In this show, you will hear about Auroville, an experimental international township in the South of India. This interpersonal and intercultural experiment was founded exactly 50 years ago in 1968 by Mirra Alfassa also known as “the Mother”. At first, we will listen to Noel Parent talking about his intercultural and spiritual journey and give us some detailed impressions about life in Auroville and what he enjoys most about this magic place. Our German student Lucas Bolten, who is currently studying a semester abroad at our partner university, the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras in India, will talk about his experience as a guest visitor in Auroville. And finally, we will listen to Noel Parent talking about the educational system and the importance of “learning by doing” in Auroville.
Author: Dr. Laurent Borgmann
India +++ Personal shopping +++ Non-vegetarian +++ absolutely intercultural 229 +++
In this show, you will hear about the grocery shop in India and believe me you will be surprised how different it is from European grocery shopping. Hari Gautham Somasundaram Dr. Arvind Sivaramakrishnan and Dr. TJ Kamalanabhan will talk about their own experience grocery shopping in India. In India, you need to go shopping early in the morning to get the best fruits and vegetables from the stalls. Hari, who is a student, tells us that he prefers going to the supermarket rather than the market or buying fruit from trollies in the street. Dr. Arvind, on the other hand, will talk about the challenges of grocery shopping in Indian markets.
Grocery shopping +++Vegetarian vs BBQ+++Market vs Supermarkets +++Multicultural supermarkets+++Absolutely Intercultural 228
Grocery shopping is a regular activity in our every-day culture. However, there seem to be different cultural aspects in our weekly shopping. At first, we will listen to Beate and Kati talking about the two opposite but equally strong movements in Germany: have you banned meat from your diet or do you buy big portions for your weekend BBQ? Javier from Spain reports how grocery shopping has changed through the generations in Spain. And finally, we will listen to Professor Scott Henderson from Canada, who talks about how the diverse cultures in Canada influence the choice of produce in supermarkets and how they differ from European supermarktes.
Classroom Response Systems +++ Interactive Classroom +++ Learning Culture +++ Auto-Evaluation of Essays +++ Absolutely Intercultural 226 +++
Can technology in the classroom change the culture of teaching and learning? Could this culture be more democratic and give a voice to participants who in regular seminars would not be heard? Let us listen to Hannah Peter an exchange student from Canada who talks about a Classroom Response System she has tried out as a teaching assistant in lectures at RheinAhrCampus. Then we hear from a professor Jalal Kawash, also from Canada who has been using Classroom Response Systems for years. Finally, Tsegaye Misikir Tashu from Hungary talks about a tool for Automated Essay Evaluation where professors can leave the reading and grading of essays to a computer program. Should we be scared by such innovations in the culture of teaching and learning? Continue reading “Classroom Response Systems +++ Interactive Classroom +++ Learning Culture +++ Auto-Evaluation of Essays +++ Absolutely Intercultural 226 +++”
Learning Outcomes +++ New Project +++ Skills to Learn and Apply +++ Semester Abroad +++ Absolutely Intercultural 224 +++
Have you ever thought about outcomes of your learning process? Well, in today’s show, we are going to focus on intercultural learning outcomes in lectures and seminars at university but also in study abroad experiences. First, we will listen to Mariana Silva, an Erasmus exchange student from Portugal. Mariana studied at RheinAhrCampus in Germany and did an intercultural internship at the same time. She will talk about the research she has done into the theory of learning outcomes or graduate attributes and quote examples from her own observations in classes and her intercultural development during the internship. Then, our main editor Zarnura Hajiyeva will take the microphone and will turn Dr. Borgmann into a guest in this show – as a lecturer who has some experience in formulating learning outcomes for his own classes. As he noticed considerable effects on both the style of his teaching and the effectiveness of his classes, he will share his experiences of the process. His next project will be to apply the idea of intercultural learning outcomes to the study abroad experience of his students. Finally, we will listen to Husniyya Huseynova, an exchange student from Azerbaijan, who will share her impressions of the courses and the lasting impact on her personal intercultural growth. Continue reading “Learning Outcomes +++ New Project +++ Skills to Learn and Apply +++ Semester Abroad +++ Absolutely Intercultural 224 +++”
Absolutely Intercultural 218 +++ Erasmus babies +++ advice for the exchange students +++ indirect Erasmus effects +++
Hello and welcome to show 218 of our podcast “absolutely intercultural” which is the third of a series of “Erasmus” podcasts to celebrate and highlight the 30th anniversary of the most successful of all student exchange programs. In this episode our students are going to share their own experiences and stories with you. You will hear some useful advice for your exchange semester. How should you be prepared before going abroad? How to make your integration easier? Also how Erasmus effects non-exchange students, and how they profit in their home country. And we will listen to a beautiful story about how an exchange semester resulted in a lovely Erasmus couple.
Continue reading “Absolutely Intercultural 218 +++ Erasmus babies +++ advice for the exchange students +++ indirect Erasmus effects +++”
Absolutely Intercultural 216 +++ Erasmus 30 Anniversity +++ Practical Teaching +++ Study Abroad
Welcome to show 216 of our podcast “absolutely intercultural” which is the second of a series of “Erasmus podcasts” to celebrate and highlight the 30th anniversary of this “mother of all student exchange programs”. In this episode we are going to hear from the three participants of the program sharing their dearest experiences and stories with you. What is it like to be an Erasmus student? What is is an “Erasmus Experience”? Perhaps living on your own in completely different country for the first time! Stay tuned and listen to our international exchange students from Azerbaijan and Spain, as well as a guest lecturer from Canada.
Absolutely Intercultural 214 +++ Erasmus 30 +++ Teaching Staff Mobility +++ Study Abroad
Welcome to this special episode dedicated to the 30th Anniversary of the European Erasmus Program. In today’s episode we are going to hear from three participants of the program sharing their experiences and stories about how they decided to leave their comfort zones and made a bold move to internationalise themselves. Listen to the the stories of two international Erasmus Exchange students from Azerbaijan and Georgia, and a guest lecturer from Canada.
Absolutely Intercultural 213 +++ Cultural Differences +++ Travel Culture +++ Daily Routine
Today you will hear about cultural differences between traveling in India and in Germany and also you can follow a Portuguese exchange student through her daily routines in the student accommodation and on campus.
Continue reading “Absolutely Intercultural 213 +++ Cultural Differences +++ Travel Culture +++ Daily Routine”
Absolutely Intercultural 210 +++ Cultural Diversity +++ Culture Shock +++Re-entry Shock
In this Podcast we will talk about culture-shock, cultural differences and also re-entry shock which expats can experience when they return to their home country after some time. Continue reading “Absolutely Intercultural 210 +++ Cultural Diversity +++ Culture Shock +++Re-entry Shock”