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Interculturalizing the Curriculum

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Interculturalizing the Curriculum – Faculty PD Program

Since 2008, The Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching has offered a unique and intensive professional development opportunity for faculty members to enhance culturally responsive teaching strategies and incorporate intercultural learning outcomes in curriculum. Over 100 faculty from 18 departments have completed the program; they have enhanced their teaching and confidence working with culturally diverse learners, revised curricula, initiated SoTL projects, presented at conferences, and published in education journals. 

On practical and ethical levels, intercultural development is an increasingly important objective for faculty. Our campuses and classrooms are becoming more and more culturally diverse. International student enrolment has increased exponentially in recent years. New and first-generation Canadians comprise a growing population of students in an already culturally diverse context. New and first-generation Canadians comprise a growing population of students.   Moreover, we are called to action by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission which will “require skills based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism” for public servants (Call 57).  Educators are also tasked with “Building student capacity for intercultural understanding, empathy and mutual respect” (Call 63iii). TRU’s Interculturalizing the Curriculum seeks to provide a foundation in intercultural theory, inclusive pedagogy and learning outcome design to bring us closer to the goals of developing pedagogical approaches and curricula that will help to prepare students as effective professionals and citizens in increasingly complex and diverse global and local contexts.

Participants in the program will:

  • Apply intercultural development theories to their own and students’ development
  • Review cultural values dimensions related to learning and teaching in diverse contexts
  • Reflect on settler/Indigenous relations
  • Consider strategies for facilitating multicultural group work
  • Develop learning outcomes, assessments, and learning activities to support intercultural learning for all students
  • Become part of an interdisciplinary community of practice at TRU and beyond

For more information, email intercultural@tru.ca

Impact of Program

Check out what past participants have to say about the Interculturalizing the Curriculum Program and the documented research findings.

What Participants Have Said
Research: Faculty Perceptions

As published in: Garson, K., Bourassa, E., & Odgers, T. (2016). Interculturalizing the curriculum: Faculty professional development. Journal of Intercultural Education. Routledge, Taylor and Francis

Link: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14675986.2016.1240506