Professional Development: Intercultural Learning ePortfolio Reflection

This document presents a student's reflective analysis of their intercultural learning journey and a corresponding development plan. The student emphasizes the importance of intercultural awareness in improving collaboration and knowledge sharing, highlighting the impact of various collaborative learning techniques and virtual interactions on their understanding of cultural differences. The development plan focuses on building cultural knowledge, improving communication skills, and fostering behavioral changes to enhance cultural synergy in professional settings. The student outlines specific objectives, activities, and timeframes for each area, including participating in training programs, keeping a journal, and attending workshops to develop nonverbal communication competencies and build communication skills for culturally-diverse environments. The reflection also references key academic sources that support the student's learning and development.

Development Plan- Reflection
Having improved my knowledge and communication skills over the course, one of the most
important things that I have learned is the importance of developing intercultural awareness
that can improve collaboration and knowledge sharing with peers. I believe that building
intercultural awareness through the various topics and concepts introduced during the course
has helped me explore the similarities and conflicts that are relevant to working in diverse
settings.
Since the beginning of the course, I have been involved in different kinds of collaborative
learning techniques by participating in group activities, virtual projects, and research
presentations. It has taught me the importance of being involved in a continuous learning
process when it comes to understanding and bridging cultural differences between
individuals. I have become more accepting of other cultures and have started going out of my
way to learn more about the people I work and interact with. I started off as a less confident
and poor communicator as compared to what I am now, most of which is owed to the
motivation I gained from connecting and interacting with people from different cultures and
with contrasting ideas and opinions. Collaborating in virtual environments has helped me
build my connections, construct my knowledge, and expand my perspective on the need for
intercultural understanding and competence (Perry & Southwell, 2011).
I plan to build the necessary skills and knowledge required to make me more competent in
multicultural environments. Therefore, I think that it is more important to understand and
include perspectives and viewpoints of another culture, even if I agree to disagree with the
viewpoint. The idea is to avoid conflicts, learn how to accept and relate with cultural
difference, overcome the negativity that cultural differences hold, and learn about how I can
work with others in the best way despite conflicts and difference of opinions. One way in
which I wish to build my level of cultural acceptance and understanding with others is by
improving my cultural knowledge. Through the course, one of the main things that I realized
about myself was that I never paid much attention to learning about others’ cultures. I ended
up making the same mistake initially while collaborating in a group project and witnessed
conflicts as a result. Though I have actively been involved with learning about cultural
etiquettes and cultural histories, my ineffective communication skills combined with a lack of
cultural knowledge made it slightly difficult for me to collaborate on tasks and conduct the

interview properly during the initial stages. Hence, building cultural knowledge and
developing communication skills form an integral part of my development plan, especially
having understood the importance of being more aware, sound, and competent about
intercultural learning and development (Baker, 2015).
Development Plan
Competency/Skill Objectives Activities Time
Frame
Building cultural
knowledge
 Gaining a working
knowledge and
comprehensive
insight on cultural
needs and
differences.
 Increasing
awareness and
cross-cultural
understanding to
avoid conflicts
and focus on
development in
multicultural
settings (Bennett,
2018).
 Participating in
short-term training
programs, mainly
focussed in
intercultural
environments
 Keep a record of
cultural
conversations and
learning outcomes in
the form of a
journal, which will
facilitate continuous
cultural learning and
development.
 Develop
connections with
shared interests of
cultural curiosity,
knowledge, and
behaviours.
6 months -
1 year
(depending
on
progress)
Developing
communication
skills for increased
cultural awareness
 Developing
nonverbal
communication
competencies and
 Making an effort to
talk to people from
different cultures
 Participating in at
6 months

and acceptance skills least two workshops
and online programs
focussed on building
communication
skills for culturally-
diverse
environments.
 Interacting with
employed
individuals to
understand their
perspectives, views,
and strategies to
become an effective
communicator in
intercultural
settings.
Focussing on
behaviour change
to create cultural
synergy in
workplaces
 Apart from
communication
and knowledge,
behavioural
changes are a
crucial aspect of
intercultural
communication
and awareness.
 Increasing
awareness of
behavioural
changes to further
improve problem-
solving and team
working skills to
succeed in
 Attending
workshops and
lessons aimed at
teaching nonverbal
signs and
mannerisms, with
specific reference to
the dynamics of
culture
 Making feedback
system a regular
aspect of any
projects and
activities that I
participate in.
Feedback from
colleagues can make
6 months –
1 year

professional
environments
(Bennett, 2018).
me more self-aware
of how I behave and
interact with people
of different cultures.
References
Baker, W. (2015). Research into Practice: Cultural and intercultural awareness. Language
Teaching, 48(1), 130-141. doi: 10.1017/s0261444814000287
Bennett, M. (2018). Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity. In Y. Yun Kim (ed.),
ICAZ - Wiley Blackwell-ICA International Encyclopedias of Communication (1st ed.).
Wiley-Blackwell.
Perry, L., & Southwell, L. (2011). Developing intercultural understanding and skills: models
and approaches. Intercultural Education, 22(6), 453-466. doi:
10.1080/14675986.2011.644948