: Sorrells (2013) defines framing as the awareness of “both the local and global

contexts that shape intercultural interactions” (p. 17). It is important for students to know that

they may fluidly move forwards and backwards on the intercultural praxis while they are

discovering new information about Tanzania, the work they will complete, gaining personal

awareness, and learning communication strategies. Therefore, the trainer should assure students

that is ok to ask orienting questions and return to any strategy that feels useful for them

personally. To better frame the program in Tanzania, students will complete two activities: 1)

Self-Awareness; 2) Seeing the World through Five Lenses.

Self-Awareness: This activity will be done twice; once to accustom students to the

exercise, and once to use the exercise in context. The first time around students will watch the

trainer model the activity and then practice with a partner. It starts with a simple statement, “I am

aware of…” The students will take three-five minutes to identify any feelings, imaginations

thoughts or sensations that they are aware of sitting in their chair. The second round the

facilitator will have students close their eyes and imagine themselves sitting in a jeep in the

Serengeti. Students will then complete the exercise again in their new imagined surroundings.

The facilitator should ask students to share what they are aware of the second time to see if any

similar themes emerge to help frame the program. After completing this activity, students will

learn about the citizen science movement, how it can work locally and globally, and how the

program supports the goal of students joining the global citizen science movement.

Seeing the World through Five Lenses: This activity works well to frame the program in

context and transitions nicely into positioning. First, students will be asked to visualize the two

components of their program, field work and internship, and discuss what they see through a

geological lens (fossils, ecology), a biological lens (plants and animals), a cultural lens (people

and their habits), a familial lens (relating scene to family history or events) and a personal lens (a

student’s own biases and experiences). The facilitator will help students understand the meaning

and value of each lens to frame the program in terms of science and the students’ participation.

Positioning: I define positioning as finding one’s place in relationship to the context.

Now that the program has been framed, students will begin to find their place and contribution.

First, the program will be framed again, this time through the eyes of a local Tanzanian

(facilitated by the African studies department). Then, students will complete an activity that

illustrates the difficulty in speaking a second language.

Seeing the World through Five Lenses Take Two: A member of the African studies

department will present the same lens exercise, but through the eyes of a local Tanzania, perhaps

the lens of a local NGO worker. What is different in the lenses? What is the same? After

completing the presentation, students will return to their personal lens and compare it to the

personal lens of a Tanzanian. In order for students to manage their expectations, they must

understand that they will share different customs, languages and philosophies with Tanzanians,

but they will also see the world differently and position themselves accordingly. Also, students

will be encouraged to see the similarities between the lenses and reflect on possible points of

connection to begin meaningful dialogue and a global knowledge community.

The Three Verbs of Language: This activity teaches students humility and helps them

understand how someone who does not speak English as their first language feels when trying to

communicate. Perhaps this activity can motivate students to take Swahili classes at their

university pre-departure. Even knowing a few key phrases can show respect and cultural interest.

To participate, students will work with a partner. One partner starts to describe an experience

from his or her day and the other partner quietly listens. Every time the speaker says a verb, the

verb must be followed by three additional verbs. For example, “Today I rode, took, transported

my bike to school. There was, happened to be, existed, a lot of traffic…” After speaking for a

minute the partners trade places. At the end of the activity, the facilitator asks how each

experience felt. Typically, students feel the exercise is frustrating, difficult, interesting,

enlightening, thoughtful, etc. This leads into strategies for communicating with people whose

first language is not English. Students will be asked to speak slowly, not to use colloquialisms or

idioms (i.e. hit the nail on the head), and to attentively and patiently listen. This activity

transitions into dialogue.

Dialogue: According to Sorrels (2013, citing Vincent Crapanzano), dialogue is “a

crossing, a reaching across, a sharing if not a common ground of understanding” (p. 277). Thus

far, the activities relating to the intercultural praxis have focused on stimulating questions,

awareness, and situating students in Tanzania within the program context. This involved

recognizing and acknowledging difference, but also noticing similarities. For dialogue, the

students will focus on one of the key goals of the program, working towards a global knowledge

community. To build this community, students need to find a common ground with the people

they will interact with, especially at their internship sites. During the pre-departure training,

students will learn how to conduct ethnographic interviews. During the actual program, students

will conduct three ethnographic interviews with their co-workers at internship sites. Hopefully,

students will develop a profounder understanding of their co-workers as individuals and learn

more about how they see their place in conservation efforts in Tanzania and globally.

Ethnographic Interviewing: This interview method is somewhat conversational, but

emphasizes listening and deepening a discussion without inserting personal bias and

commentary. It typically begins with two simple questions, “Where were you born? What was it

like?” Because this course is focused on conservation and science, the first question will be,

“When did you start thinking about conservation?” This will lead to a rich conversation about an

individual’s background, interests, life work and beliefs. Also, it focuses the topic on sharing

scientific knowledge and immediately offers a point of commonality to latter expand on. These

interviews may be conducted somewhat casually, but the interviewees must be told by the

students that they want to interview them for twenty minutes or longer (whatever they have time

for and for as long as they want to share). While asking questions, the students must only ask

questions directly related to the last thing the interviewee said or making connections between

their discourses. The students will practice ethnographic interviewing with a partner for 20

minutes each as many times as they need to feel comfortable with the technique.

Reflection: Reflection needs to happen throughout the entire process of the program (pre-

during-post) because students will need time to process each activity and may be fluidly moving

among the intercultural praxis points of entry to reach new understandings. Additionally,

students will engage in active reflection. Students will begin this journey by writing in their

reflection journals after each pre-departure activity. Furthermore, students will learn and take

part in the Speaker-Understander Method (SUM) to process their own questions of identity,

hopes, fears, and desires about this program and their overall education. By this point, students

will have confronted their privilege and have been humbled to enter the program without well-

meaning neo-colonialist expectations. The SUM will give students a forum to process these

emotions with a classmate they trust. If the students find the SUM useful, they can continue to

use it throughout the program with classmates and professors.

Speaker-Understander Method (SUM): First, facilitators will model the SUM and give

students a guideline of the different roles. In brief, the speaker’s job is to be open and honest and

follow their emotions. The understander’s job is much more nuanced. The understander must

maintain a neutral posture (feet crossed and hands folded and down in the lap) and say very little.

The understander’s role is to move the speaker’s thoughts forward and help them resolve some

issues he or she is struggling with without adding commentary or suggestions. Students will take

turns being the speaker and understander (approximately twenty minutes each). After everyone

has had a chance to experience both roles, they will journal about any new self-awareness and

how they feel about the SUM. This is also an opportunity for students to revisit the other points

of entry on the intercultural praxis and decide if they have uncovered more questions or reached

some resolutions concerning their inquiry, framing, positioning or dialogue.

Action: By the time students reach the action point of entry on the intercultural praxis,

they should feel equipped with tools to effectively communicate and have developed a better

understanding of Tanzanian culture and conservation efforts. Before embarking on the program,

students will complete two actions specific to intercultural awareness: Swahili lessons and a

looking forward journal entry.

Swahili Lessons: First, students will be invited to informal Swahili lessons facilitated by

their university’s community members. While weekly (or bi-weekly) lessons are not mandatory,

students will be required to learn key phrases. The phrases will be presented throughout the

training with a fun “quiz” at the final pre-departure orientation. The full list should be

determined by trip leaders, but I have listed a few suggestions:

Hello

How are you?

Please

Thank you

I am pleased to meet you.

Final Reflection: This last reflection before students depart for Tanzania will be a

reflection on what they have learned, and how they will use the tools and knowledge they

acquired during the training to be more effective communicators. This reflection also serves as a

guidepost for students to revisit if they feel frustrated or want to review the intercultural praxis

entry points during the program. This action is meant to be reflective, positive, and encourage the

students to join the program as interculturally aware participants ready to learn and build a global

scientific knowledge community.

During the Program: Dialogue, Reflection and Action

While students may revisit any entry points of the intercultural praxis that they choose during the

program, they will actively be participating in dialogue, reflection and action simultaneously.

Below is a brief description of each of the activities that will be employed during the program.

Dialogue: Students will conduct three ethnographic interviews with their internship co-

workers (one interview for each week of the internship). The interview may be informal, but

must follow the same principles and guidelines listed in the pre-departure section. After

conducting the interviews, the students will write up a narrative of the conversation to be

included in their reflective journals. If the interviewees feel comfortable, the students will also

include their stories in the collaborative class blog about the program.

Reflection: To ensure that the students have time to process their learning adventure in

Tanzania, students will be given thirty minutes every day to write or draw in their reflection

journals. If the instructors feel comfortable, they may also guide the students in some mindful

meditation to clear the mind and openly take in the whole experience. Additionally, the

instructors will lead a group check-in reflection at the end of each week. In such a short program,

helping students quickly process their learnings is essential. By continually reflecting on their

experience and revisiting the intercultural praxis, students will be more present participants and

more effectively put their knowledge and tools into action.

Action: Everything the students will be doing in Tanzania is action from field work to

research at their internship sites. The goal is to act as alert, informed and sensitive participants. If

students need intercultural awareness support at any point in their journey, they should consult

their reflection journals and/or talk with a program instructor about the best way to process their

emotions and fully engage with their classmates and community. Another way to join in with the

local community is to practice the Swahili the students learned and to ask questions about local

traditions, conservation beliefs, and natural beauty of Tanzania.

Post-Program: Action! Collaborative Blogging

After completing the program, many students may feel like they have gone through the

looking glass and come out the other side with questions and new action plans. Their professors

and international education professionals may be left with similar questions:

How have the students changed?

Are there any new changes in their mind processes?

Have the students reached new self-awareness or global-awareness?

Did students change their expectations, hopes and anxieties for the program?

Will students continue to build on this experience and join a global scientific knowledge

community?

To begin answering these questions, the student participants, their instructors, and Tanzanian

community partners will collaborate on a blog of shared experiences. This blog will create a

measurable answer to some of the questions because students have a record of their initial

expectations, hopes and anxieties about the program in their reflection journals. Comparing the

initial journal records to the blog entries will shed some insight on the students’ intercultural

awareness journey. By offering a cohesive pre-during-post intercultural awareness training

during a study abroad program, students will contribute to the global scientific knowledge

community by effectively communicating and collaborating across boarders and cultures.

References

Lewin, R. (2009). The handbook of practice and research in study abroad: Higher education

and the quest for global citizenship. New York: Routledge.

Sorrells, K. (2013). Intercultural communication: Globalization and social justice. Thousand

Oaks, Calif: SAGE.

Additional Resources

Intercultural Praxis

Speaker-Understander Method

The Understander’s Quick Reference Guide

Phase 1

Attending: I am actively and supportively listening to you.

Reflecting: If I understand you correctly, you think…

Phase 2

Focusing: What is the most important aspect? What do you want to concentrate on?

Thematising: Do you think there is a connection between A and B?

Phase 3

Challenging: How does that fit with what you said about X?

Speculating: I am wondering…

Phase 4

Goal Setting: So what might be the take away here?

Planning Action: So how might you go about this?

Appreciating: I really appreciate your…

Edited from model presented by Dr. Peter Shaw, Professor of Pedagogical Magic, Monterey

Institute of International Studies, 2014.

Based on: Julian Edge, Cooperative Development, Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan

Press, 2002.