AFS Intercultural Link news magazine, volume 3 issue 3 - global edition

E D I T I O N G L O B A L

YOUR SOURCE FOR INTERCULTURAL LEARNING IN THE AFS NETWORK

VOLUME 3 - ISSUE 3 - JULY/AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2012

Are you interested in intercultural conflict resolution?

Intercultural Learning:

The Heart & Soul of AFS MELISSA LILES, CHIEF EDUCATION OFFICER, AFS INTERNATIONAL

Melissa Liles is currently on sabbatical. In her absence, Roberto Ruffino (Secretary General of Intercultura) and Rosario Gutierrez (Partner Director of AFS Colombia), both members of the Network ICL Work Group, have shared their views on ICL in the AFS network with Anna Collier. The following is a combined summary of their input.

In AFS organizations across the network, ICL is seen as the core value of our programs and not just the “cherry on the top.”

However, it is good to remember that Intercultural Learning is more than just using the vocabulary and understanding the concepts. Intercultural Learning, like any learning, has to be seen within a context, which means that we must take into account audience differences, including learning styles, school conditions, ages, and life experiences. ICL is not the same for everyone and every context.

Continued on page 2

Then these are for you: Concepts & Theories, p.3 and the LSO, p.7

IN THIS ISSUE Intercultural Learning: The Heart & Soul of AFS

by Roberto Ruffino and Rosario Gutierrez Page 1 Concepts & Theories: Creative Conflict Management

by Marianella Sclavi Page 3

Book Review: Enhancing Global Interconnectedness

by Laura Schaack Page 5

Learning Session Outline (LSO) Creative Conflict Management in Practice

by Anna Collier Page 6

Educational Relations at the Grassroots Level: AFS USA Partners with Schools

by Tonya Muro Phillips Page 10

Beyond AFS ICL News: Interview with Stella Ting-Toomey

by Anna Collier Page 7

Enhancing Intercultural Learning Conference Update: What are the Current “Hot Topics” in ICL? Page 11

Network & Partner Initiatives AFS Egypt and ICL

by Paul Edinger Page 9

Upcoming AFS Intercultural Link Learning Program Opportunities Page 12

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As in all processes within AFS, diversity is a central factor. Each partner organization has its own rhythm, priorities and resources, but what is undeniable is that ICL is the core of our organizations.

AFS Intercultural Programs is an international, voluntary, nongovernmental, non-profit organization that provides intercultural learning opportunities to help people develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to create a more just and peaceful world.

We pursue our mission by providing quality intercultural learning opportunities for a growing number of young people, families, other stakeholders and wider audiences, thus developing an inclusive community of global citizens determined to build bridges between cultures.

It is a source of great satisfaction that ICL is a priority in the AFS network and that we are working collectively around intercultural learning.

Warmly,

Roberto & Rosario

The Intercultural Link Learning Program is one of the ways AFS engages internal audiences in intercultural competence development.

Real life experiential learning, supported by structured reflection, is the core of our programs. We endeavor to link our intercultural learning opportunities to the defining global issues facing humanity. We reach out to past, current and future participants, volunteers, and other stakeholders using the media and technology they use.

Volunteers and volunteerism are who we are. Our organization brings about changes in lives through and for our global community of volunteers.

We are recognized as an educational organization by schools and the appropriate authorities. We work to create a regulatory environment that supports our programs.

As a learning organization, we welcome change and critical thinking. We are innovative and entrepreneurial in advancing the strategic directions, working together with others whenever appropriate.

To learn more about our global network and get involved today, visit www.afs.org.

Learn about management and transformation of conflict across cultures from

Tatsushi Arai at the AFS Academy; Istanbul, Turkey 19 September 2012 Register now at www.afs.org/afs-academy

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CONCEPTS & THEORIES

Creative Conflict Management MARIANELLA SCLAVI

Marianella Sclavi is an Italian sociologist and professor of Ethnography and Art of Listening at the Politecnico University in Milan. She received a bachelor’s degree in Intercultural Communication from Johns Hopkins University, USA, and a master’s degree in Sociology from Trent University, Italy. She has published eight books related to her specialization in conflict management and active listening, and has also been involved in urban renewal projects for low-income neighborhoods across Europe.

This is an adaptation of Dr. Marianella Sclavi’s article “Why humour matters in Active Listening?” (2005).

For the original article in either English or Russian, visit the ICL Library (http:// icllibrary.afs.org/cms/index.php/en/).

Conflicts involve multiple, incongruent perspectives.

approached as one. More and more often we find intracultural conflicts that are more intercultural than a lot of intercultural conflicts. Think of a conflict with a mother-in-law, which, not by chance, so often becomes the focus of jokes and cartoons, and you are already in the presence of a typical intra/intercultural conflict. That is: a conflict that, only if approached with an intercultural eye, can be transformed, perhaps, in a way that both parties may judge positively.

understand this parable. His ideas are about “frames,” or contexts. There are many things we consider when we make a decision. These things can be within the same frame (or context), or they can change their context completely. When the context is changed completely, we have to work harder to understand the situation.

More specifically, we have to examine ourselves. If we examine ourselves, we are able to be aware of the existence of these frames, or contexts.

Active Listening is the very foundation for Creative Conflict Management. To explain this, the parable of the wise judge is useful: two citizens bring their case before a judge who listens to the first man with all his attention before responding: "You are right." Then, the judge listens to the second man with the same amount of attention and says: "You are right." Someone from the

Remember that what we see depends on our point of view. It is necessary to accept the possibility of two viewpoints existing for the same situation that are both correct. If a student wants his teacher to change the deadline for an essay, and the teacher will not, one person might view the teacher as inflexible. However, another person might view the student as trying to break the rules and see this intracultural action as unacceptable.

Before talking about what Creative Conflict Management means, a few points must be made clear. First, Creative “ More and more often we find Conflict Management is conflicts that are more intercultural than an important part of successful intercultural of intercultural conflicts.” communication; second, an intercultural approach crowd is confused: "Your honor, how is necessary when confronting any can they both be right?" The judge difficult conflict; and third, even in a pauses for a minute before responding, situation where the conflict is not "And you too are right." obviously intercultural, if you perceive it as intercultural, the conflict can be Gregory Bateson’s theory helps us to

a lot

People around the world have a tendency to think their context is the best and because of this they can sometimes develop a “context blindness,” which means they deny or ignore the context.

This phenomenon is more common in Western cultures than Eastern cultures due to Westerners’ emphasis on there

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being one single truth and striving for objective perspectives. However, these practices limit one’s communication and conflict resolution skills when it is the perspective of context itself that is the problem. In this case, Westerners could have more difficulty managing a conflict because the basis of the conflict is outside their perception.

Phase 3: Second Illumination, when

we realize that something has been able to fool us, or was beyond our immediate understanding. This third phase is where humour is important.

As an Active Listener, you will realize your mistake, which allows you to laugh at yourself and your confusion.

At this moment, your self-awareness is an essential part of Active Listening To be an Active Listener, you must and Creative Conflict Management. always be thinking that the other These three things (Self-Awareness, person is right and that it is you who is Active Listening, and Creative not able to understand them. This Conflict Management) are essential causes you to 1) respect the other qualities for good intercultural person and 2) assume they are communication and intelligent. It is Self-Awareness, Active they are important to keep interconnected and in mind that one Listening, and Creative Conflict related to one another.

Management are essential thing can have qualities for good intercultural When Active Listeners two completely opposite communication. think about a situation, meanings when in they are keeping the different cultural contexts. You must entire context in mind. They try to keep in mind that misunderstandings, think of how things are related and frustration, and especially interdependent, and they are always awkwardness and vulnerability are examining themselves and trying to be natural feelings to experience during self-aware. With these strategies, they intercultural communication and are able to communicate well in Creative Conflict Management. environments with many contexts, or “frames.”

Sigmund Freud describes a set of steps experienced by Active Listeners: From all this information, we can Phase 1: Bewilderment (and understand that the most effective way annoyance) at something that at first to communicate is to be conscious of the context you are in, be self-aware, appears to make no sense. Phase 2: and be an Active Listener. These three First Illumination, suddenly we qualities are the ingredients for understand the hidden meaning. effective intercultural communication.

Meet one of the AFS Network Intercultural Learning Workgroup Members:

Roberto Ruffino

Roberto Ruffino is the Secretary General of Intercultura. He is also the Secretary the Intercultura Foundation (established in 2007) that promotes research and experimentation in educational exchanges.

Upon assigning him an honorary doctoral degree in Educational Sciences, the University of Padua defined him as “an entrepreneurial leader in the field of intercultural education, to which he has contributed by introducing it into the schools; the merit of his work in the field of educational

How well do you know yourself?

exchanges is recognized and valued internationally.”

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BOOK REVIEW

Enhancing Global Interconnectedness LAURA SCHAACK, PROJECT MANAGER OF THE INTERCULTURAL LINK NEWSLETTER, AFS INTERNATIONAL

In their new book, Intercultural and Multicultural Education: Enhancing Global Interconnectedness (2011), Carl A. Grant and Agostino Portera offer a very diverse collection of essays and case studies. The book opens with a pair of essays to address the sometimesoverlooked clarification between multiculturalism and interculturalism.

Portera begins his essay by citing Marshall McLuhan’s famous “global village” concept in order to provide the setting in which intercultural and multicultural theory is developed.

“Post-Communist countries and the World Crisis,” among others.

synthesis of the two subjects, examining contexts with both multicultural and intercultural qualities.

Part III’s collections on multiculturalism do not disappoint the more creative Grant and Portera’s book offers intercultural something for a variety of thinkers. The “...the sometimes-overlooked audiences and interests. collection of Every article featured clarification between essays covers provides you with an topics such multiculturalism and insightful theory, as as colordemonstrated by a unique interculturalism.” blind and relevant case study societies, the and written by a passionate “other” in Pakistani policies and politics, and knowledgeable author. Yet, in and a number of case studies in addition to the range of essay themes, Part II is devoted to the subject of countries including Malaysia and South authors, and regions represented, the intercultural education. The themes of Africa. focus on multiculturalism and the essays and case studies in this section Finally, the collection closes with a interculturalism is kept sharp and the range from “The Council of Europe” to essays complement each other well.

A Warm Welcome to the Newest Members of the ICL Team Laura Schaack is interning at AFS International as Project Manager for the Intercultural Link Newsletter. She has just returned to the United States after a year spent abroad in Madrid, Spain, where she taught English and worked at a humanitarian non-profit agency.

She is pursuing a degree at New York University, USA, in Global Liberal Studies with a concentration in Politics, Rights and Development, as well as a minor in Media, Culture and Communication.

Nadiya Gladun is our new ICL Research Assistant. She will be volunteering in the ICL department for the next 6 months. Nadiya has a Master’s degree in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University, USA, and is currently pursuing a second Master’s degree in Management at New York University, USA. Over the past 3.5 years, Nadiya has worked as a consultant for a global talent management firm with assignments both in the U.S. and in Europe. Her native language is Ukrainian, and she also speaks Russian and English fluently.

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LEARNING SESSION OUTLINE (LSO)

Creative Conflict Management in Practice

both A&B

A

ANNA COLLIER, MANAGER OF INTERCULTURAL LEARNING SERVICES, AFS INTERNATIONAL

VENN DIAGRAM

Effectively resolving conflicts is directly related to being a good listener, according to Marianella Sclavi (see Concepts & Theories, pg. 3). By actively listening to others, we are able to take their perspective on the conflictive situation, which can often lead to a solution that satisfies both sides. This new Learning Session Outline (LSO) from our education department puts Sclavi’s theory into practice via a simple, yet challenging exercise.

Necessary Materials

Session Goal

Step-by-Step Session Description

This session aims to increase one’s active listening skills and ability to take another person’s perspective on an issue.

INTERACTIVE SESSION (up to 120 minutes total, depending on number of participants)

Learning Objectives

PART 1: OUR POINT OF VIEW (30 MIN)

After this session, participants will be able to:

1.1 Trainer writes the following statement from Gestalt psychology on the flipchart and invites participants to discuss its meaning and practical application: What we see depends on our point of view.

• Apply Creative Conflict Management to conflictive situations • Describe why Active Listening is an effective tool in conflict resolution • Use a Venn Diagram as a tool for taking another perspective Space Requirements Any room arrangement, with a flipchart or white board visible to all participants Participants This session can be conducted in a group, or individually (adapt activities accordingly)

PART 2: THE OTHER’S POINT OF VIEW (30 MIN)

Flip chart (and flip chart pages) or white board

2.1. Trainer writes elements of Active Listening on a flipchart:

Colored pens/markers

- ask open-ended questions (not yes/no questions)

Blank sheets of paper Pens or pencils

- ask clarifying questions

Handouts

- encourage elaboration

Two Habits of Thought, M. Sclavi lower left corner of this article)

(see

1.2 In pairs, participants share examples of conflicts they have experienced recently that were caused by differing points of view. Each person should try to think of one intercultural and one intracultural conflict.

1.3 Trainer introduces the Venn Diagram (see image) as a way of viewing conflictive situations. Each circle represents one perspective of the situation. The area where they overlap is the aspect of the situation that is being perceived from the two different points of view.

TWO HABITS OF THOUGHT (Sclavi, 2003) Simple System

Complex System

The “same things” have the same meaning

The “same things” have different meanings

Same implicit premises (frames of Different implicit premises reference) (frames of reference) What we take for granted helps us to communicate

What we take for granted prevents us from communicating

I’m right, you’re wrong (and vice versa). Not everyone can be right

Everyone is right

First-degree control (ability to foresee the range of possible expected reactions)

Second-degree control (ability to transform unexpected reactions into knowledge)

Mono-cultural world

Pluri-cultural world

B

1.4 Participants 1) select one of their conflicts, 2) identify what element of the situation is being perceived differently by the two parties and is thus causing the conflict (A&B, see Venn Diagram), and 3) fill in their own perceptions of the situation (A, see Venn Diagram).

- seek to understand (not advise, critique, criticize) - paraphrase (restate the information) to confirm that you understand 2.2. In their pairs, participants take turns describing their conflictive situations from the perspective of the other person involved. While one person is speaking, the other actively listens and takes notes.

Then, the notes are read aloud and together the pair fills in the other person’s perspective in the Venn Diagram (B, see Venn Diagram).

PART 3: SEEING BOTH PERSPECTIVES (60 MIN) 3.1. Trainer reviews how applying Creative Conflict Management (Sclavi) via the Venn Diagram is useful for distinguishing different perspectives, and how it requires that one accept that both parties involved in the conflict are intelligent and, from their own perspective, correct.

3.2. Participants work individually to identify solutions to their conflicts that are acceptable and appropriate for both parties.

3.3. Participants are invited to share their solutions with the group and receive feedback from their peers, as well as from the trainer.

Reference Sclavi, M. (2005). Why humour matters in active listening? An intercultural approach to conflict transformation. ESSEC Business School – Paris & PON, Harvard Law School Special Conference: “New Trends in Negotiation Teaching: Toward a Trans-Atlantic Network” November 14-15, 2005.

1.5 In their same pairs, participants share their answers.

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BEYOND AFS ICL NEWS

Interview with Stella Ting-Toomey BASED ON AN INTERVIEW WITH ANNA COLLIER, MANAGER OF INTERCULTURAL LEARNING SERVICES, AFS INTERNATIONAL

Dr. Stella Ting-Toomey is one of the leading experts on intercultural conflict management and multicultural identity development.

She grew up in Hong Kong, studied in the United States, and currently is a professor of Communication Studies at California State UniversityFullerton, USA. She has published thirteen books and is most noted for the development of the FaceNegotiation Theory. We had the pleasure of speaking with her about her path into the intercultural field and her research interests.

own research lens in the area of interpersonal-intercultural conflicts and eventually led me to develop new theories, as well. At the beginning in the early 80s, there really wasn’t a coherent intercultural communication field, so I took a two-pronged approach: developing my own intercultural-based research interest and developing a comprehensive intercultural teaching curriculum in my early teaching posts.

What academic field was your entry into intercultural studies?

When I came to the United States as an international student from Hong Kong more than 35 years ago, I landed in the middle of Iowa cornfields. I was totally lost, disoriented, and confused. I experienced very intense culture shock coming from Hong Kong, a big city, to the University of Iowa, Iowa City.

However, I did persevere and completed my undergraduate and master’s degrees in How did you get communication. involved in the “Sound intercultural mass At first, I was intercultural theories and research interested in television field? work need to provide directing, but through I got involved in this master’s reasonable explanations my field through my coursework I realized and evidence that can that I was in love with interest in human communication be bridged and applied theory. I went on to studies, principally to real-life intercultural earn my PhD from interpersonal the University of practical issues.This relationships and Washington on conflicts. The takes a lot of head marital conflict communication work, hard work, and communication. In research studies at my doctoral program, heart work!” that time were drawn there were few heavily from the U.S. intercultural courses perspective, and it was so I did many independent studies. My this dissatisfaction with existing own journey of change and identity is research that drove me to develop my reflected in my professional work as I

moved from an international student status to an immigrant to becoming a U.S. citizen. My professional intercultural studies have also strongly influenced my personal life.

Which aspect of intercultural learning or communication has your work focused on?

One of my more known theories is called Conflict Face Negotiation Theory, which has central concepts such as self-face saving, other-face consideration, mutual-face respect, plus face-losing and face-honoring issues.

My current research focuses on identity negotiation, specifically bicultural and multicultural identity negotiation issues.

Whether teaching, researching, or doing professional or volunteer services, I enjoy crossing boundaries and not limiting reading or researching in one particular domain. The field is wide open for multidisciplinary thinking and creativity.

What do you wish more people understood about intercultural work?

Those doing intercultural work need to acknowledge the importance of linking theory and research with practice. And good intercultural learning practices must be supported by sound research and theory. The triangle of theoryresearch-practice needs to be informed by the interdependent nature of theory, research, and application. Sound intercultural theories and research work need to provide reasonable explanations and evidence that can be bridged and applied to real-life intercultural practical issues. This takes a lot of head work, hard work, and heart work!

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What would you suggest for people new to the ICL field to read as they get started?

in Portland, Oregon, USA each July.

They offer more than forty amazing workshops that cover the most updated theories and practices in a variety of Everyone should read William intercultural contexts. Finally, everyone Gudykunst’s edited volume, Theorizing should sit down every day and do some about Intercultural Communication (2005, systematic intercultural writing--whether Sage). Also, Dan Landis, Janet Bennett, it is for a newsletter, an internet forum, a and Milton Bennett’s edited book, conference, or a refereed-professional Handbook of Intercultural Training (2004, journal. Through disciplined writing, Sage), provides an overview of the you clarify and solidify your history, theories, own thinking and stretch the and application “The field is wide boundary of your own issues of the imagination and creativity open for intercultural further. communication multidisciplinary What are the hot topics field.

thinking and

in ICL these days?

If you are looking creativity.”

There are quite a few for a more recent important themes now-a-days. publication at the These are: multicultural foundational level, identity negotiation issues, bicultural/ readers can check out the book I just cobiracial identity and code-switching, authored with Leeva Chung, forgiveness and transformation Understanding Intercultural processes, identity diversity and Communication, 2nd edition (2012, harnessing creativity, intercultural ethics Oxford University Press). and meta-ethics, multicultural health There are also professional development care communication, global social opportunities like the Summer Institute justice, social ecological frameworks, and for Intercultural Communication (SIIC, the intercultural influence of social www.intercultural.org) which takes place

MEET AN ICL RESPONSIBLE

Mirella Simeonova INTERCULTURAL LEARNING EXPERT, AFS GERMANY

media and the dialectics of localization and globalization.

How has the ICL field changed since you entered it?

I think there is a more critical mass now, compared to the early 80’s. There are more intercultural communication textbooks and handbooks, more groups doing good intercultural work, more application of the theories, and more rigorous theorizing and researching efforts. There has been very constructive, positive change in the field.

There are more resources available and more professionals to talk to.

Mirella Simeonova has worked as the Intercultural Learning Expert at AFS Interkulturelle Begegnungen e.V. (our AFS Partner organization in Germany) since September 2011. She holds a degree in Psychology from the Technical University of Dresden and studied Cultural Psychology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. She also completed postgraduate studies in “Intercultural Competencies” in Japan.

Mirella has worked on university projects comparing cultures, as well as at a German consulting company in the intercultural field, where she gained experience in planning, organizing and conducting intercultural training.

Mirella was born in Sofia, Bulgaria, and has lived in six countries. During her life, she has developed a strong interest in Intercultural Learning and is excited to apply her knowledge and previous experiences from the intercultural field to her work at AFS Germany.

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NETWORK & PARTNER INITIATIVES

AFS Egypt and ICL PAUL EDINGER, INTERCULTURAL LEARNING INTERN, AFS INTERNATIONAL

Two AFS Egypt volunteers playing Barnga during the March ICL training.

Over the past 12 months, AFS Egypt has focused on enhancing ICL opportunities for its participants, volunteers and staff as part of the organization’s strategic plan for promoting intercultural learning in a practical, yet context-conscious way. As a result of this hard work, AFS Egypt ran its first national ICL training earlier this year and has deepened its focus on education.

The staff at AFS Egypt has made ICL a priority. In order to reach all of their audiences, the staff is working to translate various ICL materials into Arabic. The volunteers have also demonstrated dedication to advancing intercultural learning, including eight trainers who can now facilitate on ICL content. AFS Egypt has tailored ICL concepts and theories to Egyptian and Islamic audiences, and they articulate many ICL concepts through the use of stories, parables and film. As a

result, AFS Egypt is developing intercultural learning strategies that are effective and appropriate to their context, especially given that their audience is predominantly people of an Arab Muslim heritage.

AFS Egypt has an intercultural learning section of their website that is prominently displayed on their homepage (www.afs-egypt.org). It offers a simple and concise explanation of the concepts behind intercultural learning within an AFS education-based context. The website also contains downloadable ICL materials. AFS Egypt is making considerable progress by using the concepts and practices of intercultural learning to bring positive change at the organizational level and beyond, demonstrating its commitment to being an education-focused organization.

A human sculpture constructed person-byperson by AFS Egypt volunteers and staff to demonstrate power relations.

Advice from Sherifa Fayez, Partner Director AFS Egypt, for Partners starting to develop ICL opportunities in their organizations: “Go for it without hesitation! You will realize that adopting ICL in all activities is a natural step that should have been done ages ago!

The volunteers and students will appreciate ICL and use it for AFS and also in their lives and work.”

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EDUCATIONAL RELATIONS AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL

AFS USA Partners with Schools TONYA MURO PHILLIPS, DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL OUTREACH AND EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS, AFS-USA

Global Education Open House at DePaul University. Pictured from left to right: Chad Nico Hui (YMCA); Mandy Sharp (TeachUNICEF); Dr. Gloria Alter (DePaul University College of Education); Sylvia Wong (Concern Worldwide US); Dr. Tonya Muro Phillips (AFS-USA); Rachel Dimit (AFS-USA); Gabhy Villarreal (AFS-USA); Traci Larson Lee (AFS-USA); Lauren Knight (AFS-USA); Beth Morrissey (AFS-USA); and Angel Johnson (YMCA).

Introducing the new School Outreach and Educational Partnerships (SOEP)

newsletter to educators: the Global Classroom. Anyone interested in

SOEP will be presenting at highprofile global education events,

Unit at AFS-USA!

receiving a digital copy can sign up at: http://www.afsusa.org/schools/globalclassroom/.

including a presentation at the end of June at the Asia Society Partnership for Global Learning conference in New York City, and a national Social Studies conference in Seattle,

Hello, everyone! My name is Dr. Tonya Muro Phillips and I’m the new Director of School Outreach and Educational Partnerships (SOEP) at AFS-USA. It’s been wonderful to join the AFS family.

We are also collaborating with other organizations to deliver pre-service

SOEP has a lot of exciting plans being developed! Our department is developing tools intended to support AFS-USA volunteers in their outreach

teacher professional development trainings on global competency through ICL in the classroom. To highlight, a teacher training recently took place at DePaul University in

to educators. Strengthening relationships with schools and supporting our volunteers in their outreach to schools is a key focus. We have recently relaunched our

Chicago at the end of May, along with a Global Education Open House, where AFS volunteers and staff, local teachers, and allied organizations in the Chicago area attended. Finally,

Washington in the fall.

We look forward to working with you!

Strengthening relationships with schools and supporting our volunteers in their outreach to schools is a key focus.

www.afs.org/blog/icl/ Stay up-to-date on AFS’s take on ICL, including the latest about events and scholarships.

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CONFERENCE UPDATE

What are the current “Hot Topics” in ICL? Since our last issue of the Intercultural Link Newsletter, AFS has been able to attend two more conferences to learn what are the current ICL “Hot Topics” in 2012.

The Association of International Educators (NAFSA) held its 2012

annual conference from 28 May to 1 June in Houston, Texas, USA. NAFSA is an international industry organization committed to building the skills, knowledge, and competencies of its members in relation to international and intercultural education (ICL).

The theme of their 64th annual conference was Comprehensive Internationalization: Vision and Practice.

With almost 9,000 attendees from around the world, topics that emerged as most relevant to ICL were: 1. Increased international collaboration for education: collaborative online courses, international service learning/ internship opportunities, internationalization of home campuses.

2. Social media use in international education: e.g., youtube for language acquisition, blogging as marketing, constructive Facebook conversations among students inspiring intercultural reflection.

3. Intercultural differences across generations: implications and necessary skills when several generations are working/interacting together.

4. Maximizing language and global competency development in shortterm study abroad programs.

If you are interested in receiving conference materials, please contact us at icl@afs.org.

The Partnership for Global Learning Network of the Asia Society, a leading

educational organization dedicated to promoting international understanding and partnerships, held its annual conference in New York City, USA from 29-30 June. The title of this year’s conference was Pathways to Global Competence, and the conference sessions and keynote speeches were focused on the meaning of education in a globalized world. Questions discussed included: How can we better use the internet for education?

How can we improve the learning of young people? And, above all: What skills are most needed to succeed in our increasingly interconnected world?

The key issues discussed at the conference were: • Technology and education • Virtual youth exchange and contact programs • The cooperation of schools with NGOs for fostering global learning • Online tools and resources for learning • Innovative learning and teaching

Anna Collier, AFS International, presented a poster at this year’s NAFSA conference. The poster provided AFS’s definition of Intercultural Competence and examples of how it can be developed. It described the AFS Intercultural Link Learning Program and listed sample activities from the program and curriculum.

The poster also offered information about the AFS Intercultural Link Initiative at large, of which the Learning Program is only a part, and its relevance in the contexts of organizational

• Experiential learning

development and the greater

• How to build relevant student portfolios

Intercultural Education field.

If you will be attending a conference related to intercultural learning and would like to contribute to our updates, please contact us at icl@afs.org.

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ICL Field Conferences & Event Updates

August

September

Summer Academy on Intercultural Experience; 30 July–10 August; Karlsruhe, Germany http://summeracademykarlsruhe.org/ AFS is organizing

Young SIETAR (Society for Intercultural Education, Training, and Research) Annual Conference; 6-9 September; Belfast, Ireland http://www.youngsietar.org/events/ upcoming-ys-events/13th-young-sietarcongress-in-belfast/ AFS is attending

Intercultural Rhetoric and Discourse Conference; 9-11 August; Indianapolis, Maryland, USA http://liberalarts.iupui.edu/ icic/conference/ 2012_conference

Peruvian Society for Educational Research (SIEP); 13-15 September; Lima, Peru http://www.siep.org.pe/web/html.php? id_wnoticia=22&t=wnoticia&p=0

Cross-Cultural Europe-Asia Summer Academy; 27 August–7 September; Bangi, Malaysia http://summeracademymalaysia.org/ AFS is organizing Connecting Commonwealth Education and Cultures; 27-31 August; Republic of Mauritius http:// www.stakeholdersforum.org /programme/connectingcommonwealth-educationand-cultures/

European Association of International Education (EAIE) Annual Conference; 14-19 September; Dublin, Ireland www.eaie.org/dublin/ 13th University on Youth and Development; 16-23 September; Mollina, Spain http://www.uyd.me/ European Congress on Global Education; 27-28 September; Lisbon, Portugal http://www.gecongress2012.org/ Society for Intercultural Education, Training, and Research (SIETAR) Forum: Global Integral Competence: Mind, Brain, Culture and System; 27-29 September; Berlin, Germany http://sietar-forum-2012.de/

October

November

Intercultural Horizons; 4-5 October; New York, NY, USA http:// www.geneseo.edu/ oip/intercultralstrategies-civicengagement

Third Annual Global Education Conference; 12-16 November; Streaming live online in partnership with iEARN http:// globaleducation.ning.com/

Society for Intercultural Education, Training, and Research (SIETAR)-USA; 17-20 October; Minneapolis, MN, USA http:// www.sietarusa.org/ AFS is presenting IOSTE XV (Science and Technology Education for Development, Citizenship, and Social Justice); 28 October–3 November; Yasmine Hammamet, Tunisia http:// www.inedp.org/? conference=iosteXV&schedConf=Them atic&schedConf=The matic

International Internet Symposium: Education and ethnic relations: the development of multicultural education in the aspect of safety; 14-16 November; Moscow, Russia http:// www.practic.childpsy.ru/ conference/28016/ Citizenship Education and Democracy in Times of Change; 21-24 November; Córdoba, Spain http://www.bpb.de/ veranstaltungen/ netzwerke/nece/135886/ participation-nowcitizenship-educationand-democracy-intimes-of-change

If you are aware of upcoming conferences in the intercultural area, please advise us at icl@afs.org

YOUR SOURCE FOR INTERCULTURAL LEARNING IN THE AFS NETWORK

Call for Submissions AFS members are invited to submit proposals for articles, news items and intercultural activities with accompanying graphics or photos for consideration in future issues of AFS Intercultural Link. Submissions can be AFS-specific or part of the larger Intercultural Learning (ICL) field. Simply send your submissions to us at AFS International: icl@afs.org

Questions or Comments icl@afs.org © 2012 AFS Intercultural Programs, Inc. All rights reserved.

Intercultural Learning Work Group Johanna Nemeth Rosario Gutierrez Annette Gisevius Irid Agoes Melissa Liles, Chair Lucas Welter Roberto Ruffino Newsletter Editor: Melissa Liles Newsletter Manager: Laura Schaack Design & Graphics: AFS Branding & Marketing Team Contributing Writers: Anna Collier

AFS Intercultural Link | VOLUME 3 - ISSUE 3 - JULY/AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2012

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