This session equips leaders in education abroad with the tools and knowledge to assess and track students' cultural competencies over time. Participants will learn to apply validated assessment methodologies, analyze data, and design interventions that enhances student development. By the end of the session, attendees should feel empowered to make data-driven decisions that improve program effectiveness and enrich students' international experiences.
Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, participants will be able to identify and define key dimensions of cultural competencies, the soft skills needed to be effective in new cultural contexts and with people who are demographically different. These soft skills are tolerance of ambiguity, humility, perspective-taking, relationship building, curiosity, and resilience. This foundational understanding will equip leaders to effectively assess these competencies in students participating in global education programs.
Upon completion, participants will learn how to evaluate the validity of assessment tools to measure students' cultural competencies. By the end of the session, participants should have greater confidence in their ability to select assessment tools for their specific program needs.
Upon completion, participants will gain skills in analyzing and interpreting data from cultural competency assessments. They will learn to track changes in students' cultural competencies over time, enabling them to evaluate the impact of their global education programs and make data-driven improvements.
Upon completion, participants will be able to design and implement interventions aimed at enhancing students' cultural competencies based on assessment outcomes. They will also learn how to use this data to provide targeted support and resources to students, fostering deeper cultural understanding and more meaningful international experiences.
