Abstract:

At a time with migration is bringing people from different parts of the world into direct contact, it is important to consider ways of developing intercultural understanding in general and empathy in particular. Empathy has been identified as a requisite attitude for effective and appropriate intercultural communication. However, the literature indicates that empathy does not “just happen.” The development of empathy must be intentionally addressed if we are to graduate empathetic human beings who are effective intercultural communicators (Deardorff, 2006). This presentation will address the role internationally collaborative online learning projects in higher education in developing intercultural empathy. In Fall 2015, an inter-institutional team of professors from Mount Mary University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, and Rafik Hariri University in Mechref, Lebanon, engaged 30 students in international/intercultural online communication, using blogs and photo essays. Students’ attitudes towards the project and towards each other were measured in pre- and post-tests to determine if these projects were effective tools for developing interest in and empathy towards “the other.” The delivery format will be demonstrations by each of the instructors, showing media projects and relating how these projects and innovative uses of technology enhanced learning outcomes related to attitudes.

Keywords:

Intercultural competencies, internationally collaborative projects, asynchronous, online learning, blogs, attitudes, international education.