Dr. Mary Meares is on the faculty at the University of Alabama, where her research focuses on intercultural groups, workplace diversity, virtual teams, and perceptions of voice. She has taught intercultural and organizational communication in the U.S. and Japan, and served as the first intercultural specialist for the Semester at Sea comparative cultures study-abroad program. Mary has been recognized for her teaching, receiving the Faculty Mentor of the Year award at Washington State University, and the University of Alabama Alumni Association Award for Teaching. She is a board member of the Intercultural Communication Institute, and a long time Summer Institute for Intercultural Communication (SIIC) faculty member. Mary has consulted for educational, corporate, and public service organizations in the areas of intercultural transitions, team building, and conflict.
Course Description
In order to design effective intercultural learning opportunities, one must bring together knowledge of intercultural development and communication with an understanding of quality principles of training design. In this workshop we will look at how to assess learners’ levels of readiness, the organizational context, and the training goals related to culture, and use this information to design an appropriate learning experience, whether for students or professionals. More specifically, we will look at how to assess the learners’ level of intercultural sensitivity, how to use appropriate methods and approaches to keep them engaged, and how to structure the training experience to decrease learner resistance and maximize cultural learning. Regardless of the context of your work, this workshop will help you focus on developing participants’ intercultural competence in order to prepare them to engage with others effectively.
This workshop is designed for trainers, training managers, instructors, and others who are involved in developing global or intercultural diversity training in education, healthcare, social services, NGOs, and corporations.