1. ORIENTATION: INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCES
Emma Pihlajamaa

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Part I: EdGlo Programme
Part II: Culture and Society
Intercultural competencies
Finnish culture and society
Part III: Educational systems
Finnish educational system
Assignment:
Academic presentations about educational systems in students’ home countries
1/1/2019
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3. PRESENTATIONS; 19. & 21.9.
Present the educational system of your home country
If there is more than 1 student from the same country, students can coordinate among themselves which aspects they each elaborate a bit more
Sources of information e.g.
Websites of Ministries of Edcuation
National Boards of Education
Databases such as Nuffic and Eurydice
Make your presentations academic
An academic presentation is informative and well structured, use key words only
Always use references
Make use of visual helps: add graphs and pictures
In addition, choose a viewpoint to the educational system
In addition to presenting your country and its educational system on a general level, pleas choose one aspect you introduce more in detail/with a more critical approach(structural changes, private/public division, focus to kindergarten/primary school/secondary school/university).
Timing: max 15 min

4. COMPARING EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS
A study of two or more educational systems
In the context of the orientation course bear in mind three levels
Educational system in your own home country
Educational systems in your fellow students’ home countries
Finnish educational system
Use your fellow students’ presentations to learn more about the educational system of your home country
→ look for similarities and differences

5. EXAMPLES OF ASPECTS FOR COMPARISON
Schooling: levels and duration
Leadership: administrative machineries set up to implement or to control the implementation of educational policies at various levels of educational systems: national – regional – local
Ministry of Education, Board of Education, national curricula, school districts etc.
Values: philosophy, objectives and aims, policy and practice of education
Effects of international influence: on the general development, policy and practice of education in particular country
E.g. in European countries the implementation of the Bologna process, harmonisation
History: investigating how the past has influenced the development of education in particular countries
→ in your presentation, make an attempt to describe the educational system and tell something about the values imbedded etc.

6. PRESENTATION SCHEDULES
Mon /10 presentations
Wed /10 presentations
Feedback/assessment, three dimensions:
feedback from the teacher, fellow students, self-assessment

7. INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE

8. DISCUSSION BASED ON THE READING
Jokikokko (2009): The role of significant others in the intercultural learning of teachers
Discuss with the person next to you for 5 min:
What did you think about the article?
Was something surprising/shocking/unacceptable etc?

9. The meaning of significant others for intercultural learning
Significant others transforming attitudes towards diversity
Awakening and developing intercultural awareness
Developing ethical orientation
Emotions; confusion; even anger
Questioning; reflection

10. Let’s discuss:
Cultural knowledge does not necessarily lead to competence
Cultural contact does not necessarily lead to competence
Cultural contact may lead to reduction of stereotypes
Language learning may not be sufficient for culture learning
Supporting the development of IC
Balancing challenge and support, anxiety reduction
Facilitating learning before, during and after intercultural experiences
Depth of intercultural experiences, language immersion
Intercultural competence learning
Cultivating curiosity and cognitive flexibility

11. DIMENSIONS OF INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE
Intercultural competence: to posess the knowledge, awareness, skills and attitudes needed for successful intercultural encountering. (Jokikokko, 2010)
And to act according to that
Knowledge/awareness
action
skills
attitudes
Jokikokko, Katri, 2002/2010

12. PRINCIPLES FOR ENHANCING CURIOSITY
J.M. BENNETT
Suspending our assumptions and value judgements
Practicing cultural humility (being humble)
Enhancing our perception skills
Developing multiple perspectives
Increase our tolerance of ambiguity
Asking questions as culturally appropriate
Becoming analytically curious
Assessing the credibility of our intercultural sources