1. Exploring Cultural and Intercultural Issues
Lynn W. Zimmerman, PhD
Fulbright Scholar
International Relations Institute Moldova
Chisinau, Moldova

2. North Carolina May cheese 50 reading Australia blue
Who Am I?
North Carolina
May
cheese 50
reading
Australia
blue

3. Who are you? Make name tags Write the name you want me to call you
Draw a symbol of something which identifies you culturally

4. Exploring Cultural and Intercultural Issues
What do you think this course will be about?
Exploring – asking, discovery, awareness, recognition
Culture – who we are as a people and a society; identity
Intercultural – between cultures
Issues – definitions, awareness, similarities, differences, communication, interactions

5. Syllabus Modes of instruction Group work Graded Assignments
2 tests =20%
At home assignments = 20% (2 points each; 1 point for completion; 1 point for completing well)
In-class work = 20% (Attendance/participation)
Exam = 40%

6. Online Component: EasyClass
Valid address required
Access code for BA: 4507-R574 (zero)
Access code for Masters: 3YO9-303V (letter O – then zero)
Register before next class period and do the assigned task = Homework 1.

9. Exploring EasyClass Two main resources:
Peace Corps Manual, matters-workbook/
Gudykunst and Kim, Communicating with strangers: An approach to intercultural communication
HW1 (posted on EasyClass in Discussion area): In words (3-5 sentences), tell me one thing about Moldova that I need to know as a foreign teacher living and working in this country.

10. What is culture? Activity
Many definitions – from broad to specific
Groups
talk about your symbol of culture on your name tag
why you chose it
how it symbolizes your culture

11. Define Culture Write a group definition of culture
Compare with other groups

12. Some Definitions of Culture
Culture is the shared set of assumptions, values, and beliefs of a group of people by which they organize their common life. (Gary Wiederspahn) 
Culture is an integrated system of learned behavior patterns that are characteristic of the members of any given society. Culture refers to the total way of life for a particular group of people. It includes [what] a group of people thinks, says, does and makes—its customs, language, material artifacts and shared systems of attitudes and feelings. (Robert Kohls)

13. Identifying with a Culture
Why do we identify with a culture?
What is the dominant culture in your country?
Are there sub-cultures?

14. Picture Group Activity
Look and identify anything that shows you what we discussed as part of culture:
integrated system of learned behavior patterns
characteristic of the members of any given society
total way of life for a particular group of people
shared systems of
customs
language
material artifacts
attitudes
feelings
assumptions
values
beliefs

16. Discussion What did you identify?
How were the pictures similar? Different?
Did anything relate to your culture?

17. Homework #1
Register for EasyClass
Answer the question that is posted

18. References
Gudykunst, W.B. & Kim, Y.Y. (2003). Communicating with strangers: An approach to intercultural communication. 4th ed. Boston: McGraw- Hill.
Peace Corps. (n.d.). Culture matters: The Peace Corps cross-cultural workbook. Washington, DC: Peace Corps Information Collection and Exchange.