Module 7Cultural Awareness

Learning Outcomes

7.1 Identify the perceived traits of your own culture 7.2 Understand cultural differences and practices in the

workplace 7.3 Recognise the benefits of living and working in a multi-

cultural society

Culture Iceberg

Like an iceberg, only a fraction of culture is visible, noticeable through customs, language, physical appearance. The majority of culture is hidden from view and expressed completely, through deep-held values and preferences.

Explicit Culture

Behaviours

Attitudes / Beliefs

Values

Implicit Culture

Culture Definition

The ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society.

The attitudes and behaviour characteristic of a particular social group.

Multi-cultural Definition

Relating to or containing several cultural or ethnic groups within a society.

Simulation Activity

Introduction and Orientation

These cultural qualities will be your identity for the rest of the simulation. How do these rules feel? How do they fit you? How are you going to “act”

them? How different is the real me from this culture? What does it mean for me to be Red/ Blue/ Green for the next hour? How do I fit in this culture? Jot down your reflection if you’d like.

As a group discuss and agree on how you will enact your traits and how you will display the more visible elements of your culture.

Create the story that binds you together as Blues, or Reds or Greens. This could take the form of a saying, a symbol, a picture, a dialect, a song, a flag (…) that will be presented later to the rest of the group to explain your cultural identity.

Debriefing

Present your Culture What were those cultures? Who are you? Who were you?

Present to the larger group. Report myths, legends, or anthem etc. (3 minutes per culture)

Mono-cultural Debriefing

What happened in your mono-cultural group? How did it feel? What did you first talk about? How far did you get into the task? How well did you do? Did you feel

good about the processes? Did you feel good about the team-building efforts?

Were any of your norms facilitating problem solving? Others hindering? What strategies did you use in the problem-solving process? Any leader

emerged? Why him/her? What worked? What did not work? How did the rules of your culture help or hinder the problem solving

process? Any comfort or frustration from being in a group of similar people? Is this similar to a real-life situation?

Multicultural Debriefing

What were you thoughts and feelings as you changed cultures/ or as newcomers arrived? How did it feel to join the new group?

How did you feel during the multicultural problem-solving process and why?

Did you feel accepted / respected in this new group? Any awareness / new understanding on your own lenses? On the Challenges of crossing cultures, on negotiating across

cultures? Is it easier in mono-cultural groups? Is it richer in multicultural groups?

Learning Outcomes

7.1 Identify the perceived traits of your own culture 7.2 Understand cultural differences and practices in the

workplace 7.3 Recognise the benefits of living and working in a multi-

cultural society