OIE has staff trained to facilitate intercultural activities that promote effective communication and collaboration among people from different cultures (and that’s most of us since culture is a vast concept that includes much more than one’s national culture). Knowing key concepts of intercultural communication and participating in active learning can help develop intercultural competence.
OIE provides workshop and other learning opportunities for student groups/organizations, offices/departments, lab groups, or almost any group that wants to communicate better or learn about cultural differences. Activities can be tailored based on participants, time available, and goals for the training
Workshop participants learn concepts and strategies to communicate more effectively across various cultural contexts. This skill is especially important at our institution, where a large number of our students, faculty and staff are from a variety of backgrounds.
Faculty and Staff Workshop Offerings
Intercultural Communication Workshop for Faculty and Staff
Fundamentals of Intercultural Understanding: Culture and Perception
Culture shapes our perspectives and the ways in which we interact with others. Reviewing the fundamentals of intercultural communication will allow participants to identify aspects of their own culture and navigate the gaps between perception and intercultural understanding. This workshop will provide participants with the knowledge to recognize cultural differences, the tools to advance intercultural understanding, and an overview of the role of perception in intercultural interactions and misunderstandings.
Cultural Awareness: An Overview of Cultural Values Orientation
Cultural awareness and the ability to engage in intercultural understanding with others can significantly impact one’s personal and professional development. An understanding of cultural values will assist participants in creating positive connections with people from other cultures. While some cultural differences like language and mannerisms may seem obvious, invisible differences in values such as communication styles or hierarchy often cause misunderstanding.
Workshops for Students
Fall or Spring Semester:
ICEBERG: Intercultural Learning Series
The ICEBERG intercultural learning series is a 3-part program for undergraduate students at GT. This program addresses various topics, including improving communication abilities, developing intercultural skills, and navigating cultural differences. Students build community by engaging with other students at GT, developing skills to recognize cultural differences and the tools to advance their own understanding, gaining self-awareness, empathy, and adaptability, so they may navigate new challenges at GT, abroad, and in their future careers.
Workshops Topics by Request:
- Intercultural Fundamentals: Culture and Perception
- Intercultural Fundamentals: Values
- Intercultural Fundamentals: The Culture Map
- Culture and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Do you want to lead an intercultural activity for a group?
Brownbag intercultural activity to facilitate an activity to learn about culture: Draw a Tree
Do you want an OIE staff member to leader an intercultural activity for a group?
Academic Departments and Student Organizations: intercultural@oie.gatech.edu
International Student Focus: Kate Kirk
Study Abroad Focus: Please contact the EA staff member that oversees your program of interest.
Examples of intercultural exercises and activities:
ACIREMA - An interactive simulation exercise designed to allow participants to 'enter the U.S.' as an international student from a fictional country.
Barnga - A game played in small groups where participants must learn to work together and reconcile differences to function effectively.
The Intercultural Email - A writing exercise done in order to gain perspective on cultural differences in writing style and emphasis.
The Stereotyped U.S. American - An exercise that uses discussion of common stereotypes of Americans to as basis for helping participants examine their own culture, ideas they have about other cultures, and the sources of stereotypes.
Contact: Email intercultural@oie.gatech.edu for more information.