Module EDUC41730: INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

Department: Education

EDUC41730: INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

Prerequisites

• None.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• This module aims to help learners:
• understand the fundamental concepts relevant to intercultural communication;
• critically analyse intercultural issues such as prejudice, ethnocentrism, stereotypes, etc. with theories developed in recent years;
• become familiar with approaches and models to studying and dealing with issues in interactions between people of different cultures;
• develop knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for living and studying abroad and for analysing that experience.

Content

• The module contains four themes:
• Theme 1: What are the key concepts and theory (Knowledge)?
• Theme 2: What are the appropriate attitudes towards otherness in intercultural communication (Attitudes)?
• Theme 3: What are the effective strategies commonly adopted by intercultural communicators in interactions with otherness?
• Theme 4: What intercultural and communication issues arise in living and/or studying in a foreign land (Effective Intercultural Communicator)?

Learning Outcomes

• Knowing key concepts related to intercultural communication and theories for developing understanding of otherness and self and building up intercultural competence.

• Skills to making the familiar unfamiliar and unfamiliar familiar and to bringing cultures into relationships in intercultural communication.
• Collection and analysis of ethnographic fieldwork data relating to Intercultural issues.

• evaluating research evidence;
• problem identification and solution;
• written and spoken communication skills;
• searching reviewing the literature;
• skills associated with working independently.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Teaching and learning are through lectures, seminars, and ethnographic fieldwork etc. Each mode is estimated in number, frequency and duration as indicated below:
• Students are expected to spend about 300 hours in total on this module. In addition to the taught sessions, students are expected to work independently on each module, on the ideas directly related to the module, the essay and the Key Skills. This ‘out of class’ work will sometimes be directed by the tutor; reading relevant to the next session, preparation for a discussion or research into a related area for instance. In addition to these directed tasks, students are expected to spend time developing their understanding of the ideas in the module and their Key Skills. Preparation for essays and independent reading and research as well as reflection on the ideas from the module support the development of Key Skills.
• This module is taught spread during eight weeks in the first term. The ethnographic field work will be carried out in the first term as well.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

1. Presentation (individually or as part of group) of readings on one of the seminar themes. 2. Feedback to essay outlines (all individual students are required to submit an outline for the essay).

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University