Intercultural Competency: Steps for Introducing Active Learning Case Studies Internationally in Confucian Heritage Culture

Abstract

Educational interculturalism continues to expand for our increasingly diverse classrooms, both at home and globally. When visiting faculty share active-learning, case study–based learning activities internationally with host faculty in Asian settings, instruction must take into consideration culturally-appropriate pedagogy in the context of Confucian Heritage Culture (CHC). The challenge for visiting faculty lies in not being completely versed in host culture yet remaining open to discovering how educational practices might be adapted within a CHC context. Additional care must be taken by visiting faculty at this first level of host faculty training to engage in active learning interculturally. This Perspectives article attempts to highlight intercultural competency steps, strategies, and examples provided as supplementary material, that are useful for the creation and implementation of an active-learning case study for CHC faculty development: 1) cultural preparation, 2) immersed engagement in the host country and reflection on self-cultural competency, 3) development of a culturally relevant case study addressing a host country need, 4) a contextual problem to incite interest, 5) learning outcomes, 6) making the case a real, personalized, narrative and 7) relevant faculty development questions to find the best fit in their culture. During implementation of the case study, 8) the visiting instructor models active learning, acting as a guide to international host faculty, who experientially learn about active learning while engaging in solving the case study themselves. Additional strategies include the presenter leaving the room to provide space for collaborative learning to occur where CHC cultural barriers prevent full engagement. Finally, in step 9) resources are provided.