Tasks related to this fellowship include:

• Supporting the Education team’s communications and media strategy: internal stakeholder communications as well as working on an external media plan that includes social/digital media (www.afs.org/blog/icl, our digital library, Facebook), conferences, etc.
• Managing the AFS Intercultural Link News Magazine: coordinating article submissions with authors from around the world, writing (as appropriate), editing and proof reading articles, contributing to design and layout, finalizing production and distributing to our global readership.
• Plus additional responsibilities related to education and intercultural learning in AFS as a part of a team comprised of fun and passionate people who work to help people improve interactions across cultures.

Skills: For this fellowship, candidates should:

• Have strong communications skills from strategy development to content creation (especially writing) to production (digital and otherwise);
• Have excellent planning and organizational skills with high attention to detail;
• Be highly creative, solutions-oriented, and pro-active;
• Have basic or better design sensibilities & layout skills;
• Be technology-savvy and able to work in various online and digital environments;
• Be interested in intercultural communications, global skills development and/or international relations and education;
• Be able to work both independently and as a part of a collaborative team;
• Have excellent spoken *and* written English skills (fluency two or more languages preferred);
• Familiarity with AFS or intercultural exchange programs a plus, but not required.

The fellowship is full-time for a commitment of 9 to 12 months. It is based at AFS Intercultural Programs’ offices in NYC, covers some expenses and provides a stipend.

Intercultural Link Newsletter Magazine

If you meet these requirements and are interested in applying for the fellowship, please e-mail AFS International at icl@afs.org. Provide a brief description of yourself, examples of how you meet the listed requirements for this fellowship, your motivations for applying for this fellowship, and what you could bring to this fellowship. In addition, please attach a current resume and two writing samples in the form of a newsletter article and/or blog entry.

We regret we cannot reply to all inquiries.

AFS is an international, voluntary, non-governmental, non-profit organization that provides intercultural learning opportunities to help people develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to create a more just and peaceful world.

In 1985, the United Nations declared 5 December as International Volunteer Day, to formally recognize the millions of people around the world who participate in volunteer activities and make visible their contributions on the local, national, and international levels. In celebration of this year’s International Volunteer Day, Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, has shared this message:

“Founded on the values of solidarity and mutual trust, volunteerism transcends all cultural, linguistic and geographic boundaries. By giving their time and skills without expectation of material reward, volunteers themselves are uplifted by a singular sense of purpose.”

AFS also extends its heart-felt thanks and appreciation to all of its 43,905 active volunteers, who dedicate their time, energy, and passion to AFS in so many ways! We invite you to view the below video from AFS’s President and CEO, Vincenzo Morlini, as well as visit the AFS Intercultural Programs website today for special information related to International Volunteer Day.

Happy International Volunteer Day!

Dr. David Kolb

Many of you may already know David Kolb‘s work with experiential learning styles. They were originally published in 1984 and put David Kolb on the map as an important educational and cognitive theorist. This year, David Kolb and his team developed a new and improved version of the learning styles, Kolb 4.0, expanding from 4 to 9 ways that people learn, as well as exploring how to expand your capability to learn outside  your preferred style. Anna Collier of AFS International had the chance to sit down with Mr. Kolb and talk about his approach to learning. Look for the following interview in Volume 3, Issue 4 of the Intercultural Link Newsletter, to be published very soon!

It was when I first became a professor at MIT’s Sloan School of Management, right after completing my Ph. D. in social psychology from Harvard. I was teaching organizational psychology by lecturing to graduate students on the psychological topics I found fascinating but they were getting bored. So, as they say, necessity is the mother of invention. At the same time, I was also working for the Peace Corps (an international volunteer organization based in the United States) back when they first started, running a self-assessment workshop for volunteers. Back then, the Peace Corps used psychologists to study volunteers, to see if they were fit to go overseas. The self-assessment we proposed was based on experiential learning. We ran training programs for volunteers that gave them experiences such as teaching and working in inner city neighborhoods. The volunteers were helped to reflect about how they handled these experiences, and then decide if they felt they would be successful with work like this in their prospective host country. The program had a positive result and we were successful in reducing the number of volunteers who returned early because they couldn’t handle the experience. It was then that I decided to apply the experiential learning cycle in my lecture courses. I developed exercises based on the group dynamics theory of Kirk Lewin and my work in the Peace Corps, and then applied them to my classes.

Since the original study groups were primarily U.S. Americans, have you applied your model and/or found it relevant in other cultures?

Yes, in subsequent years I used it in a number of different countries. If you go to our website, www.learningfromexperience.com, there is a section called the Research Library that has a bibliography of research papers. There are over 3000 articles published by researchers from all over the world. Many of the papers are on intercultural topics that would be of interest to many of your readers.

Which aspect of intercultural learning or communication has your work primarily focused on?

In my work with experiential learning, I noticed that people seemed to prefer and be most comfortable with different stages of the learning cycle. I coined the term “learning style” to describe these differences and developed the Learning Style Inventory, which has become a very popular tool for individuals to understand how they learn best. From my point of view, however, the most important idea is the learning cycle and the idea that it’s a process–That you become more effective at learning by managing your own learning process. This is the most powerful idea.

What do you wish more people would understand about intercultural learning?

For me, it is the idea of experiencing. I guess the big idea about experiential learning is that you have to experience to learn. Many times people don’t learn because they don’t allow themselves to experience. They have distractions and preoccupations and expectations that cause them to be trapped in their head telling themselves their own narrative. In addition they can actually create a social world that preserves their narrative. Expatriate managers, for example, often withdraw into a group of their countrymen that limits experiencing and learning about the host culture. Experiencing is a key part of the cycle of learning that has been overlooked. Some theorists have left out Experience altogether, while others confuse it with Action.

It is also important to realize the central role educators can take to help people go through the stages of the learning cycle. When transitioning from Experience to Reflection, an educator plays the role of Facilitator, for example. In the move from the Concrete realm to Reflexive, one needs to be facilitated. You need to draw people out, understand them and develop a relationship so that they feel comfortable saying and revealing their innermost thoughts and feelings. Abstraction requires a teaching and expert role, so that you can guide learners forward. The Action phase requires standards-setting and evaluating from the educator, so that you can say ‘you need to know this, and this, and this…’ The transition from Action to back to Experience needs coaching. These four educator roles are all necessary to take people through the learning cycle.

What inspired the updating to the Learning Style Inventory 4.0 this year?

It stemmed from feedback from users. Four styles didn’t adequately describe people’s styles. Some scored in the middle, so some styles were in between. It’s a result from years of experience with the instrument; we’ve given it a sharper resolution. In addition we have added a measure of learning flexibility to emphasize that learning styles are not fixed traits but dynamic states of learning that we all go through. We also changed the wording to be more understandable and user-friendly.

What would you suggest for people new to the ICL field to read as they get started?

A great article would be Using Experiential Learning Theory to Promote Student Learning and Development in Programs of Education Abroad, which I co-authored with Angela M. Passarelli. It was published in a brand new book that came out in June 2012 by Michael Vande Berg, along with Michael Paige and Kris Hemming Lou: Student Learning Abroad: What Our Students Are Learning, What They’re Not, and What We Can Do About It. Another interesting focus is “Deliberate Experiential Learning” that involves mindful management of one’s learning identity, learning relationships and deliberate practice.  There is a paper on this on our website www.learningfromexperience.com, as well as papers on mindfulness and experiential learning. You can deliberately choose to learn, and educators can help by making you aware of that.

What are the hot topics in ICL these days? And who do you consider to be producing the more intriguing thoughts that in turn advance your own contributions?

Great new theories have been produced by James Zull in his books The Art of Changing the Brain (2002) and From Brain to Mind (2011). He says concrete experiences come from sensory receptors in the brain, to the pre-temporal lobe, to the frontal lobe, then into the action region of the brain as the learning cycle progresses. The Student Learning Abroad book that I mentioned also has a lot of great articles in it that I would recommend.

October 5, World Teachers' Day

World Teachers’ Day is approaching! Every year since 1994, 5 October has been a day to celebrate teachers worldwide. The date was chosen by UNESCO to commemorate the adoption of the Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers on 5 October, 1966. This recommendation states the rights, responsibilities and international standards of teachers. Its adoption has helped to establish guidelines to promote the status of teachers and increase the quality of education worldwide.

One of the challenges for teachers in the decades to come will be how to welcome multicultural perspectives into their classrooms and how to bring together students, young and adult, with diverse backgrounds to work in common projects and build a shared multi-faceted culture. Incorporating Intercultural Learning skills and tools into education is needed more than ever.

If you are asking yourself: “What can I do on World Teachers’ Day?”, maybe you can start by creating awareness about the importance of teachers and education in your immediate environment and in our society. Take some time to discuss, share, listen and learn about what education means to you and to those around you. And maybe you can also send an e-card to your teacher (available in English, French and Spanish) to thank her or him for the change that her or his work has represented in your life!

One concept that has been affected by innovation is Groupthink. The term was invented by Irving Janis in 1972 when he wrote Groupthink: Psychological Studies of Policy Decisions and Fiascoes, and it is used to refer to the dynamics of a group that collaborates to create, decide, deliberate and destroy. We seem however, to misrepresent Janis. Many societies look at Groupthink as a positive way of co-existing and communicating — a trendy work environment to accompany the trendy new iPad. Work environments want to create a Groupthink feng shui (shared spaces, de-cubalization, and brainstorming stations), and lost was Janis’ true theory. The group, he said, can in fact present a problem.

by Andy Rementer

A recent New York Times article, The Rise of the Groupthink, may be the first step to put Mr. Janis to justice. Studies from a number of accredited universities across the U.S. have done studies on this topic, and have reached similar conclusions: creativity, innovation, efficiency, an increase in both quantity and quality of work, are all possible in isolated environments rather than products of the infamous Groupthink. Some of the greatest innovators in the world have been introverts, working alone in their office without anyone’s input or distraction. A great example could be Steve Jobs, but look one step closer and we find the “introverted Steve”. With all the new noise from the electronics we have, a culture of the extrovert has developed. All the attention and credit goes to the charismatic type. Meanwhile, the basis of the Apple empire started with one man, in a dimly lit basement, with nothing but his own ideas and determination to keep him company.

by Andy Rementer

To clarify, the article does not suggest that personal relationships and social interaction are not important. Instead, it highlights some research conclusions that suggest the peak of creativity happens in solitude. With attention paid to these types of studies, we see how the brainstorming session may not always be ideal. We might take a different approach, creating an office space with a cafe-style atmosphere where you have the possibility of casual interaction and cooperation, but also have the opportunity to work in an individually-structured and focused way. No man is an island, but give him a desk surrounded by oceans and you might be surprised at what he can do.

The ways group dynamics, human interaction, and work environments have been affected by technology and innovation are many and varied – and this varies in the many cultures and countries we live in and visit. What prominent changes have the cultures you identify with experienced?

This webinar addresses the fundamentals of neurology, cognition, and perception and by presenting the concept of “Deep Culture Learning” Joseph Shaules, author of the book Deep Culture: The Hidden Challenges of Global Living, invites participants to discover ways to get in touch deeply with a new culture - beyond the tip of the iceberg. Shaules argues that if we learn a culture, we will more deeply impact our brain’s unconscious “Auto-Pilot”, also known as our “Cognitive Unconscious”.

Joseph Shaules is an intercultural educator who has worked and lived in Japan, Mexico, and Europe for more than 20 years. He is now an associate professor at the Rikkyo University Graduate School of Intercultural Communication, Tokyo. He is the author of many books, including “Beneath the Surface: A Beginner’s Guide to the Deep Culture Experience” (Intercultural Press); “Identity” (Oxford University Press), and “Deep Culture: The Hidden Challenges of Global Living” (Multilingual Matters). Shaules works, thinks, and writes in English, Japanese, French and Spanish.

As an educational organization, AFS offers young people the opportunity to spend time abroad and to engage in intercultural learning. With support from volunteers and staff who have knowledge of intercultural concepts and skillful ways of applying that knowledge, the experience of each participant is shaped. Shaules’ webinar can be an opportunity to get deeply involved with intercultural learning, and to reflect on its importance for the contemporary world.

To learn more about Young Sietar, sign up for the 13th Annual Congress 2012, taking place from 6-9 September 2012 in Belfast, Northern Ireland!

AFS Intercultural Programs is pleased to announce the July/August/September 2012 issue of AFS Intercultural Link Newsletter volume 3, issue 3 – Global Edition, which can be shared with everyone interested in learning more about intercultural education.

The AFS Intercultural Link Newsletter is the quarterly newsletter on intercultural learning in the AFS Network. The newsletter features content shared by the Intercultural Learning Work Group as well as other AFS Partners and guest writers, including information on trends in intercultural education, interviews with experts in the field and overviews of upcoming and previous conferences.

The Agenda fo Culture proposed by the European Commision singles out intercultural dialogue as one of its key aspects. Furthermore, projects such as “Sharing Diversity” are funded by the EU to increase understanding among Europe’s diverse cultures by way of intercultural learning. The European Union collaborates with many different organizations and think-tanks that are dedicated to the advancement of intercultural learning and understanding. At the same time, the European Union works with its members at the political and state level on other issues that are less related to ICL and more related to international relations. People who work for the EU can work heavily in either field.

As a result we can see how the two separate fields intertwine and complement each other not only at the educational or scholarly level, but especially at the practical level. Within Europe, the EU’s economic and politcal agreements, traditionally aspects of international relations, help create a platform to advance opportunities for intercultural learning, while the increase of intercultural learning facilitates the politcal cohesion of the Union. The European Union can serve as a vast, real world example of how international relations and intercultural learning, while distinct, are so interrelated and complementary.

AFS helps its audiences form global relationships and increase their intercultural competence through its educational content. Both of these are essential skills for those individuals aspiring to work in the fields of intercultural learning and international relations.

Paul Edinger is a contributing writer for the ICL Blog. He was an intern at AFS International in 2011 in the Development and Branding department, and continued in 2012 in the Intercultural Learning department. He holds a B.A. in International Studies.

NAFSA: Association of International Educators is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to international education; it has nearly 10,000 members around the globe. NAFSA believes that student exchange is key to establishing mutual understanding between nations and for preparing young people with necessary communication and cross-cultural skills that ultimately create a more just and peaceful world.

The Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship (TLS) Knowledge Community Award for Innovative Research and Scholarship in Internationalization recognizes professionals who have knowledge, research, and skills that advance intercultural learning and international understanding. These professionals’ work reflects a dedication and commitment to the field in advancing theories and ideas, as well as in practical applications.

This year’s recipient, Dr. La Brack, is Professor Emeritus of Anthropology and International Studies at the University of the Pacific, in Stockton, CA, USA.

Dr. La Brack specializes in cultural anthropology, International Studies and South Asia. He founded the innovative and integrative re-entry program for University of the Pacific students who have studied abroad, which includes the “What’s Up with Culture?” website, a free resource dedicated to preparing study abroad students. He also served as Director of the Pacific Institute for Cross Cultural Training and Chair of the Master of Arts in Intercultural Relations Program.

In addition, Dr. La Brack’s accomplished career includes numerable publications on cultural adjustment, among other subjects; ten years as Training Editor for the International Journal of Intercultural Relations; and senior faculty at the Summer Institute for Intercultural Communication. His trainings have covered a wide variety of topics, including providing intercultural learning opportunities for military personnel and building intercultural competency within the scientific community.

All of us at AFS congratulate Dr. La Brack for his award and an illustrious career!