(Diversity) Cultural (Intercultural) Competency

1. (Diversity)Cultural (Intercultural) Competency October 26th & 27th2011

2. 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)

3. 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)

4. Intercultural competency “the ability to interact effectively and appropriately in intercultural situations, based on specific attitudes, intercultural knowledge, skills and reflection.” (Deardorff, 2006)

5. 6 components of IC tolerance for ambiguity behavioural flexibility communicative awareness knowledge discovery respect for otherness empathy (Prechtl and Davidson Lund, 2007)

6. Learning … Cognitive Affective Behavioural And somatic (embodied)! http://dancingwiththegoddess.blogspot.com/ (The ethnicity of movement)

7. Our entry point … Self-awareness

8. MY CULTURAL ANCESTORS ARE … 3 things I value are … • ? • ? • ? (add more if you can)

9. I am …Dominant: British & ScottishSuppressed: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!

10. Culture as an iceberg

11. My iceberg

12. 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

13. 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?

14. 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 culture Core values, learned ideas of what is considered good or bad, true or false, beautiful or ugly, acceptable or unacceptable

15. My cultural iceberg Name some of the other visible and invisible elements of your personal culture. Surface Deep values & beliefs

16. Ethnic identity • High • Moderate • Low • Forgotten or denied Where are you on the scale of ethnic identity? Your students?

17. 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.

18. What does culture “look” and “feel” like in behaviour? Hofstede model Individualist vs. collectivist cultures High power (hierarchy) vs. low power (equality) Long-term time vs. short-term orientation Masculine vs. feminine Uncertainty avoidance vs. tolerance

19. Where do you sit? Individualist Collectivist High power Low Power Masculine Feminine

20. Where do you sit? Long-term Short-term Avoidance Tolerance

21. 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

22. 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”

23. Stages of Cultural Competence Unconscious Competence Unconscious Incompetence Mindfulness Practice Feedback Conscious Incompetence Conscious Competence Education

24. 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?

25. Inclusive language Queer? LGBT? Transgender? Two-spirited? Arab? Muslim? Afro-Canadian? Black? Coloured? Aboriginal? Native? First Nation? Indian? Girls? Women? Handicapped? Disabled?

26. 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!

27. 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

28. 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