Student-Created Case Studies

Overall Topic: Adapting Communication to Cultures and Social Communities

After being assigned to your groups, your task will be to:

 Make sure your group has a clear understanding of the assigned topic.  Craft a short case study to provide context for your colleagues.  Craft 3 discussion questions that will provoke lively discussion between your colleagues.

Greetings and welcome to an opportunity to lead your colleagues in discussions related to two important topics.

Your case study will be drafted out by hand, using specific examples of behaviors and effects, as well as identifying characters by name. The case study need not be more than a couple of short paragraphs; just enough to give your colleagues the background they need to analyze the situation. If written succinctly, one paragraph may suffice. You will have 30 minutes in your group to discuss, craft, and write out the case study and questions.

You do not need more than about a half dozen questions. The questions must be crafted in a way that will incite/provoke lively discussion amongst your colleagues. Do not use closed ended questions, as they do not facilitate discussion

After both groups have drafted out their case studies and questions, we will re-form as a class to review and discuss each product.

This activity will serve to:

 demonstrate an understanding of the assigned concepts.  co-create knowledge in the classroom.  provoke critical thought.

Group I Assimilation/Collectivist Culture/Individualist Culture/

 Provide short definitions of each of the three terms: Assimilation (173), Collectivist Culture (161), Individualist Culture (161),

 Create a scenario that illustrates the terms in the context of contact between cultures.

 Craft 3 discussion questions that will provoke lively discussion between your colleagues. Group II Ethnocentrism/High-context Communication Style/Low-context Communication Style

 Provide a short definition of each of the 3 terms: ethnocentrism (171), high context communication style (162), low context communication style (162).

 Create a scenario that illustrates the three terms in the context of contact between cultures.

 Craft 3 discussion questions that will provoke lively discussion between your colleagues.

Group III Resistance/Social Community/Standpoint

 Provide a short definition of each of the 3 terms: resistance (172), social community (163), standpoint (164).

 Create a scenario that illustrates the three terms in the context of contact between cultures.

 Craft 3 discussion questions that will provoke lively discussion between your colleagues.

Group IV Cultural Relativism/Uncertainty Reduction Theory/Understanding

 Provide a short definition of each of the 3 terms: cultural relativism (172), Uncertainty Reduction Theory (169), understanding (174).

 Create a scenario that illustrates the three terms in the context of contact between cultures.

 Craft 3 discussion questions that will provoke lively discussion between your colleagues.