ePortfolio Assignment for SPA 112
The purpose of this assignment is to satisfy the Cultural Competence component of your ePortflio, which is a graduation requirement. You are to demonstrate cultural awareness and objectivity through cultural reflection.
NOTE: This is a graded analytical paper written in English that includes self-reflection. The overall paper is for you to compare a cultural aspect (of your choosing) between two different cultures (also of your choosing). Although this is a comparison, you are NOT to insinuate that one culture is better than the other. For example, an aspect of culture is beauty and you could compare the concept of beauty in South America vs. Asia. Although it is preferred that one of the cultures chosen reflects the language you are studying, it is not required. Your thesis statement is to specifically state what is to be discussed and the point that you are attempting to make. A good thesis statement is clear and specific, with evidence that supports the claim that you have made. For further assistance on writing your thesis statement prior to submission, please contact the Embedded Librarian for this course.
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Excellent 12.5 pts. |
Good 9.5 pts. |
Competent 6.5 pts. |
Needs Improvement 3.5 pts. |
Unacceptable 0 pts. |
Knowledge Cultural Self-Awareness |
Articulates insights into own cultural rules and biases (e.g. seeking complexity; aware of how her/his experiences have shaped these rules, and how to recognize and respond to cultural biases, resulting in a shift in self-description.) |
Recognizes new perspectives about own cultural rules and biases (e.g. not looking for sameness; comfortable with the complexities that new perspectives offer.)
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Identifies own cultural rules and biases (e.g. with a strong preference for those rules shared with own cultural group and seeks the same in others.)
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Shows minimal awareness of own cultural rules and biases (even those shared with own cultural group(s)) (e.g. uncomfortable with identifying possible cultural differences with others.)
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Shows no awareness of own cultural rules and biases (even those shared with own cultural group(s)). |
Knowledge of Cultural Worldview Frameworks |
Demonstrates sophisticated understanding of the complexity of elements important to members of another culture in relation to its history, values, politics, communication styles, economy, or beliefs and practices. |
Demonstrates adequate understanding of the complexity of elements important to members of another culture in relation to its history, values, politics, communication styles, economy, or beliefs and practices. |
Demonstrates partial understanding of the complexity of elements important to members of another culture in relation to its history, values, politics, communication styles, economy, or beliefs and practices.
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Demonstrates surface understanding of the complexity of elements important to members of another culture in relation to its history, values, politics, communication styles, economy, or beliefs and practices. |
Demonstrates no understanding of the complexity of elements important to members of another culture in relation to its history, values, politics, communication styles, economy, or beliefs and practices. |
Skills Empathy |
Interprets intercultural experience from the perspectives of own and more than one worldview and demonstrates ability to act in a supportive manner that recognizes the feelings of another cultural group. |
Recognizes intellectual and emotional dimensions of more than one worldview and sometimes uses more than one worldview in interactions.
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Identifies components of other cultural
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Views the experience of others but does so through own cultural worldview.
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Does not view the experience of others even through own cultural worldview.
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Verbal and NonVerbal Communication |
Articulates a complex understanding of cultural differences in verbal and nonverbal communication (e.g., demonstrates understanding of the degree to which people use physical contact while communicating in different cultures or use direct/ indirect and explicit/ implicit meanings) and is able to skillfully negotiate a shared understanding based on those differences. |
Recognizes and participates in cultural differences in verbal and nonverbal communication and begins to negotiate a shared understanding based on those
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Identifies some cultural differences in verbal and nonverbal communication and is aware that misunderstandings can occur based on those
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Has a minimal level of understanding of cultural differences in verbal and nonverbal communication; is unable to negotiate a shared understanding.
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Has a no understanding of cultural differences in verbal and nonverbal communication; is unable to negotiate a shared understanding.
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Attitudes (Curiosity) |
Asks complex questions about other cultures, seeks out and articulates answers to these questions that reflect multiple cultural perspectives. |
Asks deeper questions about other cultures and seeks out answers to these questions.
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Asks simple or surface questions about other cultures.
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States minimal interest in learning more about other cultures.
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States no interest in learning more about other cultures.
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Attitudes (Openness) |
Initiates and develops interactions with culturally different others. Suspends judgment in valuing her/his interactions with culturally different others.
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Begins to initiate and develop interactions with culturally different others. Begins to suspend judgment in valuing her/his interactions with culturally different others.
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Expresses openness to most, if not all, interactions with culturally different others. Has difficulty suspending any judgment in her/his interactions with culturally different others, and is aware of own judgment and expresses a willingness to change. |
Receptive to interacting with culturally different others. Has difficulty suspending any judgment in her/his interactions with culturally different others, but is unaware of own judgment.
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Is not receptive to interacting with culturally different others. |
Cultural Objectivity |
Demonstrates ability to write without making assumptions, judgments, and/or biases while working with diverse communities or cultures |
Demonstrates ability to write, but makes a couple assumptions, judgments, and/or biases while working with diverse communities or cultures |
Demonstrates ability to write, but makes a few assumptions, judgments, and/or biases while working with diverse communities or cultures |
Demonstrates little to no ability to write without making assumptions, judgments, and/or biases while working with diverse communities or cultures |
Demonstrates no ability to write without assumptions, judgments, or biases |
Cultural Focus |
Articulates a complex thesis statement about the cultural topic and focuses content on that topic. |
Articulates a complex thesis statement about the cultural topic and focuses most content on that topic. |
Articulates a simple thesis statement about the cultural topic, but only focuses some content on that topic. |
Articulates no thesis statement about the cultural topic or does not focus most of the content on a particular topic. |
Articulates no thesis statement and does not focus content on a particular topic |