If we asked our students to tell us what is most important in an intercultural teaching practice, what would they say? That’s the question that came to my mind as I began my doctoral research several years ago. I’d read a number of helpful frameworks that provide guidance for my professional development as an instructor…
I first stepped into the world of trauma-informed teaching unknowingly. Living and working in Cambodia from 2006-2009, I had read of the population-wide trauma of the Khmer Rouge genocide and saw its clear effects in the older generation. After moving to Preah Vihear City, a rural provincial capital in the north of the country, I…
As we enter each new semester, we look forward to greeting our students, anticipating their journey of learning and development, hopeful for what our students will achieve. In the midst of that hope, our expectations may be tempered with our knowledge, gained from past experience, that some of our students may not succeed. If only…
Introducing Cultural Humility When we set out on the journey of developing intercultural teaching practices, the diversity of frameworks and perspectives available can be overwhelming. Choosing a framework to guide our own complex process of intercultural development can feel confusing. Spitzberg and Changnon (2009) note that among the dozens of frameworks available, there is no…
In my interactions with faculty colleagues, an often-repeated theme is the need to support students in developing writing skills. Faculty value supporting student writing, recognizing that local employers desire graduates with strong literacy, writing, and communication skills (Conference Board of Canada, 2015). A challenging area for many faculty is determining the best ways to support…
Blog post adapted from: Page, C. (2021). Foundations of Intercultural Teaching. Kwantlen Polytechnic University. Responding to the rapid changes in teaching and learning during COVID-19 times has consumed much of our energy as educators. We have adapted to new methods of creating and delivering content and have searched out new ways to ensure active and…
You’ve designed a major assignment or project that challenges your students and allows them the opportunity to integrate their learning. You’ve been intentional about selecting relevant topics. You’re excited to see the results of your students’ work. And then it happens – the assignments come in, and you realize that many students have missed the…
Interacting successfully in diverse groups is recognized as a key competency for students globally in the 21st century (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), 2005). Our globally diverse campus seems to be an ideal learning environment for the development of intercultural skills, as students with a wide range of international experiences study in our…
You have a team project in your course this semester. Should you encourage students to form their own teams? Or should you put them into groups? Will it make any difference in the overall outcome of the project? As you consider your decision, you might imagine the possible results of each scenario. If you put…
Over the last several years, along with many of my colleagues in post-secondary education, I have begun to learn about the significance of decolonization. At this point, I feel as though I am only on the very first steps of a journey that will extend much deeper. I first learned about residential schools in 2013,…