2016/17 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

MODL3150 Intercultural Communication and Global Citizenship: A Critical Approach for the Horizon Year Abroad

20 creditsClass Size: 40

Module manager: Haynes Collins
Email: h.collins@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: 1 Jun to 30 Sep View Timetable

Year running 2016/17

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This module will take a critical approach to intercultural communication and global citizenship in order to develop students’ overall knowledge, skills and awareness and to prepare students for their Horizon Year Abroad. Students will explore how ideas of culture, intercultural communication and global citizenship are relevant to their specific year abroad destinations, with the aim of expanding their knowledge and preparing themselves for extended periods of time outside their home country. This module is designed for and limited to students planning to embark on a Horizon Year Abroad programme.

Objectives

This module aims to provide a critical introduction to intercultural communication and global citizenship for students who are joining the Horizon Year Abroad. The module is designed to support students during their year abroad by encouraging an increased engagement with their new environment and critical and reflective consideration of their own position within this new environment. On completion of this module, students should be able to demonstrate the necessary knowledge, skills, attitudes and awareness to operate more effectively as global citizens and as students on their year abroad.

Learning outcomes
In terms of specific knowledge outcomes, students joining this module will develop:
- a critical understanding of 'culture' and the 'intercultural'.
- an ability to distinguish between essentialist and non-essentialist discourses and representations of culture.
- an understanding of how the above concepts are often (mis)applied to mark differences which can be based on national stereotypes.
- an awareness of research focusing on 'cultural dimensions' such as time, space, action, communication and power and a critical faculty for evaluating these dimensions.
- an awareness of theories of acculturation including typical affective barriers that can arise when living in a new environment.
- an ability to analyse miscommunication or conflict, reflect critically on specific causes of miscommunication or conflict and suggest solutions.
- a support network which will enable students to make the most of their year abroad.
- an awareness of the complexity of global issues and how these relate to our lives.
- an ability to challenge what the students may see as injustice and inequality.
- an ability to critically evaluate information in the media, especially that which perpetuates myths regarding ‘the other’.
- an ability to make informed choices.

Syllabus

The teaching for the module will take place during a pre-departure intensive 3-day session after the exam period (ex: 8-10 June 2015) when students meet prior to their year abroad for 18 contact hours. These sessions will represent the total of the contact hours for the module and will introduce various topics through a combination of lectures, seminars, group learning and one experiential learning activity. Lectures will give an introduction to the field of intercultural communication and global citizenship and research on these areas. Concepts such as 'banal nationalism' 'essentialist discourses of culture', 'cultural dimensions', 'small cultures' 'identity', 'representation', 'otherization', 'marginalisation' 'acculturation', 'assimilation', 'citizenship', 'global citizenship' and 'patriotism' will be introduced. Seminars will include discussions of student examples of how the concept of culture is used in various settings including, for example, advertising, and how the UK media portrays asylum and immigration. The experiential learning activity will be a workshop which stimulates discussion regarding culture, identity and hidden rules.

Students will be required to contribute at least two posts to an on-line discussion forum on the VLE while they are in their new country. This will serve as a contact point to monitor student understanding and progress. While abroad, students will also need to access the VLE for periodic reading assignments.

Assessment will consist of a reflective log (1,250 words) which will be completed in semester one and will focus on the acculturation process.
In semester two, students will need to complete a project report which focuses on either an aspect of global citizenship or an essay which challenges representations of their destination country as homogenous single cultures. The final assessment will be to complete an electronic 'field report' of their year abroad which offers advice to students who may be planning to visit this destination.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Fieldwork	81	1.00	81.00
Lecture	12	1.00	12.00
Practical	1	1.00	1.00
Seminar	6	1.00	6.00
Private study hours			100.00
Total Contact hours			100.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

100 hours: Reading (approximately 60); Discussion Forum Post and Reading (3); Reflective Log Preparation (approximately 10); Essay preparation (approximately 20); Field report (7)

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

End of semester 1 reflective logs and a ‘discussion forum’ will be used to monitor student progress .

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Report	Project Report 1,500 words	50.00
Reflective log	1,250 words	50.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

There is no reading list for this module

Last updated: 25/10/2016

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