Intercultural Learning
and
Adult Education
28.3.2012
Daniel Kober (University of Duisburg-Essen)
Agenda
• Definition of „culture“
• Intercultural interaction
• Intercultural trainings
• Impact on adult education and
perspectives
What is „culture“?
Task
Please discuss with one partner how you would
characterise „culture“!
You have 10 minutes to collect your ideas.
Culture
(„cultus / cultura“)
Agriculture
close
d
Arts
narrow
definitions
Standard
wide
definitions
Traditions
open
Definition
• system of a collective behaviour
• shared values, norms,traditions and
symbols
• collectives: nations, organisations,
groups etc.
• influence on: perceptions, cognitive
processes, emotions, interpretations
and actions
• „normality“ and orientation
• open and dynamic
Hofstede:
Cultural Dimensions
Alexander Thomas:
Critical Incidents
• Examples
Why do we have to
deal with intercultural
learning?
Trends leading to a higher
quantity of intercultural
interactions...
• Globalisation
• Internationalisation
• Migration / Mobility
Exercise
„Interaction“
Context
Decode
Code
Sender
Decode
verbal
non-verbal
para-verbal
extra-verbal
Interaction
Reciever
Code
Conceptas
Perceptas
D
Intercultural
interactions
can lead to...
misunderstandings
anger
fear
agressions...
...new perspectives
ideas
innovations
That is why it is neccessary for adult education to
cope with intercultural interactions.
What can we as adult
educators do?
Trainings
• information vs. interaction
• culture-specific vs. culture-unspecific
4 types of
intercultural trainings
interaction
IV
I
culture-specific
culture-unspecific
III
II
information
Perspectives
• Intercultural coaching
• Intercultural mentoring
• Intercultural mediation
• e-learning tools