(Diversity)Cultural

(Intercultural)

Competency October 26th & 27th 2011

What is culture?

Hofstede … “the software of the mind”

“Culture is mental programming. Much of what is learned, including ways of thinking, feeling and acting, was learned in childhood. Social experiences and environment contribute to our personal definition of culture.” (1991)

“Culture is what makes us human. It provides the filters through which people look at their lives and the lives of others …”

(Marsiglia and Kulis 2009)

Cultural competency

Cultural competence refers to an ability to interact effectively with people of different cultures Awareness of one's own cultural worldview, Knowledge of different cultural practices and

worldviews, and Cross-cultural Skills. Attitude towards cultural differences

CIITE-Connect Project: Cultural Competency Training for Ontario’s Colleges (DiversiPro)

Intercultural competency

“the ability to interact effectively and appropriately in intercultural situations, based on specific attitudes, intercultural knowledge, skills and reflection.”

(Deardorff, 2006)

6 components of IC

tolerance for ambiguity behavioural flexibility communicative awareness knowledge discovery respect for otherness empathy

(Prechtl and Davidson Lund, 2007)

Learning …

Cognitive Affective Behavioural

And somatic (embodied)!http://dancingwiththegoddess.blogspot.com

/(The ethnicity of movement)

Our entry point …

Self-awareness

MY CULTURAL ANCESTORS ARE …

3 things I value are … ? ? ?(add more if you can)

I am … Dominant: British & Scottish

Suppressed: Irish & German Jewish

(5th generation rural farming people)

Values I have inherited … Emotional self-control/reserve Resourcefulness/not wasting Practicality Community engagement Human rights

I’m an immigrant with 5 generations of seniority!

Culture as an iceberg

My iceberg

But I am a Canadian!

What is the difference between “Canadian” culture and our individual ethnic identities?

* Dominant culture (white privilege) * Minority cultures (high vs. low

ethnic identity) - shared by families and

communities * Personal identity and values - individual and complex

Other kinds of culture …

Deaf or queer culture Hip hop or “green” culture Professional culture

What kinds of groups do you belong to?

What cultural values do you share

with your group?

What is behind our behaviour?

Surface culture …Behaviours and patterns that are apparent to the casual observer … dress, rituals, food, art, music (sometimes called folk culture)

Deep cultureCore values, learned ideas of what is considered good or bad, true or false, beautiful or ugly, acceptable or unacceptable

My cultural iceberg

Name some of the other visible and invisible

elements of your personal

culture.

Surface

Deep values & beliefs

Ethnic identity

High Moderate Low Forgotten or denied

Where are you on the scale

of ethnic identity?Your students?

Ethnocentrism

A belief that one’s own ways are the only way or the best way to behave, believe or do things”

Hunt, Roberta. “Introduction to Community-based Nursing”, 2005

What are your sticking points when your cultural values are challenged?

Fill in a few belief statements below your values.

What does culture “look” and “feel” like in behaviour?

Hofstede model

Individualist vs. collectivist culturesHigh power (hierarchy) vs. low power

(equality)Long-term time vs. short-term

orientationMasculine vs. feminineUncertainty avoidance vs. tolerance

Where do you sit?

IndividualistCollectivist

High power Low Power

Masculine Feminine

Where do you sit?

Long-term Short-term

Avoidance Tolerance

Interacting with strangers

Anxiety is normal but shouldn’t be too high or too low

We use avoidance to reduce anxiety “The more positive our stereotypes

are, the less intergroup anxiety we experience.” (Gudykunst)

More varied stereotypes are also needed

Becoming conscious

Our cultural programming allows us to flow in an unconscious behavioural stream

We end up in conflict or uneasy situations

Or we discriminate! The solution … “mindfulness”

Based on Howell, taken from CIITE presentation

Stages of Cultural Competence

Unconscious Incompetenc

e

Conscious Incompetence

Conscious Competence

Unconscious Competence

Feedback

Education

Pra

ctic

e

Cross-cultural miscommunication

Think of an experience when you had a conflict/misunderstanding

with someone.

Did the two of you share the same cultural values?

If not, how did your values differ?

Inclusive language

Afro-Canadian?

Black?Coloured

?

Aboriginal?

Native?First

Nation?Indian?

Queer?LGBT?Transgend

er?Two-

spirited?Handicapped?

Disabled?

Girls?Women

?

Arab?Musli

m?

Other best practices …

Start from a more formal relationship

Let others define themselves Ask others to tell you what they

want/need Observe your own reactions Get feedback Be aware of power dynamics Apologize when you make a mistake

and move forward with your own learning!

Curriculum application

Adapt the Hofstede terms as needed (talk to Rose Manser)

Value mapping works well with mature learners

Younger students need information Dialogue is necessary Don’t punish rural learners from

homogenous environments

The Diversity Network

http://flemingdiversitynetwork.blogspot.com/Sign up today for the wiki web page where you will access this power point and other resources on cultural competency