Help Your Students Build Cross-Cultural Competencies in as Little as One Hour
In today's interconnected world, cultural agility—the ability to interact comfortably and effectively with people from different cultures, whether virtually or in person—has become a crucial skill. However, research indicates that only about 20% of students possess this essential capability. This gap presents a significant challenge for educators preparing students to thrive in a globalized environment.
Students who are culturally agile have adaptability (named by LinkedIn as one of the most in-demand skills) and are better equipped to communicate, collaborate, and build meaningful relationships with individuals from diverse backgrounds. These skills are not only vital for personal development but also highly valued by employers seeking to build inclusive and effective teams.
If You Have ONE Hour in Your Course, Try This:
Introduce the Concept (10 minutes): Begin by explaining the importance of cultural agility and how it applies to the students’ academic and professional lives. Highlight the benefits of using myGiide to develop these skills.
Assign Two Quick Assessments (15 minutes): Have students complete the free cultural values and cultural agility competencies assessments on myGiide. These two assessments are straightforward and provide immediate, actionable feedback.
Cultural Values Assessment: This assessment helps students understand how cultural values influence communication, collaboration, and relationship-building. By identifying their own cultural values, students can gain insights into how these values shape their interactions with others.
Cultural Agility Competencies Assessment: This assessment evaluates students’ abilities to work comfortably and effectively with people from different cultures. It highlights areas where students excel and identifies opportunities for growth, providing a clear path for developing cultural agility.
Facilitate Discussions Around Two Questions (30 minutes): Use the results of the assessments to foster class discussions. Encourage students to share their insights and experiences, promoting a deeper understanding of cultural differences and similarities. When time is limited, I recommend the following two questions:
Look at your cultural values and compare your scores to your HOME country:
How do they differ from your own?
How were these values socialized in your own life?
(This is the best question to help students see that cultural values are personal and not ascribed just because someone is from a certain cultural background. It is a great way to reinforce why we should not stereotype.)
2.Look at your cultural agility competency assessment results.
Where did you score the highest?
When in your life do you recall leveraging this strength in unfamiliar contexts? (This is a great way to build efficacy for interacting with people from diverse cultures.)
Suggest Ways for Ongoing Development (5 minutes): You can finish the hour by encouraging students to continually engage with myGiide throughout the course. You can also suggest on-campus resources to apply their learning throughout their on-campus experiences, enhancing their cultural agility over time.
You don’t need to contact us to use myGiide. It is free for everyone, everywhere, all the time. Check it out for yourself at myGiide.com.
If You Have More Than One Hour
If you have more than an hour to focus on building students’ cultural agility, we have many additional suggestions for development.
To learn more, please join us for an upcoming webinar. Registration is required, click here!
What We Know
Developing cultural agility in students is essential for their success in an increasingly diverse world. By integrating myGiide into your courses, you can equip students with the tools they need to navigate cultural differences confidently and effectively. This not only enhances their academic experience but also prepares them for a future where cultural agility is a key driver of success.
Start using myGiide today and help your students become culturally agile individuals ready to make a positive impact in the global community.
