DIVERSE VOICES: TRAINING FOR INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCY

DEVELOPMENT IN HEIS

1 9 J une 2 0 1 5 C S S I C onferenc e , UC C

L o u i s e S t a u n t o n

P r o g ra m m e a n d Tra i n i n g M a n a g e r I r i s h C o u n c i l f o r I n t e r n a t i o n a l S t u d e n t s ( I C O S )

Aims and objectives

Review the policy context for intercultural competency development

Examine the process of developing a DVD for use in intercultural training programmes for higher education staff

Outline potential uses of video and overview of advantages of using video in conjunction with traditional training methods for intercultural competency development

Focus on ICOS’ project Diverse Voices: Listening to International Students – a DVD and training guide featuring interviews with international students reflecting on their intercultural, social and academic experiences as students in Ireland

Policy context

Government policy

International Education Strategy 2010-15 Internationalisation of educational institutions and educational programmes led by Government • ‘Quality’ agenda at top level • Increased recruitment targets • Increased international mobility & globalisation

New Strategy for 2016-2020 • Discussion Paper released Feb 2015 • Formal Consultation Q2 2015 • New strategy by end of 2015

Quality and International Education

• Demand for development of Intercultural Competency Skills to equip HEI staff to deal with changing profile of student population

• No longer just desirable but will soon become a

requirement in new Quality Assurance measures Coming soon… International Education Mark (IEM)

Authorisation to use the IEM

• Committed to in 2012 legislation, IEM will be rolled out by QQI

• From 2016, any higher education provider wanting to have the IEM will have to sign up to a Code of Practice for Providers of Programmes of Education and Training to International Students

• QQI Code draws on good practice nationally and internationally and will require providers to show how they have put in place appropriate supports and services for international learners

Further details: http://www.qqi.ie

Areas of compliance - Code of Practice Components

o Institute and Programme Information Provision: Marketing, Recruitment and Admission

• Transparent and ethical recruitment

• Clear, unambiguous and up-to-date information in marketing and promotional materials

• Clear information about entry requirements for international students

o Finance: Fees, Refunds and Subsistence

• Clear and unambiguous information on all study costs including subsistence and accommodation

o Supports and Services for International Learners A supportive environment promoting well-being and integration of international learners shall be fostered to ensure a positive learning experience for all learners

Areas of compliance will include: - Pastoral Supports & Services

- Academic Supports & Services

- Staff Training

Section 3.3 -- Staff Training

“Providers shall ensure that staff are provided with training and support regarding intercultural competence to facilitate an appropriate and effective delivery of services to international students.”

Code of Practice Components contd.

• Intercultural competence refers to developing behaviour to communicate effectively and appropriately in cross-cultural interactions

• Becoming increasingly important given the highly globalised nature of the 21st century and the increasing frequency of intercultural interactions

What is Intercultural Competence?

Project Background

Diverse

Voices:

Listening to

International

Students

ICOS has been offering tailored intercultural competence training programmes to staff in Ireland’s higher education sector for almost 10 years focusing on:

• Developing intercultural awareness and communication skills • Improving competencies around international student support • Examining cross-cultural teaching and learning issues

National level • Increased Internationalisation resulting in diverse student

population • Need to reflect on ways to meet needs of international students

and the HEI staff supporting them

Project Background

• Increasingly, university staff noted the lack of direct

input or perspective of international students in intercultural training programmes

Project Background

Lead to the key project inception question :

How do we capture the voices and experiences of international students and use them effectively in

an intercultural training programme?

Key factor in intercultural training in higher education context:

Introducing elements of international student experiences and student voice into the learning process

Reflecting the International Student Experience

“The concepts, terms, and, for many people, the experience of intercultural communication and interpersonal relations across cultures are so unfamiliar that they must be made as vivid as possible during a training or educational programme… It is at an affective level that the learning must take place if it is to have an impact on behaviour – the ultimate aim of the educational experience.” Hoopes and Pusch (1984)

Role of video in intercultural learning processes

“Videos are excellent at raising issues, perspectives and attitudes about other countries and cultures. They can bring experiences into the training setting that cannot be accessed in any other fashion. Through videos you can invite people from around the world into the classroom or training session who could not otherwise be there.” Hopkins R.S. (1999)

“The medium [film] is used to make immediate, real, and credible the human interactions involved in diversity issues.” Wilkinson L.C. (2007)

Video for intercultural awareness training

• Limited availability of relevant audio-visual training materials on international student issues and intercultural awareness

• Small island syndrome – working in Ireland but using video training resources from UK and USA – ultimately unsuitable despite many common themes

• Generic intercultural communication “off the shelf” training packages aimed at business/private sector generally not suitable for specific needs of HEI sector

• Training needs analysis pointed towards need to develop an Ireland-focused video resource, responding to sectoral needs

Diverse Voices: Listening to International Students

• ICOS developed the intercultural training project, Diverse Voices: Listening to International Students

• Funded by Department of Education and Skills (DES)

Outcome

• Recently released training DVD and training guide featuring interviews with international students giving insight into their intercultural, social and academic experiences as students in Ireland

Solution

Diverse Voices: Listening to International Students

• Designed for use as a resource in international

awareness/competency development training for those who support and teach international students

• Aims to give practical weight to theoretical concepts used in intercultural training programmes and enhance participants’ intercultural awareness and knowledge of international student support needs

• Contribute to the development of good practice in international student support

Diverse Voices: Listening to International Students

DVD features edited interviews with: • International students from over 20 countries

and focuses on their intercultural, social and academic experiences as students in Ireland

• Academic and student services staff

Who is Diverse Voices for?

Developed specifically for use with staff of higher education institutions

Users may be training facilitators, academics or student support professionals

May also be used by individuals for a self-guided training programme

DVD is accompanied by a Training Guide

Organised into units by theme

Overview of the section topic with discussion questions and training exercises

Some intercultural training knowledge and facilitation skills required by those who plan to use it for training sessions

Process

Diverse

Voices:

Listening to

International

Students

Process

ICOS interviewed current international students and staff from five higher education institutions in Ireland:

3 universities

1 Institute of Technology

1 private U.S. Study Abroad College

Interviewees:

• 28 international students from 18 countries on 5 continents including:

• Saudi Arabia, USA, France, Netherlands, Malaysia, China, India, Albania, Nigeria, and Peru

• Mix of student profiles: UG, PG, mature, visiting (Erasmus and US Study Abroas), students with disabilities

• 10 academic and international student support staff members (including one specialist in Intercultural Studies) to provide the institutional perspective

Interview Process: • 25 minute one-on-one interviews were conducted by

ICOS and filmed by a small video production team (1-2 people)

• Standard questions on set topics and flexibility to ask

different questions depending on interviewees’ interest areas or experiences – consent for use of interviews

Budget - how long is a piece of string?

Process

Process

Video editing and review process: • Lengthy process of reviewing 15 hours of raw footage and

editing into thematic narrative sections • Rough cuts for circulation to panel of higher education

professionals as part of ‘Diverse Voices’ review group • Final edit - 2 hours

Training Guide writing, editing and review process: • Expert student services readers • Use of national and international expert references Use of expert academic consultant, Dr Ciarán Dunne, School of Applied Language and Intercultural Studies (SALIS), DCU

UNIT TITLE TARGET GROUP

UNIT A LIVING IN IRELAND A.1 Motivations, Expectations and First Impressions A.2 Everyday Life A.3 Making Friends A.4 Language and Slang A.5 Alcohol A.6 Religion A.7 Culture Shock and Homesickness

ALL HEI STAFF

UNIT B MY CULTURE, YOUR CULTURE B.1 Communication Styles B.2 Non-verbal Communication B.3 Humour B.4 Stereotypes

ALL HEI STAFF

UNIT C TEACHING AND LEARNING C.1 A New Academic Environment C.2 Comparing Academic Cultures C.3 Academic Language C.4 The Intercultural Classroom C.5 Approaches to Assessment

TEACHING AND LEARNING SUPPORT STAFF

UNIT D SUPPORTING INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS D.1 Supporting International Students D.2 Information and Orientation D.3 Institutional Recommendations

ALL HEI STAFF

Diverse Voices structure and target group

Specific uses for video & some considerations

Specific Uses:

Increasing cognitive awareness – bring diverse perspectives into the classroom, seeing the ‘home’ culture from another point of view, enhancing cultural self-awareness

Increasing emotional awareness – video can convey certain types of content more effectively than trying to recreate or describe in person. Also content is known by trainer in advance and therefore can be prepared for

Standardizing information – providing shared information to a wider audience, increases accuracy of information exchange and quality

Standardised delivery – video is of constant and consistent quality though dependent on quality of facilitation

• Can contribute to skills’ development through modelling behaviour in

specific scenarios – can be an excellent way to train people in specific skills areas

• Interviewees (international students and staff working with international students) as interculturally sensitive role models

Considerations: • Training programme design – integration of the video into the

training objectives at the outset • Training to raise awareness of cultural issues (knowledge, attitudes,

perceptions) or training to develop skills? Or both?

Specific uses for video & some considerations

Advantages of using video in intercultural training

Reflects real people talking about real situations, complexities, reactions

Allows the international student voice to be heard – gives legitimacy to issues experienced by students and in some cases highlights under-researched areas or uncomfortable situations

Increases our knowledge and raises awareness about our own and other cultures

Highlights the impact and effect of intercultural interaction on international students and can create empathy reactions and emotional engagement in trainees as part of learning process – key factor in attitudinal change

Makes intercultural theory and concepts more visible

Makes intercultural communication concepts visible e.g. verbal and non-verbal communication patterns

Challenges the concept of ‘normal’ and opens the training room to multiple perspectives and frames of reference; may create confrontations with ‘difference’ and challenge trainees to explore and question

Accessible to a wide range of trainees, holds engagement and attention

Advantages of using video in intercultural training contd.

Producing video for use in your training context

o Create a structure/theoretical basis in advance, design your video around your training programme and integrate with your training objectives

o Know your audience – will the trainees be able to see themselves in your video and identify with the interviewees and topics discussed?

o Plan your interview questions in advance and be prepared to be flexible depending on interviewee’s interest areas

Producing video for use in your training context

Be prepared to be surprised by your interviewees’ views and unexpected subjects that may arise

Consider how to present a balanced view of the outcome of the interview footage – too positive, too negative, not enough or too much content on certain topics?

Be creative – new technologies make video production increasingly accessible

Good example: SLL ‘Students in Transition Video

Journey’: https://youtu.be/rJex3T47vjM

Feedback from training particpants

Feedback from using Diverse Voices DVD at training sessions has pointed towards validity of using video as a training tool

Trainees’ observations (paraphrased) included: Watching clips of international students articulating their views on an array of

topics including those considered sensitive by many, such as religion, stereotypes, culture shock and views of the host culture, resulted in feeling that they were able to get answers to intercultural questions they had previously felt unable to discuss with international students directly

Could put themselves in the shoes of international students and empathise with the challenges of coming to a new country and adapting to the new academic and social environment

By comparing and contrasting the student views with their own, understanding of intercultural theoretical concepts was enhanced, particularly in relation to non-verbal communication theory and practice

Future Diverse Voices developments and plans

• Increase ICOS’ delivery of intercultural competency development programmes to meet the needs of the HEI sector

• Develop an online version of the guide and DVD through collaboration with a HEI or through DES

• Develop a short version of the DVD and guide aimed at students (international and home) for use at orientations

• Contribute to development of global citizen competencies as HEIs start to look more at this area in the coming years.

130 page Training Guide and 2 hour DVD Video Clip: http://vimeo.com/71323288

Further info: www.icosirl.ie

Thank you. Louise Staunton, Programme and Training Manager Irish Council for International Students Email: Lstaunton@icosirl.ie Ph: + 353 1 660 5233 Web: www.icosirl.ie