Intercultural Education – DIS 747

Summer, 2004

Western Seminary

Instructor: Enoch Wan, Ph.D.

 

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS:

 

Basic educational principles, as well as how those principles will be worked out differently in differing cultural contexts, must be understood.  Cultural differences in learning and reasoning styles are considered with their implications for mission.  Education methods such as theological education by extension, correspondence courses, use of video, Bible institutes, and lay training programs used in intercultural ministries are to be examined and evaluated.

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

 

1.   Cognitively:

      to apprehend the necessity and practicality of intercultural education;

2.   Attitudinally:

      to appreciate the variations in matters related to cognitive patter/process, learning style and pedagogy cross-culturally;

3.   Practically:

      to apply theories and methodologies in intercultural education to areas including the design of curriculum, development of  educational system, formulation of training strategy for intercultural ministry.

 

 

REQUIRED TEXT:

 

TITLE

AUTHOR(S)

PUBLISHER

ISBN

Building Credible Multicultural Teams ($17.99)

Lianne Roemke

William Carey Library

0-87808-340-5

Renewal in Theological Education: Strategies For Change ($6.95)

Robert W. Ferris

Billy Graham Center, Wheaton College

1-879089-03-3

Opting for Change: A Handbook on Evaluation and Planning for Theological Education by Extension ($7.95)

F.R. Kinsler &

J.H. Emery

William Carey Library

0-87808-8229-8

Pedagogy of the Oppressed. (30th Anniversary ed.) .

Freire, Paulo.

Continuum, New York

0826412769

 


COURSE REQUIREMENTS:    (choice of topic to be approved by the instructor)

           

 

I.                   PRE-SESSION PREPARATION (scan the texts in preparation for class discussion)

 

Conduct ethnographic research and present your tentative findings in class with AV (e.g. outline, table, etc.) on three elements: (30%)

 

1.1              DESCRIPTION OF COGNITIVE PATTERN (10%)

Choose “the target group” of your choice, with the approval of the instructor.

            Analyse their cognitive pattern and show your comprehension of it, essential in

the strategic planning for intercultural education for the target group.

 

1.2              DESCRIPTION OF THE LEARNING STYLE (10%)

Use ethnographic methodology to collect data pertaining to the learning style of

your “ministry-target-group”

 

1.3              DESCRIPTION OF THE TECHING STYLE (10%)

Use ethnographic methodology to collect data pertaining to the teaching style of

your “ministry-target-group”

 

 

II.                POST-SESSION RESEARCH & WRITING (70%)

 

2.1        WRITE UP YOU IMRPOVED & FINALIZED ETHNOGRAPHIC DATA

 

2.2       STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR INTERCULTURAL EDUCATION

 

            2.2.1    PROFILING YOUR “MINISTRY-TARGET-GROUP” e.g.

 

            -Profile: age, level, etc. ;

            -Purpose: skills, knowledge, etc.; 

            -Types: formal, informal, etc.

            -Duration: quarter, semester, annual, etc.

            -Resources: personnel, finance, etc.

 

2.2.2        CROSS-CULTURAL COMPARISON

Identify the deliverer’s cultural profile and compare the cultural differences between the educator and the recipients of intercultural education, e.g.

                        -Cultural profile

            -Cross-cultural differences between the educator and the students

            -Cultural differences to be factored in for intercultural education

 

2.2.3        STRATEGIC PLANNING

            Formulate a strategic plan for intercultural education (see McCune’s Guide to strategic

            planning for educators) including the design of curriculum, developing educational plan,

            etc.

                                        -anticipated outcomes, goals, objectives

                              -an outline of major topics or units to be included

                              -a design for teaching/learning experiences

                              -expectations of the participants, .e.g. reading, exercise, activity

                              -dates & schedules

                        -instrument for evaluation of learning outcomes & procedures for improvement &

                              implementation

 

NOTE:

Programs tried or proposed within the student’s area of ministry are to be carefully considered for their appropriateness (theologically and culturally), as well as for their socio-economic suitability and viability long-term effectiveness. 


 

SEQUENCE OF PRESENTATION:  (tentative, subject to future change)

 

Please do your assigned reading (see the reading list) before class in order to facilitate full participation and intelligent interaction in class.

 

I.          INTRODUCTION

1.1       course design & objectives; course requirements & logistics; course content & outline

1.2       anthropology and education

1.3       preliminary understanding for intercultural education

 

II.        CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL VARIATIONS:

2.1              methodological considerations

2.2              motivation for education

2.3              modes of education

2.4              models of learning

2.5              models of teaching

 

III.       PURPOSE(S) OF INTERCULTURAL EDUCATION

3.1        educational goals of traditional Western education

3.2        cultural ideal and educational goals

3.3        cultural factors on personal expectation

3.4        cultural factors on institutional variation

3.5       emic and etic variation

 

IV.       PROCESS OF INTERCULTURAL EDUCATION

4.1        Western learning style

4.2        cultural influence on learning style

4.3        cultural factors and curricular issues

4.4        Western teaching methodology

4.5        cultural influence on teaching style

 

V.        PRACTICE OF INTERCULTURAL EDUCATION IN MISSIONS CONTEXT

5.1              strategic planning for educators in general

5.2              strategic planning for intercultural educators

5.3              variety in approaches: Bible institute, TEE,  T&M, correspondence program, lay

training, etc.

5.4