Cross Cultural Communication: Global Understanding Project [跨文化溝通：國際連線專題]
2 credits
Ms. Gretchen Lee (lee.kf@msa.hinet.net)
Ms. Yu-Chih Doris Shih (dshih@mail.fju.edu.tw) For Juniors above
Class Limit: 28 Course description:
This course provides a format for students to learn about other cultures without traveling. This is part of the Global Academic Outreach Project directed by East Carolina University (ECU), USA. In this semester, we will connect with ECU as well as students in ONE other country (a total of two countries) through live video and chat technology. Discussion topics ranging from college life, family structure, the meaning of life, health care, food and nutrition, to stereotypes and prejudices. Class sessions include discussion in both small groups and one-to-one text-chat with
reflective journaling/papers and/or oral presentations afterwards. Besides international connecting sessions, local sessions (which mean only local class session without videoconferencing) are also held to integrate and synthesize information gained in the global sessions. Participating students from different cultures also read each other’s newspapers to learn what is current, timely, and to get real exposure to what is going on in their partners’ cultures.
We will be using small-group videoconferencing and the text-chat software mIRC for connection. Instruction will be given in class with the assistance of a technical
assistant.
Since we will be connecting with other countries via videoconferencing, class time will be in the evening.
About class hours:
When there’s the international connection, the course is on Tuesday and Thursday EVENING time (75 minutes/session – this include time to deal with technology). For local weeks, we can decide to meet and complete the
course (2 hours) just one time.
(The final schedule will be provided near the beginning of the semester Spring 2008):
*The week of 2/26/08 is a local session.
**The week of 3/4/08 (3/4 and 3/6) class time : (if it’s an international session) 9:00-10:10pm (this means 8:00am-9:10am US time because daylight saving time has not started yet in USA)
*** Starting from the week of 3/11 /08 onwards class time : 8:00-9:15pm (8:00am-9:15am US time) Daylight saving time starts in USA
