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Module:  Acquiring Intercultural Competence
Contents
Introduction & Acronyms
Syllabus Structure
Syllabus
Content
Assessment Strategy
Appendix
References

 

Module: Acquiring Intercultural Competence

 

Assessment Strategy

The entire module will be assessed by:

  • portfolio (end of semester before PRA)
  • presentation in the foreign language (on return from PRA)
  • analytical account based on diary (end of semester after PRA)

A portfolio of activities will be compiled during the semester Before the PRA. As well as a brief report on the impact which the first half of the module has had on the intercultural learning process, the portfolio will contain evidence of searches on the ICP databases, of fieldwork undertaken in the area of sociolinguistics and of tasks connected to mainstream preparation for the period abroad which will include visiting the LARA and RAPPORT websites for information.  

More specifically, the portfolio is expected to consist of the following :

  • a brief report of personal development throughout the first half of the module
  • eight tasks which will cover the following four areas:

1.  Cultural Identity (one task); students will be expected to reflect on their sense of cultural identity and the extent to which this sense of identity was challenged in workshops 2 and 3 and related fieldwork.

2.Sociolinguistic Awareness in "home" and "host" culture (two tasks);  tasks must contain an element of comparative analysis of sociolinguistic practices between "home" and "host" culture.

3.  Expectations, Motivations, Objectives (one task); this task is expected to be related to all aspects of the PRA, issues about employment and changes which may have occurred in the light of enhanced intercultural awareness.

4.Stereotypes and Intercultural Incidents: this task is expected to be carried out in conjunction with a search on ICP databases for evidence of attitudes and incidents of this type (one task)

Four tasks (including the one related to stereotypes and intercultural incidents) are expected to be the result of SARA and STEFE database searches.

Ideally, all workshop-related tasks should also contain an element of database searches.

The portfolio will be assessed by the module tutor and the Student Services counsellor (weighting: 90% ).

The weighting for self assessment is 10%.

Total: 100% (first half of the module)

A presentation in the foreign language on acquisition of intercultural competence will be delivered After the PRA, at the beginning of the final year, within the context of mainstream classes. For students not enrolled on the module, the criteria for assessment are: linguistic and sociolinguistic competence, communication skills, quality of content.

For students enrolled on the module, the content of the presentation will consist of an analysis of their development in the following areas: sociocultural knowledge, intercultural awareness, practical skills, intercultural and interactional skills, study skills, heuristic skills, linguistic and sociolinguistic competence. A link must be drawn with the learning activities in the first part of the module.

Weighting: 50%

A written analytical account based on the personal learning log will be presented at the end of the module, After the PRA. This account (2000-3000 words in length ) should chart a student’s development from the beginning to the end of the module, analysing personal growth and intercultural competence, including both the impact of living and working or studying in a foreign country and the impact of the module itself.

It will also address the issue of employability.

The assessor will expect the students to recognise, where applicable, challenges to their sense of identity, to identify key elements in the module which led to resistance and attitudinal shifts. The account must be of an appropriate level of introspection for reflection on the learning process and demonstrate recognition by the students that they are socially constructed.

Questions to be asked might be, for example 

"How do I come to be me in this culture?"

"What have I gained/lost by doing this module?"

"What am I challenged by?"

"What do I want to continue with?"

"When did the shift occur from feeling like an outsider to feeling that I was a member of the community?"

"What brought about that shift?"

"When did I feel/not feel (linguistically) competent?"

"What questions do I now have that I did not have at the beginning of the module?"

"How big is Britain?" 

and so on.

The account will be presented at the end of the second half of the module and assessed by the Student Services counsellor.

Weighting: 50%

 

AUTO-EVALUATION REPORT

Write between 800 and 1000 words evaluating your learning at the end of the semester preceding the period of residence abroad. Evaluate your own portfolio by using the Assessment Criteria below.  Hand this in with your completed portfolio tasks.

 

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

 

Content

Analysis

Evidence of intercultural learning

70-100

Excellent quality of content; very wide range of issues considered. Excellent range of appropriate resources used.

Extremely thorough analysis of situations and material used. High level of self-awareness. Shows high level of understanding of the intercultural issues involved.

Excellent description and evaluation of learning process from multiple perspectives.
High level of understanding and recognition of impact of workshops on personal intercultural learning.

60-69

Very good quality content, wide range of issues explored. Thorough approach. Very good use of resources available.

Very thorough analysis; very good level of self-awareness . Shows very good understanding of the intercultural issues involved.

Very good description and evaluation of learning process from different perspectives. Very good level of understanding and recognition of impact of workshops on personal intercultural learning.

50-59

Good quality content, reasonable range of issues explored. Good use of resources.

Good analysis. Good level of self awareness. Shows good understanding of the intercultural issues involved.

Good description and evaluation of learning process.
Good level of recognition of impact of workshops on personal intercultural learning.

43-49

Satisfactory content with relatively few issues explored.

Some analysis. Some level of self-awareness. Shows some understanding of the intercultural issues involved.

Satisfactory description and evaluation of learning process. Satisfactory level of recognition of impact of workshops on personal intercultural learning.

40-43

Meagre quality of content. Very basic limited approach.

Barely adequate analysis. Little evidence of self-awareness.
Very limited understanding of the intercultural issues involved.

Simplistic description and evaluation of learning process.
Low level of recognition of impact of workshops on personal intercultural learning.

0-39

Very poor quality of content. No detail. No evidence of use of resources.

No evidence of analysis.

No evidence of intercultural learning. Extremely simplistic description of learning process. No apparent recognition of development of intercultural learning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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