Skills for Continuing professional development and practice

Chapters: 1,

Workshop Aims

• To introduce everyone.
• To discuss cultural differences

Workshop Outline

1. Icebreaker
2. Cultural differences exercises

Task 1: Icebreaker:

Purpose – to get to know each other

Your tutor will get you involved with some exercise in which you ‘get to know each other’ a little. You may already have met some of your fellow students during the induction week. This exercise gives you a chance to meet others and/ or to share some of your aspirations a little more. Your tutor may have a preferred activity of their own (we are all different!) but here is one which is quite a ‘fun’ but informative one to do:

Task:

• Write down 3 words to describe your feelings after the induction week and looking ahead to the academic year
• Discuss these with others, as directed by your tutor.

Task 2: Cultural differences

Activity 1.3:Reflecting on your background

Think about your life journey to date in a holistic sense, focusing on your family and cultural background, who you are, your route to university and/or employment, and where you believe life will take you in the future. You may find it helpful to take notes.

Now focus more deeply on the following questions and issues:

1. Describe your cultural background – what does it mean to you?
2. In what way has it impacted on your life choices?
3. What were the implications for your learning choices?
4. How many culturally diverse backgrounds are represented in your student group and/or work place?
5. How much do you really know about those cultures, and how might you investigate them further?

Discuss the question posed above in a multi-cultural group where possible – you might be surprised by what you discover!

Further work: During the lecture you looked at a framework for how cultures may vary – this is shown again, below. See if you can now use this to further analyse your own cultural norms and values.