Category: Story Circles

International Story Circles Supported by Visuals: tackling language barriers and encouraging reflective thinking

Posted Liesbeth Spanjers and Katrien MertensLeave a commentPosted in Peer Reviewed Articles, Story Circles

In the Postgraduate Programme International Educating Class (PIEC), a UNESCO associated programme at the University Colleges Leuven-Limburg (UCLL, Belgium), students follow a course titled ‘Making Cultural Diversity work’, that aims at honing intercultural competence by adopting requisite attitudes, increasing knowledge, and expanding their skills repertoire for communicating across cultures. Students deliver an individual portfolio, in which they narrate personal intercultural experiences (like experiencing Story Circles) and make sense of them with reference to theoretical concepts from course readings and lectures such as multiple identities, otherising, or small cultures. The experience-based and interaction-oriented approach in the course creates a conducive environment […]

TechGirls & Story Circles

Posted Leave a commentPosted in Story Circles

In an increasingly globalized world, intercultural competency skills are more essential than ever. TechGirls, an initiative of the U.S. Department of State administered by Legacy International, aims to develop these skills as it equips and empowers girls to pursue careers in science and technology. Through Story Circles, an intercultural methodology from UNESCO (See article in this newsletter), TechGirls participants learn to engage individuals from different cultures and backgrounds to share their stories and their voices.  TechGirls is an international summer exchange for girls ages 15-17 from 12 countries across Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa and the US. The program […]

An Innovative Methodology for Developing and Practicing Intercultural Competence

Posted Dr. Darla K. DeardorffLeave a commentPosted in Resource, Story Circles

By Darla K. Deardorff, Founding President- WCICGC; Duke Fellow Over the last two years, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has successfully piloted an intercultural methodology in all five UNESCO regions that has proven to be quite successful in bringing together those from diverse backgrounds and building relationships across differences.  In all five pilots (in Thailand, Zimbabwe, Costa Rica, Austria, and Tunisia), participants reported they had strengthened skills in intercultural competence, critical thinking, listening for understanding, tolerance and in developing further empathy.  In addition to the official pilots, this intercultural methodology has been used successfully in higher education institutions in different […]