Cultural CompetencyJenny WickfordPhD RPT

theoretical background

Adult learning

Transformative learning

Situated learning

Transformative learning

Basically, it is through transformation of our previous ways of understanding the world that we learn as adults (Mezirow 1991, 2009)

Transformative learning

Basically, it is through transformation of our previous ways of understanding the world that we learn as adults (Mezirow 1991, 2009)

Meaning perspectives

Transformative learning

Basically, it is through transformation of our previous ways of understanding the world that we learn as adults (Mezirow 1991, 2009)

Meaning perspectives – or frames of reference – “structures of culture and language through which we construe meaning by attributing coherence and significance to our experiences” (Mezirow 2009)

Transformative learning

Basically, it is through transformation of our previous ways of understanding the world that we learn as adults (Mezirow 1991, 2009)

Meaning perspectives

Instrumental & communicative learning

Transformative learningBasically, it is through transformation of our previous ways of understanding the world that we learn as adults (Mezirow 1991, 2009)

Meaning perspectives

Instrumental learning – understanding is concerned with assessing or testing the truth of a claim based on cause-and-effect orientation

Communicative learning – instead of assessing a truth claim, the process of understanding builds on mutual efforts of validating each other’s experiences through communication and dialogue (Mezirow 2003, 2009)

Situated learning

Situated learning

Where knowledge is gained through specific activity in the authentic context where it is to be applied and practiced (Lave & Wenger 1991, Billett 1996)

Situated learning

Where knowledge is gained through specific activity in the authentic context where it is to be applied and practiced (Lave & Wenger 1991, Billett 1996)

Communities of practice

Situated learning

Where knowledge is gained through specific activity in the authentic context where it is to be applied and practiced (Lave & Wenger 1991, Billett 1996)

Communities of practice – comprised of a shared repertoire of routines, actions and discourse, with mutual engagement of its members in practice in the pursuit of shared enterprises.

Situated learning

Where knowledge is gained through specific activity in the authentic context where it is to be applied and practiced (Lave & Wenger 1991, Billett 1996)

Communities of practice

Legitimate peripheral participation

Situated learning

Where knowledge is gained through specific activity in the authentic context where it is to be applied and practiced (Lave & Wenger 1991, Billett 1996)

Communities of practice

Legitimate peripheral participation – relates to the learner entering into a new context, and how learning occurs as they become a part of that context (Lave & Wenger 1991)

Situated learning

Where knowledge is gained through specific activity in the authentic context where it is to be applied and practiced (Lave & Wenger 1991, Billett 1996)

Communities of practice

Legitimate peripheral participation

Becoming competent in the ways of the communities of practice

cultural competency

What is culture?

CultureMany different definitions and understandings

CultureMany different definitions and understandings

“Culture is to a human collectivity what personality is to an individual” (Hofstede 2001)

CultureMany different definitions and understandings

“Culture is to a human collectivity what personality is to an individual” (Hofstede 2001)

My understanding of culture: “complex, diverse and dynamic systems of meanings, as social frames of reference that are both constructed and affected by groups of people, and affect the practices of these people. Culture is the medium through which people act and interact within the social world or context of which it is a part” (Wickford 2010)

Culture“One’s culture largely dictates one’s response to the world around him or her. Health care professionals must consider their own culture and worldview as well as that of their clients if they are to communicate effectively with the client” (Black & Purnell 2002)

CultureThe focus should be on similarities: “an important aspect of effective multicultural interaction is consideration of the extent of similarity between individuals” (Henley & Twible 2008)

CultureThe focus should be on similarities: “an important aspect of effective multicultural interaction is consideration of the extent of similarity between individuals” (Henley & Twible 2008)

“We are on the same page, but the Afghans write from right to left, and Westerners from left to right”

- Heather Dawson, Australian physiotherapist

CultureThe focus should be on similarities: “an important aspect of effective multicultural interaction is consideration of the extent of similarity between individuals” (Henley & Twible 2008)

“We are on the same page, but the Afghans write from right to left, and Westerners from left to right”

- Heather Dawson, Australian physiotherapist

What is due to personality and what is due to culture?

What is cultural competency?

Cultural competency

Cultural competency is essentially the ability to interact with people from different cultures in an appropriate manner

Cultural competency

Cultural competency is essentially the ability to interact with people from different cultures in an appropriate manner

It includes cultural sensitivity, cultural knowledge and cultural awareness (O’Shaughnessy & Tilki 2007)

Cultural competency

Cultural competency is essentially the ability to interact with people from different cultures in an appropriate manner

It includes cultural sensitivity, cultural knowledge and cultural awareness (O’Shaughnessy & Tilki 2007)

How we develop cultural competency depends on who we are, where we come from. It is impacted by our meaning perspectives, and by the cross-cultural contexts in which we engage

cultural competency

An ongoing, situated, transformative learning process (Wickford 2010)

cultural competency

An ongoing, situated, transformative learning process (Wickford 2010):

“Transformative learning enables us to challenge our preconceived ideas about other people and their beliefs and practices. Communicative learning enables us to mutually explore each other’s similarities and differences. Situated learning puts what we thought we knew to test in contextual practice, and knowledge about ourselves, those we work with, and the new culture is gained through interacting in it”

cultural competency

An ongoing, situated, transformative learning process (Wickford 2010):

“Transformative learning enables us to challenge our preconceived ideas about other people and their beliefs and practices. Communicative learning enables us to mutually explore each other’s similarities and differences. Situated learning puts what we thought we knew to test in contextual practice, and knowledge about ourselves, those we work with, and the new culture is gained through interacting in it”

Before understanding others, we need to understand ourselves

implications for practice

discussion

What is the implication of this for your practice?

What is needed to develop cultural competency? What is most important?

Implications

“A culturally competent therapist is one who has a sound self-critical understanding of him- or herself, who actively seeks knowledge about and experiences of the culture in question, who constantly seeks to develop an understanding of that culture, and then adapt services to the needs in accordance with that understanding” (Leavitt 1999)

Implications“A culturally competent therapist is one who has a sound self-critical understanding of him- or herself, who actively seeks knowledge about and experiences of the culture in question, who constantly seeks to develop an understanding of that culture, and then adapt services to the needs in accordance with that understanding” (Leavitt 1999)

“One’s culture largely dictates one’s response to the world around him or her. Health care professionals must consider their own culture and worldview as well as that of their clients if they are to communicate effectively with the client” (Black & Purnell 2002)

Implications

“to even start to understand others we need to first understand ourselves, and ourselves in relation to others” (Wickford 2010)

• This necessitates skills of self-critical reflection.

Implications self-critical reflection

Implications self-critical reflection

– Structured support

Implications self-critical reflection

– Structured support– Before, during, after

Implications self-critical reflection

– Structured support– Before, during, after– Together with others – communicative learning

Implications

“Encouraging self-critical reflection, but not dominating it, matters. So does the explicit recognition that we are here to do good in a practical way in the world as part of our moral self-fashioning. To accomplish that, we need to risk openness to being changed by others”

(Kleinman 2006)

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