Development Plan- Reflection.

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