Purdue InterCultural Learning Community of Practice (PICLCoP)

Thursday, January 30, 1:30pm-3:00pm EST via Zoom
Facilitated by Aparajita Jaiswal, Kelsey Patton, and Eric VandeVoorde

Intercultural learning is vital for STEM students navigating a globalized workforce. This session highlights a series of five intercultural learning workshops embedded in an Engineering Management course in Fall 2024, developed by Intercultural Research Specialist Aparajita Jaiswal and Intercultural Learning Specialist Kelsey Patton. Designed to foster collaboration, cultural awareness, and adaptability in multicultural teams, the workshops were part of a course led by Eric VandeVoorde, Senior Director of Professional Master's Programs in Engineering. Eric will discuss the course design, the intersection of intercultural competence and STEM/engineering management, and the workshops' impact on students. Aparajita and Kelsey will share reflections, feedback, and workshop data, along with strategies for adapting these activities to various contexts. Participants will engage in an experiential activity to understand its objectives and outcomes, followed by a discussion on tailoring such approaches to different disciplines. Attendees will leave with practical ideas for integrating intercultural learning into their teaching or training, equipping students with essential skills for global collaboration and innovation. This session aims to inspire educators to enhance intercultural competence development through experiential learning in STEM and beyond. 

Tuesday, February 11, 3:00pm-4:30pm EST
Wilmeth Active Learning Center (WALC) 2051
Facilitated by Michael Bittinger and Ellen Schellhase
Registration is at https://www.ippu.purdue.edu/Calendar/events.cfm

Adding Intercultural Learning into a Study Abroad Itinerary
Facilitated by Michael Bittinger

As educators, we want students to engage in powerful, transformative experiences. The allure of travel is attractive but can cast a powerful spell – that learning spontaneously occurs just by arriving overseas. In truth, the airline and hospitality industries are not cultural bridge-builders. By blending the excitement of travel with intentional pedagogical approaches to experiential education, meaningful intercultural development can be achieved. In this session we’ll take an educational journey together. You’ll experience intentional elements of our itinerary and curriculum that create meaningful, assessable growth. Join us to see how easy it can be to plug them into your own endeavors abroad, or even on-campus.

Building a Bridge: Intercultural Learning within International Experiences in Pharmacy Practice
Facilitated by Ellen Schellhase

This session will address intercultural learning during orientation sessions and international clinical experiences. A case example will demonstrate how learning activities have been embedded within both didactic and experiential settings. Faculty will share examples of intercultural learning activities used to engage learners.