Highlighting goals of intercultural learning

To review the week, Prof. Zhang provides a summary of benefits you can gain from an intercultural learning process like the steps provided. Keep these points in mind as we continue the course.

You have likely noticed that we see intercultural education and learning as a process. By engaging in interaction and reflection, we believe you can realize our learning objectives:

1. to develop intercultural sensitivity, and awareness, learning to look at, analyse, and resolve problems from the perspective of cultural differences.

2. to cultivate intercultural attitudes, which include being tolerant, respectful, curious, and empathetic towards other cultures.

3. to acquire cultural knowledge, both culture general and culture specific, paying special attention to the invisible cultural elements, which are like the hidden part of an iceberg.

• The ultimate goal of intercultural learning is to transform our awareness, attitudes, and knowledge into competence, and to develop flexibility and adaptability in intercultural communication.

We hope that these goals motivate you as you learn and interact with us in this course, so please let us know if you are sensing any of these beginning to happen, or if you are experiencing any difficulties in the process.