CISV`s Core Educational Content

Transcrição

CISV International
Info File SECTION
Section T
T
CISV’s
Core
Educational
Content
Approved in principle
by the Board of
Trustees ( 9835 )
[ Replaces 9814 ]
C HI L DRE N ’S
IN T E RNA T I ON AL
S U MME R
V IL L A GE S
A N I N D E P E N D E N T , N O N - P O L I T I C A L , V O L U N T E E R O R G A N I Z A T I O N
P R O M O T I N G P E A C E E D U C A T I O N A N D C R O S S - C U L T U R A L F R I E N D S H I P
On 11 August 1946 Dr. Doris Allen sat on a park bench in New
York City and read the New York Times Magazine article by
Dr. Alexander Meiklejohn, “To Teach the World How to Be Free.”
The article discussed the formation of UNESCO and specifically
Dr. Meiklejohn's proposal for the founding of an institute, allied
to the UN, to unite the politicians and philosophers. He wrote,
“. . . it is in this field of adult learning and adult teaching that
the battle for peaceful world organization will be won or lost.”
Dr. Meiklejohn's concept produced a strong reaction in Dr. Allen,
who as a child psychologist, took a diametrically opposed view
that,
“We must start with the children.”
Thus the idea for CISV was born.
Later, writing in 1983, Dr. Allen reiterated her views:
“. . . as a psychologist who had specialized in growth and
development, I knew we should invert our perspective and look
at children as potential agents of social change. I knew the
extent to which they, when adults, would make decisions based
upon attitudes and emotions learned in their pre - adolescent
years. . . . I knew that the ultimate source for peace, long
range, lay with the children.”
CISV International
Info File
SECTION
T
Section T - 2
Core Educational Content
This edition compiled 10 April and
revised 25 August 1998
Replaces ( 9708 and 9814 )
c Copyright 1998 CISV International
CISV International,
MEA House,
Ellison Place,
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 8XS
England
Tel: + [ 44 191 ] 232 4998
Fax: + [ 44 191 ] 261 4710
E mail: [email protected]
www.cisv.org
Dedication
CISV Educational Development
In compiling this work on CISV’s Core Educational Content, we
have read and referred back to to papers written by Dr. Doris
Allen, founder of CISV. Her consultations with fellow members
of the American Psychological Association and funding from
UNESCO facilitated research at the first CISV Village.
Educational development and research have remained vital to
the success of CISV. Significantly, Doris Allen’s initial ideas
retain their validity, even after fifty years. They remain central to
CISV’s educational work and are reflected in this contemporary
summary of CISV’s Core Educational Content.
Info File Section T: Core Educational
Content is issued as part of the process
of Educational Development which
started with a wide ranging EDR project
to establish consensus on the goals of
CISV ( Interspectives 1990 ) and
continued with an external assessment
of CISV’s educational content by Dr.
Alvino Fantini, School for International
Training, USA. This current document is a
revision of drafts circulated for comment
( August 1997 and May 1998 ) and has
taken into account the responses
received. It was approved, in principle, at
the International Board Meeting of 1998
as a document which brings together
Doris Allen’s original ideas, the modern
concept of intercultural competence,
theories of experiential learning,
programme design, ethics and
responsibilities, ideas on quality
assurance, etc., and relates them to the
goals of CISV.
No document of this nature could be
exhaustive and it should be clear that
this is the “Core” from which further
educational development will necessarily
proceed. The process of educational
development will be continued through
the incorporation of the Core Educational
Content into Leadership Training and all
relevant CISV Guides for implementation
and practical application.
Doris Allen had the support of internationally respected
psychologists, anthropologists and educators from several
countries in her CISV work, but the awareness which she
stimulated has been an inspiration to all of the CISVers who
have followed her.
Thank you, Doris!
Jennifer Watson, EDR Chair
Printed and distributed with the partial support of the General Budget of the
European Communities. The information contained in this publication does not
necessarily reflect the opinion or the position of the European Commission.
Core
Educational
Content
CISV International
Info File
SECTION
T
Section T - 2 (9835) Replaces (9708/9814)
Contents
Part 4:
Statement of Educational Purpose
4.1
4.1.1
4.1.2
4.1.3
4.1.4
4.1.5
4.1.6
4.1.7
4.1.8
4.1.9
4.1.10
4.2
Part 1:
Overview and Introduction
1.1
1.2
1.2.1
1.2.2
1.2.3
Understanding CISV’s Statement of
Educational Purpose
The Development of CISV
Programmes
Fifty Years of Growth
Educational Basis of the Village
Programme
Educational Content of Follow - up
Programmes
CISV’s Educational Approach
2.4.2
2.4.3
2.4.4
The Gemstone Cycle
Needs Assessment
Explicit Educational Assumptions
Goals and Objectives
Programme Theme(s)
Participants and Facilitators
Programme Design
Training and Orientation
Resources
Implementation
Evaluation & Re - entry
Looking at the Whole
Part 5:
Ensuring Quality
Part 2
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.3.1
2.3.2
2.3.3
2.4
2.4.1.
Planning an Educational Programme
General Goals of CISV
Specific Educational Goals
Non Formal Education Processes
Experiential Education
The Importance of Trained Leadership
Role of the Facilitator
Educational Content
Multiple Dimensions of Intercultural
Competence
Programme Themes
Programme Content
Programme Activities
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
The Importance of Quality in CISV
Difficult Questions Raised by the
Pursuit of Quality
Assuring Quality
Questions for Chapters to think about
The Next Step
References
Part 6:
Summary of Educational Processes
Supplementary Material
( supplied independently )
Part3:
Appendix 1:
Programme Descriptions / Structure
of CISV / Fact Sheet
Educational Programme
Considerations
Appendix 2:
Activity Resources and Databases
3.1
3.1.1
3.1.2
3.1.3
3.1.4
3.1.5
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
Statement Of Ethics: Principles of
Responsibility in CISV
Responsibilities to
Participants/ Delegates
Responsibilities to Families
Responsibilities to Chapters and NAs
Responsibility to CISV International
More on Ethical Responsibilities
Working with Diversity
Communication: Three Dimensions
Cultural Expectations
Levels of Tolerance and Conflict
Resolution
Appropriate Use of Educational Play
Activities
Appendix 3:
CISV Policies on Selection and
Discrimination
Appendix 4:
Educational Evaluation Forms
Appendix 5:
Workshop Plan for use of Core
Educational Content ( Section T )
in Training
Appendix 6:
Further Reading
Appendix 7:
Risk Management
Acknowledgements
In this column
throughout the
document, key words are
identified by ´, and, in
some cases, a reference
or definition is supplied.
Ínfo File
CISV’s handbook of
bye - laws, policies
and procedures
Core
Educational
Content
CISV International
Info File
SECTION
T
Statement of
Educational
Purpose
CISV’s purpose is to prepare individuals
to become active and contributing
members of a peaceful society. CISV
endeavours to stimulate the lifelong
development of amicable relationships,
effective communication skills,
cooperative abilities, and appropriate
leadership towards a just and fair world.
CISV volunteer programmes and
activities are planned to promote
personal, cultural, intercultural and
international learning. This enables
individuals to develop awareness of,
and positive attitudes towards others,
and the skills and knowledge to live,
work and play with them, irrespective of
cultural background. Through
participation, individuals come to better
understand themselves and their own
culture as well as others and their
cultures.
CISV offers opportunities for
interested children, young people,
adults and families to explore relevant
themes through independent, shor t
term, non - formal educational activities
organized in international, national and
local contexts. These may be
residential or non - residential settings
and are offered to qualified participants
irrespective of gender, race, religion,
ethnicity, political affiliation, socio economic background, or distinction of
any other kind.
Part 1:
Overview and Introduction
This section addresses the educational nature
of CISV programmes in terms of both content
and process. After further elaborating on the
Statement of Educational Purpose, the
following parts explore its implications in
designing and implementing CISV programmes.
1.1 Understanding CISV’s Statement of
Educational Purpose
“CISV’s purpose is to prepare individuals to
become active and contributing members of a
peaceful society.”
This sentence reminds us that we are
preparing qualified participants´ to become
aware of certain issues and to apply that
awareness both locally and globally. In short,
we seek to develop our participants so they will
make positive contributions within the social
contexts in which they live and work.
CISV endeavours to stimulate the lifelong
development of amicable relationships,
effective communication skills, cooperative
abilities, and appropriate leadership towards
a just and fair world.
This involves being able to make and sustain
friendships that are both “broad and deep”
( Allen, 1961, p 12 ). Rather than seek
friendships only with those who are “like” us,
we attempt to broaden our range of friendships
to include those who are also different. The
latter type of friendship only works if we look
beneath our apparent differences and
appreciate other aspects we share as human
beings. For this to occur, participants must
learn to communicate with various people, in a
variety of ways, offering the best of themselves
and seeking the best in others. They must
also be able to work together towards the
achievement of common purposes and the
satisfaction of common needs.
CISV volunteer programmes and activities
are planned to promote personal, cultural,
intercultural and international learning. This
enables individuals to develop awareness of
and positive attitudes towards others, and the
skills and knowledge to live, work and play with
them irrespective of cultural background.
Through participation, individuals come to
better understand themselves and their own
culture as well as others and their cultures.
´qualified participants
“CISV is Education – not
welfare.”
Allen, 1961, p 14. – see
also Info File Sections,
R - 5, Discrimination,
and
R - 6, Selection ( in
Appendix 03 ).
Core
Educational
Content
CISV International
Info File
SECTION
T
Programmes are designed to focus on
particular types of education: personal
development´ education, human relations´
education and intercultural´ education.
Although other educational themes may also
be featured in any particular programme, the
first three will constitute major areas of work in
all programmes.
CISV offers opportunities for interested
children, young people, adults and families to
explore relevant themes through independent,
short term, non - formal educational activities
organised in international, national and local
contexts. These may be residential or non residential´ settings and are offered to
qualified participants irrespective of gender,
race, religion, ethnicity, political affiliation,
socio - economic background, or distinction
of any other kind.
This last statement sets out a range of ways
for involvement in CISV – from residential
international programmes to ( often ) non residential Local Work and Junior Branch
activities. It also emphasises CISV’s desire for
inclusiveness, expanding on the founder’s
earlier statement that “CISV is non partisan.
Its policy is to work with all peoples without
reference to race, nationality, religion, politics
and socio - economic level” ( Allen, 1961, p 13
- 14 ).
1.2
The Development of CISV
Programmes
1.2.1
Fifty Years of Growth
CISV has grown from the original idea of a
one month summer Village for children of
eleven years into a complex, multi - stranded
organization´, offering a variety of
programmes through which young people can
develop friendships, intercultural understanding
and communication abilities, and cooperation /
leadership skills. The first Village, held near
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, in 1951, had about 60
participants. CISV has grown over the years
through the enthusiasm of these and
subsequent participants. Some 17 years after
the first Village, CISV celebrated its 100th
Village, and by the mid 1990’s, CISV Chapters
hosted about 60 Villages each year. As the
numbers of past Villagers grew, the potential
and perceived need for follow - up programmes
and activities became clearer, leading to the
establishment of the first Junior Branch in
1957 and Interchange in 1962. Reunion
Camps, originally organized for past Villagers,
eventually accepted CISVers who had been
active in their home Chapters, even if they had
not been to a Village, and evolved into the
Seminar Camp Programme ( 1959 ). Seminar
Camps now provide the first residential CISV
experience for a significant proportion of
participants. Summer Camps – for those 13 to
15 years old – and the shorter International
Youth Meetings became more firmly established
during the 1990s, providing further
opportunities for international, intercultural,
residential experiences. In 1984 Local Work
was approved as a CISV programme which
would provide long term and continuous
educational experiences at the local level.
1.2.2
Educational Basis of the Village
Programme
´personal development
education – developing
knowledge of oneself
through interaction
with others.
´human relations
education
íntercultural education
´Residential – group
living facilities with
overnight
accommodation.
The concept of the Village for young people
of eleven years was based on philosophical,
anthropological and psychological ideas
advanced by Dr. Doris Allen, CISVs founder:
. . . as a psychologist who had specialized in
growth and development, I knew we should
invert our perspective and look at children
as potential agents of social change.
I knew the extent to which they, when
adults, would make decisions based upon
attitudes and emotions learned in
pre - adolescent years. . . . I knew that
the ultimate source of leadership for
peace, long range, lay in the children
( Allen, 1983, p 13 ).
This original concept was furthered by adults
invited to the 1951 Village in their educational
programme of the “Adult Institute,” conducted
concurrently with the children’s Village
programme. The Children’s Village was based
on activities which encouraged interaction and
cooperation while providing opportunities to
share cultural information through activities
such as song, dance, drama and games.
Great value was given to hearing the languages
used by other delegates for daily routines,
notices, and the translation of instructions.
Allen noted the ability of eleven year old
children to communicate despite the absence
of a common language and explained how CISV
encouraged communication while appreciating
individuality and diversity.´
´multi stranded
organization – an
organization with a
variety of programmes
and points of entry.
Detail of the Adult
Institute is given in W. P.
Matthews Jr’s “Here in
this Village,” CISV 1991.
´diversity – differences
in race, culture and
language.
Core
Educational
Content
CISV International
Info File
SECTION
T
CISV was founded to influence the
permeability of the boundaries between
persons and groups and between
psychological systems and the self. CISV
offers opportunity for children, youth, and
adults to grow in their facility for
communication. The eleven year old children
at their action age before adolescence
naturally fall into gesture and other means of
communication which defy analysis
( Allen, 1983, p 17 ).
1.2.3 Educational Content of CISV
Follow - up Programmes
Expansion from some 60 original participants
in 1951 to about 8,000 annual international
participants ( plus thousands more in Local
Work ) during the mid - 1990s, led inevitably to
diversification in the organization of programme
content.
Activities for past Villagers, now teenagers,
were expanded to broaden the range and
scope of CISV participation; however, these did
not always necessarily reflect the initial
philosophical and psychological bases for the
Village programme. As programmes increased
in number, a variety of educational themes,
activities and methods appropriate to the age
group and bi - cultural or multi - cultural
situations were developed. Many of these
activities were compiled into CISV’s Activity
Data Base. Research revealed that
participants perceived their CISV experiences
to be most related to Intercultural Education,
Personal Development Education and Human
Relations Education ( Dickhoff, 1994, p 28 ),
happily reinforcing the founder’s original aims:
• development of cross - cultural friendships
• communication among members of differing
cultures
• leadership for peace ( i.e., development of
leadership / co-operation skills to benefit
society ).
These aims also correspond closely to the
three dimensions of “Intercultural
Competence,”´ a notion which subsequently
developed from the field of Intercultural
Communication ( see part 2.3, below ).
The need to clarify CISV’s educational
goals,´ almost 50 years after the foundation
of the organization, may be reinforced through a
popular story ( adapted from Mager, 1962, p vii ):
One day a young seahorse set out to find
his fortune, taking with him the few coins he
possessed. It was not long before he met a
young eel who asked where he was going.
When the seahorse explained, the eel
offered to sell him a set of flippers so the
seahorse could get there more quickly.
A little while later, the seahorse came
upon a sponge, who, also intrigued, asked a
similar question. When the seahorse told
him, the sponge offered to sell him a
scooter so that he could travel twice as fast.
The seahorse purchased the scooter and
zoomed away.
Finally, the seahorse came upon a shark
who, again, asked where the seahorse was
going. At this, the shark suggested a short
cut which would get him there even faster,
pointing to his open mouth. The seahorse
thanked him and swam off into the gaping
mouth of the shark through a long tunnel,
never to be seen again.
The moral of this story reminds us that if we
don’t know where we are headed, we won’t
know when we’ve arrived. We need to be very
clear about our aims to ensure that the results
obtained are what were planned. Successful
educational processes are built on making
educational purposes explicit. We must be
clear about what we wish to accomplish before
we start to design and implement programmes.
This section is about clarifying goals and
designing and implementing quality
programmes to achieve them.
Part 2:
CISV’s Educational Approach
2.1
éducational goals
General Goals of CISV´
“Peace is possible only as individuals and
groups learn to live as friends with one
another” ( Allen, 1961, p 12 ).
The goals of Children’s International Summer
Villages are:
(1) To give individuals opportunity to learn to
live peacefully with many nationalities. CISV
seeks to achieve this goal by conducting
educational programmes and activities.
These programmes and activities are
designed to achieve one or more of the
following specific goals:
(A) That individuals will make close friendships
around the world, that is, that countries will
become known to them in terms of close
friends rather than as abstract places on a
map, or as stereotypes built from ignorance
or limited experience.
(B) That individuals will become aware of basic
likenesses of all humans, and at the same
´See Info File C - 1,
Constitution
of International
Association of CISV,
Article 2, Goals.
Íntercultural
Competence – see
text and further
reading
Core
Educational
Content
CISV International
Info File
SECTION
T
(C)
(D)
(E)
(F)
(2)
(3)
time that they will come to know and
appreciate differences.
That individuals will acquire an active desire
for world peace and a desire to work for it.
That individuals will acquire skills of
communication with individuals and with
groups, even when many languages are
represented and when no common language
exists.
That individuals will acquire skills of
administration and organization.
That individuals will develop personalities
that are essentially free from barriers, for
example, essentially free from the barrier of
prejudice.
To contribute, through research, to a
science of international relations.
To cooperate with other groups having
similar purposes” ( Constitution, 1996 ).
CISV’s goals have been stated and
reconsidered over many years. A survey
conducted in 1988 - 89 revealed that CISVers
continued to support the organization’s original
goals. A high degree of consensus was
obtained that reinforced the importance of
CISV principles, programme themes ´, and
methods ( Banks, Banks and Dickhoff, 1990,
p 15 - 32 ).
2.2
Specific Educational Goals
This segment addresses the specific
educational goals of all programmes. The term
“programme” refers to programmes and other
official CISV activities. Later segments discuss
how to work towards these goals, and programme
descriptions are provided in Appendix 1.
Goals of the Village Programme:
• to help participants to learn to understand
and appreciate people of different cultures;
• to provide an experience in active
co - existence´ by creating a model society
where participants can learn to consider and
cooperate with their fellow Villagers in
various activities and practical work; and
• to provide the opportunity to participate
creatively in decision making.
Goals of the Interchange Programme:
• to encourage understanding of persons of
another culture by living as a family member;
• to incorporate these experiences into the
daily lives of participants and their families;
• to develop individual and group attitudes and
actions consistent with the CISV philosophy
through group activities.
Goals of the Seminar Camp Programme:
• to help participants discover and form
opinions about international and
intercultural problems by exposing them to
their peers from other cultures;
• to help youth examine their own motives,
gain insight into their own behaviour and
that of others, and appreciate
responsibilities involved in group living;
• to teach participants to accept conflict as a
part of daily life and give them practice in
recognizing and resolving conflict;
• to foster interest in the world as a whole
and develop a sense of responsibility for its
preservation as a basis for human survival;
• to increase participants’ participation in
shaping their own lives.
Goals of the Local Work Programme:
• to provide a long term peace education´
experience at the local level;
• to relate CISV aims to local reality and
personal attitudes;
• to educate and involve people of all ages;
• to involve local citizens who are interested
in implementing the CISV philosophy within
their community / family lives;
• to explore more deeply themes initiated in
CISV international programmes.
Goals of the Summer Camp Programme:
• to promote understanding of people from
other cultures through participation in an
international camp;
• to help participants learn the value of
consideration for and cooperation with their
fellow campers;
• to encourage youth to take initiative
towards leadership and programme
responsibility;
• to overcome prejudices´, build self
confidence, and stimulate critical thinking.
Goals of International Youth Meetings:
• to promote continued CISV participation by
creating an environment for educational
activities´ that respect the special needs
of different age groups;
• to encourage local CISV members and
participating delegates to conduct activities
that increase involvement in planning
programme content, practical organization /
administration and leadership skills;
• to further CISV goals by providing an intense
and active schedule tailored to its length;
• to apply educational themes in a
regional / international environment as a
means of deepening insights on “real life
issues” and exchanging ideas with youth
from other countries.
´peace education –
Education is at the
heart of any strategy
for peace building. It
is through education
that the broadest
possible introduction
can be provided to the
values, skills and
knowledge which form
the basis of respect
for human rights and
democratic principles,
the rejection of
violence and a spirit of
tolerance,
understanding and
mutual appreciation
among individuals,
groups and nations.
( UNESCO, 1996 ).
See also reports on
UNESCO International
Conferences on
Education.
´programme theme –
see Part 2.4.2
áctive co - existence –
see text
´prejudices –
pre - conceived opinion
or bias.
éducational activities –
see Part 2.4.4 and
Appendix 2, Activity
Resources and
Databases
Core
Educational
Content
CISV International
Info File
SECTION
T
Junior Branch
Junior Branch members are active at all
levels of CISV. Whilst Junior Branch is not a
programme, it has specific educational goals:
• to stimulate awareness in international
matters among its members;
• to organize activities designed to give a
similar understanding of its own society;
• to learn about oneself and the global
environment;
• to be the link between the different levels
of CISV programmes and activities;
• to share work in the national / local CISV
organization;
• to work with like - minded organizations.
2.3 Non Formal Education Processes
We start this segment with some important
assumptions´ which reflect how CISV
programmes are commonly conducted. For
example, CISV programmes are normally:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
interactive´
participatory
action oriented
participant - centered
fun
experiential´
sensitive to cultural variation.
example, suggests a programme that is highly
interactive, engaging and involving of both
individuals and groups, values the opinions and
ideas of the participants, is fun, and utilizes
“experiential” activities. If these are our
educational assumptions, we would expect to
find them expressed in how we conduct the
programme. This is described further in the
segment that follows.
éxperiential – see
Figure 1
2.3.1 Experiential Education
CISV programmes provide marvelous
opportunities for experiential educational
activities; that is, opportunities to learn from
direct experience rather than from reading
books or listening to lectures. What is
experiential education? How does it differ from
conventional educational practice? The
following chart (adapted from Fantini, 1984, p.
72) contrasts both, although in some cases,
differences may be a question of degree or
emphasis:
We can add to this list other assumptions
which contribute to achieving CISV’s goals.
Our completed list can then help the team
responsible for planning a programme. The
final list of assumptions should prescribe and
describe the educational processes of a
specific programme. The above list, for
Note that an experiential approach to
activities involves four phases:
1) Typically, participants are engaged in an
exercise or activity such as a game, a
simulation´, etc.
2) The activity is followed by reflection, often
through discussion in pairs or small groups.
3) The next phase involves formulating
generalizations about the learning which
has taken place.
4) Generalizations are then tested in new and
future experiences in an on-going and
cyclical manner through the programme.
Experiential Education Stresses:
Conventional Education Stresses:
getting involved and doing
watching and listening
learning from other participants and
on your own
teachers have all the answers
participant and facilitator share responsibility
for learning
teachers are responsible for the learning
shared decision - making
teachers make decisions
learning how to learn
learning facts and knowledge
identifying problems and solutions
memorizing and acquiring information
recognizing importance of participants’
experience and knowledge
minimizing learners’ experience and knowledge
guiding and assisting in learning on one’s own
telling, prescribing, ordering
understanding learners’ motivation for what
needs to be learned
reinforcing others’ ideas of what needs to be
learned
applying practical, immediate approaches
learning information for future use
Figure 1
ínteractive – see text
ássumption –
understand / accept
as being true for
purpose of action or
discussion. See text
at 4.1.2.
´simulation – deliberate
construction of a
model of a particular
process without
incurring the cost of a
real - life situation
( Barrow and Milburn,
1990 ).
CISV International
Info File
Core
Educational
Content
SECTION
T
Finally, the following “experiential learning cycle” ( K. Lewin in Kolb, 1984, p 21 ) will help in
conducting activities in an experiential way:
Concrete experience
Observations and
Reflection
Application
Generalizations
Figure 2
2.3.2 The Importance of Trained
Leadership
Programme success depends to a large
degree on the preparation of the staff, despite
previous background in education or training.
Although CISV facilitators´ often represent
both areas, a distinction may be made
between “educators” and “trainers.”
Educators, for example, normally have a clear
grasp of educational theory and processes,
from start to finish. This includes setting
objectives, programme design, implementation,
and evaluation ( see Gemstone Model´,
Part 4 ). Traditional educators, however, often
lack a repertoire of creative activities that
involve their students’ hearts and hands in
addition to their minds. Trainers, on the other
hand, may know a variety of activities, games,
and exercises - a wonderful “bag of tricks” but they are sometimes unclear about the
theory behind them. Many CISV volunteers are
more akin to trainers than to educators. They
have mastered many exciting and fun activities,
but may not be clear about the purposes
behind them. Some tend to repeat activities
learned in other programmes, even when they
may not be suited to the new situation.
Certain activities may even be culturally
offensive if used in the wrong context. When
the purposes behind an activity are well
understood, we can better adapt the activity or
select a more appropriate one. The fact that
we have known and loved a particular activity is
not sufficient reason to insist on its use in
subsequent programmes in other contexts.
One needs to ask: What am I trying to
accomplish? Is the chosen activity effective for
this purpose? Is it appropriate in this context
and with this age group and these cultures?
2.3.3 Role of the Facilitator
To ensure programme success, staff and
delegation leaders need facilitation skills. This
is especially true because experiential education
shifts the emphasis from directing and telling to
participant involvement and doing, guided by the
facilitators. Ideas for planning group sessions
and facilitating group activities usually include
the following ( Fantini, 1984, p 77 - 8 ):
´facilitator – one who
provides guidance
( without undue or
obvious interference )
during planned
activities.
Facilities and Equipment. Plan in advance,
making sure that facilities ( lighting, ventilation,
seating, bathrooms, etc. ) are adequate. Have
equipment ready and be sure it is functioning
and you know how to use it.
Teamwork. Be sure everyone knows each
other. Use “ice breakers”´ to help people get
acquainted; allow opportunities for informal
exchange, possibly over refreshments or
games.
Choosing Activities. Be sure they are
appropriate for the purpose and the group.
Remember people learn in different ways and
variations increase across cultures. What may
be appropriate for one group in a particular
situation may not work with a different age
group or in a different situation. Be sure to
have alternatives ready when participants or
activities don’t work. Activities / methods for
adult training will often vary from those used
with youth!
Delivery. Be clear and concise. Have
participants restate instructions to insure their
comprehension. Use visual aids and written
handouts, if appropriate.
Equal Participation. Be sure all members
participate and keep individuals from dominating.
Provide opportunities for passive or silent
members to contribute. Solicit comments and
íce breaker – activity
designed to break
down formality in
groups of new
participants.
´Gemstone Model –
see Part 4
Core
Educational
Content
CISV International
Info File
SECTION
T
observations from different group members and
encourage them to ask each other questions.
Affirm their right to have different opinions or
perspectives.
Getting Support. Staff, delegation leaders,
and others with appropriate expertise can
assist in planning and problem solving.
Keep on Track. If the subject is compelling,
help participants focus on the task. On the
other hand, be sensitive to interesting
exchanges which evolve and sometimes may
be more interesting to participants than the
original topic. Come back to the original topic
another time.
2.4
Clarification and Interpretation. Participate
personally as much as is appropriate Avoid
overly influencing the group. Rephrase - or ask
others to rephrase - when useful to clarify
points made.
Summarize. At breaks or at the end of a
session, try to pull together the various parts
of the discussion and sum them up. State
what progress has been made and where you
think the group is going.
Pacing. Move on when a topic has been
adequately covered. Have an additional activity
in reserve. If people are restless, they may
need a break, or may be tired. When silences
occur, do they seem comfortable or not? Are
people bored, uneasy, shy? Ask the group
what is going on if there is an uncomfortable
air to the session.
Processing. Keep communication open.
Encourage a variety of responses to a single
question. Ask for individual feedback (e.g.:
John, how do you feel about . . . ? ), or group
feedback ( e.g.: Does anyone have a different
view of this incident? ) Provide suggestions ( It
seems to me that . . . Let’s take a break and
come back for a fresh start ). Avoid giving
definitive answers. Try ( What do you think?
Can someone else suggest . . . ? ).
Thinking as a Group. This can help to define
multiple factors affecting a situation and
finding diverse solutions; for example:
Educational Content´
CISV programmes offer an exciting and
unique intercultural and international
educational experience. Bringing CISVers
together from various parts of the world into a
Village, Interchange, Seminar Camp, Summer
Camp or Youth Meeting, or developing an
effective Local Work / Junior Branch
programme, offers opportunities to explore
cultural similarities and differences. The goal
is to make participants “interculturally
competent;” that is, to develop their ability to
participate effectively and appropriately with
others from varied linguistic and cultural
backgrounds differing from one’s own.
Intercultural competence is a term now widely
used in the field of Intercultural
Communication. It is another way of
expressing CISV’s Statement of Educational
Purpose. It involves three main dimensions:
see text
1) the ability to establish relationships ( or
“friendships” );
2) the ability to communicate with minimal
loss or distortion ( similar to CISV’s concern
with communication ); and
3) the ability to work together toward a
common task ( paralleling CISV’s notion of
cooperation as a form of “leadership” ).
Clarity of these goals is the first step in
determining the educational content of a
programme. Programme content, then, is
based on CISV’s Statement of Educational
Purpose, programme theme(s), the context´ in
which the programme is conducted, and the
specific delegations and participants involved:
CISV’s Statement of Educational Purpose
Brainstorming.´ Record suggestions from
group members with no restrictions or
comments. Over imaginative ideas may spark
more practical ones.
ćontext – local
situation, facilities,
participants and
resources – see also
Part 4.
Specific Programme Goals
Programme Theme(s)
Group Technique. Give members 5 - 10
minutes to write down individual ideas. Go
around the circle, each reading one idea until
all are shared. A recorder may collect the ideas.
Leader Style and Role. Be aware of your own
verbal and nonverbal communication. Speak clearly
and slowly for members who don’t share your
language. Allow time for interpretation if needed.
Remember you serve as a model for the group.
Éducational Content –
´Brainstorming – the
Context
Delegations & Participants
Programme Content
Figure 3
unrestrained offering
of suggestions by
participants to
generate ideas or
solve problems.
Core
Educational
Content
CISV International
Info File
SECTION
T
Because the Statement of Educational Purpose
applies to all CISV activities, all programmes
share some common content. Additional
content areas, however, are determined by the
Theme(s), Context and Delegations /
Participants of the specific programme.
2.4.1 Multiple Dimensions of Intercultural
Competence
When determining programme content, a
secondary concern is to develop the
participants’ competence to deal across
cultures. This involves four areas: developing
awareness, fostering positive attitudes,
increasing skills and acquiring knowledge.
These may be abbreviated as:
A+ASK´
Conventional educational approaches focus
primarily on knowledge ( i.e., learning about
things, knowing facts, etc. ). Some may also
include skills ( i.e., learning how to do things,
such as learning how to type or use a
computer, carpentry, home economics, etc. ).
Intercultural competence, however, also
requires attention to attitude ( or affect, i.e.,
one’s feelings, emotions, and dispositions ),
and most of all, awareness. Of these four
dimensions, awareness is at the core – it both
affects the other three and develops through
them. Let’s examine this notion further.
like: “An unreflected life is hardly a life worth
living” ( Socrates ); “How shall I talk of the sea
to the frog if he has never left his pond”?
( Chung Tsu ); “Know thyself” ( The Bible ). An
intercultural experience is provocative precisely
because in looking outward ( at something new
and different ), it causes us to look inward or
inside ourselves. This introspection produces
awareness, an important dimension of the
intercultural educational experience. A change
in awareness ( a paradigm shift´ ) is
frequently the result of an intercultural
experience. As we come to know others, we
learn about ourselves.
2.4.2 Programme Themes
When the work and activities in a CISV
programme are planned using a coordinated
theme, it is easier to set specific educational
objectives. Different themes will be useful with
the different age groups in CISV programmes,
but key considerations in selecting a theme
should include:
á paradigm shift
( Kuhn, 1962 )
– change in a way of
thinking about or
seeing facts, concepts
or people, which are
frequently culturally,
generationally, or
professionally
determined.
Á + ASK – see text
• Its relevance to CISV’s Statement of
Educational Purpose
• The opportunities it will provide for
experiential learning
• The opportunities it will provide for the
development of Awareness, Attitudes, Skills
and Knowledge
• The interests of the age group involved in the
programme.
S
Some suggested themes might be:
• Building Bridges
A
• Communication
A
+
• Dreams for the Future
• Similarities
K
• Working Together
• You and Me
• Sharing Values
Figure 4
Awareness´ involves thinking about the self
and one’s relation to other people and
contexts. It has to do with reflection and
introspection.´ Its importance is cited by
educators throughout the ages in statements
Áwareness – see text
In a programme which lasts three or four
weeks there should be opportunities to explore
a variety of educational ideas linked to the
selected theme. One model developed within
CISV to help with this exploration is the
Education Circle.
íntrospection – to look
into one’s own mind,
feeling, etc.
Core
Educational
Content
CISV International
Info File
SECTION
T
Figure 5
2.4.3
( See Appendix 2 for full size version )
Programme Content
Selecting one or more areas of the CISV
Education Circle ( de Castro Reis, 1991, p 46 )
to develop the content of a programme can be
helpful in planning. It is inevitable that there
will be overlap between some of the areas;
indeed, this model shows how so many areas
are interconnected. Other organizations may
focus on particular segments of the Circle
( e.g. environmental education, human rights
education ), but CISVers perceive their
experiences to be most related to Intercultural
Education, Personal Development Education
and Human Relations Education ( see Part
1.2.3 above ). Within CISV we can use topics
from all areas of the Circle to develop these
areas, which, in turn, link closely with the
original goals of CISV. The CISV Statement of
Educational Purpose, specific programme
goals, the selected programme themes (s), the
context available ( site and facilities, host
culture, resources available ), and the
participants themselves all have to be taken
into account when planning appropriate
programme content. The inter - relationships
of these factors is explored more thoroughly in
Part 4, Planning an Educational Programme;
but, we need to keep them in mind along with
the A+ASK dimensions when identifying
programme content areas. One way of doing
this is to brainstorm ideas related to the
chosen theme which are appropriate to each
area of A+ASK. These can then be organized
onto the A+ASK model in a way which
emphasizes their links. For example, the basic
model, Figure 4, might be developed for a
programme based on an Intercultural Education
theme, e.g. “Similarities” or “Getting to know
you” ( see Figure 6 ).
CISV International
Info File
Core
Educational
Content
SECTION
T
Awareness
Attitudes
having an open mind
of other cultures
of the value of consideration for and
cooperation with other participants
behaving flexibly
being culturally sensitive´
of taking initiatives towards leadership
and responsibility
showing respect
of prejudices
taking initiative
S
of one’s own critical thinking
accepting responsibility
of one’s own self confidence
of one’s own learning
of global thinking / world view
A
of ethical considerations
ćultural sensitivity –
see Info File R - 7,
Behaviour and Cultural
Sensitivity
( Appendix 3 ).
being willing to plan, lead
and participate
being willing to include
all members of
the group
A
+
Knowledge
Skills
of this CISV programme
of camp terminology/jargon
K
listening to and
respecting ideas of others
thinking for one’s self
of information from pre - camp
learning from and being
responsible for one’s
own decisions
of one’s own culture
of attributes of other cultures
in the programme
of activity participation / facilitation / evaluation´
responding to the needs of others
Using the A + A S K model as an example
Figure 6
When the educational content of the
programme has been identified in this way,
methods of developing content with
participants can be considered and appropriate
activities selected.
to remember that activities be selected and
utilized by keeping in mind the following
questions:
2.4.4
2. Is the activity appropriate for this age group
and all participants ( noting their cultural
backgrounds )?
Programme Activities
The previous segment identified programme
content ( the “what” ) based on an
understanding of educational purpose,
programme theme(s), context and participants.
Once content areas are listed, you can begin to
identify, select and sequence actual activities
( the “how” ). Programme activities are varied
and include all of the things done from the
start of the programme to the end. Activities
are items you write into the daily and weekly
schedule. Activities may be very varied in
nature - welcome speeches, icebreakers,
exercises, role plays, games, and so forth. It is
important, however, that the purpose of each
activity be clearly understood and designed to
address programme content ( which in turn
addresses goals ). CISV facilitators often have
already developed a fine repertoire of activities.
Others may be borrowed from programmes
conducted elsewhere. It is important, however,
1. Does it promote CISV’s educational
purposes?
3. Is it relevant to the programme theme(s)?
4. Which area(s) of A+ASK does it best
address?
5. Does it address specific programme
content?
6. Is the activity appropriate to this phase of
the programme’s development?
7. How might / should the activity be modified
given all of the above?
8. Finally, is there another activity better
suited for the purposes?
Many activities which are useful in CISV have
been collected together in an electronic
database. These have been evolved to
correspond to areas of the CISV Education
Circle and a variety of other selection criteria.
A selection of books and activity ideas from
other sources is given in Appendix 3.
évaluation – see
4.1.10
Core
Educational
Content
CISV International
Info File
SECTION
T
Part 3:
Educational Programme
Considerations
3.1 Ethics: Principles of Responsibility
This part deals with a fundamental aspect of
involvement in CISV activities - the ethics´ of
participation in an organization founded on a
clear set of values. Essentially, the actions of
everyone involved ought to be guided by a set
of principles which provide a framework for
thinking about ethical issues:
• S/he´ must conscientiously supervise,
encourage and support participants throughout
the entire programme and during re - entry´.
• S/he must inform participants what is
expected of them in the course of their CISV
experience. S/he must be fair in the evaluation
of their performance/educational progress and
communicate evaluations to the participants
concerned in a responsible manner.
• S/he must strive to improve both the
teaching methods and educational content of
the CISV programme before, during, and after
the experience.
• S/he should understand that CISV
programmes and their educational content
have been planned primarily for cross - cultural
learning of children and youth.
• S/he should understand and accept the
goals of CISV and the CISV programme in
which s/he is involved.
3.1.2
Each group has responsibility to the others
Figure 7
For the sake of clarity, ethical implications
are discussed below in terms of
responsibilities to participants, families,
Chapters and NAs, and to CISV International.
3.1.1. Responsibility to Participants
A CISV educator must be candid, fair, non exploitative´, and committed to the welfare
and educational progress of all programme
participants and delegates. Honesty is the
essential quality of a good educator/teacher;
neutrality is not. In addition to honest
teaching, the CISV educator has responsibilities
in selection, instruction in ethics, orientation,
educational supervision, evaluation, etc:
• Selection of qualified participants must
avoid discrimination on the basis of gender,
race, ethnicity, religion, political affiliation,
socio - economic background, and other
categories of people indistinguishable by their
emotional´ and intellectual potential.
• The educator must be receptive and
seriously responsive to participants’ needs,
interests, opinions and desires in all aspects of
their learning process, including quiet / rest
time, and first language needs.
Responsibilities to Families
In general, CISV programme facilitators and
staff are responsible, above all, for the
physical and emotional health, safety and
welfare of younger participants. They are also
responsible for implementing the educational
goals of their programme, which should also
have been explained and accepted by the
participants’ families.
Facilitators should remember that the young
people in their care are members of their own
families, to which they will return after their
CISV programme. Working with other people’s
children is a big responsibility! Facilitators are
responsible for the physical safety of all
participants in all CISV activities. This is
reflected in having qualified lifeguards,
experienced bus drivers, qualified medical
personnel, etc. and in observing local rules on
site and safety procedures as well as CISV
policies ( See Info File, N - 4 [ 9723 ] ).
´S/he = she or he
´re - entry – see Pena,
1997
éthics – a
fundamental
consensus on binding
values, irrevocable
standards, and
personal attitudes
Ńational Affiliate
(NA) / Local Chapter
– see Appendix 2
ńon - exploitative – not
manipulating or taking
advantage; being
ethical and
educationally
or socially
responsible.
CISV facilitators are also responsible for the
emotional well being of CISV participants and
the concerns of parents of all children
participating in a CISV activity. They need to
be sensitive to the emotional needs of
participants with whom they work and a
delegation leader should be sufficiently familiar
with each participant’s family to be able to give
basic support, if needed.
Facilitators may sometimes need to decide
whether or not a particular activity / decision
would be acceptable to the parents of young
people in their care. For example, if the youth
in their care find a particular activity ( e.g. a
kissing game ) offensive or difficult to
émotional intelligence
and intellectual
potential – see Further
Reading
Core
Educational
Content
CISV International
Info File
SECTION
T
cope with socially or culturally, the facilitator
may need to consider whether the parents
would expect their child to take part in such
an activity, and if not, then the activity should
not be used. Facilitators must critically analyse
activities and their implications and should
remember that they remain accountable to the
parents and CISV. Any planned activity must
be discussed and approved by all facilitators
prior to implementation.
Families will have expectations of the
educational impact of participation in a CISV
programme. CISV is more than a “holiday
camp” experience and families are attracted to
participate in CISV because of the
opportunities to live in a multi - cultural
environment. Delegation leaders have the
responsibility to maximise the potential impact
of the experience for participants’ families by:
• involving them in preparation for the
programme;
• maintaining contact with the family from
time to time during the programme;
• ensuring that participants fulfil reasonable
requests for family contact by mail during
the programme,
• discussing participants’ responses ( e.g.
during delegation time ) to recent activities
and to the whole programme so that they
can note important points and recount to
the family;
• encouraging families to accept the
participant’s reactions upon return,
( e.g. missing new friends, reluctance to
“tell all,” desire to be back in the CISV
programme, need to write to all the new
friends, etc );
• encouraging families to be involved in
Chapter activities, re - entry, Junior Branch
and Local Work so that other family
members can enjoy the benefits of CISV
experiences;
• respecting privacy concerns ( e.g. address
publication via E mail / WWW sites may not
always be permitted´ ).
3.1.3. Responsibilities to Chapters
and National Associations ( NAs )
Chapters and NAs fulfil CISV’s educational
purpose by organizing programmes and sending
participants to other programmes. Three
groups of people bear particular
responsibilities to their home Chapter / NA:
1) host staff´;
2) delegation leaders; and,
3) individuals selected to represent
Chapters / NAs.
Chapters usually nominate specific
committee members and appoint host staff to
deal with the practical and educational aspects
of organizing a programme. Responsibility to
the Chapter includes:
• observation of relevant national / local laws
and regulations; e.g. lifeguard, first aid
training / supplies, fire watch, ( where required );
• respect for normal procedures / rules within
the host site; e.g. meal times, kitchen
rules, sanitation etc.;
• respect for members of site staff / local
residents who may be affected by the
programme; and,
• working within the budget set by the Chapter.
Host staff are responsible for overseeing the
educational structure of the programme. The
programme may be coordinated in negotiation
with the Chapter ( e.g. practical arrangements
such as arrivals / preliminary hosting,
dedication day, homestays, excursions, dates
for Chapter visits, etc. ), but host staff are
likely to be responsible for developing the
programme in accordance with CISV’s
Statement of Educational Purpose. Within this
they will need to show:
´resources – see 4.1.8
• responsible use of the facilities and
resources´ available;
• awareness of the structure of a programme
in terms of the development of group
dynamics; and,
• the use of appropriate activities at different
stages of the programme for enhancing the
educational purpose ( e.g.: name games
and ice breakers while important at the
beginning may be irrelevant later, whereas
trust games, some simulations, etc., require
confidence to work within the group and
might be better later ).
The responsibility of delegation leaders to
their home Chapter / NAs is both in taking part
in practical arrangements for participants in
their care and in ensuring that they have
educational experiences consistent with the
CISV Statement of Educational Purpose. Within
this responsibility, delegation leaders need to
consider any requirements of their home
Chapter, while also appreciating the facilities
offered by the host Chapter and any restraints
on their use. Leaders have the responsibility to:
• be perceived as effective, courteous
representatives of their home Chapter;
• be conscientious in caring for the physical
and emotional health of delegates;
• represent their home culture effectively in
intercultural activities;
• value the opinions/cultural differences of
´WWW, Internet – see
Info File R - 11, notes
on CISV restrictions on
use of E - mail and
WWW sites.
´host staff – local
volunteers facilitating
the educational
programme and
providing administrative
support; as opposed to
site staff who perform
kitchen / maintenance
duties, etc.
Core
Educational
Content
CISV International
Info File
SECTION
T
other participants;
• help delegates to understand the impact of
local cultural expectations on the
functioning of the programme ( e.g.:
concepts of time – in some countries
promptness is valued and it is considered
rude to be late; in other countries time
commitments are more flexible and to rush
is to be impolite );
• ensure that participants in their care take
advantage of the educational
opportunities / activities in the programme,
as expected by their home Chapter; and,
• encourage delegates to continue as fully
participating members of their home
Chapter in Junior Branch or Local Work.
Individual participants who have
responsibilities to their home Chapter / NA
include Junior Counsellors, Seminar Camp
participants, Youth Meeting participants, etc.
They may be the sole representatives of the
Chapter / NA in a programme and are
responsible for representing their local /
national culture. Expectations held by their
home Chapter will be similar to those held of a
facilitator or delegation leader:
• be perceived as an effective, courteous
representative of their home Chapter / NA;
• be aware of the need to care for the physical
and emotional health of other participants;
• represent their home culture and language
in multicultural situations;
• value the opinions / cultural differences of
other participants; and,
• be willing to share their experience with other
Chapter members when they return home.
Individual participants are also responsible
to their hosting Chapter, particularly for
enhancing the quality of the educational
experience of other participants, by:
• respecting national / local / site rules with
regard to safety, appropriate behaviour, etc.;
• supporting Host Staff in developing the
educational activities within the programme;
• appreciating factors in the local culture
which may impact on programme
organization, e.g. concepts of time,
availability of resources, cost, etc.;
• taking active part in educational activities
planned by others; and,
• participating fully in the preparation,
conduct, and debriefing´ of activities.
3.1.4. Responsibility to CISV International
All participants, ( adult and youth ), have
responsibility for the “good name” of CISV.
Participants have the responsibility to follow
programme rules and procedures by:
• sending requested information by the due
date;
• completing relevant health, legal, insurance,
documentation; and,
• observing CISV policies on:
- Discrimination ( Info File R - 5 )
- Selection ( Info File R - 6 )
- Behaviour and Cultural Sensitivity
( Info File R - 7 ).
In participating in a CISV programme, each
person accepts responsibility for working
towards the goals of CISV. Preparation for a
programme should include discussion ( at a
level appropriate to the age of the participant )
of CISV’s Statement of Educational Purpose so
that youth participants understand “why” they
are involved in various activities and that this
particular programme is only part of the longer
term development of:
• friendships;
• intercultural understanding; and,
• the ability to work effectively with others.
3.1.5
More on Ethical Responsibilities
In the final analysis, education in CISV is a
humane undertaking, dependent upon many
choices for which the individual bears ethical
and judicial responsibility. That responsibility
is a human, not a superhuman, responsibility.
To err is human, to forgive is humane, but to
neglect is to risk the emotional and physical
well being of the individuals being served. This
statement of principles of responsibility in CISV
is not designed to punish, but to provide
guidelines that can minimize the occasions on
which there is a need to forgive. When a CISV
educator, by his / her actions, jeopardises
participants, their families, his / her colleagues
in the programme, CISV International or
National Associations or others, or if s / he
otherwise betrays educational commitments,
CISV may inquire into the propriety of those
actions and take action that lies within its
legitimate powers.
3.2 Working With Diversity
´debriefing –
CISV participants will represent many
differences, some more obvious than others.
There will clearly be representatives of several
different cultures at all international events.
Members of different cultural backgrounds will
think about and value different things. They
opportunity to examine
the consequences of
the activity.
( Yalowitz, 1996 ) –
see also Appendix 2
CISV International
Info File
Core
Educational
Content
SECTION
T
may well “see” the same situation differently
because of the way their own particular culture
helps them to make sense of that situation.
Appropriate behaviour in one culture may be
totally inappropriate in another. You have only
to observe eleven year olds at mealtimes at
the beginning of a Village to see evidence of
this.
Those who design the activities in any CISV
event must keep the notion of cultural diversity
in their minds. Indeed, Akio Kurokawa ( 1996,
p 32 ) provides a vivid account of the stress
that a “String Game” and a “Kissing Game”
created for Japanese children at a Village. The
problem he suggests is not just an issue for
his culture alone. Most of us who have been
active in CISV programmes can provide
examples of other incidents where an activity
has proved inappropriate for participants from
particular cultures. Paul Grol expresses this
dilemma in the following way ( 1996, p 35 ):
The understanding needed has two parts:
cultural awareness, ( how another person’s
culture affects his or her behaviour ); and
self - awareness, ( how our own culture
affects our behaviour ). It is not sufficient
to understand how others differ, if we do not
understand how we also differ.
This statement is a reminder of our
educational focus described earlier ( Part 1.1 ).
We participate in CISV in order to learn just
such things. It is almost inevitable that first
encounters with another culture may
emphasise difference, but not necessarily in a
positive way. The challenge in a CISV activity
is to turn this encounter into a positive
interpersonal´ and intrapersonal´ cultural
learning experience.
Diversity remains important even when
engaging in Local Work activities. Children
respond in different ways to the same
educational experience. One of the challenges
is to acknowledge the variation that occurs in
both their responses to activities and the
learning that results. Today much is written
about variations in learning styles; e.g. some of
us learn best by doing, others learn best by
reading or being, and so on. Work on multiple
intelligences´ ( Anderson, 1997, p 12 ) and
Lewin’s learning cycle ( Part 2.4.1 ) reminds
us of learning preferences and of the need to
provide various ways of learning for participants
while also helping participants to develop
further those aspects of the cycle that present
difficulties for them. Organizers of learning
activities should bear in mind the importance
of going through the entire cycle to maximise
the learning potential of any particular activity.
3.3 Communication: Three Dimensions
All people are products of their native
language and culture. From birth on, they have
been in the process of developing their native
“communicative competence.”´ Individuals
from other language and cultural backgrounds
have been doing likewise, but it is naturally
different. For this reason, CISVers participating
in international programmes and in Local Work
activities involving different cultures, find
themselves dealing across communicative
competences and are called upon to develop
new abilities beyond those normally needed.
This ability may be called “intercultural
communicative competence” since using one’s
native competence is obviously no longer
adequate. Communication competence
involves the use of both one’s language and
culture, and knowing how to use them
appropriately in many different situations. A
person does not just speak French, or Chinese,
but one knows how to modify speech and
behaviour for different situations - e.g., speaking
with children, older people, strangers, family
members, and so forth. This communication
competence has several dimensions ( Fantini,
1984, [b], p 5 - 6 ):
• a language and para - language´ component;
• a non - verbal component; and,
• a socio - linguistic´ component.
ćommunicative
competence
CISV programmes are
multi - lingual. Doris
Allen emphasized the
importance of
announcements /
instructions being given
in all languages so that
all participants had
opportunities to hear
other languages in use.
´para - language – see
text
´socio - linguistic
Speakers
Speakers
ínterpersonal –
between persons or
involving relations
between persons
World
View 1
World
View 2
íntrapersonal – within
Language
(Symbolic Systems)
Language
Figure 8
Meaning
(Semantics)
Meaning
´
Socio - linguistic Context
Language includes the sounds, words, and
grammar of language, while the para language component refers to volume, pitch,
tone and other “affective”´ aspects of
speech. We convey and receive much
important information through the language
and para - language component. The non verbal component refers to behaviours we
display while speaking; behaviours which also
communicate.
oneself
´semantics – meaning
of speech forms within
the given context
´multiple intelligences
– see further reading
áffect – feeling or
emotion attached to
an idea or group of
ideas
Core
Educational
Content
CISV International
Info File
SECTION
T
Non - verbal behaviour includes:
• touching patterns;
• eye contact;
• use of space;
• body movements and gestures;
• responses to body and other odors; and,
• patterns of timing used in conversational
exchanges.
As with language, these patterns are also
learned and form part of how we communicate.
And because they are learned and are specific
to our own language - culture system, we
cannot transfer non - verbal´ systems across
cultures and infer the same intent and
meanings. In fact, speaking another language
is not simply saying different words, but also
interacting in different ways. These are
important points to keep in mind in
programmes which involve delegations and
participants from many backgrounds since
different non - verbal behaviours often result in
mis - interpretations and mis - understandings.
The third component – the sociolinguistic –
acknowledges that we also adjust language
and behaviours to different situations as
appropriate. For example, each culture and
language determines how we should speak and
behave in different contexts – in private, in
public, in a religious setting, at work, and so
forth; as well as how we speak to elders, to
teachers, strangers, to family and friends, to
children, etc. Situational factors which
commonly affect speech and behaviour
patterns include:
• where the conversation takes place;
• who is involved ( the speakers and his / her
attributes, such as age, sex, role,
relationship );
• the topic of conversation ( gossip,
homework, a formal topic, etc. ); and,
• the form ( a public speech, a private
conversation, storytelling, etc. ).
As part of these differences in
communicative competence across cultures we
must be alert to variations in language and
para - language, non - verbal, and socio - linguistic
components ( i.e., intercultural communicative
competence ). Being aware of such
differences, we may avoid some of the
mis - interpretations of intent and meaning. For
example, different participants may use speech
styles appropriate in their own culture, but
which cause upsetting reactions when used
with people from other backgrounds.
3.4 Cultural Expectations
Participants in a CISV programme may well
have varying expectations about adjustment,
i.e., who should adjust to whom ( to what
degree must I adjust and / or to what degree
should others adjust to me? ). There is no
simple answer to this question; however,
building intercultural relationships normally
requires varying degrees of negotiation and
adjustment on both sides. The problem is that
what one considers to be “normal and natural”
is only normal or natural from one’s own
perspective ( and of those who share the same
background ). Up to this point, participants may
have viewed the world from an “ethnocentric”´
point of view; i.e., understanding and
interpreting things exclusively from one’s own
cultural vantage point. In an intercultural
setting, we are all challenged to reconsider and
to learn that there are multiple ( and alternative )
ways of understanding and interpreting events
( a paradigm shift – see 2.4.1 ).
Intercultural contact, then, requires various
levels of adjustment ( see figure 7 ). Some
adjustments are easier than others. The
involvement process commonly proceeds
through several phases: For example, euphoria
( or the “honeymoon” stage ) when everything
seems wonderful: ( Isn’t this beautiful? Isn’t
this picturesque or quaint? ). Over time, this
may change into a period of conflict or shock
( Why don’t they speak my language? Why do they
Figure 9
Anxiety
Expectation
Observation
Phases of Intercultural Adjustment ( based on ICL Model, Graphic Guides Inc., USA, 1993 )
´ non - verbal
éthnocentric – see text
CISV International
Info File
Core
Educational
Content
SECTION
T
keep touching me so? How I wish I could have
my own food! ). A next stage often involves
comparison and evaluation ( Why, this isn’t
really so bad. This is actually better than what
we have back home! ). At a later stage, there
may be acceptance of aspects of the new
culture on its own terms and judgements are
less likely to be made based on how things are
back home. Ironically, successful adjustment
may mean that returning to one’s home culture
may also require adjusting, often termed
“re - entry.”
3.5 Levels of Tolerance and Conflict
Resolution
How far one goes in adjusting to other
cultures depends on many things, on both the
part of the sojourner´ and the hosts. Aside
from cultural expectations, the development of
intercultural competence is key. Some
commonly cited traits which help its
development are: patience, empathy,´ a
sense of humor, tolerance for ambiguity,
flexibility, and so forth. Some cultures ( called
“high context” cultures ) may have less
tolerance for differences. Such cultures have
widely shared norms and patterns of behavior
( Japanese culture is often cited as an example ).
Other cultures ( “low context” cultures ) which
are quite heterogeneous and consist of many
diverse ethnic and racial groups, may be more
accepting because they are accustomed to
diversity ( Brazil and USA are examples ). It
helps to be aware of whether a host culture is
high or low context, and the degrees of
conformity and levels of tolerance which might
be expected. Whether the host culture has a
high or low level of tolerance for differences,
establishing cultural rapport, for the most part,
is up to the sojourner. That is, your
awareness, attitude, skills and knowledge will
aid you in learning about and developing
cultural rapport. Each individual is faced with
choices about what and how far s/he will
adjust, but one’s choices often result in
greater or lesser acceptance by the hosts.
Here are some common patterns which reflect
different choices ( Fantini, 1984 [ b ], p 15 ):
• rejection of the host culture ( usually causing
rejection of the sojourner in turn );
• adaptation to some extent; i.e., surface
adjustment to the host culture while
retaining one’s own clear identity;
• integration or assimilation´ to the host
culture ( sometimes causing temporary
abandonment of one’s own cultural norms );
and,
• becoming bi - cultural and possibly bi - lingual
( this assumes successful adherence to each
of two cultures and languages ), gaining
acceptance by members of both.
Finally, it is important to note that because
intercultural programmes bring together
participants and delegations of varied
backgrounds, misunderstandings and conflict
are inevitable. They are, in fact, what the
experience is all about. What is important,
then, is how we help participants through the
process in a positive manner, resolving
conflicts, and developing “intercultural”
communicative competence in the process.
The expectations that cultures have of their
members, together with the differences that
exist between cultures, are often revealed in
apparently trivial ways. For example, according
to Akio Kurokawa ( 1996, p 33 ), Japanese
children might not be expected to make their
beds in their own culture, but will be expected
to do so in a Village. Similarly, Interchange
participants may find their own expectations
not fulfilled in their partner and may need adult
support to realize that this is a cultural rather
than a personal issue. For that reason, conflicts
must surface, be acknowledged, discussed,
understood and resolved appropriately.
´sojourner – one who
lives somewhere
temporarily during
purposeful travel
émpathy – ability to
share in another’s
emotions or feelings in
order to understand
him / her better
3.6 Appropriate Use of Educational
Activities
CISV programmes invariably use a variety of
simulations, games, and other activities to
carry out their educational purpose. In so
doing, advanced planning is required to ensure
that participants maximize their learning from
these techniques. The process of helping
participants to understand how they interact
and what they learn is called “debriefing.”
Because debriefing often involves people
sharing feelings, the activity facilitator must be
sensitive in the way they help others to
examine activity experiences. Before selecting
an activity, the facilitator must first be clear
about the purposes of the activity; rules,
instructions, and strategies; and ways to
debrief it afterwards. Debriefing requires
thinking about the questions to be discussed
that will help the participants understand the
nature of the activity, strategies used, and
what they learned about themselves and others
during the activity. Advanced preparation also
helps the facilitator develop confidence in his /
her ability to lead the activity successfully.
ássimilation – absorb
into one’s self attributes
of another’s culture.
Core
Educational
Content
CISV International
Info File
SECTION
T
Other important considerations include:
• the skill level required of participants;
• communication and language skills
( including speaking and listening );
• the level of challenge the participants are
ready for;
• the amount of time needed for introduction,
enactment and debriefing;
• the physical space needed ( both outdoors
and indoors if weather is bad );
• the kind of equipment and materials needed;
and,
• the preferred number of participants needed
to help the activity go well.
Once the activity leader has considered –
and perhaps written down – responses to all of
these factors, s / he is ready for the
introduction, enactment and debriefing parts of
the experience. The facilitator’s confidence will
“rub off” on the participants, and all are more
likely to enjoy the time together and benefit
from the experience.
Editors of activity resource books or
simulation games frequently provide valuable
information for their successful use.
Figure 10
Facilitators should follow instructions carefully
to make the best use of such activities ( see
CISV Activity Database, Appendix 2 ). Care
must also be taken to respect copyright and
licensing rules regarding published activities.
Part 4:
Planning an Educational
Programme
As with any educational venture, designing
and implementing a CISV programme requires
thoughtful consideration of various
components. Moreover, these components
must be balanced and interrelated, one with
another. Together, they form the programme’s
infrastructure and are at the heart of our
educational effort.
4.1 The Gemstone Cycle
The process of programme design may be
likened to the cutting of a gem or a diamond in
the rough. Before cutting the diamond, one
thinks about how it will be mounted into a ring.
Once the ring mount is considered, the
The Gemstone Cycle was
introduced to
interculturalists involved
in curriculum design at
the Third International
Education Conference,
Cincinatti, USA, 1997
( Banks, J. G., 1997 ).
Core
Educational
Content
CISV International
Info File
SECTION
T
diamond must be cut, shaped, and polished. If
done well, the gem reflects a brilliance and
luster which enhance its beauty. When the
design is harmonised with its setting, its value
is increased. Programme designs, like the
gemstone, also need to be shaped and
balanced. And like the ring mount, their value
is maximised when they harmonise with their
setting. CISV’s gemstone, a programme
planning model, includes the following facets:
4.1.1 Needs Assessment´
The first stage in programme design is to
assess programme needs. This is done by
investigating the various factors on which both
programme design and implementation will
eventually be based. For example, one needs
to assemble information about:
• participants and delegates (numbers, ages,
countries, languages, etc.);
• staffing requirements (numbers, ages, roles
and responsibilities, etc.); and,
• host country needs ( constraints and
resources ).
This information is normally gathered from
reports, applications and documents; however,
you may also need to devise other ways of
obtaining the data you need. The important
point is that you compile relevant information
about participants, staff, and context before
embarking on designing the actual programme.
4.1.2 Explicit Educational Assumptions
Next, it is important to clarify any underlying
educational principles or assumptions which
staff and participants hold. This is especially
true when working across cultures. Discussion
of educational assumptions will help surface
any hidden expectations. To this discussion,
one might add expectations about educational
approaches derived from previous experiences
within CISV programmes. Examples of
educational assumptions might include:
• directive or deductive approaches ( i.e.,
telling versus having participants discover for
themselves the content of learning );
• democratic versus hierarchical procedures
( involving everyone in decision making
versus making decisions by those in charge );
• experiential learning versus traditional
learning ( using the experiential model
versus traditional models; see Part 2.4.1
above ); and,
• stressing A+ASK ( awareness, attitude, skills
and knowledge ) versus mostly knowledge.
Other assumptions might be added to this.
If the list is long, it will help to prioritize the list
since the longer the list, the more difficult it is
to explicitly attend to all assumptions in
designing the programme. You may need to
attend explicitly to only the first three. The
assumptions favoured, however, will
necessarily affect how the programme is
designed and implemented.
4.1.3 Programme Goals and Objectives
Ńeeds Assessment –
see text
A next stage in the Gemstone Cycle is to
identify the Programme Goals´ and Objectives.
Goals and objectives may be distinguished by
considering that goals are usually long - term
and point to aims which go beyond the
programme’s duration; for this reason, they are
not easily measureable. Objectives´,
conversely, are usually short - term and they
are attainable within the scope of the
programme itself; also, they are measureable
achievements. Examples of goals may be the
very aims of CISV itself:
1) to develop leadership in participants;
2) to enhance their ability to communicate
across cultures; and
3) to develop long - term friendships with
individuals of different cultural backgrounds.
Additional goals may be more specific yet
still long - term, such as:
1) to become active participants in
environmental concerns;
2) to become effective leaders in Local Work,
Chapters, etc.
Examples of objectives are more specific
within the programme timeframe:
1) to develop friendships;
2) to participate effectively and appropriately in
the programme;
3) to learn about the cultures and language of
other delegates.
Again, objectives are measureable and
should be evaluated at the end of the
programme to ascertain whether they have
been achieved. Together, they show
movement toward the goals which cannot be
evaluated within the scope of the programme.
´Programme Goals
– see Part 2.1
Óbjectives – see text
Core
Educational
Content
CISV International
Info File
SECTION
T
4.1.4 Programme Theme(s)
It is customary for CISV programme planners
to select one or more themes for a particular
programme. Themes from the CISV Education
Circle commonly form the basis for this
selection ( e.g., Peace and Conflict Resolution,
Leadership, Intercultural Issues, Population,
Environment, etc. ). These and other ideas
can serve as programme themes. The themes
chosen, however, will clearly affect programme
design and content.
4.1.5 Participants and Facilitators
Participants and facilitators may be included
within Needs Assessment for the initial
planning, but in CISV they also take an active
part in planning the programme. The skills,
experience and social / personal resources
which they bring with them are crucial to the
intercultural experiences provided for all
participants. Cultural and personal preferences
for active or passive leadership styles, skills in
art, dance, physical activities, etc., will vary.
Opportunities should be created for all
participants and facilitators to share these
abilities with others, while not allowing a vocal
minority to dominate all planning.
4.1.6 Programme Design
Once you have completed the previous four
steps, you are now ready to begin designing
your programme. The design will be informed
by the needs assessment, your explicit
educational assumptions, the themes selected,
and the goals and objectives. Keep all of
these aspects in mind as you now proceed to
design the actual programme content. Begin
by making a large calendar which includes not
only all the days of the programme, but any
lead and closure time needed before and after
the programme itself. List on a day by day
basis what needs to be accomplished during
lead and closure time by the staff. Then begin
writing in the various sub - objectives to be
accomplished each day of the the programme.
Together, sub - objectives add up to
accomplishing programme objectives, just as
the programme objectives point toward the
goals. Various types of programme design
models exist. For example:
1) developmental; i.e., activities are
progressively sequenced to move
participants from one level to another
towards established objectives;
2) spiral; i.e., objectives are introduced one at
a time, over a period; however, as each new
objective is presented, previous work on
earlier objectives is included and repeated
cummulatively, thereby reinforcing them
through varied repetitions;
3) thematic´; i.e., objectives are organized in
modular units around successive themes;
4) organic´; i.e., although a plan is elaborated in
advance of the programme, each day’s work
is reviewed and future work adjusted in
accordance with how the programme is
going and with the participants’ mood.
´ thematic – see text
órganic – see text
These and other principles underlying
programme design will influence how you
complete the programme calendar. You may
also consider using a combination of
principles; e.g., thematic and organic, so that
the themes determine content sequencing
while also being sensitive to how the
programme unfolds, so you can adjust content
accordingly. As you fill in sub - objectives for
each day, you might also begin to jot down
initial ideas for each day’s activities and
schedule. At this point, you will need to
complete the general plan for each day of the
programme. The first few days and activities
involving the host community should be
planned in detail, while other days can be
agreed with the participants. The activities
planned to deliver educational content should
be interspersed with recreational / fun
activities and quieter times for reflection and
internalization.
4.1.7 Training and Orientation
CISV requires all facilitators to undergo
training before they are involved in a programme
for younger participants. Training may be on a
local, national or international basis, depending
on the programme. It should cover a range of
risk management´ procedures as well as
orientation and preparation for the specific
programme. More detail is given in the relevant
programme and leadership training Guides.
Orientation will involve facilitators, participants
and their families in the necessary
preparations for the educational experiences of
their programme: i.e. development of new
friendships, communication with others
( sometimes without a common language ),
and working together to achieve specific goals.
Orientation will also include practical
arrangements such as national costume ( if
applicable ), travel planning, parents developing
confidence in the leader who will take care of
their child, etc.
´risk management – a
pro - active process to
minimize the
possibility of injury to
participants,
volunteers and CISV.
Risk management is
accomplished through
careful planning,
selection and training;
provision of insurance;
and, observance of
appropriate legal, site
and safety / hygiene
requirements ( see
Info File N - 4 Health,
Legal and Safety
issues within CISV,
and Appendix 7 ).
CISV International
Info File
Core
Educational
Content
SECTION
T
4.1.8 Resources
Before moving on to considering how the
programme will be implemented, it is important
to consider the resources available to you.
These include both human and material
resources. Human resources include the staff,
the delegation leaders, and the participants
themselves – their special talents, abilities,
and other attributes. For example: who are
good facilitators, who is good at sports, who
may know how to lead drama, music or dance,
who knows handicrafts, etc. In addition to
those at the programme site, what other
human resources are available in the host
community? What can they contribute to
special events or thematic sessions?
Other resources include the availability or
lack of material resources. For example, what
types of resources are needed to carry out
special activities ( e.g., a large playing area,
audio - visual equipment, paper and crayons,
etc.? ) Aside from resources you may bring
into the programme, what resources are
available outside the programme context
( e.g., a public swimming pool; historic and
other nearby sites; a nearby circus, mime,
entertainer; etc.? ) Considering resources both
within and outside the programme site helps to
enrich the possibilities available, aids the
conducting of planned activities and / or
suggesting new activities not previously
considered. Naturally, each programme context
is different and the available resources will vary
from country to country and between Chapters.
4.1.9 Implementation
Once clear about your programme design
and the available resources, you are now ready
to think in more detail about how to implement
the programme activities. Drawing from the
master calendar, you can now consider each
day’s plan. This includes not only the schedule
of events and the sequence of activities, but
very importantly, “how” each activity will be
conducted and “who” will implement it. Both
may be discussed among the staff, delegate
leaders, and the participants themselves, as
appropriate. Discussion of both who and how
are critical to the success of each activity,
always keeping in mind the specific purpose of
each activity. It is often useful to talk or walk
through procedures for the proper
implementation of each activity ( see also Part
3.6, Appropriate Use of Educational Activities ).
4.1.10 Evaluation and Re - entry
Finally, evaluation or assessment, is an
integral part of the curriculum design and
implementation process. Evaluation may be
both short and long - term. Short - term
evaluations are those conducted within the
programme; they may occur during as well as
at the end. Evaluation during the programme
provides feedback and insights which help to
make needed adjustments and programme
revisions. Evaluation at the end of the
programme evaluates, first of all, whether the
participants accomplished the programme
objectives. For this reason, programme
planners need to continually refer back to their
stated objectives to help in monitoring
programme implementation. This will also be
important when they eventually report back to
their hosting Chapter or NA and essential when
they complete the educational evaluation forms
for CISV International.
Evaluation can be both direct and indirect, as
well as both discrete´ and global´ in nature.
These four aspects of evaluation processes
can be placed on an intersecting continuum:
´discrete – see text
´global – see text
Discrete
Direct
Figure 11
Indirect
Global
For example, direct evaluation´ may be by
means of a questionnaire or holding a
discussion of specific issues you wish to learn
about. Indirect evaluation´ may be
accomplished by observing participants while
they are performing a specific activity and
noting their involvement, attitudes, and other
behaviors. Discrete evaluation refers to
looking at a very specific performance criterion,
such as: how participants are interacting or
communicating. Global evaluation is more
holistic´ and may attempt to measure
participants’ developing intercultural
competence based on a set of criteria. It is
quite normal to use combinations of these
various approaches to evaluation. Whatever
the case, evaluation is extremely important to
learn about how participants have developed
throughout the experience as well as their
attainment of the programme’s objectives. In
addition to evaluating participants, we are also
concerned with evaluating the programme itself
– how well did it go, what were some of the
problems, how were they resolved, what might
we do differently the next time, and what was
especially successful!
´direct evaluation – see
text
Índirect evaluation –
see text
´holistic – considering
the person or
organization as a
whole, complete
system, rather than a
collection or grouping
of parts
Core
Educational
Content
CISV International
Info File
SECTION
T
Finally, long - term assessment is often
desirable as well. This may be conducted by
the local Chapter, NA or CISV International.
Long - term evaluation is often conducted after
some time and distance pass between the
conduct of the programme since participants
and staff often differ in perspective at the end
of a programme and three months or more
later. Another form of longitudinal research´ may
be one carried out three or five years after an
experience to determine the long - term impact
on CISV participants. This type of assessment
tries to assess whether the goals ( and CISV’s
educational purposes ) are being accomplished.
other to ensure the programme quality of each
programme - and that is the topic of Part 5
which follows.
While evaluation is planned to guage the
effectiveness of a CISV programme in achieving
its objectives, re - entry concerns the way in
which a participant copes with “coming home.”
When participants have been well prepared and
trained for a programme, they can make good
use of the opportunities it offers.
“Do Villages provide a better quality CISV
experience than Interchanges?”
Consideration should also be given to
preparing participants to return to life with their
families and friends who have not directly
shared the intense, intercultural experiences of
their CISV programme. Family members should
be made aware that returning participants may
feel a sense of loss, having left many new
friends, whom they may not see again. They
may also initially over - emphasize cultural
differences. Informal and more structured
meetings with other CISVers from their Chapter
can help participants share their experiences
and relate them to others. Involvement in Junior
Branch and Local Work activities can help
returning participants to further develop
friendships, communication skills and
cooperative abilities.
4. 2
Looking at the Whole
To reiterate, the gemstone – or curriculum
design – process helps identify and clarify the
various components of programme design, how
they interrelate, and how to implement and
evaluate them. The lines connecting each
component around the gemstone illustrate how
each component is related to all others. When
all facets are properly integrated and placed in
their proper setting, the programme’s quality´,
like the diamond, is assured. Conducting this
process with all the programme facilitators,
and encouraging contributions from all, will
clearly benefit both programme design and
implementation. We teach and learn from each
other. A comment from Einstein serves as a
reminder in this respect: “No problem can be
solved from the same consciousness that
created it.” In other words, we need each
Part 5:
Ensuring Quality
“The parents trust us to choose high quality
delegation leaders . . .”
´longitudinal research
– see text
“Reducing the length of time that participants
spend in a CISV Village is bound to reduce
quality because . . .”
These fragments of conversations heard
within CISV are all about some aspect of
quality; no doubt, you can add others from your
own experience. We start with them because
they emphasise clearly that quality is a word
often used but seldom defined. This is as true
in everyday life generally as it is in relation to
CISV. Indeed, what we really mean by quality
is usually left implicit and is often judged
through apparently trivial manifestations
encountered in the things that people say and
do. We might talk about the quality of
something, say a car, but what we really mean
is that we think that whatever it is that we are
talking about possesses a useful attribute
relevant for a particular purpose. The car, for
example, might be small and easy to park,
making it ideal for driving in a town, but that
does not mean that it may be very suitable for
taking the family on a camping holiday. For
such an entirely different purpose as that, we
would probably value other attributes –
perhaps comfort on long journeys and luggage
space. In other words, quality does not exist
independently of the purpose that we have for
those things. Clearly, it is easier to talk about
objects such as cars than about the activities
of organizations such as CISV. This part is
about what is meant by quality in CISV
activities, especially in relation to our
educational values as an organization.
5.1 The Importance Of Quality
Village programmes for eleven year olds
represent one of the most common activities
within CISV. Their success depends upon the
commitment of people in local Chapters. This
commitment is not just in terms of CISV ideals
and values, but also in terms of time. Without
this, Villages and other programmes would not
´quality – see text
Core
Educational
Content
CISV International
Info File
SECTION
T
have the well prepared delegations, facilitators,
effective staff nor appropriate local support.
For this reason, CISV’s future lies in the quality
of work within the Chapters, since this reaches
out to and involves far more individuals than
might ever participate in international
programmes. This argument may be extended
even further. Inter - ethnic strife and
xenophobia´ in the late twentieth century is a
problem within nation states as much, if not
more so, than between them. Many societies
are becoming more diverse and more complex;
many communities are becoming increasingly
fragmented or xenophobic. CISV, with its
experience in developing a positive
understanding of differences, can make
important contributions through Junior Branch
and Local Work to influence societies and their
education systems.
Answering these questions might mean that
an even more difficult question is then posed
for the Chapter. This is because what we find
out about the quality of our work might mean
that we have to take some action to improve it.
Linked to this is the fact that conducting CISV
programmes is not merely a technical exercise
but also an intentional value - driven
enterprise. The basis of those values,
therefore, matter. As an organization, CISV’s
explicit educational purpose is to prepare
individuals to become active and contributing
members of a peaceful society. We are not,
therefore, entirely free to determine our own
purposes for CISV activities. If those activities
are to be part of CISV, they must reflect the
educational focus of CISV work. Criteria exist
by which we can determine the value of our
activities and, hence, their quality.
However, quality, as noted earlier, is more a
value judgement than a fact. People differ in
views of quality because they stress different
criteria for judging quality in CISV activities.
Furthermore, the meaning of quality often
depends on the context and aspect of each
CISV activity under consideration. An activity
used when selecting delegates for a Village, for
example, might be high quality in that setting
but not so when used with a group of very
experienced CISVers. This is one reason why
our notions of what constitutes typical CISV
activities are so interesting – because they
combine views both of quality and of the
expectations of an activity’s fulfilment of that
quality.
5.3 Assuring Quality In CISV
Programmes
5.2 Difficult Questions Raised By The
Pursuit Of Quality
In one sense, quality might be seen as
meaning “fitness for purpose” ( the quality of
an object or an activity depending on its
appropriateness for an intended purpose ).
This is both a useful and a challenging
definition as it raises difficult questions about
two aspects of CISV work:
1. the “purposes” of our CISV activities. Do
we know what those purposes are or what
they should be?
2. the realization or otherwise of those
purposes ( in the sense that quality only
exists if we achieve our purpose in practice ).
How do we know the extent to which our
purposes are realized in CISV programmes?
What kind of evidence might help us know?
Such issues lead us to think about how we
might assure quality in our CISV activities. For
this, it is important to distinguish between
“quality control”´ and “quality assurance.”
The former usually relies on some form of
inspection to check quality. This, however,
does not assure quality but only try to
eliminate defects. “Quality assurance”´ has
to go further than this. It must encourage
everyone, at all levels of the organization, to
regularly think about, question and challenge
the quality of the practices and activities in
which they engage. Making quality everyone’s
concern is the only way to ensure development
and improvement – even more so in a diverse
organization such as CISV. The crucial factor
is to develop a “quality culture” in the Chapter
so that there is a commitment to pursuing,
through discussion and questioning, quality as
a way of life. Simple monitoring and assessing
activities become as important as conducting
the activities themselves, so that action to
correct any undesirable effects can be taken at
the first sign of things not working the way they
were planned / expected.
5.4 Questions for Chapters to Consider
To develop a quality assurance approach to
work in your CISV Chapter, its members need
to agree on a view of what constitutes quality
in each aspect of their work and decide how it
might then be pursued. One way of doing this
is for Chapter members to consider the
following questions:
´quality control – see
text
´xenophobia – fear or
hatred of strangers,
foreigners or anyone
different
´Quality assurance
– see text
CISV International
Info File
Core
Educational
Content
SECTION
T
• Given CISV’s clear educational aims, what do
we expect participants to achieve in the
programme we are planning?
• Do members of this CISV Chapter share a
clear understanding of quality in our
educational activities ( i.e. the main purposes
of and the values shaping those activities )
consistent with Trustee policy?
• If we know what we mean by quality, is this
meaning shared by:
(a) individuals and groups within our CISV
Chapter who organize and facilitate CISV
activities; and,
(b) other key stakeholders such as parents,
the young people who participated in our
activities, or those who provide funds for us?
• Is this sense of quality communicated to
others?
• The search for quality involves looking at
the actual experiences of participants in
particular activities. How are these
experiences currently monitored in our
Chapter?
• What criteria do those who monitor quality
use? Are these shared and understood by
all those involved? Are they consistently
applied? How do we know?
5.5 The Next Step
So where do you go from here? There is
only one sure way by which a Chapter comes to
improve itself and the quality of its work: when
people in the Chapter become committed to
quality assurance and devise ways of turning
commitment into effective action. To
understand this is to be part of the way there.
However, the pursuit of quality education in
CISV will always be a continuing journey.
References
Allen, D.T. ( 1961 ). A Handbook of procedure
for Children’s International Summer Villages.
CISV International, Norway / USA.
Allen, D.T. ( 1983 ). Children as the ultimate
source for social change. Research and
Development Vol. 11, No. 1, p 13 - 17, CISV
International.
Anderson, P. J. ( 1997 ). A multiple intelligence
cross - cultural perspective for teachers of
English to speakers of other languages.
Interspectives Vol. 15, p 12 - 15.
Banks, J. G. ( 1997 ). A curriculum design
process for exchange programs: CISV’s search
for quality. Interspectives Vol. 15, p 36.
Banks, R., Banks, J. G. & Dickhoff, W. ( 1990 ).
Report of the CISV Delphi study. Interspectives
Vol. 9, p 15 - 32.
Barrow, R. & Milburn, G. ( 1990 ). A critical
dictionary of educational concepts, 2nd Edition.
New York: Teachers’ College Press, Columbia
University.
Constitution of the International Association of
Children’s International Summer Villages.
CISV Info File C - 1 ( 9641 ).
de Castro Reis, P. ( 1991 ). Peace education –
A synoptic chart. Interspectives Vol. 10, p 46.
Dickhoff, W. ( 1994 ). Evaluation of CISV
International programmes. Interspectives Vol. 12,
p 24 - 29.
Fantini, A. E. ( Ed. ) ( 1984 [a] ). Cross - cultural
orientation: A guide for leaders and educators.
Intercultural Exchange Series. Brattleboro, VT,
USA: The Experiment in International Living.
Fantini, A. E. ( Ed. ) ( 1984 [b] ). Getting the whole
picture: A student’s field guide to language
acquisition and culture exploration, Appendix 1:
About language and culture. Brattleboro, VT,
USA: The Experiment in International Living.
Fantini, A. ( 1995 ). At the heart of things: CISV’s
Educational Purpose. Interspectives, Vol. 13, p 9.
Grol, P. C. ( 1996 ). International encounters: a
cultural adventure. Interspectives Vol. 14, p 35 38.
ICL ( 1993 ). Intercultural Learning Model.
Graphic Guides Inc, USA.
Kolb, D. A. ( 1984 ). Experiential learning:
Experience as the source of learning and
development, p 21 - 22. Englewood Cliffs, NJ,
USA: Prentice Hall.
Kuhn, T. ( 1962 ). The structure of scientific
revolutions. Illinois, USA: University of Chicago
Press.
Kurokawa, A. ( 1996 ). Exchanging cultural
perspectives: Understanding Japanese
children. Interspectives Vol. 14, p 32 - 34.
Lewin, K. ( 1951 ). Field theory in social
sciences. New York, USA: Harper & Row.
Mager, R. F. ( 1962 ). Preparing instructional
objectives. Palo Alto, California, USA: Fearon
Publishers.
Matthews, W. P. Jr. ( 1991 ). Here in this
village. Newcastle upon Tyne, England: CISV
International.
Pena, D. ( 1997 ). How are CISV Local Work
and re - entry shock related. Interspectives Vol.
15. p 31.
UNESCO, Document 28 C/4 Approved: Medium
- Term Strategy 1996 - 2001. p 38, para 154.
Paris: UNESCO.
Yalowitz, D. ( 1996 ). Ethical considerations in
debriefing experiential activities. Interspectives
Vol. 14, p 23 - 28.
Core
Educational
Content
CISV International
Info File
SECTION
T
Part 6
Summary of Educational Processes
Statement of
Educational Purpose
CISV’s purpose is to
prepare individuals to
become active and
contributing members of
a peaceful society. CISV
endeavours to stimulate
the lifelong development
of amicable relationships,
effective communication
skills, cooperative
abilities, and appropriate
leadership towards a
just and fair world.
CISV volunteer
programmes and
activities are planned to
promote personal,
cultural, intercultural and
international learning. This
enables individuals to
develop awareness of,
and positive attitudes
towards others, and the
skills and knowledge to
live, work and play with
them, irrespective of
cultural background.
Through participation,
individuals come to
better understand
themselves and their
own culture as well as
others and their
cultures.
CISV offers
opportunities for
interested children,
young people, adults
and families to explore
relevant themes through
independent, short term,
non - formal educational
activities organized in
international, national
and local contexts.
These may be residential
or non - residential
settings and are offered
to qualified participants
irrespective of gender,
race, religion, ethnicity,
political affiliation,
socio - economic
background, or distinction
of any other kind.
Figure 12
The Educational Process in CISV
POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF PARTICIPATION
Development of self in a social context
Intrapersonal
Intracultural
Interpersonal
Intercultural
ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS
Original Core Goals of CISV ( 1950 )
Friendship
Communication
Cooperative Leadership
Components of Intercultural
Competence ( 1990s)
– Ability to establish relations
– Communication
– Achieve or attain a level of compliance
among those involved
S
Awareness +
Attitudes, Skills,
Knowledge
A A+
K
EDUCATIONAL CONTENT ( “WHAT WE DO” )
Core Content:
Intercultural Education, Personal Development Education, Human Relations Education
Other content areas ( to develop / support core ):
International Education, Human Rights Education, Global Awareness
Development Education, Environmental Education
LOCATION ( “WHERE” & “WHEN” )
CISV Programmes and Activities, including:
Village, Summer Camp, Interchange, Seminar Camp, Local Work, International Youth
Meetings, Junior Branch, Leadership Training, International People’s Projects,
Workshops, International Board Meetings, etc.
HOW ( EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION )
Resources:
Core Educational Content, Programme Guides, Planners, Activity Database,
Resources Reviews, Local Knowledge, Facilitators, Leaders, Leadership Training,
Participants, etc.

CISV`s Core Educational Content

Transcrição

Documentos relacionados

Big Ed Booklet.pub

Here - Evens Foundation

Interreg Europe - Second call letter of support template

Music, Arts and Intercultural Education: The Artistic Sensibility in the

Read The 2014 Global Child Nutrition Forum Communiqué.

234 6784479 8 847 - CEAD

Appendix F-21d January Report of Activities of the PPA

Pulsed Signal Therapy (PST) Stimulates Mitosis of Human

Adult and Training Education

play-by-play

and feature event

Entrepreneurial Activities in Europe - Policy brief on