Learn how to engage across cultures in positive ways. Through a grant with eCampus Ontario, Dr. Christine McWebb, Dr. Sandra López-Rocha and Dr. Elísabeth Arévalo-Guerrero created, "Advancing Intercultural Competence for Global Learners," an innovative Open Educational Resource (OER). Since its debut in January 2022, over 20,000 visitors have accessed these materials.
Designed to help students, staff and faculty understand, appreciate, and communicate with different cultures effectively and appropriately, this OER aims to combine intercultural development theory with real-life examples and experiences.
“When helping develop these materials, I wanted them to be inclusive and intersectional,” Dr. Sandra López-Rocha explains, “it's not just about leaving no one behind; it's about creating a space where everyone – whether Canadian, newcomer, racialized, 2SLGBTQ+, Indigenous, neurodiverse – feels seen, included and valued. I want people to see themselves, real people, so they could have tangible, real takeaways.”
The program offers flexibility for learners to focus on specific areas of interest: creating intercultural awareness and understanding attitudes, expanding intercultural knowledge, and developing intercultural skills. Learners can complete a single module or the full 12-hour journey. It integrates self-reflection, interactive activities, and automatic feedback, fostering a dynamic learning environment and creating a space for transformative learning. Additionally, colleagues in the US and Europe have also shared that they are using the modules to enhance their educational practices.
“Appreciating different experiences is more than just gaining soft or hard skills. It is profoundly human. We don’t know what we don’t know and if someone can walk away from these modules with a shift in perspective, it means the program has been successful."
Feedback on the OER has been overwhelmingly positive. Students have reached out to say how useful this information is inside and outside of the classroom and fellow Canadian universities have asked how they can incorporate this information into their own teachings.
"Advancing Intercultural Competence for Global Learners" offers a transformative learning experience to reflect both inwards and outwards on our daily lives. It opens the door to meaningful conversations and new understandings of intercultural competence. Anyone can enjoy these modules, including students, faculty, or staff. Start a module today and help build a more culturally aware and interconnected University of Waterloo community.
Access the modules on the Student Success Office staff site. Staff or faculty that are interested or have any questions are encouraged to reach out to Sandra López-Rocha at s.lopezrocha@uwaterloo.ca.