Solutions for Cross-Cultural Engagement

With the rise of online learning and classrooms being accessible from all over the world, teachers must learn to engage with a diverse student body. Likewise, teachers must also promote inclusivity and foster a safe learning environment for all students.

Our EdTech company is well-versed in collaborating with students from varying countries and backgrounds. In this article, we’ll discuss the growing prominence of diversity and inclusion, plus the ways in which teachers can promote cross-cultural engagement.

What Is an Inclusive Classroom?

In the age of the internet, technology progresses to shrink the world. With social media platforms and email, there are no limits to people connecting and communicating. This leads educators with the challenge of creating a more inclusive classroom in which students from all over the world feel welcome, no matter their language, country of origin, or economic background.

What Is Cross-Cultural Engagement?

In order to fully embody the value and importance of diversity and inclusion, educators must also adjust the ways in which we prepare students to integrate in this new global world. Cross-cultural engagement is a method of teaching students how to communicate effectively with the world community. It’s important because it creates a classroom culture that is focused on global awareness and communication, which are both essential to the future of learning and success later on in college.

Fostering Global Citizenship

Throughout any school, be it in-person or online, there are classes on world history, current events, and foreign languages. Developing curriculum around those topics requires more than a textbook though. Thoughtful educators usually realize that there is an important question to ask in the midst of everyday teaching: Can content alone help students develop those indispensable cross-cultural communication skills, preparing them to excel in our ever-globalizing world? Or do they need something more?

Anyone who has engaged in cross-cultural interactions knows that no amount of book learning can fully prepare you. Different parts of the world often disagree about historical perspectives. Individuals also often agree and disagree on the aspects of the cultures they emerge from. Therefore, realizing the need for more global citizens is not the same as knowing how to guide students to become them.

Navigating Cross-Cultural Interactions and Avoiding Miscommunication

Sometimes people only notice their wide gaps in communication, even with high levels of language proficiency. In real-world cross-cultural engagement, knowing how to navigate and recognize miscommunication can be just as useful as background knowledge about other cultures that you would get from a textbook.

Unfortunately, this kind of cross-cultural knowledge cannot be taught simply by conveying the information. Developing cross-cultural communication skills requires varied engagement, which calls for opportunity to connect with many different people. The best way to prepare students is to put them into situations where they can begin to accumulate cross-cultural experiences. Students need nurturing, supervised environments in which they can make mistakes and learn. And an inclusive classroom is often the best way to give them those things.

Promoting Inclusive Classrooms Through the Model G20^®

Realizing this need for real experience, EdTech company Knovva Academy hosts an annual Model G20^® (MG20) series that not only covers subjects related to global citizenship, but also brings students from around the world together. The diverse participants of these meetings allow students to engage and interact with one another, having fun while learning traditional cross-cultural materials together.

At MG20, high school students from around the world congregate both to learn about the real G20, and to engage in interactive learning. Some of the ways students work together include:

• Role-playing exercises
• Negotiations and debates
• Group collaboration
• Compromising on separate interests

This year, MG20 has representation from over 40 countries and more than 500 schools. Attending this event is a great way for high school students to explore other cultures and be a part of something that can shape their future.

About Knovva Academy

Knovva Academy is the leader in online education, connecting students from around the world with visionary educators, experts, and innovators. From courses taught by world-class instructors to international leadership opportunities, Knovva’s students access the tools necessary for becoming global ambassadors.