I. General Information

1. Course Title:
Global Studies Cultural Immersion Experience

2. Course Prefix & Number:
GLST 1492

3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:

Credits - Variable: 1-3

4. Course Description:

The purpose of this course is to provide the student with an opportunity to see the world through a cultural lens different from their own and, in doing so, to have a better understanding of the diversity of human experience. Students immerse themselves in a culture other than their own within Minnesota. A different culture than one’s own, as used here, refers to a context in which the beliefs and knowledge that inform fundamental aspects of behavior in a community are different from one’s own. This includes intensive interactions with individuals of racial, ethnic, socioeconomic or religious identity different from one’s own. The intent of this cultural immersion experience is to provide participants with information about Ojibwe, Latino, Somali, Hmong, and other cultures from scholarly presentations, readings, observation and interaction. An awareness of how learners’ race, background knowledge and experiences, culture, religion, and gender impact society.

5. Placement Tests Required:

Accuplacer (specify test):

Reading College Level CLC or Reading College Level

Score:

6. Prerequisite Courses:

There are no prerequisites for this course.

9. Co-requisite Courses:

There are no corequisites for this course.

II. Transfer and Articulation

1. Course Equivalency - similar course from other regional institutions:

GLBL 160 Field Experience & Academic Research in Global Studies (Cr3) Northampton Community College, 3835 Green Pond Road Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18020

GLST 390 (Intro to Cross-Cultural Experiences) and GLST 392 (Cross-Cultural Immersion) online course (1 credit each), Binghamton University State University of New York, 4400 Vestal Parkway East, Binghamton, NY 13902, (607) 777-2000, info@binghamton.edu

III. Course Purpose

1. Program-Applicable Courses – This course is required for the following program(s):

 

2. MN Transfer Curriculum (General Education) Courses - This course fulfills the following goal area(s) of the MN Transfer Curriculum:
Goal 8 – Global Perspective

IV. Learning Outcomes

1. College-Wide Outcomes

College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies	Students will be able to:
Demonstrate interpersonal communication skills	Describe and analyze political, economic, and cultural elements which influence relations of states and societies in their historical and contemporary dimensions.
Discuss/compare characteristics of diverse cultures and environments	Demonstrate knowledge of cultural, social, religious and linguistic differences.

2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of the course:

MNTC Linked objectives

• Demonstrate knowledge of cultural, social, religious and linguistic differences of travel country.  MNTC Goal 8
• Analyze specific international problems of travel country, illustrating the cultural, economic, and political differences that affect their solution.  MNTC Goal 8
• Understand the role of a world citizen and the responsibility world citizens share for their common global future.   MNTC Goal 8.

Course Specific Objectives

• Identify her/his values, attitudes, and beliefs.

• Examine her/his assumptions about other cultures.

• Demonstrate the qualities of tolerance and sensitivity with others.

• Demonstrate open-mindedness and curiosity with respect to other countries and cultures.

• Demonstrate flexibility while retaining stability of her/his own identity and values.

• Demonstrate knowledge of the major religions in the region and their impact on social, cultural, health, and political realities in society.

• Recognize issues that may be sensitive to other cultures and people and respect their beliefs.

• Identify and examine the tendency to impose her/his own structure and ideas on others.

• Practice effective communication skills in a diverse cultural setting.

• Using evidence informed information, explore the process of developing cultural competence.

• Demonstrate awareness of own cultural values and biases and how these impact their ability to work with others.

V. Topical Outline

Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.

1. Lecture Sessions

1.      Preliminary Research:

• View “The Other Side of Immigration” documentary by Dr. Germano shot.
• Complete at least 5 of the tests on cultural competency using https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/index.jsp.
• Write the Personal Culture Essay:

 2.      Discussion:

•  focus on sharing experiences and awareness from the documentary

 3.      Journaling:

• What happened (positive and negative).
• Why it happened, what it means, how successful it was.
• What you (personally) learned from the experience.

4.      Post Experience Reflective Learning Papers and Presentation:

• Demonstrate cultural self-awareness: Can you identify and articulate your own cultural rules and biases and provide counter-examples from another culture?
• Exhibit global awareness: Can you identify and articulate how people are affected by power and privilege in relation to class, ethnicity, gender, geography, nationality, race, religion, sexuality, etc.
• Demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of other cultures: Can you explain at least three aspects of another culture? These may relate to beliefs and practices, communication styles, history, politics, or economy.
• · Exhibit respectful consideration of multiple and conflicting global perspectives: In considering an issue, can you describe a number of the potential positions from        different - even conflicting - perspectives?
• Interpret an intercultural experience from multiple perspectives: Can you describe your experience with other cultures that shows you understood and empathized with a perspective different from yours?
• Evaluate the different consequences of individual and collective interventions: Can you explain why an action you would take to address an injustice in global power relations is appropriate? How does it compare to other responses to such problems?

5.      Trip Schedule

• Mille Lacs Indian Museum with speaker and/or panel
• St. Cloud Speakers, Afternoon seminar, St. Cloud Public Schools visit, Indian/Vietnamese/Somali Restaurant
• Hmong Cultural Center Tour, Hmong or Asian Performance, Shopping at the Hmong Marketplace, Hmong History Center, Hmong Bilingual School
• Supermercado shopping, Spanish Immersion School, TeatroDel Pueblo, Latin Dancing and Food, Interviews
• International School Experience, Somali Restaurant, Shopping, Performance, Food
• Volunteer Experience (Hubb Center, MN Historical Society, Immigration Speaker)
• St. Paul Immigration Bus Tour

6.      Wrap up

• Share Experiences
• Reflection Papers due

2. Laboratory/Studio Sessions