肆客足球

unescochair-icc
Welcome to Stellenbosch 肆客足球

PROGRAMME

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Day 1: 14 October 2024

Registration & Arrival

Refreshments on arrival

8:00 am - 8:45 am

Registration:

8:45 am - 9:00 am

Pre-conference Workshop (UNESCO Story Circles Train-the-Trainer)

9:00 am - 1:00 pm

Fasilitators: Dr Darla K. Deardorff & Mr Werner de Wit

UNESCO Story Circles, developed by Dr. Darla Deardorff for UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), provide a platform for individuals from diverse backgrounds to share their stories, experiences, and perspectives. These circles are not just about storytelling; they are about fostering empathy, understanding, and appreciation for different cultures and identities.

How can intercultural competence be developed in a very concrete way? Join this highly interactive workshop to experience UNESCO Story Circles, an intercultural methodology successfully piloted around the world both in-person and virtually. Story Circles work well in COIL, in orientations, and in classes to bring students together across differences, build community, and to practice key intercultural competencies such as listening for understanding. This is a train-the-trainer workshop so participants will leave with an action plan on how/when/where to use Story Circles. Participants are also invited to bring other intercultural tools they use and time will be given to share these tools with each other.

12:00 pm - 1:30 pm

Registrations for persons not doing the Pre-Conference Workshop

??1:00 pm- 2:00 pm

?Lunch

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm ?

?Welcome

Dr Darla Deardorff - UNESCO Chair?

Prof Izael Da Silva, Deputy Vice Chancellor: Research & Innovation

Keynote Address

Mr Milton Nyamadzawo

Institute for Economics and Peace – Harare, Zimbabwe

?3:15 pm - 4:15 pm 

Parallel Sessions (A) - (See below)

4:30 pm - 5:45 pm ?

Film Screening & Discussion

Using film to foster intercultural communication, peace building and reconciliation among communities in Kenya

Presenter: Dr Charles Kebaya

(Machakos 肆客足球, Kenya)

This is paper examines how film spurs intercultural communication, peace building and reconciliation among various communities in Kenya. 


6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Welcome Cocktail Reception?

Violence is a recurrent trope in Kenya right from the pre-colonial period, colonial invasion to post-independence. Various communities have witnessed various forms of violence ranging from ethnic clashes, gender based violence to post-election violence orchestrated by resources and border disputes, inter-ethnic conflicts and election disputes. Using action research, data collection involves pre-screening, screening and post-screening discussions among youth from Pokot and Turkana communities of northern Kenya.?

Focusing on how film weaves into the poetics of transitional justice, this paper conceptualizes and foregrounds the peace building potential of Kenyan film in two ways: first, by exploring how film not only represents causes of violence, but also depicts possible ways of sustaining peace by preventing recurrences of conflict and human rights abuses in the future; and second, by giving voice to both victims and perpetrators to watch and reflect on their involvement in the violence as depicted in film plays a critical role towards the quest for reconciliation and healing among communities. The paper also argues that film screenings are an effective cultural means of conflict resolution. Ultimately, the paper shows that film not only provides a platform to re-experience and reconfigure past violence, but more importantly, serves as a site for peace building and reconciliation among communities, unlocks inter-communal communication and provides essential knowledge on peace, healing and reconciliation which has a bearing on policy making in the country.? ?




Day 2: 15 October 2024

8:30 am - 9:30 am

Morning Coffee

9:45 am - 11:15 am

?Keynote Panel

  • Professor Joanne Hughes, Queen's 肆客足球, Belfast Northern Ireland.
  • Dr Leslie van Rooi, Stellenbosch 肆客足球, South Africa.
  • Dr Stephen Macharia, Strathmore 肆客足球, Kenya.
  • Moderator: Dr Darla K Deardorff, UNESCO Chair on Intercultural Competences

11:30 am - 12:30 pm

?Parallel Sessions (B) - ?(See below)

?12:30 pm - 2:00 pm

?Lunch & Poster Engagements

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

?Parallel Sessions (C) - ?(See below)

3:15 pm - 3:45 pm

Refreshment Break

?4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

?Parallel Sessions (D) - ?(See below)

5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Closing Plenary?


Parallel Sessions Themes 

 Day 1: 14 October 2024


Parallel Session A: 3:15pm- 4:15pm?

?Session 1: (Room: Microsoft Auditorium)

Virtual Exchange: Mainstreaming Intercultural Collaboration in Rural and Remote Teacher Preparation

Presenter: 

  • ?Dr Jennice McCafferty-Wright

(Missouri State 肆客足球, USA)

AND

Contact, connection and collaboration: The role of shared education in a society transitioning from conflict 

Presenter:

  • ?Prof. Joanne Hughes 

(Queen's 肆客足球 Belfast, United Kingdom)


Presentation 1: Virtual Exchange: Mainstreaming Intercultural Collaboration in Rural and Remote Teacher Preparation

If we wish to teach for a sustainable future, teacher preparation programs must equip educators with concrete skills that will help them teach for global understanding and intercultural collaboration. In response to this need, the College of Education at Missouri State 肆客足球 created a virtual exchange program between teacher trainees in Missouri and North Africa, the Global Teacher Education Exchange. Our three-week long exchange is now mainstreamed into teacher preparation programs in Morocco and the United States. The exchange includes areas with limited global educational resources such as the Atlas Mountains, the Sahara, and the Rif Mountains in Morocco, as well as the rural Ozark region of Missouri. In its first four years, the program has engaged more than 1,200 participants, many of whom have participated fully in the exchange via cell phone and from remote and rural areas. This proposal presents outcomes of the Global Teacher Education Exchange and the ways in which it strengthens intercultural competencies among pre-service teachers in rural and remote regions.

Our initiative employs culturally responsive teaching methods that have demonstrated their effectiveness in disrupting dangerous narratives about "the other," while fostering significant intercultural understanding and growth among participants. We will share the results of our research, focusing on how the virtual exchange disrupts dangerous narratives among future educators. We will also highlight concrete practices that have made our exchange accessible and effective for participants from rural and remote areas, particularly in building intercultural competencies essential for teaching for global understanding and peace building.

Initial findings from our program indicate that the exchange has significantly increased the number of teacher candidates who are graduating from our programs with experiences in intercultural collaboration. Educators from rural backgrounds, in particular, have shown robust engagement in global dialogues, providing unique insights and demonstrating a strong commitment to teach for global understanding upon completion of the program.

Results from the Global Teacher Education Exchange underscore the potential of virtual exchange as a mainstreamed pedagogical practice in teacher preparation, one that makes experiences with intercultural collaboration accessible despite geographical and socioeconomic barriers. This highlights the need for the broader incorporation of these tools in teacher preparation programs globally, especially in underserved areas.?

By sharing our approach and outcomes at the conference, we aim to contribute to the ongoing discussion on effective strategies for fostering intercultural competencies in educational settings, with a focus on educators who serve in rural and remote areas. Furthermore, we seek to amplify the outcomes of our exchange by providing attendees with a practical framework for implementing similar initiatives and encouraging teacher preparation programs to develop collaborative partnerships through virtual exchange.


Presentation 2: Contact, connection and collaboration: The role of shared education in a society transitioning from conflict

The Belfast/Good Friday Agreement in 1998 signalled the end of more than three decades of conflict in Northern Ireland. Some 25 years on society remains divided, and this is mirrored especially in the education system where the majority of young people continue to attend schools that are characterised by ethno/religious separation. Seeking to capitalise on the role that schools can play in promoting social cohesion, and underpinned by contact theory, intercultural and social cohesion drivers, a Shared Education initiative was piloted by Queen's 肆客足球 in 2007. The approach promotes collaboration between schools from different sectors as a vehicle for improving educational opportunities for all children and building intergroup relations. Shared education has had a significant impact in a relatively short time period, with the majority of schools In NI participating and an associated legislative and policy framework now in place. The approach has also attracted interest from other divided jurisdictions and shared education projects based on the NI model have been trialled in Israel and countries in southeast Europe. This presentation examines the evidence for shared education and explores its unique contribution to promoting social cohesion in a society still recovering from conflict.




Session 2: (Room: B04)

Visual Redress at Stellenbosch 肆客足球, South Africa: the role of intercultural engagements and competencies in creating an inclusive campus landscape and culture? 

Presenters:

  • Dr Leslie van Rooi 
  • Dr Gera de Villiers

(Stellenbosch 肆客足球, South Africa)

South Africa is a rainbow nation, where many different cultural, ethnic, linguistic, etc groups share environments. A microcosm of this can be found on university campuses, and specifically for this presentation, on Stellenbosch 肆客足球’s (SU) campuses. With the nation’s democracy (30 years this year) and with the more focussed spotlight on transformation and decolonisation since the Fees Must Fall student protests of 2015-2016.

it is imperative for these different publics to integrate and share spaces better – to practice intercultural competences. As laid out in SU’s Transformation Plan (2019), transformation is viewed as systemic. This means that all aspects of university life are involved in this process – including curriculum, space, and people – and that these aspects also influence the transformation of society (the publics). It is in this regard that intercultural competencies are needed and actively honed to create new possibilities and opportunities on a university campus like at SU. 

One way that SU, a historically exclusively, white, and mostly Afrikaans space, has attempted to foster intercultural competencies – and to work towards decolonisation and Africanisation – is though the Visual Redress Project, whose aim is to change the visual landscape of the university’s campus. This project, in alignment with the Visual Redress Policy (2021), is focused on the removal or contextualisation of sensitive artwork or symbols, the introduction of new visual symbols with African centrality as an outcome, updating campus signage, the naming/renaming of buildings and spaces, and other such initiatives that endeavour to create a more diverse, welcoming, inclusive, and equitable environment for all. Visual Redress takes place within a framework of deep engagement that brings together various perspectives, cultures, understandings, histories, and experiences. These engagements, often complex and robust, have as outcome new perspectives that harnesses diversity in bringing about shared values, platforms, and new common symbols. 

The Visual Redress project is, at its core, an example of intercultural competences as the campus is host to many different publics. For this presentation, we will explore some of the foci, process engagements, and outcomes of the Visual Redress project at SU and will show towards the value of intercultural engagement and the necessity of these competencies in creating an inclusive campus landscape and culture.  Further to this, we will look at three different sets of data from students, staff, and lecturers: two collected through short in-person interviews and one through a survey circulated online. This data reveals the respondents’ perceptions to various visual redress initiatives undertaken on campus thus far and provides an understanding of their feelings on transformation and belonging. In a last instance, we will show that the Visual Redress project attempts to contribute to the discourse around the importance of intercultural competencies through a look into the ways that exclusion and injustice are found within SU’s visual landscape and how inclusivity could be achieved through its active and engaging redressing.




Session 3: (Room B02)

Development of Intercultural Competence through COIL: A systematic review of existing practice in Africa

Presenters:

  • Dr Stephen Macharia?
  • Dr Magdalene Dimba
  • Dr Fred Odhiambo

(Strathmore 肆客足球 - Kenya)?

COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) is gaining acceptance as a means of expanding student’s intercultural and global exposure. While COIL has become a popular strategy for internationalization of teaching and learning in the West, this practice is still at a nascent stage in Africa. Through a systematic review of literature, this paper delineates the existing COIL initiatives in Africa that are mentioned in existing literature. 

It also analyses the trends of collaboration, the challenges faced in creating intercultural exposure through COIL and the reported impact on intercultural competence. This review contributes to debates on intercultural competence by demonstrating the trends and gaps that need to be addressed in order to scale this promising practice in the continent.?




Day 2: 15 October 2024

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 Parallel Session B: 11:30am- 12:30am

Session 1: (Room: Microsoft Auditorium)

Exploring Intercultural Competences in an African Context: Intercultural Partnerships

Presenter:

  • Ms Jacqueline Irimu

(EDU Africa?, Kenya)?

Cultural boundaries refer to the norms, values, and customs that distinguish one culture from another. In the African context, one prominent cultural boundary is the existence of ethnic groups. Sociologists define ethnic groups as human communities with distinct characteristics such as a collective name, shared historical past, common traditions, customs, and practices (Barrett & Bryam, 2022). ?

These groups exhibit a high degree of internal diversity and plurality, with members selectively adopting, adapting, or rejecting various cultural aspects while sometimes incorporating elements from other cultures into their own customs and practices. 

An international encounter, which can alter preconceived notions about different cultures, occurs when an individual interacts with a person from another nation or ethnic group. This session will discuss examples of real-life intercultural encounters between study abroad groups (mostly from the US) and an NGO, as facilitated by an international education organization (EDU Africa). An overview of the importance of language in creating a lasting connection, the values of empathy when going into someone’s home, learning how to respect cultural differences in the way certain activities are predominantly done by one gender, e.g milking the cows, herding the cows (in the Maasai community). 

The session will consider the valuable insights that a women partner from an NGO in the Maasai Mara area offers into intercultural competencies in practice in working with local communities as well as international students and stakeholders. We are able to learn from firsthand experiences that illustrate the transformative power of intercultural understanding. It is possible to understand how such individuals or institutions have navigated cultural complexities of their own while engaging with other cultural frameworks. This dual perspective enriches her interactions and underscores the importance of intercultural competence in fostering broader thinking and effective collaboration. 

The session will critically reflect on gender equality in the context of the intercultural. For women in particular, developing intercultural competence can be empowering but also challenging. It opens avenues for leadership and participation in various socio-economic and political arenas. Women equipped with intercultural skills can bridge cultural gaps, advocate for gender equality, and contribute to community development. Education and empowerment initiatives focusing on intercultural competence can therefore play a pivotal role in advancing women’s roles in society.

In conclusion, fostering intercultural competence is essential in the African context, where cultural diversity is both a challenge and a strength. By understanding and appreciating this diversity, individuals can enhance their communication, collaboration, and problem-solving abilities. Partnerships with organizations and individuals who have deep cultural insights, like the Non Governmental organization I plan to collaborate with, can enrich the process of developing these competencies.

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Session 2: (Room: B04)

Virtual Global Engagement in Africa: IGlobal as Intercultural Tool for Practice

Presenter:

  • Dr Allison Witt
(肆客足球 of Illinois Urbana-Champaign?, USA)

This presentation describes the challenges and possibilities of virtual programming between the Global North and Global South. Focused on an intercultural project for initial teacher education (ITE), IGlobal, this presentation describes the program through a reflective case study methodology.  
IGlobal is an example of what we call virtual global engagement (VGE) for initial teacher education (ITE).  Drawing from practices like virtual exchange, COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning), and virtual internships, IGlobal bridges university and community contexts in the Global North and Global South, including across Africa. 
IGlobal is a VGE program that links preservice teachers to classrooms and communities in over 20 countries globally.  Centered on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), IGlobal provides online global fieldwork for preservice teachers and professional development for in-service teachers both domestic and international (IGlobal, 2021). Now in its fourth year of operation, IGlobal has grown well beyond its initial purpose of virtual study abroad and has continued to grow in the post-pandemic context, bringing together universities and communities globally in synchronous virtual collaboration around the shared UN SDGs.
This case study utilizes reflective case study methodology to capture the development process as well as participant experience across different stages of this project (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). I outline the development of the project, including the research and theories that inform the program, as well as the function of the program itself. This study also tracks the development of preservice teachers’ and practicing teachers’ perceptions of their intercultural teaching skills during and after completing this project.  
Within the field of teacher education, scholars have raised concerns that international programming from the Global North can devolve into academic tourism or voluntourism in the context of the Global South. Rather than engendering intercultural communication, programs risk actually fostering postcolonial and neocolonial racist attitudes, setting preservice teachers up as the “White saviors” or employing other narratives of privilege and rescue. Participants come planning to help or rescue the international host practicing teachers without recognizing that, as inexperienced preservice teachers themselves, they may offer only economic benefits (Major & Santoro, 2016). In addition to the disservice to participants, such programming can damage equitable international partnerships. Obviously, educators do not want their school treated as a tourist destination, and resist or resent participating in academic tourism (Breen, 2012). 
Many of the challenges presented here are not specific to teacher education but are broadly characteristic of all international programing in higher education in the United States when engaging in the Global South. This project explores ways to mitigate this challenge and to recenter the experience of teachers situated in the Global South, in particular across Africa. 
The findings highlight participants intercultural understanding themselves and increased confidence in teaching intercultural collaboration for their students. The research presented will encourage discussion around the potential and limitations for virtual collaborations that link the Global North and Africa.  



?Session 3: (Room B02)

Intercultural Competence & Positive Peace

Presenter:

  • Arinolah Elizabeth-Nite Omoll

(East Africa Positive Peace Activator, Kenya)?

In 




Parallel Session C: 2:00pm- 3:00pm

Session 1: (Room: Microsoft Auditorium)

The Legacy of Colonisation: how interculturalists can help Africa and the Global North come to terms with past wrongs, recognize current realities and create sustainable, equitable partnerships for the future.

Presenters:

  • Mr Jeremy Solomons

(JSA Consulting, Kigali, Rwanda)

  • Dr David Thuku?

(Nairobi, Kenya)

The 2,500-year history of European Colonisation lies deep and bitter in the souls and psyches of many Africans, who still bear its scars and still see much ignorance and arrogance throughout the Global North from secondary students to business people to policy makers.

Through personal storytelling and provocative questioning, East Africa-based interculturalists David Thuku and Jeremy Solomons will co-lead an interactive presentation and conversation on what interculturalists can do in relation to three key aspects of European Colonisation:

1. Understanding the Past – The legacy of European Colonisation from the ]rst Greek mercantile colony in Naucratis, Egypt in the 6th Century BCE to the ‘Scramble for Africa’ in the late 19th Century.

2. Exploring the Present – The post-colonial mindset, de-colonisation and neo-colonisation as China, Russia and other countries expand their economic, political and military power within the continent.

3. Co-creating the Future – What interculturalists can do to prepare themselves and help others create more positive, effective collaboration between the Global North and Africa going forward.

Session 2: (Room: B04)

The role of authentic African storytelling emerges as a potential catalyst for transformation within South African institutions of higher learning.

?Presenter:
  • Siphilangenkosi Dlamini

(肆客足球 of the Free State, South Africa)

??

This article seeks to explore the significance of authentic African storytelling in higher education transformation, aiming to understand its potential contributions to decolonization efforts and the creation of a more inclusive academic environment.

Major obstacles still exist in South Africa's higher education system, despite the fact that apartheid has been abolished and continued attempts are being made to decolonize the system. The legacy of colonialism and apartheid continue to have an effect on the institutional structures, curricula, and cultures of South Africa, frequently resulting in the marginalization of indigenous knowledge systems and cultural practices. Existing imbalances are made worse by the fact that the contemporary academic environment is largely affected by Eurocentric beliefs, which may cause students who come from historically disadvantaged groups to feel alienated with the institution. In order to find solutions to these problems, it is vital to examine instructional methods that are not only innovative but also culturally appropriate and that encourage diversity and equity. As a result of this, real African storytelling emerges as a potentially revolutionary force in South African educational institutions of higher learning. The transmission of information, the preservation of cultural history, and the promotion of social cohesiveness among African civilizations are all accomplished through the art of storytelling, which is profoundly engrained in these societies. It has the potential to challenge dominant narratives, to foster cross-cultural understanding, and strengthen voices that are underrepresented. On the other hand, the incorporation of narrative into higher education continues to be undervalued and underexplored.

In light of the fact that storytelling has the ability to make a contribution to the transformation of education, this study investigates the significance of storytelling as well as its practical applications in South African universities. The major research question that serves as the foundation for this work is as follows: "How can authentic African storytelling contribute to the decolonization of higher education and the creation of an academic environment that is more inclusive at South African universities?"

Session 3: (Room B02)

"Espa?ol en Vivo": Fostering Intercultural Competence through Online Exchanges between Spanish and Kenyan Students

Presenter:

  • ??Sara Mehrgut 

?(Starthmore 肆客足球, Kenya)

This presentation focuses on "Espa?ol en Vivo," a collaborative online project that connects Spanish students from UNED, a Spanish university, with Kenyan students from Strathmore 肆客足球. This initiative aims to enhance spoken Spanish language skills while promoting intercultural competence and global citizenship among participants.

Through structured online exchanges, students engage in meaningful dialogues about cultural differences and educational practices. The project emphasizes mutual understanding and collaboration, allowing students to experience diverse perspectives while fostering ethical engagement and civic commitment. This presentation will outline the methodology, student experiences and the impact of these intercultural exchanges on developing global citizenship.

Furthermore, the findings highlight the importance of creating supportive online environments that promote empathy and cooperation across cultures. The insights gained from this project can inform future initiatives aimed at enhancing intercultural competence through online learning platforms.?




Parallel Session D: 4:00pm- 5:00pm

Session 1: (Room: Microsoft Auditorium)

Intercultural Competences in Modern Africa: Exploring Sino-African Cultural Exchange

Presenter:

  • Patrice Kabeya Mwepu

(Rhodes 肆客足球, South Africa)

Intercultural competence remains a focal point of contemporary cultural research. Theoretical perspectives from scholars like ?douard Glissant (2009, 1997 & 1990) illuminate the complexities of identity, which may be either atavistic, grounded in traceable genealogy, or composite, shaped by a confluence of varied cultures over time and history.

This paper examines the acute relevance of intercultural competence within the African context, where historical dynamics can present as both dualistic and voluntary.

Focusing on various African cultures, I will demonstrate how interculturality has been both accepted and promoted in precolonial and modern African societies. This analysis will reveal that intercultural competence was essential for the dynamism of historical African societies, as evidenced by myths, customs, and habits. Moreover, I will illustrate how modern Africa actively engages in cultural exchanges, particularly highlighting the notable interactions with Western countries.

A key aspect of this study is the exploration of Sino-African cultural exchange through the Confucius Institutes. These institutes play a crucial role in promoting mutual understanding and fostering intercultural skills among African students and researchers. By collaborating with Chinese universities, African scholars gain dual competencies that bridge both cultures, enabling them to address pressing issues on the continent. This is particularly significant in fields such as green energy, traditional medicine, and human values.

In sum, this paper will elucidate the necessity and impact of intercultural competence in African societies, both historically and in contemporary times, with a particular emphasis on the enriching cultural exchanges with China.

Reference : ?douard Glissant, Philosophie de la relation, Paris, Gallimard, 2009 ; Traité du Tout-Monde, Paris : Gallimard, 1997 ; Poétique de la relation, Paris : Gallimard, 1990.

Session 2: (Room: B04)

The use of differentiated instruction to achieve culturally responsive teaching ?

Presenter:

  • ?Mo?nica Gakii Ituma Ituma

(Chuka 肆客足球, Kenya)

Due to increasing cultural diversity of learners in today’s educational set-ups, there is an insurmountable need to embrace culturally responsive teaching practices. As educators strive to provide inclusive learning environments in which learners from different cultural backgrounds learn well, differentiated instruction (DI) becomes a practical tool. 

The aim of this contribution is to support educational practitioners in exploring the potential of DI in meeting the needs of culturally diverse learners in competency based learning environments. The discussion here is on the practical implementation of DI within the framework of Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT). By examining the strategies teachers employ in providing DI and their understanding of learner attributes, including cultural differences, the practitioners can develop workable insights for implementing CRT. In alignment with the conference theme of "Intercultural Tools Available to the Practitioner," this proposal addresses the critical need for educators to develop effective teaching strategies for engaging with culturally diverse learners.

A key response to the need to cater for learner diversity in Kenyan is the implementation of Competency Based Curriculum is founded on, among others, the principle of diversity and inclusion as well as differentiated learning (Basic Education Curriculum Framework, 2019). While various efforts have been made to address cultural diversity in learning in Kenya, there is inadequate demonstration of tools that could directly support culturally responsive teaching. Wachiuri & Kimathi (2020) posit that there are no structures of how multicultural education is delivered in most countries. According to Santamaria, (2009) DI can be a considered useful tool in providing CRT 

Differentiated instruction involves practices acknowledging learner differences in interests, background knowledge, culture, learning style, language and readiness resulting in individually responsive teaching. (Tomlinson, 2014). Culturally Responsive teaching is an approach to instruction that responds to the sociocultural context and seeks to integrate the cultural content of the learner in shaping an effective learning environment. CRT and DI are distinctly different but also have commonalities in practice such as use of inclusive curriculum, cultural awareness, individualized approach, equitable learning environments as well as flexible and responsive teaching strategies. The two complement each other as they both prioritize meeting the diverse learner needs and promoting inclusive educational practices. An increased focus on cultural differences of learners can help teacher tailor DI towards the provision of CRT. The two strategies can be reconciled to create a pedagogy that can serve to improve learner achievement while at the same time catering for their diverse interests and cultures. 

A background study was carried out to examine the strategies that junior school teachers use in implementing differentiated instruction, the methods they use to study learner differences and how well they are familiar with their learners’ differences.  The results showed that teachers often used various DI strategies with flexible grouping(81.6%) and contextualization(80.6%) topping the list. The most common way teachers study learner differences is through Observation(91.3%). However, only 26.2% indicated having adequate knowledge of the learners’ cultural differences. Teachers can be supported to identify learners’ cultural differences and inculcate them into DI.

During the exploration of the integration of CRT practices into the DI strategies, the participants will gain insights into developing culturally inclusive instructional practices.

Session 3: (Room B02)???

Research, reflections, lived experiences and examples from working with Diversity Atlas in the African context.

Presenter:

  • Mr Wanah Bumakor 
    (Cultural Infusion, Cameroon)?


Culture, though invisible, holds immense influence over people but cultural diversity is often poorly understood or overlooked in peacebuilding initiatives. According to UNESCO, 75% of global conflicts have a cultural dimension, with 89% of ongoing armed conflicts transpiring in countries with limited intercultural dialogue. ? 


The legacy of colonialism in African created multiethnic states rendering many governments vulnerable to high levels of cultural erosion and ethnic conflict, discrimination, inequality and marginalisation. The weight of tribalism in Africa cannot be underestimated.? 

Despite Africa being the most ethnolinguistically diverse continent, there is high potential for intercultural understanding. Many Africans communicate in multiple local languages alongside European languages and come from intercultural marriages. ?However, most diversity and inclusion strategies?rely on selective datasets and therefore miss the overlapping identities of people and fail to create genuinely inclusive strategies. In fostering a fully inclusive culture, organisations in Africa would contribute to political stability, leading to improved trade conditions, thriving economies and a resilient private sector, creating a virtuous circle.? ? 

Selective datasets, which put highly diverse peoples into unnuanced categories that erase their specific skills and needs lead to missed opportunities and heightened conflict.? 

In creating policies and plans for diverse groups of people, holistic datasets that include all known ethnicities, languages, worldviews/religions and attributes such as gender, disability, age and sexuality are vital.? 

Our proposal highlights the importance of accurately identifying African ethnolinguistic characteristics within groups as a precondition for intercultural competence and healing divisions within the populations and identifies the technology to achieve this aim.? 

Launched in 2019, Diversity Atlas (diversityatlas.io) is the world’s only holistic tool for measuring cultural diversity. Underpinned by its proprietorial Global Database of Humanity of 42,000+ human attributes, its data structure allows analysis of key metrics of diversity, including variety, balance, disparity and representation. Our methodology and definition of cultural diversity were based on 300+ literature reviews.? 

Organisations in Africa and beyond have historically been forced to rely on unreliable and outdated ethnic datasets compiled by Christian missionaries during the colonial period as the most available sources of information on the histories and cultures of some groups.?? 

Example of how most academic ‘lists’ operate in a three- or four-column system when compiling ethnic or tribal groups:? 
 
Zone: Africa? 
Ethnic Group: Bantu? 
Group: Cameroon Highland Bantu; Northeast Coastal Bantu  ? 
Sub-Group?: Busam; Kung; Duruma; Gosha 

We developed, just for Cameroon and ‘cultural groups’, a seven-column system:? 

Macro Zone?: Africa 
Region?: Central Africa
Country?: Cameroon 
Region: Littoral Region? 
Ethnic Group: Sawa? 
Ethnic Sub-Group?: Bankon 
Village?: Mandouka? 

This allows people to self-identify accurately and provides granular, accurate information. 

Diversity Atlas offers an unprecedented path to thriving in the African context in its ability to assist in the equitable allocation and delivery of services and resources, help maintain cultures, increase intercultural understanding and foster peace



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MORE INFORMATION

CONTACT PERSON?

  • Werner De Wit
  • wdw@sun.ac.za
?

?P?oster Session Themes :

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?Presenter 
Poster Title 

?Ms Marie Hélène Girardin,

(MG Link, France).



??The intercultural approach seen from France, towards the African continent : my experience as an intercultural consultant.

?Dr Jennice McCafferty-Wright
(Missouri State 肆客足球, USA)?
?Virtual Exchange: Mainstreaming Intercultural Collaboration in Rural and Remote Teacher Preparation