Implementation of an international medical student pen-pal club:survey outcomes of perceptions in cultural competency and global health

Background:Pen-pal clubs(PPC)are used worldwide for students to learn about different cultures and other skillsets without the need for travel.Many medical students are interested in global health opportunities abroad but costs,scheduling,and other barriers allow few to participate in such experiences.It is important that medical students have nuanced global medical perspectives and can contribute to the global medical community.Objective:The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that an international medical student PPC improves medical students'perspectives of cultural competency and global health engagement.Methods:In 2021,a novel medical student PPC was established that began between an American and Japanese medical school.Following a shareholders meeting,it was decided that the number of medical schools involved globally be expanded through previous institutional affiliations and online presences.In total,the club connected 50 American medical students and 52 medical students from 17 high-and middle-income countries.The primary form of communication was online;pen-pals were encouraged to communicate monthly using provided topics,although frequency and way of communication was their discretion.In February 2022,American PPC members were emailed a qualitative survey to assess the PPC's impact.Results:The survey was completed by 42%of American PPC members,95%of which were 22-26 years.Participants were preclinical medical students,60%whom were female and the majority either white(47%)or Asian(43%).Overall,the PPC positively influenced American medical students'perception of global medicine,medical education,and their cultural competency after joining the PPC compared to prior(P=0.004).Conclusion:PPCs encourage medical students to think from a global perspective and foster open-mindedness within varying social and cultural contexts.Having a global communication platform for students during medical school education may be an additional way to train aspiring global leaders.

Integrating Chinese Culture Into Language Curriculum:Teaching Chinese Culture to International Students in China

This paper explores the integration of Chinese culture into language education for German students at the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology(USST).Focusing on USST’s Chinese curriculum and pedagogical strategies,the study emphasizes the importance of cultural immersion,experiential learning,and authentic materials.Drawing on Byram’s Intercultural Communicative Competence(ICC)model,the Cultural Studies Approach,and Task-Based Language Teaching(TBLT),the paper presents a case study on incorporating Chinese calligraphy into regular classes.This hands-on approach not only enriches cultural understanding but also enhances language skills.The findings stress the need for tailored,multifaceted pedagogical approaches to prepare international students for cross-cultural interactions in a globalized context.

The Role of Music in Multicultural Education:A Tool for Promoting Cultural Understanding and Inclusion

In this essay,it will be examined how music can be a powerful tool in multicultural education in promoting humanity and cultural sensitivity.As classroom diversity increases,the challenge lies with educators to ensure that an equal and appropriate learning environment for all students with cultural sensitivity is maintained.To address this problem,therefore,the study explores how music may be effectively incorporated into intercultural education approaches.This paper has evidence that music is a language that has transcended cultures and promotes tolerance,appreciation,and acceptance of diversity through a synthesis of literature and examples.Several implications posit that music can make people feel they belong,enhance the relations of people from diverse cultures,and provide a practical way of learning about other cultures.The potential of music as a tool to engage social justice issues and liberate oppressed groups is also discussed in this research.It exists,but with caution to cultural appropriation and stereotyping of students,thus requiring educators to be sensitive and socially-apperceived on the best practice ways on how to integrate music into classrooms.The end explains how music helps in nurturing a generation of embracing the world,more sensitive and more inclined to the happenings in society to create a society that will be more sensitive and tolerant with the growing society which is diversifying.Therefore,the current article recommends further exploration and development of music-facilitated/inclined pedagogy of ME in hopefully enhancing cultural consciousness/sensitivity and fostering more social integration.

Competences for a culture of prevention

Work is changing. Traditional approaches to prevention fall short. A broader understanding of prevention and the cultural transformation associated with it mean that there are new demands on companies and their employees. People and organisations need competences for this transformation; they must be empowered to create humane living and working conditions. In order for people and organisations to be able to develop competences for the transformation,appropriate structural conditions in educational institutions and workplaces must be created. These conditions should enable people to experience a feeling of competence,to feel part of something and to perceive their actions as autonomous.

DACC Research 2012-2018:Reconnecting Culture and Competences

The most marked characteristic of a department dedicated to Architecture in the sense of Construction and Conservation is that it places Architecture as a constructed reality at the center of its teaching and research;or better,the indissoluble connection between a knowledge of form and a knowledge of construction.A connection that constitutes a category of awareness of architecture as designed in the past and a category of operational practices running across the entire process of projection from the analytical phase of the first moment of planning,to the identification of the materials and systems of construction to be used;a connection that overrides and informs the activity of construction on the building-site and which reveals it's quality when tested over time.

A Systematic Way to Plan Culture Teaching and Enhance Intercultural Competence for English Majors

Culture teaching is an inseparable part of an English major program to enhance students＇ intercultural competence. Yet, in practice, culture teaching does not receive due attention. More often than not, culture is taught and intercultural competence is developed randomly by individual teachers. The practice lacks cooperation, unity and coherence at the curriculum level. This paper proposes a systematic approach to plan, organize and coordinate culture teaching and to enhance intercultural competence for English major students. The theoretical assumption is a language is inseparable from its relative culture and the foreign culture should be openly addressed in actual teaching.

Cultivation of Intercultural Communicative Competence --Comparative Study of Chinese - western Cultures

Foreign language learning starts with the cultivation of learners' linguistic competence and can only be called successful if learners are inter- culturally competent. This article first takes a closer look at the origin and significance of intercultural communication,then compares the differences between Chinese and western culture in marriage,heroism and educational concepts,and finally suggests attaching importance to the integration of language learning and cultural transmission,cultivation of both cultural sensitivity and cultural empathy in order to help language learners acquire communicative competence.

Principal Leadership Constructs School-based- curriculum and Shapes School Culture for Teaching and Learning: Rooting on Core Competence

Rooting on the context of accelerating and rapid societal change and global competence trend,this study explored the meaning of core competence,roles of schooling for cultivating students to be holistic person and strategies for shaping competence-oriented school campus culture.The related literature this study reviewed include the meaning of core competence,curriculum program and teaching design for oriented competence in schools,strategies to shape school culture for teaching and learning of oriented competence,and integrated comment.In order to achieve the research purposes,this study adopted the interview and document analysis to collect data.According to the literature review,interview,document analysis,result and discussion,this study proposed conclusions in the following directions:1)The meaning of core competence;2)The main point of global competence;3)School is a learning organization and learning base within competence oriented school campus;4)Principals play the roles of vision leadership,instructional leadership and curriculum leadership;5)Teachers play the roles for shaping competence oriented school campus culture;6)The strategies of shaping competence oriented school campus culture;7)The process and related factors of constructing school-based curriculum.Finally,researchers proposed reflection for this study.

Multimedia approach to culture： Current situation and development in EFL

This thesis aims at providing an overview of the recent developments and reforms in the college English education. With the employment of multi-media teaching facilities, intercultural competence, i.e., the flexible adoption of the systems of value outlook and behavior mode of the target language, has indisputably been integrated into the second language learning and teaching curriculum. This thesis compares and analyzes the nature and composition of cultural cognition.

Analysis of Cultivating Nonverbal Communicative Competence from Cross- cultural Perspective

This paper aims to find out the ways of cultivating students' ability of nonverbal communication from the cross-cultural perspective.The author tries to illustrate some practical and effective ways to improve nonverbal communication through case study.

American Multinational Media and the Expansion of American Mass Culture

With the development of globalization and gradual intensification of mutual dependence of the world, "hard power" which includes economic and military strength is no longer the primary consideration for many countries. They tend to pay more attention to the attractiveness of their "soft power",which includes values,life style , ideology and so forth. Just as Joseph S. Ny , the famous professor of Harvard who puts forward the concept of soft power, says ,"only by widespread communication and diffusion can a country reinforces its soft power". This is mass media's function. Since the 1990s, tens of thousands cultural products brought in from America are exported to foreign countries, including popular music, films ,TV programs, magazines, books and so forth. By making advantage of its monopoly position in media circle, the United States pursues cultural hegemonism and expands its popular culture all over the world. This thesis takes a general view of the great advantages of America multi-national media groups and how they push forward the American popular culture all over the world.

Towards Closing the Language & Culture Gap: A Pedagogical Approach

This paper advances an approach to culture and language instruction through the theoretical construct of the 3Ps (Products, Practices, Perspectives), combined with an inquiry-based approach utilizing the theory on stages of second language acquisition. Culture elements, when embodied in a properly developed and organized curriculum can be systematically implemented all along the different phases of language growth. Mastery of a language is not simply mastery of vocabulary as well as grammar and spelling rules. The most successful language learners learn both culture and language together. The conceptualizations provided by research, although at times conflicting, form a useful foundation for language teaching that provides a deeper and a more enriching human experience. Making culture the core in a language class is akin to asserting the obvious (Furstenberg, 2010);they are two flip sides of the same coin. With its focus on revisiting the role of culture in the FL Classroom, the paper seems to fall into the same category - affirming the tried and true, but like Furstenberg, the author believes there is good reason to re-consider the possibility of closing the language and culture gap.

A concept analysis of cultural competence

Objectives:To clarify the meaning and reduce ambiguities of the concept cultural competence,and promote consistency in using the concept in nursing dialog,research,and practice.Method:Using Walker and Avant's method of concept analysis.Results:Cultural competence is the gradually developed capacity of nurses to provide safe and quality healthcare to clients of different cultural backgrounds.Its defining attributes are cultural awareness,cultural sensitivity,cultural knowledge,cultural skill,and dynamic process.Antecedents are cultural diversity,cultural encounter,and cultural desire.Consequences involve three beneficiaries,as follows:clients,nurses,and healthcare organizations.Empirical referents are primarily consisted in self-reported tools.Conclusions:The understanding of cultural competence of nurses that emerged in this concept analysis will contribute to the development of a rigorous design of instruments or research.

Motor competence and health-related fitness in children:A cross-cultural comparison between Portugal and the United States

Background: Motor competence and health-related fitness are important components for the development and maintenance of a healthy lifestyle in children. This study examined cross-cultural performances on motor competence and health-related fitness between Portuguese and U.S.children.Methods: Portuguese(n = 508; 10.14 § 2.13 years, mean § SD) and U.S.(n = 710; 9.48 § 1.62 years) children performed tests of cardiorespiratory fitness(Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run), upper body strength(handgrip), locomotor skill performance(standing long jump), and object projection skill performance(throwing and kicking). Portuguese and U.S. children were divided into 2 age groups(6à9 and 10à13 years) for data analysis purposes. A twoàfactor oneàway analysis of covariance(ANOVA) was conducted with the Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run, handgrip, standing long jump scores, kicking, and throwing speed(km/h) as dependent variables.Results: Results indicated that Portuguese children, irrespective of sex, presented better performances in locomotor and cardiorespiratory performance(standing long jump and Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run) than U.S. children in both age bands. U.S. children outperformed Portuguese children during throwing and handgrip tests. Kicking tests presented gender differences: Portuguese boys and U.S. girls outperformed their internationally matched counterparts.Conclusion: Cultural differences in physical education curricula and sports participation may impact differences in motor competence and fitness development in these countries.

Developing Intercultural Competence in a Third Space

From the perspective of the Third Space Theory(TST),this study explores eighteen international students’experiences and perceptions of their intercultural interactions on a university campus in Shanghai,the People’s Repulic of China(PRC).The study employs an open-ended questionnaire and two focus group interviews to collect qualitative data.The research findings reveal that participants make creative use of their third space to different degrees and in certain forms.Furthermore,the research findings identify several factors influencing their intercultural growth,including the lack of meaningful learning in intercultural interaction and students’discrepant motives.The conclusion supports the claim that to better improve international students’intercultural competence,it is of great importance for both students and faculty members to co-develop intercultural awareness and skills.

Cross-Cultural Competence and English Language Teaching

Language is a part of culture and plays a very important role in it. Learning a language is inseparable from learning its culture.So, we should stick to integrate culture teaching with English teaching and try to improve the student’s cultural awareness so that they can know how to communicate appropriately during the cross cultural communication.

Cultural Linguistics and Intercultural Communication

The relationship between language and culture is the core issue in intercultural communication.For native language learners,their native language and local culture are in perfect harmony;while for foreign language learners,they often unconsciously separate the two,resulting in the phenomenon of“half-cooked rice”in foreign language education.This phenomenon makes us reflect on the purpose,content,and methods of foreign language education and seek theoretical guidance.Foreign language teaching aims to improve intercultural competencies,so it must face language and culture in intercultural communication.As a branch of cultural linguistics with multidisciplinary origins,intercultural linguistics focuses on the relationship between language and culture in intercultural communication.In the process of exploring how to apply linguistic theories in second language acquisition,it shows that intercultural linguistics not only has important enlightenment and application value,but also needs further studies.

College English Teaching Based on the Theory of Core Competencies

The core competencies of college students can influence their further learning,employment,and personal development.This paper explores college English teaching from the three aspects of core competencies:cultural foundation,self-development,and social participation.Adapting to the challenges posed by the new era for the cultivation of foreign language talents,the paper aims to improve students’cultural literacy,independent learning,the ability of problem discovery and problem solving,and critical cultural thinking,so as to make them more competitive in employment and entrepreneurship.

Strategies for recruiting a sample of adults with type 2 diabetes from primary care clinics in rural Appalachia: Incorporating cultural competence

Background:Recruiting research participants from primary care in rural Appalachia is a major challenge and can be influenced by cultural characteristics,making it critically important to incorporate strategies of cultural competence in the overall design of clinical research.Objectives:The purpose of this paper is to describe culturally competent strategies used for recruitment and data collection with a sample of adults with type 2 diabetes from primary care settings in Appalachia.Design:The Purnell model of cultural competence and relevant literature served as a framework for study design.Four overarching approaches informed the organization of recruitment strategies and development of the data collection plan.Procedures:The approaches included selection of research sites,establishing collaborations,sustaining collaborative relationships,and enhancing understanding of benefits of participation.Four recruitment sites were selected based on potential to enhance diversification of participants;multiple steps were included in each of the three remaining approaches to build relationships and gain participation.A study log was maintained to provide evaluation data.Results:Recruitment took 14 months and a sample of 102 subjects provided consent with 101 participants providing complete data.Demographics were representative of the region except that African American participation was higher(6.9%)compared to current north central Appalachia(3%).Over 72%of participants indicated they would be interested in participating in future studies.Conclusions:These findings emphasize the importance of employing strategies for cultural competence in study design.Use of concepts from the Purnell model led to enhanced representativeness and potential for subsequent generalizability.

Cultural Input in English Vocabulary Teaching

The close relationship between the English words and culture is analyzed in this article.Only by understanding the hidden cultural meanings in the English words,can college students truly have a good command of them and can their communicative ability be improved.