Project on Intercultural Communication: Overcoming Barriers and Celebrating Diversity

Svetlana Muhejeva; Ludmila Jermakoviča

Abstract

Objectives. Since the language is both an integral component of culture and a means of its expression, a multipurpose project on intercultural communication has been implemented within the RSU Russian Language course. One of the main project objectives is to raise the students' awareness of how multifaceted the process of communication is and how cultural aspects may facilitate or impede it. Furthermore, the project incorporates the elements of the Latvian and Russian cultures, enriches the content of the course and allows the students to acquire a deeper knowledge of the cultures and to develop their research skills.
Methods. The project is based on the student-centered approach which encourages learners' initiative and autonomy. The participants are given some training on how research of intercultural communication is carried out. Afterwards, the students make their decisions on research group formation, research area and methods, as well as research reports.
Results. Most commonly, the students of communication-related study programmes choose to research such aspects of culture as well-established traditions of religious festivals, weddings, the significance of folk costumes and dance. The students of business-related study programmes tend to choose the topics of business etiquette, hierarchy, personal space, punctuality. The participants may go beyond the Russian and Latvian cultures and incorporate the cultures of India, Spain, Japan. They vary the ways to present the research results and make an interactive presentation or a video. In their research, the students compare and contrast cultural aspects to find out how they may affect the outcomes of communication.
Conclusions. The use of the student-centered approach in the given project is justified as it fosters the students' interest in conducting their research. However, the participants should receive some guidance from the academic staff in order to keep their research focused.

Original language	English
Pages	648
Publication status	Published - 3 Apr 2019
Event	RSU International Research Conference 2019: Knowledge For Use In Practice - Riga, Latvia Duration: 1 Apr 2019 → 3 Apr 2019 https://conference2019.rsu.lv/general-information/about-conference https://conference2019.rsu.lv/general-information https://www.rsu.lv/zinatnes-nedela-2019 https://conference2019.rsu.lv/sites/default/files/documents/knowledge_for_use_in_practice_abstracts_rev.pdf

Conference

Conference	RSU International Research Conference 2019
Country/Territory	Latvia
City	Riga
Period	1/04/19 → 3/04/19
Other	The Conference will be held within the framework of RSU Research Week 2019. RSU starptautiskā konference "Zināšanas praksei" medicīnas un veselības aprūpes nozarē 2019.
Internet address	https://conference2019.rsu.lv/general-information/about-conference https://conference2019.rsu.lv/general-information https://www.rsu.lv/zinatnes-nedela-2019 https://conference2019.rsu.lv/sites/default/files/documents/knowledge_for_use_in_practice_abstracts_rev.pdf

Field of Science*

5.4 Sociology
6.2 Languages and Literature

Publication Type*

3.4. Other publications in conference proceedings (including local)

Access to Document

https://dspace.rsu.lv/jspui/handle/123456789/623

Cite this

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title = "Project on Intercultural Communication: Overcoming Barriers and Celebrating Diversity",

abstract = "Objectives. Since the language is both an integral component of culture and a means of its expression, a multipurpose project on intercultural communication has been implemented within the RSU Russian Language course. One of the main project objectives is to raise the students' awareness of how multifaceted the process of communication is and how cultural aspects may facilitate or impede it. Furthermore, the project incorporates the elements of the Latvian and Russian cultures, enriches the content of the course and allows the students to acquire a deeper knowledge of the cultures and to develop their research skills. Methods. The project is based on the student-centered approach which encourages learners' initiative and autonomy. The participants are given some training on how research of intercultural communication is carried out. Afterwards, the students make their decisions on research group formation, research area and methods, as well as research reports. Results. Most commonly, the students of communication-related study programmes choose to research such aspects of culture as well-established traditions of religious festivals, weddings, the significance of folk costumes and dance. The students of business-related study programmes tend to choose the topics of business etiquette, hierarchy, personal space, punctuality. The participants may go beyond the Russian and Latvian cultures and incorporate the cultures of India, Spain, Japan. They vary the ways to present the research results and make an interactive presentation or a video. In their research, the students compare and contrast cultural aspects to find out how they may affect the outcomes of communication. Conclusions. The use of the student-centered approach in the given project is justified as it fosters the students' interest in conducting their research. However, the participants should receive some guidance from the academic staff in order to keep their research focused. ",

author = "Svetlana Muhejeva and Ludmila Jermakovi{\v c}a",

year = "2019",

month = apr,

day = "3",

language = "English",

pages = "648",

note = "RSU International Research Conference 2019 : Knowledge For Use In Practice ; Conference date: 01-04-2019 Through 03-04-2019",

url = "https://conference2019.rsu.lv/general-information/about-conference, https://conference2019.rsu.lv/general-information, https://www.rsu.lv/zinatnes-nedela-2019, https://conference2019.rsu.lv/sites/default/files/documents/knowledge_for_use_in_practice_abstracts_rev.pdf",

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TY - CONF

T1 - Project on Intercultural Communication

T2 - RSU International Research Conference 2019

AU - Muhejeva, Svetlana

AU - Jermakoviča, Ludmila

PY - 2019/4/3

Y1 - 2019/4/3

N2 - Objectives. Since the language is both an integral component of culture and a means of its expression, a multipurpose project on intercultural communication has been implemented within the RSU Russian Language course. One of the main project objectives is to raise the students' awareness of how multifaceted the process of communication is and how cultural aspects may facilitate or impede it. Furthermore, the project incorporates the elements of the Latvian and Russian cultures, enriches the content of the course and allows the students to acquire a deeper knowledge of the cultures and to develop their research skills. Methods. The project is based on the student-centered approach which encourages learners' initiative and autonomy. The participants are given some training on how research of intercultural communication is carried out. Afterwards, the students make their decisions on research group formation, research area and methods, as well as research reports. Results. Most commonly, the students of communication-related study programmes choose to research such aspects of culture as well-established traditions of religious festivals, weddings, the significance of folk costumes and dance. The students of business-related study programmes tend to choose the topics of business etiquette, hierarchy, personal space, punctuality. The participants may go beyond the Russian and Latvian cultures and incorporate the cultures of India, Spain, Japan. They vary the ways to present the research results and make an interactive presentation or a video. In their research, the students compare and contrast cultural aspects to find out how they may affect the outcomes of communication. Conclusions. The use of the student-centered approach in the given project is justified as it fosters the students' interest in conducting their research. However, the participants should receive some guidance from the academic staff in order to keep their research focused.

AB - Objectives. Since the language is both an integral component of culture and a means of its expression, a multipurpose project on intercultural communication has been implemented within the RSU Russian Language course. One of the main project objectives is to raise the students' awareness of how multifaceted the process of communication is and how cultural aspects may facilitate or impede it. Furthermore, the project incorporates the elements of the Latvian and Russian cultures, enriches the content of the course and allows the students to acquire a deeper knowledge of the cultures and to develop their research skills. Methods. The project is based on the student-centered approach which encourages learners' initiative and autonomy. The participants are given some training on how research of intercultural communication is carried out. Afterwards, the students make their decisions on research group formation, research area and methods, as well as research reports. Results. Most commonly, the students of communication-related study programmes choose to research such aspects of culture as well-established traditions of religious festivals, weddings, the significance of folk costumes and dance. The students of business-related study programmes tend to choose the topics of business etiquette, hierarchy, personal space, punctuality. The participants may go beyond the Russian and Latvian cultures and incorporate the cultures of India, Spain, Japan. They vary the ways to present the research results and make an interactive presentation or a video. In their research, the students compare and contrast cultural aspects to find out how they may affect the outcomes of communication. Conclusions. The use of the student-centered approach in the given project is justified as it fosters the students' interest in conducting their research. However, the participants should receive some guidance from the academic staff in order to keep their research focused.

M3 - Abstract

SP - 648

Y2 - 1 April 2019 through 3 April 2019

ER -